Why is pornography wrong?

[Torino]

Galatea, let me ask you, and be honest - are you open and willing to change your mind on these topics, perhaps even coming to agree with what Redstang and myself are saying?

 

[redstang281]

Let's talk about love. If you love yourself, you would not want your wife with another man, correct?

If you love your neighbor as yourself (your wife being your neighbor), why don't you love her enough to not force her to share you?

Abraham's wife gave him permission for him to take another wife. Maybe that was the normal practice. I'm not assuming that men were doing things in violation of their wife's wishes.

 

[Edmond Smith]

What is the rational explanation about why pornography is wrong?

Sex is not dirty; it is what we do to it that makes it dirty. Paul does not hesitate to admonish us for
mishandling God’s good gift. And we should not plug our ears because our hearing is tainted by our
own presuppositions about intimacy.

Finally, to not address this awkward topic would be a disservice to the millions of men and women
who are affected by the issue of pornography. Not only does this sin affect us temporarily, it can also
affect us eternally.

1 Corinthians 6 tells us that there is no sin that’s so affects the body as sexual immorality. 1 Corinthians 6 also says all fornicators; all adulterers will have their part in a lake of fire. That alone should motivate us to push pass the awkwardness and tackle an issue that has eternal consequences.

1 Timothy 1:10 says that fornicators will have their part in a lake of fire. James 1: 15 says that sin,
when it comes to its fullest form, leads to death. This is not a peripheral issue, this is not a spiritual
discipline, this is a matter of life and death and if you do not kill pornography in your life, it will kill you.
Count on it.

(Slaying the Dragon, Todd Friel, 2015, pg 10-11)

 

[Galatea]

Galatea, let me ask you, and be honest - are you open and willing to change your mind on these topics, perhaps even coming to agree with what Redstang and myself are saying?

No, I am not. I think you are flat out wrong about pornography being alright and polygamy being alright. I have no expectation of converting you guys to my way of thinking, either.

 

[Torino]

Abraham's wife gave him permission for him to take another wife. Maybe that was the normal practice. I'm not assuming that men were doing things in violation of their wife's wishes.

Yep. Jacob's wife Leah even said she was blessed by God with a son after she gave him her maid for a wife.

 

[Galatea]

Abraham's wife gave him permission for him to take another wife. Maybe that was the normal practice. I'm not assuming that men were doing things in violation of their wife's wishes.

And Sarah was WRONG. God even told Abraham he was wrong listening to Sarah. Sarah was using Hagar as a surrogate mother to get a baby. She didn't realize the repercussions of her hastiness. Sure, Sarah had Abraham's heart- but she found out she did not much like the idea of Hagar sharing Abraham's body.

 

[Torino]

No, I am not. I think you are flat out wrong about pornography being alright and polygamy being alright. I have no expectation of converting you guys to my way of thinking, either.

I am not surprised, and I also am very much aware you think we're wrong. Thanks for the honesty here.

 

[Galatea]

I am not surprised, and I also am very much aware you think we're wrong. Thanks for the honesty here.

I thought I was being honest from the beginning, I mean people are pretty entrenched about this thing, whether you are for it or against it. I don't think anyone is really convincing anyone else.

 

[Edmond Smith]

Galatea, let me ask you, and be honest - are you open and willing to change your mind on these topics, perhaps even coming to agree with what Redstang and myself are saying?

So, I know i'm a bit late here, so please sum this up....Torino, you think that porn is okay?

 

[Torino]

Galatea, haha, it does seem that way. No hard feelings though, peace.

Edmond Smith, yeah, provided that the woman in the video isn't someone's wife, I think it's a non-issue.

 

[Edmond Smith]

Galatea, haha, it does seem that way. No hard feelings though, peace.

Edmond Smith, yeah, provided that the woman in the video isn't someone's wife, I think it's a non-issue.

So, is child pornography okay, then, they are not someones wife?

 

[redstang281]

Sex is not dirty; it is what we do to it that makes it dirty. Paul does not hesitate to admonish us for
mishandling God’s good gift. And we should not plug our ears because our hearing is tainted by our
own presuppositions about intimacy.

Finally, to not address this awkward topic would be a disservice to the millions of men and women
who are affected by the issue of pornography. Not only does this sin affect us temporarily, it can also
affect us eternally.

1 Corinthians 6 tells us that there is no sin that’s so affects the body as sexual immorality. 1 Corinthians 6 also says all fornicators; all adulterers will have their part in a lake of fire. That alone should motivate us to push pass the awkwardness and tackle an issue that has eternal consequences.

1 Timothy 1:10 says that fornicators will have their part in a lake of fire. James 1: 15 says that sin,
when it comes to its fullest form, leads to death. This is not a peripheral issue, this is not a spiritual
discipline, this is a matter of life and death and if you do not kill pornography in your life, it will kill you.
Count on it.

(Slaying the Dragon, Todd Friel, 2015, pg 10-11)

But how do we know that pornography is part of the bible's definition (not our Pastor's) of sexual immorality?

 

[Torino]

Edmond Smith, why? You looking for some?

 

[redstang281]

And Sarah was WRONG. God even told Abraham he was wrong listening to Sarah. Sarah was using Hagar as a surrogate mother to get a baby. She didn't realize the repercussions of her hastiness. Sure, Sarah had Abraham's heart- but she found out she did not much like the idea of Hagar sharing Abraham's body.

Polygamy didn't have anything to do with Sarah being wrong. God was displeased with both of them because it showed a lack of faith on their part. God had promised that Sarah would give birth to a son, but instead of waiting for her to have a baby they decided to take matters into their own hands.

 

[Serving Zion]

Lust implies you have the desire to take something. Noticing someone's beauty, admiring them, or even having a fantasy about someone doesn't necessarily mean you actually want to take that person or even do the things you might think of.

Lust is to take a person's dignity by viewing them as an object of gratification instead of a fellow. If a girl's experience in the world is that everyone looks at her this way, she does not perceive a godly love from the world. We do not live as the image of God.

Because media and advertising has made lust become commonplace and acceptable in society, this has created a world where lawlessness abounds (God's law), and the love of many grew cold.

 

[redstang281]

No, I am not. I think you are flat out wrong about pornography being alright and polygamy being alright. I have no expectation of converting you guys to my way of thinking, either.

If polygamy wasn't alright with God then why did he create rules around it? Why not just tell the Israelite's to outlaw it?

 

[Torino]

Lust is to take a person's dignity by viewing them as an object of gratification instead of a fellow.

Does the Bible teach this? Or is it your idea?

Paul said needing a sexual outlet was sufficient cause for marriage. This goes against what you said here, no?

 

[Serving Zion]

Does the Bible teach this? Or is it your idea?

It is my own finding. I may find scriptural support some time, though we do immediately question why this should be necessary.

Paul said needing a sexual outlet was sufficient cause for marriage. This goes against what you said here, no?

1 Corinthians 7:8-9 shows that St. Paul acknowledges self-control is required for an unmarried lifestyle .. this brings to mind for me Job 31:1.

I wonder, if you picture St. Paul, do you imagine him to be the type that looks with lust on women, or is he the type to look into their soul and connect with the heart?

 

[Torino]

Serving Zion, I don't disagree with Paul that it is good to abide as him. Your question about what kind of man Paul is is moot, imo, because Paul said he has a gift for celibacy basically, and rightly acknowledges that not everyone is like that. Nonetheless, I don't have issues with the idea that the disciples may have taken notice, even sexual notice, of a beautiful woman who happened to walk by and all. It's not a sin. It's how God made men.

 

[redstang281]

Lust is to take a person's dignity by viewing them as an object of gratification instead of a fellow. If a girl's experience in the world is that everyone looks at her this way, she does not perceive a godly love from the world. We do not live as the image of God.

Your opinion on this, however noble it may sound, is not biblical. It actually sounds like modern feminism to me. God is the one who designed men to lust after women not the devil. Even so, if you lust for someone sexually that doesn't mean you don't appreciate their other qualities too.

Admiring a woman's appearance doesn't take away any dignity. If women didn't want to be appreciated for their beauty they wouldn't spend an hour getting ready before they go anywhere. I'm not saying they want that to be the only thing men desire, but what woman doesn't like to be told she is pretty by her man? Physically appearance may not be all that represents a person but it definitely is a part of them.

Because media and advertising has made lust become commonplace and acceptable in society, this has created a world where lawlessness abounds (God's law), and the love of many grew cold.

As much as I hate the media I don't blame them for the cause of lust being commonplace. Lust is commonplace simple because it's a natural thing God created for procreation. The media just picked up on the fact that it helps them sell more products/services.