inappropriate content ADDICTION - Why do so many struggle?

[Inkfingers]

So-called "addiction" is just when we choose the carnal and immediate, like a 2 year old (hence the temper tantrums when they don't get what they want).

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

Is it simply the fault of the individual?

"Raise up the child in the way he should go, and he will not soon depart from it."
So the parents are often responsible.
"Woe to anyone who causes one of these little ones to stumble" (severe judgment on everyone who promotes and encourages or instigates sin, besides parents).
"Everyone will be judged for what they do". So the individual is not free of guilt either.

And - How do people genuinely break this addiction and turn away from inappropriate content?

How does anyone stop sinning in the OT and in the NT? Quite a good read finding out.

"Strict discipline is required for life. "
"Few ever find the narrow road to life" (the only way to eternal life; JESUS)

 

[SamanthaMathis]

Being guilty of this sin in the past, it is clear to me how shameful it can be to be so easily swayed. This particular sin is more troublesome for single people, especially older singles, yet it's no excuse. Especially when society has an expectation of how older women should behave, but it keeps us from feeling genuine closeness to the lord. Temptations of the flesh is a false fantasy, but a constant one feels too good and easy to just say no outright. One has to admit it is a daily struggle, a change in perspective is how I try to combat my deeper urges, but I am always open to advice since men have it harder.

 

[kdm1984]

Lust of the flesh and eyes. And no, women are not immune. I surfed inappropriate content constantly as a teenager. There are some extremely attractive men out there. I liked looking at softcore nudes. Even as a married adult now, I have to avoid magazines like ESPN Body that show handsome and toned male athletes because I have gotten aroused by that before.

 

[S.O.J.I.A.]

it's a form of stealing..

 

[Tomm]

Is it simply the fault of the individual?
Or is there a demon/spirit constantly tempting the individual?
And - How do people genuinely break this addiction and turn away from inappropriate content?

That's the fault of politicians, they legalized inappropriate contentography, in the name of freedom of speech, strangely.

They have no concern for the welfare of people (in general, some do have), when they show any concern -- you better watch out, it's likely that they are trying to make use of some issue to advance their leftist agenda.

In general, leftists like to promote immoral culture because they need to corrupt people before they could control people and grab more power.

 

[natlyn]

I am a woman who had struggled with inappropriate content addiction on and off for 10 years since I was 10 years old. I heard kids at school talking about it for months before I first looked it up out of curiosity. It really changes (damanges) your brain. I have been free for a couple of years now and God has really changed me. I know at least 6 women that have struggled with inappropriate content addiction and opened up about it to me. It is a growing problem for so many women too. Only Jesus can give you the freedom you so desperately desire.

 

[Willie T]

Up on the Mountaintop still working on the 3 second rule.
M-Bob

Basketball?

 

[VCR-2000]

Really, a lot of it comes from loneliness. People, men especially, just can't find the real, authentic love they're looking for, so they make do with lust. A lot of inappropriate content addiction is just trying to hide from the lack of true Godly love that people so deeply long for.

I have this thought too.
But my position is a little hard to explain.
I think inappropriate content can lead to destructive things, but men shouldn't be feeling guilty of being visual because God created them in that way.
I then see people on both sides blaming or making men feel bad about it, both from the Christian anti-inappropriate content perspective and the SJW and feminist perspective.

 

[Tayla]

How do people genuinely break this addiction and turn away?

By turning away and staying away, the same process as for tobacco.

 

[MyChainsAreGone]

Is it simply the fault of the individual?
Or is there a demon/spirit constantly tempting the individual?
And - How do people genuinely break this addiction and turn away from inappropriate content?

I've scanned or read all of the replies you've gotten here. I don't think anyone has actually answered your questions...

In John 8:32, Jesus said, "You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." Read the context and you'll see that Jesus is referring to the freedom from perpetual sin.

This means something very simple... if a person is not free from sin bondage, then they do not yet know the truth. Stated another way, where there is sin bondage, there is a lie believed and acted upon.

For the record, this is not about the "truth" that leads to salvation, but rather the specific truth relative to the area of bondage. For every sin bondage, there is a core lie that gives it power. When the lie is rejected and replaced with truth, the truth will--according to Jesus' words--make that person free from their bondage. The truth is not a better strategy, nor more will-power, nor "personal accountability"... rather it is God's perspective on the matter.

The reason so many are bound to inappropriate content is for the simple reason that they believe a falsehood about the true--God's--meaning of the human body.

And the reason its so pervasive in the church is the simple fact that the church does not believe or teach the truth about the human body. So the very lie that keeps a person bound is one that is regularly taught by the church... even those trying to help those who are in bondage to inappropriate content.

Consider this fact:

inappropriate content tells us that the simple sight of the unclad human form automatically ignites sexual desire and lust.

The church tells us that the simple sight of the unclad human form automatically ignites sexual desire and lust.

How is it that Christians believe the same thing about the human form as inappropriate content does? Isn't that troubling?

I submit to you that the reason Christians are bound to inappropriate content is because they believe that statement... which is actually a lie.

It's not true for women... and it's not true for men.

The God who is relational... and who calls us to sexual union in marriage as a picture of the Godhead (a plurality expressed as a unity) as a part of bearing His image... would certainly not create men (or women) to respond sexually by sight if His own nature is to love and give of Himself out of His own relationship with those He loves... rather than their visible appearance.

Here's the truth... men are not "hard-wired" to get sexually excited by the sight of a woman's unclothed form.

You wanted to know what "works?" I can tell you...

When a man rejects the lie that he's "hard-wired" to become sexually excited by the simple sight of a woman's body, the power of inappropriate content in his life is broken. When he embraces the truth that God designed sexual attraction to be a relational experience rather than a visual one, only then does he correctly understand and live his sexuality as God designed him.

How do I know? Because that's how it was broken for me. And this same path to freedom has been experienced by everyone I know who has rejected the same lie.

Is there a demonic spirit involved? Probably... but the good news is that the only power the enemy can have in our lives is the LIE... and when the lie has been rooted out, the foothold of the enemy is broken.

The truth makes us free. Lies bring bondage. Wherever there is bondage, strategies won't fix us... search for and root out the lie instead, and freedom will be unstoppable!

David
http://mychainsaregone.org

 

[natlyn]

I submit to you that the reason Christians are bound to inappropriate content is because they believe that statement... which is actually a lie.

God who is relational... and who calls us to sexual union in marriage as a picture of the Godhead (a plurality expressed as a unity) as a part of bearing His image... would certainly not create men (or women) to respond sexually by sight if His own nature is to love and give of Himself out of His own relationship with those He loves... rather than their visible appearance.

When a man rejects the lie that he's "hard-wired" to become sexually excited by the simple sight of a woman's body, the power of inappropriate content in his life is broken. When he embraces the truth that God designed sexual attraction to be a relational experience rather than a visual one, only then does he correctly understand and live his sexuality as God designed him.

I've scanned or read all of the replies you've gotten here. I don't think anyone has actually answered your questions...

In John 8:32, Jesus said, "You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." Read the context and you'll see that Jesus is referring to the freedom from perpetual sin.

This means something very simple... if a person is not free from sin bondage, then they do not yet know the truth. Stated another way, where there is sin bondage, there is a lie believed and acted upon.

For the record, this is not about the "truth" that leads to salvation, but rather the specific truth relative to the area of bondage. For every sin bondage, there is a core lie that gives it power. When the lie is rejected and replaced with truth, the truth will--according to Jesus' words--make that person free from their bondage. The truth is not a better strategy, nor more will-power, nor "personal accountability"... rather it is God's perspective on the matter.

The reason so many are bound to inappropriate content is for the simple reason that they believe a falsehood about the true--God's--meaning of the human body.

And the reason its so pervasive in the church is the simple fact that the church does not believe or teach the truth about the human body. So the very lie that keeps a person bound is one that is regularly taught by the church... even those trying to help those who are in bondage to inappropriate content.

Consider this fact:

inappropriate content tells us that the simple sight of the unclad human form automatically ignites sexual desire and lust.

The church tells us that the simple sight of the unclad human form automatically ignites sexual desire and lust.

How is it that Christians believe the same thing about the human form as inappropriate content does? Isn't that troubling?

I submit to you that the reason Christians are bound to inappropriate content is because they believe that statement... which is actually a lie.

It's not true for women... and it's not true for men.

The God who is relational... and who calls us to sexual union in marriage as a picture of the Godhead (a plurality expressed as a unity) as a part of bearing His image... would certainly not create men (or women) to respond sexually by sight if His own nature is to love and give of Himself out of His own relationship with those He loves... rather than their visible appearance.

Here's the truth... men are not "hard-wired" to get sexually excited by the sight of a woman's unclothed form.

You wanted to know what "works?" I can tell you...

When a man rejects the lie that he's "hard-wired" to become sexually excited by the simple sight of a woman's body, the power of inappropriate content in his life is broken. When he embraces the truth that God designed sexual attraction to be a relational experience rather than a visual one, only then does he correctly understand and live his sexuality as God designed him.

How do I know? Because that's how it was broken for me. And this same path to freedom has been experienced by everyone I know who has rejected the same lie.

Is there a demonic spirit involved? Probably... but the good news is that the only power the enemy can have in our lives is the LIE... and when the lie has been rooted out, the foothold of the enemy is broken.

The truth makes us free. Lies bring bondage. Wherever there is bondage, strategies won't fix us... search for and root out the lie instead, and freedom will be unstoppable!

David
http://mychainsaregone.org

This is so amazingly worded David. This is exactly what happened in my and my husbands life too! The truth that set me free was: the moment you become a believer and have Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you become a new creation. So when you feel lust or temptation it's not you, it's the enemy trying to get a hold of you again. So every time I was tempted I would fall on my knees, praise Jesus for setting me free, and it would go away.

I believe it's a mixture of spiritual and believing lies. There are demons attached to inappropriate content and lust, but accepting the truth automatically breaks their "right" over your life, so you get delivered. My gift is discerning of the spirits. My husband struggled longer to accept the truth, he really wanted to, but it was a longer process for him. I could literally feel (hard to explain) when he was tempted or had masturbated. He was always freaked out and I would treat him with grace, but I would just "know". The chains holding most true believers are in their mind. And by accepting the lie you accept all the junk and spiritual baggage that comes with it.

 

[ATL-GA-STATE-SPORTSFANx☦️]

It's probably because of the culture that we live in right now.

 

[Mountainmanbob]

It's probably because of the culture that we live in right now.

True, brings with it all kinds of sin.

Of course nothing new Under the Sun.

M-Bob