CASTIMONIA

Sexual Purity Support & Recovery Group

pornography

By

More Churches Offer Counseling for Sex Addiction

By Abby Acone
October 6, 2012

VIDEO – More Churches Offer Counseling for Sex Addiction

It is a staggering number— each year, the U-S porn industry makes $14 billion — and more money than the entire NFL. And as those profits rise, it’s leading to leading to a public health problem that most people don’t want to acknowledge— sex addiction.

Action News discovered more local churches are offering counseling for porn addicts. KEPR talked to one couple who found healing from a secret addiction.

“Every waking minute – that’s all you think about,” described Jim.

This man is recovering from a porn addiction – and asked us to shield his identity. We’ll call him Jim.

“I tried to stop myself,” explained Jim.

For years Jim kept his porn addiction from everyone— including the people closest to him.Coming out to his wife was no easy task.

“The fear of being discovered and going behind her back. I kept it a secret for a very long time,” said Jim.

“Julie” and “Jim” restored their marriage – by way of faith and intensive counseling.

They are the exception.

Divorce lawyers say 50% of their cases involve a partner addicted to porn.

“It’s a problem! It destroys good sex in marriage,” emphasized Julie.

Action News found more churches in the area are offering counseling and support groups for sex and porn addiction.  We talked to handfuls of churches that say more men are facing their hidden hang-ups.

“For a long time there’s been a huge stigma,” said Counselor BJ Olson.

Counselors tell KEPR they see more couples coming forward to get help.

“Keep it in the dark and don’t talk about it, but also this movement to try and say that it’s normal,” said Olson.

Another method of recovery for sex addicts? Some religious organizations suggest using Internet filtering programs like Covenant Eyes or Triple XXX Church to help monitor and report sex activity.

“For some men, the only time they can have a quote un-quote normal sexual experience is if pornography is somehow part of it. It becomes very impulsive – and it almost feels like they’re compelled to do it,” added Olson.

Experts say the road to healing is all about honesty – coupled with empathy from a wife.

“You can’t pretend – oh, it’s glamorous, it’s great, it’s no big deal,” added Olson.

The American Psychiatric Association is now working to include sexual addiction as a legitimate problem

By

Woody’s Story

22 years ago today, I entered a rehab facility for help with sexual addiction.

I was 35 years old, and for the first time in my life, I began to grow up.  One thing I have learned about myself, I was immature because I was stuck in my childhood.  I was sexually used, then abused from the time I was 8 until I was 12 years old.  That locked me into my childhood.  I grew up full of embarrassment, shame, anger, fear and neglect.  Ironically, the one thing that was the source of my shame became the one thing I used to make me feel good.  Sex.  Masturbation, porn, girls, fantasies, daydreams, these became my way of life.

I became two personalities, basically, a public persona and a private persona.  Who I was publicly, was all about image control.  I projected a public image of myself that I wanted others to see, and I held onto the private persona so I could retreat into my hidden world.  Eventually, I got to the point where I knew I needed to stop, I knew I wasn’t a man of integrity.  I wanted to be honest, but I was a liar.  I wanted to live in such a way that I didn’t have to spend my time looking over my shoulder, trying not to get caught doing things I shouldn’t be doing.  I told myself many times, with the gravest of sincerity, “I will never do that again”.  I was never able to keep that commitment, though.  I discovered, later, I didn’t lack the desire to stop, I simply didn’t have the power to stop.
I was a very lonely man, even though I was married, and I used to look at other married couples and wish I had what they had.  I knew I could never have what they had unless I came clean and got honest.  But, there was a high price for honesty.  It could cost me everything to get honest and I might lose my marriage, my job, my future.  The fear of that high price kept me from coming clean for a long time.
I tried all kinds of ways to deal with my problem, I figured, as long as I never did any of those things again, I would never have to tell anyone anything, I could just go on living and be honest from this point on.  But, I always knew, deep inside, that doesn’t work.  So, on May 18, 1991, I began, what eventually became a month long process of coming clean to my wife.  Eventually, I realized I needed professional help, but not before denying I needed that help.  So, I paid that high price to become honest.  I resigned my position as a pastor and checked myself into a rehab facility here in Houston.
22 years ago today, and I have had a few slips, but I never returned to my old lifestyle.  I am one person now, not two.  If you were to watch me secretly and compare me to who I am in public, you would see I am no longer two “Woodys”, I am one person.
I live in freedom today, because I surrendered my will to God’s will, and prayed for His strength to do for me what I could not do for myself.  I’m no longer a liar and I practice rigorous honesty on a daily basis.  Now, when I disappoint my wife, it isn’t because I betrayed her and broke my wedding vows, but rather, it’s because I’ve done something that normal husbands do that disappoints their wives.
My sobriety cost me everything too!  I was homeless for about two months, my wife and I were separated and heading towards a divorce.  I discovered though, there is no price too high to pay for sobriety.  No matter what the cost, I was willing to pay it.  That hasn’t changed in me in the last 22 years either, no price is too high to pay for my sobriety.
It is amazing to me to be the recipient of so many absolutely undeserved blessings in my life.  My Bride and I did not divorce, instead, we worked it out and are truly in love with each other today.  I have a home and two new cars, all paid for.  I am debt free financially and am able to give generously to support Christian and other charitable causes.
I still go to 12 Step meetings, and sponsor other men who want to recover from sex addiction.  I will always be grateful that I received grace and forgiveness, especially when I least deserved it.
Praise God, I am a free man.
My name is Woody, and I am a grateful believer in Jesus Christ and a recovering sex addict, and I have been clean and sober for 22 years.

By

Dignity: Women are People

October 8, 2012 · by

KS is a single mom who has been the victim of sex trafficking and sexual exploitation. She was with us recently when we shared with a group the truth about human dignity as it relates to the social and human costs of pornography with its connections to the sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of our women and children.  Afterwards, a man who had been a user of pornography and exploiter of women, approached KS to apologize and ask for forgiveness for being one who so wrongfully abused young women like her. It was a powerful experience. (KS will share more of her story with us in the coming months.)

Most of us would agree today that any system that subjects women, children and men to exploitation for money, power, and personal gratification goes against the very being of our Creator. William Wilberforce was the crusading Christian reformer who was responsible for bringing an end to the cruelty of the African slave trade.  He understood that all people have been made in God’s image – and one of the attributes we inherit and portray is human dignity.

Therefore, acknowledging that all women, and children, are indeed Somebody’s daughter and Somebody’s son literally captures the essence of every person’s value and human dignity created in God’s image.

We encounter opportunities every day to repaint the landscape of our culture, to see the hearts of people be awakened about the issue of pornography and its related activities.  We simply need to be willing to make these issues part of our everyday dialogue.

A community leader recently said, “William Wilberforce realized that he couldn’t end slavery until England realized that a slave was a man…now, get the men of America to understand that women are people.“

We truly can become a nation that honors and values the dignity of every woman and every child.

She’s Somebody’s Daughter. He’s Somebody’s Son.

Let the conversation begin.

By

Stating the Obvious

Posted on October 8, 2012 by

 

by Noel Bouché

I’m having one of those days.  You know, one of those days when, for whatever reason, your tolerance for pretense, apathy, insincerity, superficiality, ignorance, and indifference is particularly low.  One of those days when you just want to, well, call a pole a pole.

So here goes.

Porn is evil.  It is prostitution, it is sex trafficking, and it exploits, it demeans, it corrodes, it poisons, and it is everywhere.  Including in your home.  Do something about it.

Sex is sacred.  God created it, blessed it, and speaks about it with a holy frankness and candor throughout Scripture.  You should too, and so should your pastor.

Marriage is beautiful.  Honor it, celebrate it, protect it, enjoy it, and fight for it.  Today.  The opportunity to do so will be there if you look for it.

Children and teens are being assaulted.  Pimps and traffickers have access to them 24/7. Especially the pimps and traffickers who moonlight as media executives.  Wake up and lead these beautiful young people to Jesus, who gave everything for them.

There.  Just had to unload that.  No footnotes, no citations, no references.  Thanks for listening.  Peace out.

Noel Bouché serves as Vice President of pureHOPE.  If you would like more straight-forward, no-poles-barred talk in 140 characters or less, you can follow him on Twitter @noelbouche. 

By

Video – Just One Click Away

Chilling video courtesy of Pure Hope for us to watch about how pornography can grab hold of us, keeping us captive, even in the presence of our families.

Yes, that is a chilling video.  Yes, sexual brokenness is a pervasive and painful issue. Yes, there is an attack on our youth just 1 click away.

But yes! There are ministries and individuals rising up, saying “Here am I, Lord” (Isaiah 6:8).