Viewing Porn

[edaps7]

In a recent discussion with some well respected Christians (and a pastor) i know, it came to my attention that they had a "struggle" with porn. I didn't ask a lot of details because i know it is an embarrassing subject, and it was the first time I had ever been approached with this information. To be honest I was kinda surprised, i mean this was a pastor, youth director, and counselor at a church. This lead me to formulate a few questions and hopefully i can get some honest anonymous responses to them...

[MidnightsPaleGlow]

I know prior to being saved I struggled with an addiction to porn, but after accepting Christ, not too long after, I rounded up any porno I had and got rid of it. I still struggle with lust time to time unfortunately, but I no longer look at porno videos/magazines etc.

[Slug1]

In a recent discussion with some well respected Christians (and a pastor) i know, it came to my attention that they had a "struggle" with porn. I didn't ask a lot of details because i know it is an embarrassing subject, and it was the first time I had ever been approached with this information. To be honest I was kinda surprised, i mean this was a pastor, youth director, and counselor at a church. This lead me to formulate a few questions and hopefully i can get some honest anonymous responses to them...
This is not a surprise as this is a strong tool used by satan to temp and make Christian's fall... I know as this was my stronghold and is still a struggle at times when satan goes on the offense against me.

That is why he sets up strongholds, so he has an avenue of approach (a path) in which to lauch temptation and attack.

These strongholds (whatever they are for each different person) can only be taken down by God and in my case it's been one floor at a time. So I guess I fall in the used to view it and sometimes think about it.

The sin does not hold me bound any longer but it is used against me as satan tries to bind me with that chain again.

I hold that Shield of Faith high and swing my Sword of Truth as I reject satan in the name of Jesus Christ as I battle.

[calidog]

It is a very powerful addiction that is impossible to satisy. "Flee" is the key word.

[livingword26]

I have heard that nearly 50% of pastors struggle with internet porn. It is an epidemic that is destroying relationships all over the world. I have been enslaved to it myself in the past. I have a rigid filter on my computer even now, I am still not worthy to be trusted with open access. I still suffer from some of the damage that this particular sin can do. Anyone who is struggling with it needs your support and prayers.

[Midyrvette]

I don't struggle with it because I have eliminated access to it. I have explained several times on this board what I did to block access to it. If I know I can't get to it then it doesn't bother me. I did lust after someone yesterday, but I asked forgiveness for it. A lot of prayer helps to get over the rough times.

[MrAnteater]

This is a struggle for many men, including myself. I have eliminated it from my house but from the internet it's still a temptation. I pray for God to give me strength in this area.

[ynnedenny]

It's been my chief struggle, and the hardest part of my old life to let go of. Having never been adicted to any substance, it's my only real experience with a bondage. I did the porn roundup and discard, too... I was apalled at ust how much I had. To think of all the money I wasted... money that could have been going into savings, or could have been used to clothe and feed my son. Well, I'm doing pretty well now. I get the occassional urge to surf the pornternet like the old days, but I just shut off my computer, fire up some Christian music, and read. So far, I've been fairly successful, praise God. It's definitely an easy addiction to acquire... it's EVERYWHERE, and very easy to find. I'm keeping an extra, extra watchful eye on my son... he doesn't get online unless I have line of sight with the monitor. I started with porn at age 9... he's 10 now. Lord, give me strength.

[Midyrvette]

I don't struggle with it because I have eliminated access to it. I have explained several times on this board what I did to block access to it. If I know I can't get to it then it doesn't bother me. I did lust after someone yesterday, but I asked forgiveness for it. A lot of prayer helps to get over the rough times.

I don't know where my head was at when I wrote this, but I do occasionally struggle with the temptation to view porn on the net. To get rid of my porn collection was the very first thing the Lord put on my heart when I came to Him, in fact it was on the very day I was saved. I had to put an accountability thingy on my computer and have parental controls on my cable TV system, which seems to work for me.

[OneTime]

Nice to see the people who admit to viewing it being honest about it. Kudos.

I grew up with endless amounts of porn in the early 80's. I'm talking endless. My mom, being what she was, all of her friends had loads of it, and of course being young and curious (I'm talking 6-7 when I first got into it) I was all over it. I got sent home in 2nd grade because somebody was talking that immature child talk about sex, and I gave them the penthouse letters version. It never got better from there.

I know this will sound off, as I am well aware of the damage that it does to a person's soul, but I've been with my wife since I was 16 and she's the only girl I have ever been with, or wanted to be with. For whatever reason, the porn thing never really crossed over and got me the way it does so many people. I think I always looked at it like any other form of entertainment and knew it was fake.

I have to say that I've seen some porn in the past few years. I'm an evangelist, and being aware of the world is part of the job. The two things that shocked me were how disgusting it was, and how much better looking the "models" were over my era, and how much more money had obviously been spent.

This is a topic that needs to be addressed more often IMO.

[HisLeast]

Just wanted to remind people that we've set up a social group called The Vigil (http://bibleforums.org/forum/group.php?groupid=12), for those of us who wrestle and have wrestled with this plague. All are welcome.