Our efforts to become people of sexual purity can, at times, feel like a losing battle – especially as we see the number of people dealing with porn addiction continue to rise. “Look at how much fun they’re having!” we reason with ourselves. Getting your choice of having sex with any body type, age, and even gender you choose? That’s freedom, right?
No. It’s imprisonment.
And it’s a lie.
The scary truth about the lie though is that at least 72% of men and 28% of women use pornography (I wrote “at least” because, sadly, that statistic will probably be higher tomorrow).
We’re living in a society that is hurting so badly from past and present abuses, break-ups, traumas, and emotional baggage that people will medicate themselves with whatever drug they can get their hands on, and lust has become our culture’s most popular drug (Tweet This!).
Pornography has spread like wildfire into practically every place in our culture. You’ll find sexually suggestive material on practically every TV show, movie, popular song lyric, magazine, billboard, and electronic device imaginable. Today, 31% of 14-17-year-olds own a smartphone or internet-accessible device. And many times because there are no restrictions put in place, smartphones can access graphic hardcore pornography with ease.
And it gets worse than that. One recent statistic showed that over 50% of men were first exposed to pornography before the age of 13! Many men I’ve talked to have seen sexually provocative images as early as 8 or 9.
Perhaps you’re single and think that when you get married, your porn problem will just magically disappear. Think again! 56% of divorce cases involve at least one spouse who was obsessed with porn.
Marriage is not a cure for porn (Tweet This!).
These are some pretty grim numbers, but there’s still hope. There’s one statistic we can’t ignore, because it’s been proven true time and time again: 100% of men and women who truly desire freedom from pornography and other sexual addictions can find the healing they seek. Yes, it takes serious work on the part of the individual, but it is possible.
XXXchurch provides many incredible resources, workshops, X3watch accountability software, and online support groups to help you become the man or woman you want to be.
DISCLAIMER: The determining factor for whether those things will work in your life is you. If we’re unwilling to do the work that recovery takes, then we must question ourselves as to how much we want change.
Far too many of us are loners when it comes to finding help for our sexual struggles. It’s time to break that lifestyle and step out where you can find a safe place to share your addiction. Call a friend. Meet your pastor for coffee. Do something.
Don’t wait another second. You are more than just a statistic.
3 Out of 4 Men Use Porn. Are You One of Them? by XXXchurch.com is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.