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Download a Free Parent’s Guide to Pornography below

Thanks to our friends at Axis.org for this incredible guide! If you have children, work in children’s ministry, or work with teens, then I highly recommend this site for resources. Please consider donating to this cause.

“The number of young Americans watching online videos every day has more than doubled. The survey of American youth included the responses of 1,677 young people, ages 8 to 18. Among other things, it found that 56% of 8- to 12-year-olds and 69% of 13- to 18-year-olds watch online videos every day. In 2015, the last time the survey was conducted, those figures were 24% and 34%, respectively.

– Common Sense Media

 The age of exposure to pornography is becoming younger and younger every year! Even if you are thinking, “Well, my kid doesn’t have a smartphone or internet access…” they could still be at risk. 


Their friends and peers may have been exposed to porn, and no parent can control what their kid sees outside of their home!  As parents, we need to have the conversation TODAY about pornography. We need to show the next generation how to interpret what they see if they’re ever exposed to pornography. Download a free Parent’s Guide to Pornography and start conversations today. 

Download PDF Guide Here

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Pornography: The New Narcotic

Article by John Piper

Founder & Teacher, desiringGod.org

The new narcotic. Morgan Bennett just published an article by this title. The thesis:

Neurological research has revealed that the effect of internet pornography on the human brain is just as potent — if not more so — than addictive chemical substances such as cocaine or heroin.

To make matters worse, there are 1.9 million cocaine users, and 2 million heroin users, in the United States compared to 40 million regular users of online pornography.

Here’s why the addictive power of pornography can be worse:

Cocaine is considered a stimulant that increases dopamine levels in the brain. Dopamine is the primary neurotransmitter that most addictive substances release, as it causes a “high” and a subsequent craving for a repetition of the high, rather than a subsequent feeling of satisfaction by way of endorphins.

Heroin, on the other hand, is an opiate, which has a relaxing effect. Both drugs trigger chemical tolerance, which requires higher quantities of the drug to be used each time to achieve the same intensity of effect.

Pornography, by both arousing (the “high” effect via dopamine) and causing an orgasm (the “release” effect via opiates), is a type of polydrug that triggers both types of addictive brain chemicals in one punch, enhancing its addictive propensity.

But, Bennett says, “internet pornography does more than just spike the level of dopamine in the brain for a pleasure sensation. It literally changes the physical matter within the brain so that new neurological pathways require pornographic material in order to trigger the desired reward sensation.”

Think of the brain as a forest where trails are worn down by hikers who walk along the same path over and over again, day after day. The exposure to pornographic images creates similar neural pathways that, over time, become more and more “well-paved” as they are repeatedly traveled with each exposure to pornography. Those neurological pathways eventually become the trail in the brain’s forest by which sexual interactions are routed. Thus, a pornography user has “unknowingly created a neurological circuit” that makes his or her default perspective toward sexual matters ruled by the norms and expectations of pornography.

Not only do these addictive pathways cause us to filter all sexual stimulation through the pornographic filter; they awaken craving for “more novel pornographic content like more taboo sexual acts, child pornography, or sadomasochistic pornography.”

And it gets worse:

Another aspect of pornography addiction that surpasses the addictive and harmful characteristics of chemical substance abuse is its permanence. While substances can be metabolized out of the body, pornographic images cannot be metabolized out of the brain because pornographic images are stored in the brain’s memory.

“We are not mere victims of our eyes and our brains. The Holy Spirit has the greatest power.”

“In sum,” Bennett writes, “brain research confirms the critical fact that pornography is a drug delivery system that has a distinct and powerful effect upon the human brain and nervous system.”

None of this takes God by surprise. He designed the interplay between the brain and the soul. Discoveries of physical dimensions to spiritual reality do not nullify spiritual reality.

When Jesus said, “I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28), he saw with crystal clarity — the way a designer sees his invention — that the physical eye had profound effects on the spiritual “heart.”

And when the Old Testament wise man said in Proverbs 23:7, literally, “As he thinks in his soul, so is he,” he saw with similar clarity that soul acts create being. Thinking in the soul corresponds to “is.” And this “is” includes the body.

In other words, it goes both ways. Physical reality affects the heart. And the heart affects physical reality (the brain). Therefore, this horrific news from brain research about the enslaving power of pornography is not the last word. God has the last word. The Holy Spirit has the greatest power. We are not mere victims of our eyes and our brains. I know this both from Scripture and from experience. And I will write more about it next Tuesday. John Piper (@JohnPiper) is founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary. For 33 years, he served as pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is author of more than 50 books, including Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist and most recently Providence.

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The Serpent of Pornography and How to Crush it

I imagine Satan being very much like a cobra. Known for the hideous hood it extends when preparing to attack, it actually spits into the eyes of its victim before striking. With its target blinded and helpless, the serpent could easily squirm away into the brush. But this viper is not content with escape; it enjoys killing. With bared fangs, it lunges, injecting its deadly poison into its victim’s body. This is a fitting picture of the man lured into viewing pornography.

The Serpent of Pornography Deceives You

The temptation usually begins when he comes across a glimpse of flesh and/or a sexually suggestive hyper-link. It is just enough venom to temporarily blind him to the impending danger. The initial presentation is stimulating, creating a sensual atmosphere which spiritually incapacitates him.

It seems irresistible because it is laced with deception—namely, that the act of sin will bring about tremendous pleasure and satisfaction. The tantalizing thought is presented and all thoughts of resistance are forgotten. The act of sexual sin looks absolutely intoxicating and therefore irresistible. The serpent is extremely cunning. He slithers up to his unsuspecting victim, camouflaging the sin, presenting it under the perfect illusion of innocence. He times his attack to best accomplish his purpose, “to steal, and kill, and destroy’ God’s property.” Now the serpent moves in for the kill. That one glimpse of Porn unleashes a poison that rockets into the man’s soul and instantly spreads throughout his being. Just like a snakebite victim, he enters a catatonic state of mind: a sexual trance where all reason seems to abandon him. Lust rushes through his body; his face flushes with excitement; his palms get sweaty.

Solomon described this spiritual stupor this way: “With her many persuasions she entices him. With her flattering lips she seduces him. Suddenly he follows her as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as one in fetters to the discipline of a fool, until an arrow pierces through his liver; as a bird hastens to the snare, so he does not know that it will cost him his life.”  Proverbs 7:21-23

The Serpent of Pornography Impairs You

Once a snake bites, its victim then becomes vulnerable to other predators.

Some time ago, I watched a National Geographic special that showed a lioness who had been bitten by a cobra. For days, she suffered under the effects of its venom. Weakened to the point of collapse, she faced great danger from a roving pack of ravenous hyenas. She was helpless to defend herself from their savage attacks.

This is certainly true of the man who views pornography. Its poison, rather than dissipating after he has completed his act of lust, continues to contaminate his heart over the coming days. Its toxin remains in his system, altering his perspectives, polluting his mind, and spreading darkness over his soul. The lust it initially appealed to is now inflamed into burning desire. Rather than satisfying the man’s sexual passion, it only serves to further ignite it.

Not only must the infected man deal with the after-effects of the bite, but now he is even more weakened spiritually against the enemies of his soul. He attempts to go about his daily routines, but lascivious memories continue to haunt him. These images are like Third World beggars crowding around him, clamoring for another handout. No matter how much you give them, they’re never satisfied. Indeed, every gift only emboldens them to demand more.

The Serpent of Pornography Must Be Crushed

Christian men must do everything within their power to crush the serpent of pornography. Two practical measures a man should take include: installing a filter on his Internet devices, and controlling his television viewing. However, the fact remains that we live in a snake-infested world. In our day and age, it is almost inevitable that men will face this temptation at some point. The wise believer will prepare himself for that day with the Word of God.

When a man “receives with meekness the engrafted word,” he will discerns the source of temptation that comes his way. He understands that, behind the beautiful illusion of pleasure, there is a snake—coiled and ready to strike. He has been bitten by it before and has learned the hard way the price that is paid for every indulgence. He has the heart-knowledge (much different from head knowledge) to “be a doer of the Word” and turn away from the temptation.

Time spent in the Word everyday builds up a man’s immune system against the poison of pornography. The scriptures are simply the thinking and perspectives of the Lord. As a man continually immerses himself in the Bible, he will gradually take on God’s mindset toward life, people and, yes, even sexuality. A man who devotes daily time to the Word is given spiritual insight into the power of temptation and how it works. Just as the Word of God prepares a man to face temptation, it is also the only antidote for the man once he has been bitten by the serpent of lust. Regular doses of Scripture are the very thing he needs to be built up spiritually and thus counteract the effects of the poison of pornography. “Precept upon precept; line upon line; here a little, and there a little…” Isaiah 28:10

It is only the “Sword of the Spirit” that can sever the head of the serpent of porn.

Source : Pure Life Ministries. – Steve Gallagher

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Stand Up to Porn – Porn, Shame, & the Christian TEEN, a summit

https://axis.org/porn-shame-the-christian-teen-summit-sign-up/

August 19th – 24th

Join Us For This Free Digital Event

AND TAKE A STAND AGAINST

Porn Addiction – Unhealthy Habits

With the average age of pornography exposure getting lower and lower each year, we have to ask ourselves… WHY?

Whether it’s from a direct search, accidentally stumbling across the wrong website, or just being on the wrong app at the wrong time, PORN IS EVERYWHERE.
Even if your kid doesn’t have a phone, 60% of kids report being exposed to nudity from a friend or acquaintance. So what do we do?

Axis & Covenant Eyes have partnered to bring you the top experts in this field so you can learn the facts, what we can do as parents, and how we can be a safe place for our kids to confide in. 

https://axis.org/porn-shame-the-christian-teen-summit-sign-up/

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Yes, Older Men, You Can Still Develop a Pornography Addiction

Originally posted at: https://paddictrecovery.com/2021/05/03/yes-older-men-you-can-still-develop-a-pornography-addiction/

One of the challenging things about life during the pandemic, aside from everything, has been trying to explain to people that the statistics I’ve been citing for a while, most from studies between 2015-2018, were likely outdated. I think this is especially true with the youngest generation, but what about older men? I believe when we finally have a chance to see what COVID meant to their viewing habits, we’ll gasp.

That said, thankfully there were still plenty of people studying pornography’s effect on people and pornography addiction in 2020. There were a lot of findings released that simply flew under the radar. CNN and FOX News may be different, but neither touched the porn epidemic while the other one was going on. But that’s OK, that’s why you have me.

I’m hoping to bring you the latest details of studies, surveys and conclusions reached by the scientific community. If pornography addiction is ever going to be classified as an addiction by that community, they have to study it. I have no problem with that. Thankfully, while the world argues about vaccine safety, we still have people studying and learning. Maybe the next generation won’t be in the weeds.

Speaking of Generations of Older Men

I’ve written on this site before that there is no stereotypical addict. I have met people of all genders, intelligence, religion, age and just about every other socio-economic demographic you can think of out there. I find people often seem to doubt it’s as prevalent with women and older people as I state. However, the results of a new study confirm that porn addiction is a growing problem in the older male community.

A study published in the International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, authored by four scientists: Anna Ševčíková, Lukas Blinka, Kateřina Škařupová, and David Vašek is especially enlightening. They recognized that Internet porn addiction studying was almost exclusively limited to younger age groups and were curious about older men and their relationship with online pornography.

Methodology of the Study

The researchers studied 158 men between the ages of 50 and 77 and wanted to examine the connection between online sex addiction, and life situations that come with being older, such as changes in work/retirement, the absence of a partner and general boredom. Thankfully the research took place before the pandemic or that boredom score would probably be off the charts.

The reality is, the Internet has been around for a while now. When I got on it in 1994, most still weren’t there. I was the first person I knew with an e-mail address. It was an AOL one and I still have it collecting dust. Web browsers weren’t a thing for another two or three years at that point, which was when everybody started migrating. The guys who were 50 at the time of this study could have been only 25 when they went online. Of course, back then, it took 5 minutes to download a single picture.

The researchers found that “online sex addiction” was affected by a man’s occupational status, boredom and level of involvement in other sexual activities online. However, relationship status and sex life offline had nothing to do with addictive behavior in this age group.

The conclusions was that older age does not protect against the development of online sex addiction. Those with deficiencies in the variable that leaned toward addiction also had higher rates of succumbing… obviously.

A Couple of Excerpts

I found these direct quotes to be among the most interesting in the study:

  • “Occupational changes, including chronic unemployment, may be demanding in various ways: individuals have to deal with limited financial resources, with a decline of social contact, and with other lifestyle changes, such as the newly emerged spare time, which may affect their self-esteem and feelings of self-worth.”
  • “The transition into work inactivity due to unemployment or retirement represents a stressful process that requires the reorganization of everyday life, which has the potential to trigger a problematic pattern of Internet use.”
  • “Besides occupational status, our study identified Internet use because of boredom as one of the strongest predictors of online sex addiction. Previous research suggested that boredom is an important risk factor for a whole array of addictive behaviors, ranging from substance use to behavioral addictions, including sex addiction.“

A Note to the Older Men

Needless to say, anybody who feels that online sex or porn addiction is only a young man’s game is wrong. I can vouch for the fact when I was in rehab, 12-step groups and other group therapy situations there were many men over the 50-year-old threshold. Hell, I’m only five years away from the study’s demographic at this point. Addiction rates of men over 50 are not about to drop anytime soon as my generation enters the demo.