:: Real Christians Don't Watch Porn... Part 2 ::

Some people read something else in my post former which wasn't intended. They were concerned that I was pointing the finger and saying that believers who engage in watching porn are not Christians. This is my response to bring precisions to my thoughts:

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If you go back and read again, I specifically stress the fact that guys (and women who struggle with that as well) should not take this lightly. I never would think to even hint that anyone watching porn or masturbating are not real Christians. That was never the focus of the article. Maybe I should have titled it: "Real Christians Aggressively Pursue sexual Purity." I tried to use "Real Christians" as some would say "Real Men Do Cry." Doesn't mean that men who don't cry are not men.

Rather, I tried to turn the focus from the inward position of godliness, to an outward one of looking with human and Christian eyes at the objects we lust after: women. These are people, and the fact that we would demystify their status as being just another toy to lust after, that should wake us up. I know it did wake me up.

Secondly, I will use this analogy: I heard it said that the Holocaust didn't happen because of hatred, but because of apathy. In the same way, we are surrounded by a culture that is trying to make our children into sex objects. If you're a parent, when was the last time you shopped for hours trying to find a decent bathing suit for your daughter? How many times are you assaulted visually by TV ads that use lust to entice you to loo? How many movies have you seen since Bring It On and American Pie that exalt adolescent sexuality, using all the cliches currently powerfully used in porn? These things come in our homes, in our psyches. And in our lifestyles.

Finally, how many families have been destroyed because they opened the doors to immorality through the father's own sex addiction and dysfunction? The Church carries the load of bringing the kingdom in a territory. Often, the demonic is at work in a place through immorality, empowered by the cliche: everybody does it. I'm advocating for purity and action, not for condemnation.

I am a survivor of sexual abuse. As a child I've been molested. As an adult I've been molested. And I've battled for decades before finding a way to victory. I don't brag about it, I just share the way I've found. Although I understand the weakness of the flesh, I would never excuse it. I don't intend falling prey to it ever again. That don't mean I'm standing in judgement of others. I just know that one can conquer certain sins if one really wants to get to the bottom of things. We don't have to remain in bondage.

I've been on that road long enough to know the tricks my flesh plays on me. But I would never think that when I lust and indulge in masturbation, that I'm any different than those who abduct and rape innocent victims, groom them to be sex slaves and make the movies or magazines I'd use to satisfy that sinful urge. In essence, it's like I'm standing in that room and perpetrating the acts myself. And that's what lust of the eye is about. We are never innocently watching. The drive of lust is that we imagine ourselves engaging in the act.

Therefore, should I apologize? I'm sorry if anyone felt diminished or insulted. But I'm not sorry to speak out and be a voice for those victims. And once we start forgetting about porn and look beyond, seeing the humans in there, in need of salvation yes, but also potentially in need of rescue, then the picture changes, and the motivation that hits us is unlike anything we've known before.

I'm pointing the finger on the culture around us and in our homes, a culture that's attempting to put us to sleep while they promote sexuality as a "cool darkness." We won't have any real power to oppose it if we draw pleasure from it.

And it's not about telling people to be remorseful and sorry for their sin, but about remaining human as we witness our own fallenness. Then can we hope to raise above temptation and become a freedom fighter, instead of sleeping with the enemy.

Hope this makes more sense. Thanks for all who shared in response to my post. I hope my position is understood as being one which attempts to bring life, and not stupidly point fingers and pour judgement on other as if I thought myself to be better... I would never do that intentionally. I have enough memories to go back to in order to take away from myself any power to judge...

Blessings,