BEWARE OF THE PENGUINS

The clique of the penguin is often used to portray something that appears harmless but behind the outer appeal lurks a vice of destruction.  The countershading of the penguin actually causes a camouflage effect for the penguin.  Many times the analogy of a penguin is used as “one of stealing”. 

The Vice of Pornography

Pornography is any material or visual entertainment that uses images that are alluring to stimulate sexual feeling.  These images typically are immodest or indecent. 

The addiction to pornography has escalated at an alarming rate leaving marriages devastated.  This addiction is not limited to any income bracket or education level and what used to be mainly a male issue has now infiltrated into capturing females in a vice of destruction.  Porn is taking captive younger victims each hour.  This demoralizing vice lures in people at first in a seemingly innocent way (magazine covers, commercials, pop-up ads on internet) but takes you further than one could possibly imagine. 

Porn Statistics

by TRANSPARENT MINISTRIES on Feb 16, 2011 

Shocking Statistics (Why We Do What We Do):
• Sex is the #1 thing people search for on the Internet
• There are over 420 million Pornographic Internet pages
• 12 to 17 year olds are the largest consumers of Internet pornography
• 42.7% of Internet users view pornography
• The pornography industry is larger than the revenues of the top technology companies combined: Microsoft, Google, Amazon, eBay, Yahoo!, Apple, Netflix and EarthLink
• 70% of women keep their cyber activities secret
• Women, more than men, are likely to act out their behaviors in real life, such as having multiple partners, casual sex, or affairs.
• 68 million porn search engine requests daily
• 2006 Worldwide Porn Revenues = $97.06 billion

Source: http://internet-filter-review.toptenreviews.com/internet-pornography-statistics.html

• 7 of 10 lay leaders in the church admitted to visiting adult Web sites at least once a week
• 5 out of 10 pastors said they did the same.

Source: http://www.thealabamabaptist.org/print-edition-article-detail.php?id_art=3316

• 60% of all Christian men and 30% of all Christian women are addicted to pornography.
• 60% of the women who answered the survey admitted to having significant struggles with lust;
• 40% admitted to being involved in sexual sin in the past year; and 20% of the church-going female participants struggle with looking at pornography on an ongoing basis.

Source: http://christiannews.christianet.com/1154951956.htm
It’s more than statistics
It’s people.
It’s husbands, fathers, mothers, wives.
It’s children, sons, daughters.
It’s families, friends, co-workers.
It’s churches, ministries, the body of Christ.

Statistics only tell part of the story.
Statistics represent people you know.
People struggling with sexual addiction.

• Chuck Swindoll calls it “The #1 secret problem in your church.”

• Of the 10,000 calls, emails and letters Focus on the Family receives daily, this represent their number one incoming request for help overall.

• New Man Magazine’s most frequent request from readers is to refer them to a service or ministry that can help them with their sexual temptation. “New Man readers NEED this product.” – from a New Man representative

• Oprah calls it “America’s #1 addiction.”[i]

The stats for porn are truly alarming but what can be done to protect our marriages, martial relationship and children?  We should not wait until after marriage and the ravaging effects of pornography have transpired. 

If 12-17 year olds are the largest consumers of “internet porn” by the time they marry this addiction rules their life!  They will take the devastating effects of porn into their marriage which is a set-up for failure!  You must be willing to take a stand with your pre-teen and teenagers when it comes to their access on the internet.  Safeguards are a must and this will be a “fight” with your child that is worth it.  Your child will not want to have parameters placed on them but as a parent it is your job to parent them and not be their friend.  If these unseen predators can seize your child at a young vulnerable age they have a consumer/victim for life. 

When a spouse is involved in pornography it has a devastating effect on the marriage.  The effect of this demon can be just as tragic as or more tragic than that of having an affair.  This affects every aspect of marriage.

• Broken trust
• Lies
• Finance
• Sexual dysfunction
• Job performance
• Self-gratification with little regard to the spouse or children
• Takes the person deeper into areas they never thought they would go
• Endorphins of brain are affected so what satisfied yesterday no longer brings the excitement today, so the person dives deeper into the dark pit of porn.  They become a slave to this corruption.
• Their desire is never satisfied and they may begin to lure others into this darkness of sexual perversion.  They may even try to lure their spouse into their addiction in hope to find satisfaction but it will not satisfy.  The Bible says: 
  2 Peter 2:14(NLT)
  They commit adultery with their eyes, and their desire for sin is never satisfied. They lure unstable people into sin, and they are well trained in greed. They live under God’s curse.
• It is very common for men who are addicted to pornography to become impotent and not be able to function sexually with their wife.

Normally for a turn around to occur a crisis will take place; this crisis may be the wife discovering what she already suspected via the computer or cell phone history.  It may be a financial crisis of debt due to paying for sites on the internet.  For healing to take place a third party normally needs to help this couple via counseling.  The first step would be for the man to admit his wrong doing and yes this is like adultery.  Trust must be reestablished and this may take months or even years.  Safeguards need to be put in place.  Just as an alcoholic must put permanent safeguards around themselves so also a person who is endeavoring to be set free from pornography.  The wife will need to come to a place where she can forgive her husband if this marriage is to survive.  Forgiveness and trust are two different concepts and trust must be earned while forgiveness is given freely.  Enlisting an accountability partner will be of great value for the husband and the wife will also benefit greatly from counseling as well as another woman who has been through a similar circumstance.  This may be something that the couple wants to keep very private and not bring family or friends into so a support system of professionals is a must.  Unfortunately most pastors do not have the appropriate training to handle issues of this magnitude.  Finding a professional counselor who has experience in this or can refer the couple to a solid program will be paramount.  Chances are the couple will not be able to get through this by themselves.

The following is a great resource for help in seeking help for the issue of pornography:  http://www.covenanteyes.com 

 

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[i] http://www.transparentministries.org/porn-stats/