The Grey Shadow

There is a well-known Spanish saying: «Hazte de fama, y échate a dormir»: Get yourself a reputation, and go to sleep… meaning, of course, that when it is sufficiently established, your reputation does the job for you. That might have happened last weekend after my two posts on porn (Some Interesting Links and More Interesting Links). Since I don’t have right now a Net connection at home (and I must wait at least three weeks for one), I just uploaded my posts, and went home to sleep and rest. This morning I checked my blog to see some great comments from Dave, Catez, and Ed. I wanted to answer them on the relevant posts, but I feel that a more general answer is appropriate.

I planned to develop this line of thinking at the very end of my series on porn, when I deal with the biblical basis for the sinfulness of porn. However, the kind defense made by Dave and Catez of the ‘addiction’ approaches requires at least a “spoiler-teaser” so I could explain myself better. Without further ado, here is what I would like to say:

One of the best known approaches to the problem of porn within the church is to regard porn consumption as an addiction. There are complete 12-step packages for men, aimed at achieving “sobriety” (i.e., the condition of being sober) from pornography. However, I regard this inadequate and shallow.

1. I don’t think porn consumption is a sickness or an addiction more than any other sin is a sickness or an addiction. It’s not fair to treat this sin harshly while others (perhaps worse) get a benign treatment.

2. I don’t think that a standard 12-step approach would be effective. I mean, it could be effective in removing a bad behavior, but judging from texts such as James 1:13-15 [show]James 1:13-15 [13]Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. [14]But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. [15]Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. (ESV)
, they are as effective as an aspirin for curing pneumonia: They might work, and on the surface the worrisome signs might disappear, but the deepest issues are unscathed.

3. This all points out to something I intend to fully explore later, so I will just assert it without any explanation (yet): pornography consumption is not especially an offense against sexual purity; it’s an offense against God Himself via the First Commandment. Pornography is idolatry in the worst sense; it is a return to the old cultic practices of Canaan. We fall into pornography consumption because it is so easy, because we are destined to be united with the divinity; but alas! Romans 1:18-32 [show]Romans 1:18-32 God's Wrath on Unrighteousness [18]For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. [19]For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. [20]For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. [21]For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. [22]Claiming to be wise, they became fools, [23]and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. [24]Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, [25]because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. [26]For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; [27]and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. [28]And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. [29]They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, [30]slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, [31]foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. [32]Though they know God's decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them. (ESV)
is all too true.

I hope to have explained myself better; and, as usual, comments and feedback is welcome.