Questions for those of you religious people who think it's wrong to look at porn

[Ross MwcFan]

Is it okay to imagine naked women?

 

Is it okay to collect pictures of hot women who are fully clothed?

 

If any of these are okay, why?

[Philosoraptor]

If you want to spank your monkey then spank your monkey. If you're going to be punished eternally for it at least do it enough to make it worth it.

[BetheButterfly]

Is it okay to imagine naked women?

 

Is it okay to collect pictures of hot women who are fully clothed?

 

If any of these are okay, why?

 

Most Christians believe the following teachings are true.

 

What Christians should do:

 

Job 31 (NIV) - I boldened some.

 

" 1 “I made a covenant with my eyes

not to look lustfully at a young woman.

2 For what is our lot from God above,

our heritage from the Almighty on high?

3 Is it not ruin for the wicked,

disaster for those who do wrong?

4 Does he not see my ways

and count my every step? "

 

Now, Job was married. Even when he was going through terrible trials and his children died, he stayed married. He is not talking about looking lustfully at his wife, but at a young woman who is not his wife. (As far as we know, he only had one wife.) Christians are also to not look lustfully at young women (or men) because of what Jesus said.

 

Jesus goes into detail about what his followers, who for a long time have been called Christians, are not to do:

 

Matthew 5 (NIV) - I boldened some.

 

" 27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’[Exodus 20:14] 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell."

 

Jesus quotes one of the ten commandments that God gave to the Israelites (descendants of Israel - Jacob son of Isaac son of Abraham) through Moses. He goes even more profoundly into the commandment by saying that even a person who looks lustfully at a woman (who is not his wife) is committing adultery emotionally/in the heart.

 

So, to answer your question directly, for Christians, it is not ok to imagine naked woman, unless she is your wife. It is not ok to "collect" for imaginanry personal purposes photos of clothed women. I suppose it is fine for work if the person doesn't lust after them.

 

Many people believe that humans can control their thought process, that it is a discipline. Just as there are people who are very physically disciplined and go the gym everyday, developing their physical muscles, so people can discipline their thought lives and not allow their thoughts to wander into territory that the person believes is wrong. Job, for example, trained his mind, or as he says it "made a covenant with... eyes" to not look lustfully at young women. Most Christians believe that with God's help, this is possible, to control one's mind.

[OffandOnStillinLove]

Is it okay to imagine naked women?

 

Is it okay to collect pictures of hot women who are fully clothed?

 

If any of these are okay, why?

 

your examples are perfect b/c you have a good point - it is what is going on in the heart, whether clothed or not, it's lust, and yes we all have libidos but they were designed for the best use with a spouse, but we misuse this beautiful God-given gift and "throw it all out there" too early, or with "whatever comes along" , or even with pixels on a screen b/c we're afraid of intimacy and a screen is so isolated...

The bottom line on maybe any questions about this? : Id say, Ask God to show you what He wants your life to be about, what He wants your passions to be about, and stuff like "Ok God, what is my life supposed to be about?" There's lots of answers in the Bible what is the purpose of our life, and it isn't to be living in a bubble comfortably with all the "toys" and whatever we define. ITs really about realizing we need forgiveness and His love to restore us, and He is the reason for living, to bring Him praise, and honor, and love, and glory.... this sounds counter-intuitive to most human responses, b/c it is - it's a super-natural life He gives us, to have affections for Him, not for the phony shallow counterfiets that don't work eventually... Pls take this is a caring way, i hate that tone of voice isn't heard in posts, but I mean this with a lot of love and care for you and your soul and your life <3 take care

[Lobouspo]

As a semi-practicing Catholic, I believe porn objectifies women. I also believe it distorts sexuality into something unrealistic because of the extremes that portrayed in various sexual acts and the cartoonish size of penis' and breasts. I have watched porn in the past, but it just bores me now, just doesnt do anything for me. At the end of the day there are only so many ways a human being can have sex.

[TaraMaiden]

your examples are perfect b/c you have a good point - it is what is going on in the heart, whether clothed or not, it's lust, and yes we all have libidos but they were designed for the best use with a spouse, but we misuse this beautiful God-given gift and "throw it all out there" too early, or with "whatever comes along" , or even with pixels on a screen b/c we're afraid of intimacy and a screen is so isolated...

The bottom line on maybe any questions about this? : Id say, Ask God to show you what He wants your life to be about, what He wants your passions to be about, and stuff like "Ok God, what is my life supposed to be about?" There's lots of answers in the Bible what is the purpose of our life, and it isn't to be living in a bubble comfortably with all the "toys" and whatever we define. ITs really about realizing we need forgiveness and His love to restore us, and He is the reason for living, to bring Him praise, and honor, and love, and glory.... this sounds counter-intuitive to most human responses, b/c it is - it's a super-natural life He gives us, to have affections for Him, not for the phony shallow counterfiets that don't work eventually... Pls take this is a caring way, i hate that tone of voice isn't heard in posts, but I mean this with a lot of love and care for you and your soul and your life <3 take care

 

what makes you think this is about him?

his questions are completely general, and don't refer to any specific person....

[Ross MwcFan]

Just to clarify, I don't believe in God or the bible. I only ask because I was curious what religious people thought.

 

The way I see it, as long as what you do doesn't cause harm to anyone or any animal, then there is nothing wrong with it.

Edited March 22, 2012 by Ross MwcFan

[taiko]

Just look at this forum, about half the threads at times seem to be from people who see themselves as victims of a significant other's porn usage. As for "religious" do you mean adherents of the dominant religion(s) of your home region or a specific target in mind?

[Ross MwcFan]

Just look at this forum, about half the threads at times seem to be from people who see themselves as victims of a significant other's porn usage. As for "religious" do you mean adherents of the dominant religion(s) of your home region or a specific target in mind?

 

I just mean anyone who is into religion.

[Scottdmw]

 

The way I see it, as long as what you do doesn't cause harm to anyone or any animal, then there is nothing wrong with it.

 

What you said here is in reality EXACTLY what Christians also believe. We don't believe things are wrong because God is capricious, mean, or likes to boss us around. We believe they are wrong because they are harmful either to ourselves or others. If God tells us not to do something, it's for our own good.

 

The idea with porn is that it does have significant potential for harm. As with many things, that potential is greater or lesser with different people. But, there sure are a lot of anecdotes on this board about people who say that their relationships were literally destroyed by porn use.

 

There are also anecdotes where people say that they use porn with no bad effects. In my opinion it is the equivalent of a moderately dangerous drug--more dangerous than say alcohol but less so than crack. Some people can use it without apparent problems, while others suffer debilitating addictions. Of course, any individual person can never be sure what will happen for them until they try it, which is why it's risky. Also, keep in mind that many people who have medically demonstrated problems with alcohol, ie alcoholics, will swear up and down that they don't have a problem, so you can't necessarily believe people when they say things like this. In fact, it's also an easy subject to deceive yourself about, because of course you really want to keep doing it so your judgment is not very objective.

 

Scott

[FredRutherford]

 

 

Is it okay to collect pictures of hot women who are fully clothed?

That one's a judgement call.

I myself have some photos of women on my laptop. They're not necessarily attractive, but are women just the same. Don't look at them much TBH.

 

Is it okay to imagine naked women?

 

Is it okay to collect pictures of hot women who are fully clothed?

 

Ross,

I personally think viewing porn is wrong.

 

This coming from a Christian who at one time was hooked on porn.

During a stressful time in my marriage, when my wife moved out of state (not divorced or separated, long story), I intensified my porn viewing, sometimes MB'd to it up to 3X a day !!

 

In the past, viewed porn occasionally as a "substitute" as my spouse intensified her refusal to have sex with me.

 

The frequent MBing to porn got to be a drag and soon felt the strain.

Thanks to help from some women here on LS, like DreamingOfTigers and YouGoGirl, kicked the habit the fall of 2010.

 

In a porn thread, was going to reply and defend my porn viewing, saying "it's my right," "it doesn't mean anything" and "doesn't hurt anyone."

 

But before I hit the post button, I realized those women were right !!

Porn IS harmful, portrays women in a bad light and can help mess a guy's mind up.

 

Have had a few "relapses" where for a brief period, wanted to do a quick search for "bikini pics" or something to MB to. That's a snare though as those bikini sites often have hardcore pics, which of course a guy will click.

 

Soon realized though that I don't need porn to MB.

The fantasy of my mind, recalling past sexual experiences with my wife, will do it for me.

 

Now, am not gonna say guys shouldn't look at bikini pics, as that's gonna happen.

It isn't softcore or hardcore sex, but if you can, try to lessen your porn viewing.