The Battle for Purity

Pornography is a Big Problem

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” Mat 5:3

In the book of Genesis, God created Adam and Eve in His image as male and female. God blessed them and said to them to be fertile and multiply. Before original sin, Adam and Eve were naked and felt no shame. St. Pope John Paul II teaches that Adam and Eve “[knew] each other fully in innocence and purity.” They did not see the other as a sexual object to be used. Rather, equal in dignity, they came to know in themselves the power to express love, precisely as a gift of self to the other.

Due to original sin, Adam and Eve lost their innocence and purity. Even though they were still husband and wife, they now felt a need to cover themselves, to protect themselves from the other.

Since original sin, the human race has been suffering the effects of sexual sin. In our modern times, pornography has become pervasive, invading our homes, attacking the individual, families and society. Pornography is a violent act against purity, charity and human dignity.

Pornography is not new and can be dated as early as Roman times. For many of us, when we were children, pornography was not easily accessible. An adult had to show their face in public to go to a movie theater or a drug store to purchase pornographic material. Children had virtually no access to pornography, except that of the occasional discarded or misplaced magazine.

Today, however, is quite different. With the introduction of the Internet, smartphones and mobile technologies, pornography is now easily accessible, even within our homes, and even by our children. An estimated 70% to 80% of porn sites are free with the intent to lure customers to pay sites, and pornographic material (one major site having 68 years worth of content) can be accessed in private. Combined with cultural attitudes that are silent and even promote pornography as a healthy expression of sexuality, the result is pornography usage that continues to grow at alarming and exponential rates.

Statistics

The statistics are shocking and humbling. A brief overview: (source: Covenant Eyes unless otherwise noted)

  • 35% of all Internet downloads are related to pornography
  • The following percentages of men say they view pornography at least one a month:
    • 50-68 year olds: 49%
    • 31-49 year olds: 67%
    • 18-30 year olds: 79%
  • The following percentages of women say they view pornography at least one a month:
    • 50-68 year olds: 4%
    • 31-49 year olds: 16%
    • 18-30 year olds: 76% (Young women’s usage of porn is now nearly equal to men)

And, our attitudes on pornography are changing:

  • Just 55% of adults 25 and older believe porn is wrong
  • A 2007 survey from six U.S. schools found that 66.5% of young men and 48.7% of young women said viewing pornographic materials is an acceptable way to express one’s sexuality
  • 90% of teens and 96% of young adults are either encouraging, accepting, or neutral when they talk about porn with their friends

This has led many health care professionals to declare pornography as a global public health crisis. All parts of society are negatively impacted by the increased use and destructive effects of pornography.

“Pornography, by its very nature, is an equal opportunity toxin. It damages the viewer, the performer, and the spouses and the children of the viewers and the performers. It is toxic miseducation about sex and relationships. It is more toxic the more you consume, the ‘harder’ the variety you consume and the younger and more vulnerable the consumer.” – Dr. Mary Anne Layden

The Church is not immune. We now face a crisis in the Church and in our families:

  • 64% of self-identified Christian men view pornography at least once a month (compared to 65% of non-Christian men)
    • 23% of practicing Christian males 25+ use porn at least once a month
    • 41% of practicing Christian males 13-24 use porn at least once a month
  • A 2016 survey at a large U.S. Catholic high school found:
    • 49% of the students viewed pornography more than once a week
    • 82% of their pornography use was in their home
  • Other surveys outline the issue of pornography within the clergy, pastors and youth ministers

Please visit the Statistics page for an broader overview. These statistics should be alarming.

Pornography is harmful for children

The increase of pornography usage among children is staggering. Pornography has an even more devastating impact on a child. Even on an adult brain, pornography usage has damaging effects. However, a child’s brain has not yet fully matured and continues to develop until about age 20 to 22. In this active state, the brain is forming neuronal wiring. The part of the brain that controls judgement and impulses, and regulates emotions, isn’t fully developed. The child’s brain can’t contextualize the misinformation of pornography the way an adult’s brain can. Pornography distorts normal brain development causing a variety of long lasting damage and harm. A child is more susceptible to addiction which can lead to additional compulsions and problematic behaviors such as “sexting” and promiscuity at a young age.

Pornography is harmful for adults

Pornography is harmful to an adult’s sexual health and harmful to the family. Many bring their porn problem into their marriage with devastating effects. Pornography has distorted their understanding of a healthy sexual relationship. They assume they can stop their porn habit, but then realize they cannot. The trust and intimacy between the spouses is damaged since pornography usage relies on deception and lies to hide their behavior. They experience decreased marital intimacy and sexual satisfaction. They are more prone to infidelity. Studies have found that when a spouse catches their partner using pornography, the hurt and damage is equivalent to adultery. The American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers reported in 2002 that 56% of divorces involved one party having “an obsessive interest in pornographic websites.”

There is help, there is hope

This issue cannot be underestimated. Below are links with further information, including resources to help parents protect their children, and resources to help those struggling with this issue.

Protecting Children

Never before has pornography been so easily accessible by children, and at an intensity and scale no other generation has ever experienced. The majority of pornography usage by children is in the home. It is critical that parents be aware of this threat, and take steps to protect their children.

Getting Help

Many, who have developed a habit of viewing pornography who then want to stop, whether they have had a sincere conversion of faith or are preparing to enter into a faithful marriage with their beloved or for any other reason, find it very difficult to stop. This is in part due to how the brain functions. Shear will power is often not enough and they often find themselves in a cycle of failure and despair. But there help. There is hope.