Should Pornography Be Banned?

[Goulette]

What is it with Christians wanting to ban everything of which they disapprove?

Not that this is relevant to my question since I never brought the faith into the picture, but not every Christian believes in making a law for every sin or everything that bothers us. We're talking about porn epidemic and the widespread effects it has one everyone of every faith (or non-faith).

Banning is rarely the solution. 'Prohibition' is a case in point, where organised crime burgeoned and alcohol consumption continued unabated regardless. The best approach towards anything that can be injurious to one's physical, mental or emotional health such as alcohol, tobacco, hard drugs and excessive pornography etc, are educational programs on the possible dangers of such behaviours. We know these are effective given the positive results from the anti-smoking campaigns. Cigarette smoking is no longer generally acceptable, as a consequence.

You might be spot on with the smoking campaigns. But could that be taken further? By that I mean: rules and laws for smoking are now way more strict than ever before, and cigarettes are expensive nowadays unless you get them at a Native reserve. Would it work on pornography to also tighten the rules and make it pricey to get a hold of since it's free for anyone with an internet connection?

[demi-conservative]

For once I have to agree with Tassman. Government banning it will make no difference whatsoever.

This is stupid. Why not you just say 'government banning child porn will make no difference whatsoever'.

I agree that bans dont work.

This too.

[demi-conservative]

Pornography used to be illegal in most of the US

Lots of laws against indecent stuff, also degenerate stuff, demi hears lots still on books. Just not enforced.

Of course that was massive slippery slope!

[demi-conservative]

it's hard for pastors, youth pastors, and Sunday School teachers to get into this topic - and a lot of the time, they are uncomfortable doing so because they are addicted to porn too

Fixed.

[Mountain Man]

So you're saying you know better than Jesus about whether alcohol is permissible?

I should have said drunkenness rather than alcohol. Strictly regulated rather than prohibited.

But my point is that an ideal state will never exist so long as we are governed by fallible and corrupt politicians.

[demi-conservative]

(And just so nobody gets the wrong impression from Cath's post, I am not into pornography; she's not referring to me.)

Modern Christians seem to be wedded a lot to Enlightenment ideas like freedom of speech and expression but if you look at the laws God instituted under the Mosaic code, the mindset was very different. This is the exact point my avatar tries to make.

But are you okay with death penalty, also shaming?

[demi-conservative]

You might be spot on with the smoking campaigns. But could that be taken further? By that I mean: rules and laws for smoking are now way more strict than ever before, and cigarettes are expensive nowadays unless you get them at a Native reserve. Would it work on pornography to also tighten the rules and make it pricey to get a hold of since it's free for anyone with an internet connection?

'We need to protect kids from smoke!!!!!'

'Eh, porn's okay.'

Sad!

[Teallaura]

Fixed.

Jerk

[KingsGambit]

Jerk

There may be something to it: https://www.christianitytoday.com/ne...ell-barna.html

However, the level of self admitted porn use seems to be significantly lower among clergy than among the population at large.

[Tassman]

There may be something to it: https://www.christianitytoday.com/ne...ell-barna.html

However, the level of self admitted porn use seems to be significantly lower among clergy than among the population at large.

One can make a case that overly rigid attitudes towards sexual activity result in repression and furtive sexual activity as in a reliance on pornography.

“A disturbing fact continues to surface in sex abuse research. The first best predictor of abuse is alcohol or drug addiction in the father. But the second best predictor is conservative religiosity, accompanied by parental belief in traditional male-female roles. This means that if you want to know which children are most likely to be sexually abused by their father, the second most significant clue is… whether or not the parents belong to a conservative religious group with traditional role beliefs and rigid sexual attitudes.” p. 73 ‘Sexual abuse in Christian Homes and Churches’. - Carolyn Holderread Heggen

[KingsGambit]

One can make a case that overly rigid attitudes towards sexual activity result in repression and furtive sexual activity as in a reliance on pornography.

“A disturbing fact continues to surface in sex abuse research. The first best predictor of abuse is alcohol or drug addiction in the father. But the second best predictor is conservative religiosity, accompanied by parental belief in traditional male-female roles. This means that if you want to know which children are most likely to be sexually abused by their father, the second most significant clue is… whether or not the parents belong to a conservative religious group with traditional role beliefs and rigid sexual attitudes.” p. 73 ‘Sexual abuse in Christian Homes and Churches’. - Carolyn Holderread Heggen

A form of this argument is actually fairly common among Protestants in attacking celibacy in the Catholic priesthood.

[Mountain Man]

One can make a case that overly rigid attitudes towards sexual activity result in repression and furtive sexual activity as in a reliance on pornography.

“A disturbing fact continues to surface in sex abuse research. The first best predictor of abuse is alcohol or drug addiction in the father. But the second best predictor is conservative religiosity, accompanied by parental belief in traditional male-female roles. This means that if you want to know which children are most likely to be sexually abused by their father, the second most significant clue is… whether or not the parents belong to a conservative religious group with traditional role beliefs and rigid sexual attitudes.” p. 73 ‘Sexual abuse in Christian Homes and Churches’. - Carolyn Holderread Heggen

Yeah, I really doubt the validity of this study. Looks like a bad case of confusing correlation with causation.

[Tassman]

A form of this argument is actually fairly common among Protestants in attacking celibacy in the Catholic priesthood.

Except, in this instance the argument was researched and presented by a Protestant (from the Mennonite community), who is highly and relevantly qualified. And it's about Evangelicals.

Yeah, I really doubt the validity of this study. Looks like a bad case of confusing correlation with causation.

Of course you do.

[Teallaura]

There may be something to it: https://www.christianitytoday.com/ne...ell-barna.html

However, the level of self admitted porn use seems to be significantly lower among clergy than among the population at large.

[Mountain Man]

Of course you do.

Yes, I do, and for good reason. The sound bite you quoted gives reasonable cause for suspicion. But it's your source, so the burden is yours to defend its methodology and conclusions. Can you?