What Is Pornography? Related Scriptures Pornography

1 3900 Bethel DriveSt. Paul, MN Is Pornography ? Pornography is visual images, writing, or speech that is used to arouse lustful sexual desires. Viewing or interacting with pornogra -phy can become an addiction when it begins to regularly interfere with everyday life and/or negatively impact relationships with others. Pornography can also become a compulsion when it causes irrational or impulsive responses. Like all addictions, Pornography can be difficult to overcome, but being aware of its influence, learning how to prevent exposure to it, and being held accountable by close friends are healthy steps to recovery. WARNING SIGNSA nswer the following questions honestly to find out if Pornography may be an issue for you. Do your family or friends say you spend too much time on the internet? Do you find your greatest source of emotion-al intimacy in internet chat rooms or through romance novels? Do you stare at or fantasize about actors or actresses, lingerie models, joggers on the beach, Do you regularly look at pornographic magazines, movies, or websites?

2 Do your sexual fantasies and activities draw you away from your friends, family, and God? Do you lie about your activities or hide them from your friends and/or family? Do your sexual fantasies and activities cause you shame or depression? Have you vowed to stop accessing Pornography only to give in to the next temptation?A Quick Reference GuideProvided by theOffice of Student Life Related ScripturesGod s Faithfulness1 Corinthians 10:13A Covenant with Your EyesJob 31:1 Clothing Yourself with ChristRomans 13:14 Desire and SinJames 1:13-15 What to Flee and Pursue2 Timothy 2:22 Becoming a Living SacrificeRomans 12:1-2 Maintaining a Pure LifestylePsalm 119:9-11 Pornography12% of internet web-sites are pornographic, and some 40 million Americans visit these sites on a regular basis. United Families InternationalHow to Help a Friend Commend your friend for seeking help in matters beyond his or her control. Express your willing-ness to encourage and help where you can.

3 Assure him or her of your concern and validate her or his value and worth to you despite the behavior. Shame is both a cause and result of Pornography use. Encourage your friend to take immediate action. Encourage your friend to arrange for account-ability on an individual basis or with a group of Christians with whom he or she can meet on a regular basis. Recommend that he or she seek the help of a pastor, Christian counselor, or psychologist. Offer to pray with your friend, in addition to praying for your friend. How Can I Defeat Pornography ? Acknowledge the truth of compulsion and/or addiction to Pornography use without denial, rationalization, or minimizing. Stop feeding the addiction. Destroy all porno-graphic material and immediately stop visits to places of temptation pornographic movies, websites, or adult bookstores. Determine boundaries of acceptable internet use. Change any relationships that have encouraged the compulsion and/or addiction to Pornography .

4 Join a support group. Attend a group facilitated by a professional where you can receive support and discuss the compulsion and/or addiction. Tell someone you trust! Patrick Carnes writes, The enemy of sexual health is silence. Telling on your problem will help take away its power. Establish an accountability relationship with a friend of the same sex to talk with and contact when you have an urge to access Pornography . This will help alleviate the pressure and isolation you are experiencing. Install an internet filter such as CyberPatrol or Net Nanny to block adult content. Pray and enlist God s help in release from this compulsion and/or and Off-Campus Support On CampusOffice of Student Life: available to talk and pray with you as well as suggest options for further care; stop by or call for an appointment (BC252; ext. 6300)Counseling Services: offers free support for students struggling with a Pornography addiction (Townhouse H1; ext.)

5 8540)Office of Campus Ministries: provides spiritual support and mentoring (HC325; ext. 6372)Health Services: provides medical assistance as well as referrals for information and care (Townhouse H1; ext. 6215) Off CampusArden Woods Psychological Services(New Brighton): and True Ministries (Eden Prairie): Renewal Center(Arden Hills): for Intimacy: How Pornography Hijacks the Male BrainBy William Struthers In the Shadows of the Net: Breaking Free of Compulsive Online Sexual BehaviorBy Patrick Carnes, David Delmonico, and Elizabeth GriffinBonds That Make Us Free: Healing Our Relationships, Coming to OurselvesBy C. Terry WarnerFalse Intimacy: Understanding the Struggle of Sexual AddictionBy Harry W. SchaumburgAn Affair of the Mind: One Woman s Courageous Battle to Salvage Her Family from the Devastation of PornographyBy Laurie HallEvery Young Man s Battle By Stephen Arterburn and Fred Stoeker Dirty Girls Come CleanBy Crystal Guide for MenBy Mark Laaser