I found the trailer to this documentary fascinating. Christians taking a stand and attacking the guilt and shame behind pornography use by Christians. As a recovery sex addict, I can relate to the guilt and shame quite well. Please take a moment to read the story behind the video posted under the video.
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As much as we hate to think about it, pornography is affecting our lives.
What was considered “hardcore”pornography 30 years ago is now considered “softcore”. What used to be considered “softcore” 30 years ago is now considered “normalized” pornography (Gail Dines, Pornland). So at the very least level, your life is absolutely affected by what our culture currently displays as “normalized” pornography. Generally speaking, someone you love very much is viewing or hooked on hardcore pornography, you may not know it yet because most users can easily keep this consumption a secret.
Some of you are extremely aware of how living with a pornography addiction can affect your lives and relationships. You also understand how the stigma of shame surrounding the issue perpetuates and increases the problem.
Here is an excerpt from a letter I received from an 18-year-old girl dealing with her addiction to pornography since age 13.
“By the time I understood what pornography was, it was too late. My conscious was telling me that what I was doing wasn’t right, but I didn’t know how to stop. I hid my problem from everyone, convinced everyone would hate me for what I was doing, as much as I hated myself. The more I sinned, the more I hated myself, and the more I turned to pornography for release. As a form of punishment, every time I messed up I wouldn’t allow myself to eat a meal. I saw it as a good solution. By doing so, I might defer myself from sinning, while getting the kind of body the women I saw had. My perception of beauty was warped. My perception of everything was warped…I tell myself, no one would ever guess I have this issue, so there must be many [others] out there who are hiding it just as effectively as I am.”
There are thousands and thousands of young men and women just like this in our cultures. We must do something to help them and to change the way people currently perceive pornography. The overall message of our film will help people to understand pornography addiction by learning to SPEAK openly, LISTEN compassionately, and HEAL completely.
We feel strongly that our best protection against this issue is through awareness, education, honest and frank conversation with your loved ones, and in taking back sex education for the sake of our children.
This is an issue that affects all Christian denominations, as such Shamed will be an interfaith effort, featuring authorities and experts on the issue of many faiths.
