Pornography: It Destroys OUR Families

Do not bring an abhorrent thing into your house, or you will be set apart for destruction like it. You must utterly detest and abhor it, for it is set apart for destruction.
Deuteronomy 7:26

Statistics show that in the US alone, pornography is an 8 billion dollar industry. It also shows that there is no definite demographic group that fall victim to this vice.
One of the factors that makes Internet pornography grow is the anonymity it provides. Whereas adult stores require a person to actually go to a store, Internet pornography can be purchased at home. Nobody will know. This is why it is not surprising that even pastors and church leaders are addicted to this vice.

Some people argue that pornography is a victimless vice. This is a lie. Many families have been broken because of pornography. Tracy Lord was a pornography star before she was 18. She wrote a book recently about her life and was interviewed on TV. She said that the actors, specially the women, are abused. Some of them are drugged or beaten up do what they have to do.

Looking at it spiritually, pornography is an abhorrent thing in the eyes of God. It is a perversion of what the Lord initially intended as the highest expression of human love. This verse clearly says that an abhorrent thing in the house marks those in the house for destruction.
Those who bring pornography to their home are putting their families, specially their children in danger. As the protector of his family, the father has to make sure that his children are protected from this vice.

The good news is that pornography addiction can be stopped. It can be conquered by the grace of Jesus.

If we say we have no sin in us, we are deceiving ourselves
and refusing to admit the truth; but if we acknowledge our sins then God who is faithful and just will forgive our sins and purify us from everything that is wrong.
1 John 1:8-9

Someone addicted to pornography should expose this sin to the light in the sacrament of confession. Once a sin is confessed, it is forgiven and the healing process begins. They should also get rid of the source of their temptations. Cancel the cable subscription. If possible, use the Internet only when someone is around. Take away all sources of temptations. The journey will be very hard but by the grace of God, this can be conquered.

We bring all those who suffer from this vice before the Lord. And we say this prayer: O Blood and water that gushed forth from the heart of Jesus, to be for us the fount of mercy, I trust in you. We claim his promise of the grace of repentance for whomever we bring to him at this moment.

For more information on battling pornography, specifically, and on being a good father, you can check out this website: http://www.dads.org