On the cusp of White Ribbon Against Pornography Week (October 30-November 6), some interesting voices are being raised about the destructiveness of sexual exploitation. A diverse group of (largely left-leaning) religious leaders submitted this letter to the Village Voice decrying its role in facilitating sex trafficking. More interesting, perhaps, is this editorial piece from the Guardian, a center-left British newspaper, which states that “the Internet’s benefits were never meant to include the bombarding of people’s homes and children by pornography.”
The article is striking not solely because it calls out online porn for the harm it does, but because it argues that government and Internet Service Providers–not just parents and individuals–should do more to regulate and block pornography. “The destructive effects of pornography on relationships and values, harming not just children but also adults, far exceed any liberating effect which some claim to discern.” That’s bold stuff from the likes of The Guardian.
The church ought to take encouragement from statements like this from media outlets, and be emboldened to address the issues of pornography and sexual immorality–and, more importantly, sexual purity and wholeness–with courage, conviction, and practical 
solutions. Parents ought to heed the newspaper’s call to refuse “to be indifferent to the fact and the scale of Internet pornography” (click here for some strategies). And all of us should pursue a PURE life of prayer, understanding, resolve, and engagement to grow in sanctification in this sexually exploitative world.
Watch for more content next week on the injustice of pornography and strategies for growing and thriving in a pornified culture.
See Also:
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