Is there any shame in watching porn if you’re a churchgoer? Decades of mainstream Christian teachings would lead one to assume the answer is yes, that carnal thoughts are best kept to the bedrooms of married couples – and kept away from computer screens.
But times might be changing.
According to a recent study by the Christian research group Barna, more than half of Christians openly admit to watching pornography. Just as interesting: rather than express shame about this habit, most are entirely comfortable with their porn consumption.
This revelation is causing ripples within faith circles, sparking debates about the ethical and moral implications of porn usage – particularly among young people.
What the Study Shows
The study, conducted among a diverse group of self-identified Christians, reveals that 54% of participants admitted to consuming pornographic content. Whether out of curiosity, habit, or a coping mechanism, it’s clear that Christians – like the broader population – are not immune from the pull of pornography in today’s hyper-connected world.
Non-Christians were still found to view porn at higher rates than practicing Christians, but the gap between the two has narrowed to 14 percentage points (54% of Christians vs 68% of non-Christians).
Overall, 75% of Christian men and 40% of Christian women reported some level of porn usage. For Gen-Z, those numbers were even higher.
Another revelation: many porn viewers don’t see a problem with it. 62% of individuals surveyed said they were comfortable with their level of porn consumption. Another 16% reported some reservations, but overall agreed that moderate levels of use were acceptable.
Faith Community Reacts
The study’s findings are ringing alarm bells in some church communities. For one, the researchers point out that decades of warning about the sin of lust has seemingly been a failed strategy.
“Despite the Church’s stance against lust generally, it seems little progress has been made to deter many of those who fill the pews from pornography consumption specifically,” researchers noted. “The gap between professed beliefs and actual behavior raises questions about the efficacy of current approaches within faith communities.”
While faith leaders are largely aware of the sway that porn has on its parishioners, some were shocked to learn about the scope of usage.
Nick Stumbo, executive director of Pure Desire Ministries, proclaimed it a “sobering call to realize our collective struggle has not improved, in spite of some initial steps to bring health to the Church.”
“What may be more troubling is that well over half of Christians who use porn say they are comfortable with their porn use. The reality for those who struggle in the Church is that they, too, often feel like they are alone. When asked, ‘Who is helping you with your struggle with pornography,’ a staggering 82 percent of Christians say ‘no one.’ Isolation is the enemy’s playground,” Stumbo continued.
Is Porn Sinful?
The campaign against pornography has deep religious roots. People of faith who advocate against porn cite a few different points:
- Moral Impurity: In many religious traditions, viewing pornography is regarded as sinful, based on teachings that emphasize the need for purity in both mind and body.
- Marital Sanctity: Pornography is often seen as undermining the sacredness of marriage, as it can distort one’s understanding of sexual relationships and loyalty.
- Human Dignity: There is a common belief that pornography dehumanizes individuals, treating them as objects for pleasure rather than honoring their inherent dignity as creations made in the image of God.
- Addiction and Consequences: Religious perspectives also stress the addictive nature of pornography and its potential to lead to damaging behaviors and consequences.
Perhaps recognizing the digital age’s ability to make porn more widely available, certain faith groups have been getting creative in how to combat it. Some believers are even resorting to porn-monitoring software – though with mixed results.
Deeper Issues At Play?
While many in the faith community expressed dismay at the study’s findings, the debate may also have a deeper level. One commenter on the Christian Post website raised an interesting point, arguing that focusing on one type of sin, say lust, is arbitrary and distracts from many other commonplace activities that could arguably be an equal violation of Christian teachings:
“Sadly it's been normalized. There was a time in movies and TV shows that nobody was even seen in a bed together.
Porn is a problem for sure and is sin. But there is also the bigger picture.
How many here are happy to watch movies with violence and murder. Swearing in them and 99% containing taking the Lord's name in vain, cursing with His name. Watch sci-fi movies that the basis of them is that God didn't create the universe when He said He did and created all kinds of other beings billions of years ago making a mockery of Genesis.
How about movies where you see married actors kissing and doing other things with another actors, you're watching someone commit adultery. Movies with wizards and witches. I bet there are people here who say "porn is disgusting and I doubt those who watch it, if they say they are Christian, actually are" who every day use the Lord's name as an exclamation when something happens.
Read what God says about those who do that in the Ten Commandments. We are to obey the laws of the land, how many here speed in their car. We are to respect those who rule over us, how many mock their leaders.
What I'm getting at is that it's easy to focus on the sins of others and condemn them as questionable Christians, but let's not forget to check out our own closets.”
Back to the study: as the results show, many people disagree with the notion that porn is inherently bad. Non-religious people have always had more favorably views of adult content, according to polls. But now, a new generation of churchgoers – long assumed to join their parents in opposing pornography – appear to be flipping the script.
What is your reaction?
35 comments
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Thomas P. Davis
Sex was given to one man and one woman by God during creation week to replenish the earth. Anything outside of that is considered fornication. Jesus said in the New Testament that we must keep the spirit of the law. If you lust after someone you are guilty of adultery. Explain to me how one can watch porn and not lust. Medically speaking it is also one cause of having an enlarged prostrate too.
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Rev. Dr. Father JJ
actually the medical cause of an enlarged prostate is thought to be a change in hormone levels and aging. also "medically speaking" masturbation reduces the probability of prostate cancer.
I haven't found anything, "medically speaking" about "lust" and prostate enlargement.
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Russel A. Kester
Thomas, even the Catholic Church doesn't hold to the belief that the only purpose of sex is procreation. But more interesting in your comment was your writing that,."Sex was given...to replenish the earth." To replenish means to fill something up again which would mean that the Earth was full of people who somehow vanished and during creation week (your term) God started all over again. What happened to the first group?
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Robert Gagnon
For one thing that is the percentage that admit it. When I read the statement the head of the house made about an app that his son could watch his internet usage, First thought was what about his burner phone with the gift card payment pan.
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David Arthur Lewis
"Over Half of Christians Admit to Watching Porn"... and the other half are liars.
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John Ash McCormick
I know some and I believe it is closer to 20% who actually don't watch porn so about 30% are liars. Some of the 20% do tend to cheat on their wives so porn watching would be better in my opinion,
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Nicholas J Page
Porn has been around for years I can remember here in England that there was magazines that were top shelf and full of nudity all models of course nowadays you can view it online.Me if I did view it I would keep it to myself and in the bedroom
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John Ash McCormick
BTW, I never found anything Rev. Dr. Father JJ wrote that I would object to. He is one reason I seldom post, he has already said it all.
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Rev. Dr. Father JJ
Thank you John and to honest, I am humbled. Thanks and may the Flying Spaghetti Monster bless you with his tentacle-y embrace.
Ramen
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John Ash McCormick
Yes, well acquainted with the monster and also with TST although I wanted to do a story about them for my Australian news services and they ignore my requests for photos I can use. I know Salem but haven't been there for 50 years so have no photos I can use in an article. Writing for an international audience I have to respect hundreds of religions. I think the total count is now 10,000 with over two thousand christian variants most of which say all the others will either go to hell or at least not qualify for heaven..
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Rev. Dr. Father JJ
Ah...TST. I am in fact a card-carrying member. They do a lot of good fighting the constant intrusion of kkkristinsanity into schools and government.
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John Ash McCormick
JJ I can't join the TST because I am a journalist and wouldn't be able to write about their good works if I were a member. I am a foreign correspondent. BTW, the Harris campaign declines to provide any information even schedules or press releases. I am in central PA.
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Rev. Dr. Father JJ
I can understand the need to be unbiased in writing and reporting.
I don't know any reason why the harris campaign wouldn't provide any info, perhaps they don't recognize your affiliation(s)?
central PA, heartland of trumpism, init?
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Russel A. Kester
Could it be her campaign is a vacuous Hollywood production and she's been advised to lay low after not doing so well in the public eye?
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John Ash McCormick
There is nothing to repent for watching a fantasy. As long as it isn't forced in any way making porn is fine. So is watching it. In 40 years I never touched another woman even with a kiss except for my partner. I had offers especially when I was on the road at a trade show for my books and even at high school reunions. Never even tempted. But I am in the half who admit watching, especially over 70 it can help get the old engine running. But I can always look across the room to a real person, my only other person.
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He Who Breathes
As long as you repent/confess after you watch, all is OK.
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Reverend Paula Copp
It seems like what people do in the privacy of their own homes should be their business and nobody else’s. Unless their behaviors are injurious to the public , let people have private lives.
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John Condron
So, "over half of Christians admit to watching porn," and the other half lie!
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Rev. Dr. Father JJ
I bet the other half aren't lying about watching porn but instead are actually acting out on their fantasies (you know, with boys and girls). after all, we are talking about religionists and we know what their capable of around minors
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Rev. Dr. Father JJ
well, sex does seem to be a highly controlled drug in churches and religion so unless you're banging out babies (which is basically the only "suitable" reason for having it) what other outlets are there?
what if momma bear ain't in the mood, hardly ever, what's a po boy to do? this whole idea of sex being bad is just stupid. sex is a gift from the gods and it should be used until it don't work no more.
but of course not everyone wants a dozen babies, so sex with contraception is an...nope, no it's not. Religions are under the misconception that contraception is bad because it prevent pregnancy (but so does change-of-life and general old age but they still let the olds get married (and the male olds use viagra)). so it appear the only option left for healthy adults is masturbation and...nope, no, that's not allowed either, with or without porn. seems the horny just cant's catch a break nowadays, can they LO...goat herders...
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John Ash McCormick
Every one should read Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land.. I was lucky to find the second publication which included all the original text published by his wife after the first publisher forgot to renew their copyright. It was about 20 thousand words longer.
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Carl Lewis
Thanks. How does one find that version?
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rebadams7
A A church is never meant to be a museum of Saints, but a hospital for all of us sinners trying to remain faithful along our journey. Sadly in all its forms from humorous innuendo popular in the past to everything goes and almost all of our media is very hard to avoid and ignore I believe people faith can do their best to ignore it and try to encourage others to do the same because like any addiction it takes more and more to get a response I believe it damages the human spirit as well as families and marriages
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Matthew Mastrogiovanni
Some 216,000 children in France alone, have been sexually abused by members of the clergy since 1950. I think watching porn is a lower priority.
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Carl Lewis
When one examines the sociology behind American porn use (see especially Kelsey Burke, The Pornography Wars, and the work of Christian Ethicist Kate Ott), it is remarkable how little good science supports painting porn as an unmitigated evil. Porn is the only place young queer folks can see their bodies and desires depicted without censorship... or without people having sex being punished at the end (as in most mainstream depictions of queer life for decades). Women who watch porn (notice, I don't have to say "use" or "abuse," you can actually neutrally "watch"" porn) have healthier outcomes than underage straight men who should not have access to porn anyway. Also, non-religious men are much less likely to label themselves "porn addicts." Religious men with far less frequent viewing of porn than guys who have no problem at all with temperate use are encouraged to think of themselves as "addicted" to porn even though the APA absolutely refuses (and has for years) to allow that distinction. Should a non-religious, 80 year old widower living alone never, ever again have access to images that give him pleasure. Porn use among older, divorced men is one of the very few pleasurable, sexual outlets possible, and many find it deeply satisfying without, somehow, becoming sociopaths.
Porn needs to be talked about, but let's do it scientifically and accurately. Just because it's sex doesn't mean we have to be dishonest about the facts just because it is some religious people's conviction that lies and misinformation are necessary for promoting the agenda of their particular--but not universally-accepted--theological stance.
(Btw... my personal opinion is that PornHub (pictured above) is evil. There are studios which have been producing ethical, instructional, and justice-oriented erotica for decades but they don't seem to get as much press as the truly evil, exploitative ones. Whose choice is that to not even bother to mention that there are more ethical alternatives?)
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Russel A. Kester
The ancient Hebrews had positive beliefs about the human body and sex. In fact, patriarchs had concubines and slave women in addition to a wife or wives. Christianity erred when it decided to teach that the body was inherently sinful, except in the confines of heterosexual marriage. While an argument can be made that concupiscence is harmful to us, defining what constitutes concupiscence is much more difficult. We are here to explore and enjoy our earthly bodies as well as to learn life lessons for the development of our souls. Porn is not the problem, wrong teachings about our bodies and sex is the problem.
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Rev. Dr. Father JJ
concubines, by and large were involuntarily so and were, in essence, slaves. it's ODD that you would connect your first two sentences, that "...hebrews had positive beliefs about the human body and sex." AND, that "...patriarchs had concubines and slave women..." do you even understand irony? here you are (in another discussion) railing about boys being discriminated against and here you are, here, conflating positive beliefs about the body and sex AND involuntary/slave sexual servitude as though they were two sides of the same coin.
anytime sex is forced, involuntary, where the choice is taken away from a person it is NOT positive. at all. EVER.
read your last sentence again, and maybe one more time. because there seems to be a disconnect between your first two sentences and your last two.
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Russel A. Kester
OMG JJ, there is no disconnect. Your comment is a word salad throwing disparate ideas and concepts together. Taking the time actually to read Holy Scripture and understand the times in which it was written would help clarify much of the confusion expressed in your comment. Judging the past by our luxury privileges today is to fail to understand history, it's challenges for those who lived it, and the complexity of the times.
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Rev. Dr. Father JJ
LOL first of all I wouldn't use 'holy scripture' for anything other than a tire chock.
secondly, it was written by men full of all their own biases, prejudices and repressions. it's not a historical source by any means other than a reflection of what I just wrote.
also, calling it word salad is the new catch phrase of 2024 so you're neither original nor sharp.
there is no confusion and you are once again dodging and 'weaving' to avoid answering. you come across as one who thinks they're the smartest person on the room. even in here that is far from the case.
you comment about concubines and slaves was just so casual and, well congratulatory indicates that, unsurprisingly you prefer boys over women and find male domination over women (at the least) to be natural and rightful thing).
you mentioned concubines, and slaves and did so in an offhand manner that I called you out on it and what is your response? once again to deny and deflect. seriously there is no percentage here discussing with you because you can not accept that someone does not accept and approve of your view(s). and when that happens (which is literally every time you make a comment) you do the same thing. I think maybe you should consider taking a break from here rather than act as if it's your job to address everyone you think is wrong here. just saying...the ULC is really all about LARPing (which, come to think of it is what religion is all about. silly goat herders)
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Rev. BH
Amen, JJ. All his posts are all the same - dodging questions, anti-woman, pseudo-intellectual unsubstantiated ramblings. Amusing, though.
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Russel A. Kester
Study history to learn from it instead of judging those who lived it.
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John P Maher
YES, ITS ALL B S, ITS THE HYPOCRITICAL FINGER POINTING< THE FLYING FICKEL FINGER OF FATE> EVERY HUMAN BEING HAS SOMETHING, SO SHUT UP YOU HYPOCRITS, ALL !!!
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David Arthur Lewis
Seriously John, why are you shouting? Did this article trigger you? Do you need a gummie to help you calm down? This is a discussion, not a battle. Turn off the caps lock. It's just rude, dude.
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Rev. BH
Dave, I mentioned that before elsewhere. John doesn't get it. Plus, I'm never sure exactly what he's talking about. Hypocrites, I guess.
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If I were God, I’d be asking myself, Why are these church leaders worried about who is watching porn when children, that they insisted were born, are going to bed hungry? Then I would say, I knew I should have been more specific on those commandments I wrote out. Just my two cents.