Okay, it's easy to talk about Christians and smoking, alcohol, swearing, etc. but one addiction we cannot wrestle with publicly is Porn. Porn is "the drug of choice" for young Christian men today. The advent of the Internet has now made the days of "keeping porn magazines out of public places" irrelevant. The non-Christian world doesn't care, and the Christian world is not willing to give up the internet (aka like reading this blog), so we have porn, and we have Christians addicted to Porn.
I suppose this concept isn't the actual "wrestling" point with Christians. Every good psychologist will tell you that looking at porn is just a symptom of bigger problems. However, it cannot be denied that this issue is WAY bigger than even 10 years ago.
So how do we deal with this? How do I deal with this? I've been in accountability groups. I've had filters intalled in my computer. I've been open and honest with my wife about these issues. Now (in a sense) I can say I've publicly confessed this sin.
So - now I'm free...again.
Now I will never struggle with this again. Now, kids at school (or sometimes co-workers) won't flash some obscene image on their cell phone in my face. Now, I'll never take a trip to Ft. McMurray or work in any type of oil/gas/mineral environment, and be stuck in a room overnight with walls plastered with Porn (well, honestly, unless I get a job like that again, I truly won't be in that situation again). Now, I'll never be in an emotionally dark place, struggling with my demons, and I won't ever look at internet porn again...
Unfortunately, there is a bitter sarcasm that has to be included in that last paragraph. This isn't something that just "goes away". I think it's something that will haunt me until I die. This is the struggle, and the battle. And, it isn't hopeless either. I've experienced times of great victory in my life (especially during times of Christian ministry). There are highs and lows I suppose.
What is the answer to this very relevant and modern battle? How do we help each other as Christians in this regard? What community are we turning to to share our struggles? Would you really get up in your church and announce that you are addicted to pornography? Well, if not in your church, surely in your small group? Well, if not in your small group, surely in your marriage? Well, if not in your marriage, surely in..........? What do the Christian wives out there think of all this? Is it time for mass divorces to happen? The bible is clear that this is a sin, and it affects us deeply, but it never mentioned anything about addiction (and in this regard, it isn't limited to porn - but all sinful addictions - how do you repent and sin no more in any addiction? Maybe, as some of my friends would say, it's time to get all Charismatic and cast out a bunch of demons everyday? I wonder if anyone has ever quit smoking that way?)
In some ways, I really am fortunate. I have good friends who battle in this area much more difficultly than myself. God is gracious with me too, and lots of people pray for Tricia and myself because of the context we're in. But the battle still remains. The wrestling still remains. Are there any real answers to this battle?
Blessings
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