The Pollution of Pornography

The Pollution of Pornography

Pollution is a major problem of our day. Nearly every American is concerned with environmental pollution. Vast amounts of money and effort are daily expended to control this menace to human health and the ecosystem. It is paradoxical, however, that while people are concerned about the polluted air, streams and land, they are generally apathetic and unconcerned about the far more serious problem of moral pollution. In this theme we direct our attention to the pollution of pornography.

I. What is pornography? Many Christians live such sheltered lives that they are naive to the ways of the world. Like one ole timer who asked what he thought about all this new pornography? He replied that he hadn't had a chance to decide whether he was for or against it since he did not have a pornograph.

The word pornography is a compound word. Porneia is the Greek term for sexual uncleanness of all kinds, including fornication. Grapho means to write or picture. Thus we are talking about vulgar, obscene books and films sold in the "adult book stores" that pollute our land. In addition, the word describes many adult magazines sold on the racks of our drug stores, news stands and grocery stores. Numerous books, especially of the paperback variety are pornographic, as are many movies shown at family theaters and even many of the shows piped into our homes via television. The advent of the computer and Internet has sent a cascade of pornography across the landscape of society.

II. Some Things We Do Not Oppose. A common defense tactic of the porno-pushers is that we are old fashioned, prudes, out of step with modern enlightenment and reality.

We are not against sex. The reproductive system of men and women are a marvelous demonstration of Jehovah's creative wisdom. Truly we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Ps. 139:14). The sexual drive and appetite in men and women is perfectly normal and natural. Everything God created was "very good" including this (Gen. 1:31). The Creator provided the marriage bed as a legitimate and lawful place for fulfilling the need for sexual love (Heb. 13:4). "Because of fornications, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband" (I Cor. 7:2). Sex out of marriage has always been branded as illicit and immoral (I Thess. 4:3-8).

We are not opposed to art. There is a vast difference in true art which may focus upon the beauty of the human body which God made (with no intent of producing lust) and pornography. The latter distorts the human body into something vile and vulgar by focusing only upon the erotic portions of the body for the express purpose of stimulating lust for the greed of money. In art we see the human body, the glory of the Creator's power. In pornography we see a nude woman to gratify the beastial passion of fornicators.

We do not object to sex education for either adults or children. Surely, a person should know all about his body and the design of the opposite sex of the human family. Knowledge is always preferable to ignorance and superstition. The author has participated in numerous sex-education programs in the congregational situation and in public schools. Such instruction, however, should be given in the light of God's moral guidance and not as a course in "how to do it" without getting caught. True sexual training must always be in the context of the intent and purpose given by the Creator.

We are not puritanical in our attitudes toward human sexuality. The puritanical view was a denial of sex as a normal wholesome function of even married life. We affirm sexual love as a gift from God to mankind to bless his marriage relationship and to add to his total happiness and joy (Gen. 2:18,21-25). We reject both the prudery of puritanism and the promiscuity of the hedonistic pornographer.

III. Why Pornography Is Wrong?

It distorts sex from its God-given purpose to sheer animal lust.

It prostitutes and makes a burlesque out of human love, making vile and dirty that which is intended to be pure and beautiful.

It exploits women, by depicting them as playthings and sex objects of men.

Women are dehumanized. They appear as so much merchandise to be bought, stolen or appropriated. Men who view such filth cannot help but lose their respect for women.

Pornography produces a lurid obsession with illicit and abnormal sex. To lust in the heart is the prelude to adultery in reality. Jesus condemns both (Matt. 5:28-29).

It promotes and glorifies homosexuality and beastiality which God forbids and punishes in no uncertain terms (Lev. 18:22-24). Such perversion was grounds for God to dispossess the Canaanites and give their land to the Hebrews.

It corrupts young minds and leads them into immoral conduct. If we allow a generation of youngsters to grow up with minds polluted by such refuse, what type of family and community leadership will they be able to furnish?

By encouraging unrestrained sexual indulgence, it contributes to the continuing epidemic of venereal disease in our land.

Some readers of pornography become addicted to this sickly diet and lose their ability to function in a normal, loving marriage relationship. It is thus as dangerous and destructive as drug abuse.

Crimes of rape, violence and even murder are provoked against women by the reading of sexually inflaming pornography.

To descend the ladder of moral turpitude even further, it promotes the sexual abuse of children. Child pornography is the ultimate plunge into human degradation. It is presently flourishing in our once great land. Estimates are that upwards of 1.2 million youngsters are being exploited for porno films and magazines and prostitution. Only God knows how many kids are sexually abused by fathers, brothers and other lustful wretches who feed their souls on porno.

It makes merchandise of young men and women who are used for porno filming. Many of the girls are recruited and seduced into this vice even as they are for prostitution and drugs. This exploitation of humans for the personal enrichment of the porno czars is criminal.

IV. The Scripture's Message on Pornography. It is an evil tree since it produces evil fruit. Its indulgers will be punished by God (Matt. 7:16-19). Being rank lasciviousness, its promoters and partakers cannot enter the kingdom of heaven (Gal.5:19-20). God's people are warned to guard their minds against all such perversions (Prov. 4:23). Those who fill their minds with such garbage will live lives that reek of the garbage dump (Matt. 12:34). Christians should never allow fornication and uncleanness to be found in their lives (Eph. 5:3). Not only must we refuse to participate in such works of darkness, but we should boldly reprove them for their evil deeds (Eph. 5:7-12). In his epistle to the church in Thyatira, Jesus threatened the sorest of punishment against a woman called Jezebel who taught his people to commit fornication (Rev. 2:20-33). Surely the same judgment awaits the hucksters of pornography who pollute our land and people. May the righteous remnant rise up and drive them from our midst before the land vomits us out (Lev. 18: 20-24).

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