Running head: PORNOGRAPHY AND CHRISTIANITY 1

Pornography and Christianity:

The Impact of Pornography on the Christian Church

Courtney Gunter

Wheaton College
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Abstract

The study of the impact of pornography is complicated and contradictory. This paper

aims to summarize the findings of previous research regarding the prevalence of pornography

and the definition of pornography. It also aims to show how the rise of the Internet contributed to

an increase in pornography usage. Further research demonstrates the complicated effects of

pornography: some researchers argue that is has positive effects, while others tell of its dangers.

This paper will summarize these findings and show how pornography has permeated all aspects

of society. More specifically, pornography is a prevalent problem within the community of the

Christian church, despite beliefs that pornography usage is wrong. The implications of this

research are far-reaching: billions of people have access to the Internet worldwide, and the

accessibility to pornography will only continue to increase as more is discovered about the

detrimental impacts of pornography.

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Pornography and Christianity:

The Impact of Pornography on the Christian Church

The use of pornography today has undeniably marked our culture, as nearly every person

has viewed pornography at some point in their life, either intentionally or unintentionally. It is

estimated that one out of every five Americans views pornography at least weekly. The most

common reasons for viewing pornography are for personal arousal, curiosity, boredom, and for

personal sex life tips (McDowell, Barna Group, & Josh McDowell Ministry, 2016). Despite the

prevalence of pornography in today’s world, pornography is a term that is difficult to define, and

so there is confusion surrounding the exact definition of the word. Marshall and Miller (2019)

concluded that the majority of articles pertaining to pornography research fail to provide a

definition.

The prevalence of pornography will only continue to increase, as the Internet continues to

become a more widespread medium (Cooper, Delmonico, & Burg, 2000; Döring, 2009;

Griffiths, 2000). Billions of people access the Internet each month, and the number continues to

rise (We are Social, DataReportal, & Hootsuite, 2020). Because of this rise, an increasing

number of people will be able to access pornography without many of the traditional social

consequences. The impacts of pornography have been debated; it has been suggested that there

are positive effects to pornography usage, but there is an overwhelming amount of evidence that

points to negative consequences (Abell, Steenbergh, & Boivin, 2006; Chapleau, Oswald, &

Russell, 2007; Park et al, 2016; Peter & Valkenburg, 2007; Tarver, 2010). This paper will

discuss the prevalence of pornography usage today, particularly due to the impact of the Internet.

It will also tell of the negative effects of pornography and show how it is an issue that does not

solely exist outside the context of the Christian church.

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Literature Review

Pornography Overview

Pornography is infamously difficult to define. Marshall and Miller (2019) reviewed the

literature on pornography use over the past ten years and found that out of the 4,510 articles in

their study, less than 20% attempted to provide a definition of pornography. Michael Rea (2001)

tells how little philosophical work has been done toward providing an adequate definition of

pornography. The confusion regarding the term stems from varying viewpoints and

disagreements as to what constitutes pornography. The word “pornography” comes from two

Greek words: “pornē” meaning “prostitutes” and “graphein” meaning “to write about”

(McDowell, Barna Group, & Josh McDowell Ministry, 2016). Originally, pornography was only

written content, but it has transformed into a primarily, but not solely, visual industry today. In

order to define pornography, the Barna Group (2016) differentiated between the form and the

function of the material. The form, or the content, is often considered less of a measure than the

function, or the intent of the producer or view. For many people, the top five indicators that

something is pornography are: It is sexually explicit, displays sexual intercourse, displays sexual

acts, is intended for arousal of viewer, or contains full nudity (McDowell et al., 2016). Rea

proposes a two-part definition of pornography. First, something must be used or treated as

pornography by a person who desires to be aroused by the content. It is intended to foster

intimacy. Second, there must be reason to believe that it will be used or treated as pornography

for the majority of the audience for which it was produced. In this paper, pornography will be

referred to as a combination of Rea’s definition and the Barna Group’s five indicators that

something is pornography.
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The data surrounding pornography usage is staggering. The Barna Group (2016)

concluded that 51% of Americans seek out pornography at least occasionally. Additionally, one

out of every three Americans purposely view pornography at least once a month. It is estimated

that 67% of males ages 13 to 24, and 57% of all young adults, view pornography at least once a

month (McDowell et al., 2016). Regnerus, Gordon, and Price (2016) concluded that 2014 survey

data says that 46% percent of men and 16% of women between ages 18 and 39 purposefully

view pornography each week. These numbers suggest that pornography use is an undeniable part

of our culture.

Influence of the Internet

The rise of the Internet vastly widened the scope of pornography usage. It is

estimated that over 4.5 billion people worldwide used the Internet in January 2020 alone (We are

Social, DataReportal, & Hootsuite, 2020). Producers and distributors of pornography were quick

to recognize the potential of the new medium for the pornography industry. As new technology

mediums have been developed throughout history, including photography, video, and the

Internet, pornographers have always been the first to exploit new technologies to increase their

business (Griffiths, 2000). Sexually related online activities have become common practice for

many people in the Western world, but these activities look different depending on variable such

as age, gender, and sexual orientation (Döring, 2009). With the adaption of pornography for the

Internet came a dramatic increase in the amount of pornography viewed worldwide for several

reasons.

Most famously, the impact of the Internet on pornography was described as the Triple A

Engine: Accessibility, Anonymity, and Affordability (Cooper, Delmonico, & Burg, 2000). The

Internet provides a means for people to view pornography alone and in secret at any time and
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from any location; it eliminates the risk of having to go to a physical store where it would be

undesirable to be seen, and there is plenty of free or low-cost content available online. These

three reasons are widely considered the primary factors that have cause the Internet the boost the

pornography industry. Similarly, Griffiths (2000) tells how the Internet provides convenience,

escape, and social acceptability. It eliminates many of the undesirable risks traditionally

associated with pornography.

Effects of Pornography

The research regarding the effects of pornography is contradictory, due to limited

research and ethical concerns regarding pornography experiments. Some scholars suggest that

there are benefits to pornography usage. For example, Kvalem, Træen, and Štulhofer (2014)

studied pornography usage among 1,274 Scandinavian young adults and concluded that

pornography use may increase the self-esteem among young adult males. Others believe that

viewing pornography can be educational. A survey of 1,023 consumers of pornography in

Australia revealed that 58.8% believe pornography to have a positive or very positive effect on

their lives (McKee, 2007).

Despite these positive claims, there is an abundance of evidence that points to detrimental

aspects of pornography usage. Mental health professionals have expressed concern about the

increased prevalence of Internet-based pornography, called cyberporn; experts have suggested

that cyberporn may be more addictive than the Internet itself (Abell, Steenbergh, & Boivin,

2006; Cooper et al., 2000). Furthermore, other scholars tell how exposure to sexually explicit

material can increase the belief among adolescents that women are sex objects, which can even

lead to aggressive behavior (Chapleau, Oswald, & Russell, 2007; Peter & Valkenburg, 2007;

Tarver, 2010). Pornography use can also have a negative impact on marriage, from creating trust
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issues to influencing children in the home (Tarver, 2010). Park et al. (2016) concluded that

pornography use may be linked to sexual dysfunction among males, and that ceasing

pornography use can sometimes reverse any negative effects.

Pornography within the Christian Church

The use of Pornography is not something that exists solely outside of the context of the

Christian church. In the beginning of the 1900s, the Christian church believed that pornography

was an issue for those outside the community of the church. Thomas (2016) conducted a content

analysis of 82 Christianity Today articles from 1956 to 2014 in order to trace the evangelical

Protestant view of pornography. He concluded that the narrative of evangelical Christianity’s

opinions of pornography use has undergone three main phases. First, pornography was viewed as

a problem for the “deviates” of American society, people far removed from all social

acceptability. Next, the view shifted to see pornography as a wider issue for society and culture.

Finally, around the 1980s, evangelical Christians began to perceive the problem of pornography

as something destructive that exists within the church, even among clergy and women. Thomas

argues that religious leaders embrace the idea of pornography usage as an addiction because it

relieves them of some of the burden of the moral responsibility.

It is commonly believed that pornography rates among evangelical Christians are similar, if

not higher, than among the population as a whole. Perry and Schleifer (2018) found that

pornography viewing rates among evangelicals is increasingly similarly to the rates among

nonevangelicals. However, the rates among monthly church attendees and those with more

conservative views is lower.

Although the pornography rates among monthly church attendees may be lower than the

average population, (Perry & Schleifer, 2018), it remains an urgent problem: 75% of all
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practicing Christians and 92% of senior pastors believe that pornography is a larger issue today

than it was 20 years ago (McDowell et al.2016). Perry (2018) found that religious Americans,

particularly men, believe that viewing pornography is wrong, but view it anyways. Ahmad et al.

(2015) conducted a study among protestant clergymen and concluded that 19% of the

participants met the criteria for sexual addiction. It is estimated that 14% of senior pastors are

currently struggling with pornography, and 43% say it was a struggle in the past. Many pastors

say that the nature of their job makes it easier to view pornography secretly, partly due to the

many hours spent alone preparing sermons (McDowell et al., 2016). Pornography remains a

pervasive problem among the Christian community.

Summary

Research surrounding the topic of pornography usage is complicated. This paper aims to

summarize the prevalence of pornography usage, largely due to the Internet, and tell how it

permeates the Christian church, as well as society as a whole. Due to the complex nature of

pornography research, scholar have been unable to reach a consensus on what constitutes

pornography (Marshall & Miller, 2019; McDowell et al., 2016; Rea, 2001). However, it is

widely agreed upon that pornography use is common today among all demographics (McDowell

et al., 2016; Regnerus et al., 2016). The rise of the Internet worldwide contributed to the spread

of pornography because it enabled accessibility, anonymity, and affordability (Cooper et al.,

2000; Döring, 2009; Griffiths, 2000). Researchers disagree on the effects of pornography, but it

is commonly thought that it can lead to negative portrayal of women, harmed marriages, and

sexual dysfunction among men (Chapleau et al., 2007; Park et al., 2016; Peter & Valkenburg,

2007; Tarver, 2010). Finally, the problem of pornography has permeated the Christian church,
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with many Christians and pastors struggling to find freedom (Ahmad et al., 2015; Perry &

Schleifer, 2018; Perry, 2018).

Implications

The numerous implications of the studies pertaining to pornography are important,

particularly from a Christian perspective. To begin with, there is a need for an increase in

educational efforts regarding pornography and Internet use. Specifically, these “educational

efforts should be aimed at raising public awareness to facilitate the development of other

preventive measures” (Cooper et al., 2000, p. 25). In addition to public education, there is a need

for an increase in professional training (Cooper et al., 2000). Professionals, such as mental health

workers, should receive additional training regarding pornography usage and Internet cybersex

addictions. Along with these educational programs should be an effort to provide a clear and

baseline definition of pornography in order to bring clarity and understand to conversations and

debates regarding pornography usage (Rea, 2001). Moreover, Griffiths (2000) suggest ways to

prevent children from accessing pornography, including being present while they access the

Internet and installing filtering software on devices. Additional educational programs,

accountability systems, and clarity of a definition would aid in conversations pertaining to

pornography.

As Christians, it is important to foster communities of grace when dealing with topics of

pornography. This grace does not mean acceptance or encouragement of pornography usage.

However, a community of grace leaves shame and condemnation behind. This type of

community should create systems that encourage repentance and enable those struggling to have

the support needed for freedom and spiritual growth (Baugus, 2018). Churches need to have

systems of personal counseling, mentoring, and accountability (McDowell et al., 2016). The
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Bible itself is full of ideas that speak to freedom and pursuing what is holy. Many times,

Christians are commanded to flee from sexual immorality and abstain from sexual sins (1

Corinthians 6:18; 1 Peter 2:11; 2 Timothy 2:22). The Bible commands Christians, “whatever is

true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is

commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these

things” (Philippians 4:8, English Standard Version). However, if we fall into patterns of sin, God

is faithful; when we confess, he forgives us and cleanse us (1 John 1:9). Finally, Christians are

called to freedom (Galatians 5:1). Christ Jesus came to provide freedom, including freedom from

the trap of pornography.

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