I definitely think it is an addiction. Not that it is a major addiction such as heroin or alcohol but it creates addictive behavior. However, even worse than the addictive behavior is the distortion of sex and how it can be a part of a healthy, monogamous relationship.
Unfortunately, those who reject any parameters on behavior or responsibility of actions will ridicule this topic.
It can be nice way to 'release'. But, just remember, it's fantasy. The typical person does not look the way the porn stars do. The scenarios are pure fantasy. It's as fake as WWE and cartoons. But, it is a nice way to relax.
But, too much of porn can be a bad thing. Little or moderate use is okay. We all have hormones and need it. It's physically safer than regular sex. You can't get an STD from porn. But, too much can affect your work and personal life.
Also, it brings in tons of money to the local economy where I live. Want to take a guess where I live?
When elder Faust says that pornography is as addictive as cocaine (Ensign, Nov 2000, 45), he’s making an utterly irresponsible statement. Every psychiatrist will tell you that watching pornography is NOT addictive because, unlike illegal drugs, it doesn’t produce any chemical changes in the brain.
LDS leaders also believe that homosexuality is an addiction. “Addiction” has become the code word for anything they want to demonize.
Pornography doesn’t have anything to do with addiction. But the LDS rhetoric on pornography has everything to do with a religious hierarchy who wants you and me to be as sexually repressed as they are.
If one is looking at it 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or thinking about it all the time, then yes it may be a problem. But come on people, we all want to have a fantasy about somthing (or someone). Dream about winning the lottery, thats a fantasy. Dream about the perfect date, thats a fantasy.
When people drop the hang up about sex, the sooner they will be truly free.
Sounds like the chrstian right republicans have done a great job once again making people feel bad over some "fantasy".
I definitely see it as an addiction of sorts with the possibility of major negative effects on a person's life, but for years, when I was a closeted, repressed, self-hating, gay, faithful member of the church, it was my salvation.
It kept me from "acting out" on my sexual impulses with another man. It allowed me to find release without looking for it in parks, restrooms, and back alleys. This is a complete rationalization, I know, but it's how I survived in the closet for decades as an active member of the church.
Of course, now that I don't go to church any more, and I'm gradually outing myself, the whole mind-set is moot. But when my heart was fighting a battle against who I wanted to be, I thought that having sex with a handsome nude guy in a magazine was far less evil than actually getting naked with another man.
Now I'm kicking myself for wasting so much time with porn. Intimacy with another living, breathing human being is far more satisfying!
Actually, viewing ography or having CAN produce natural chemicals (endorphins?, pardon my spelling) that one can become physically addicted to, much like . However, I believe the greater risk is in developing behaviour patterns that are unhealthy. For me, viewing is escapism from real life -- and the wasted time takes away from the more spiritual and healthy sides of my life. It is addictive in the way that it's hard to eat just one potato chip or one peanut. Unfortunately, it can replace healthy ual activity because it's so easy -- no rejection either. But not real.
There are two side of Ponography one it is harmless and the other it is harmful.
Pornography is harmless if it taken in small doses. Most people uses porn as a tool or guide to arouse themselves when they are alone or to get in the mood. This is fine as these people may used it rarely. As a single person who don't do the bars, clubs, sex premises and who study and work long hours i would say porn have help me but then again i know the different between reality and fantasy.
Pornography only become harmful when there is a blur between reality and fantasy and it depend on the person watching it whether they have an addictive personality and whether the line of their fantasy and reality have been crossed along the path. I know guys who will not be with another individual unless the person look like certain porn stars, to them the fantasy/ reality lines are very blur.
The other part is where it infringed on other people rights. The whole argument comes down to does it infriged the rights of others? well only if the actors are forced to make the porn, and people are forced to watch it, and people are stereotyped by it or if you decide to treat your partner in a degrading way as shown in some video. This is harmful no ifs or buts.
In essence if pornography does not infringed the rights of others and it used in moderation then it a good thing else it can and will be harmful.
yes, it is an addiction, one i had at age 15. For about 4 years I was addicted to it, mainly because of the Internet, where its so free and available. I came to know quite a bit about sex, or so I thought. Then I met someone who changed it, made me a better person, and made me realize that porn is a problem, especailly at younger ages.
I read somewhere that viewing porn at an early age can make you a sex addict, or a child molester, or sexual predator....I seriously think it can
It was about as hard to quit being addicted to porn as it was to quit smoking, the latter of which I'm still struggling with.
Porn IS an addiction, I WAS ADDICTED to it for 2 years during my "homosexual adolensence" and it in no way was good for me in any does or under any control. It alters your mind and how you view things. at first in small ways that you don't notice, so you may think "it's not so bad" IT IS!!!! I can understand that when you are in the closet you feel the urge to "be gay" or act homosexual, I had the same feelings, but prayer and help from the Lord is the best way to deal with it not through a degradation of what sex can really be. Good friends and moral support are great ways too, me and my gay friends have a gay movie night where we get some gay films and watch them for a day or so, but we do not I repeat do not get films that are overly sexualy explicit. There doesn't have to be alot of sex to be a gay film. I would rather be enriched than sexualy satisfied by a picture on a screen.
Lets face it we're gay, that means our perception of sex is altered, we have a protection against it bulit up in a way that allows us to see it from a different perspective, but we see it enough that we don't need to subject ourselves to more. It can destroy relationships, a little leads to a little more and a little more until suddenly you all the way from 1 to 100. Don't put yourself in jeapordy.
Pornography can indeed be seen as a relase, but it can also be seen as presenting an idealistic view of sexulatiy, and the "relationships" presented in pornographic films and literature involve littel more than sex.
Real life does involve sex, but a lot of other things too. As other contributors have said, pornography is not a representation of reality, and most people don't look like porn actors. Consumers of porn need to distance themselves from it so that they realise that it's highly unlikely they're going to recreate what they see in real life.
Addiction to porn is possible, but a person addicted to porn often has other problems too, be it repression, loneliness, or lack of communication skill, among others.
I still think it's possible to be moderate about one's intake of pornography.
Everyday everyone of us engage in activities that can become addictive: watching TV, sports can become an addiction, eating food, and drinking soda. There are work-aholics, shop-aholics and, yes, even Church-aholics. (boy do I know some of those!)
My point is all of the above are normal, pleasurable and even necessary activities - when done in moderation. I remember seeing a "New Era" article about the evils of porn. There was a MRI image of the human brain during "normal activity" and juxtiposed next to it, another image of the human "exposed to porn!" There was a graphic difference; certain areas of the brain were blue instead of orange and visa versa. The obvious intention of the article was to scare the bejesus out of you. It implied that any alteration of the brain was bad. I showed the images to my very pious wife and asked "what do you think our brains would look like if they scanned us during (healthy church sanctioned) sex?" She was not amused.
I think this is an interesting and important topic, but I come to it with a very different slant, and one that most LDS people will find horrible. I was forced to endure a year of porn when enduring shock therapy, all at BYU and under the direction of the church. I do believe pornography can be very addictive, but if it is, why does the church still use it when dealing with "difficult homosexual cases?" Though it is not used often, it is still used when doing some form of behavioral modification therapy (none of which changes a person's sexual orientation).
One of the biggest difficulties for me is hearing talks and things on the "evils of pornography" when I know it is used to supposedly cure gay men. The church can't walk both sides of the street on the issue; it can't be evil and addicting in one case, and good as therapy in another.
That said, not everyone who looks at pornography, just as not all people who gamble, become addicted to it. There is no firm rule of thumb about that. I was forced to look at it all that time, and I never became addicted to it at all. In fact, it physically sickens me.
But like any addictive behavior, it can cause some really terrible troubles. However, more often than not, those who seek out pornography, especially those in marriages, are already suffering some form of breakdown before the pornographic addiction forms. That is something we seem to overlook at church. We blame pornography for ruining the marriage, but forget that people go searching for it because something is wrong in their lives, in their relationship, even perhaps in their spirituality. This is not to say everyone who looks at porn has a mental or spiritual problem, but so often, just as with chatroom relationships that ruin marriages, something is already wrong with the relationship and that is why people start seeking for something else.
I really feel we put the cart before the horse too often. Pornographic addiction is often the symptom of something else which led to it. Yet, we care only about the addiction, or the symptom and spend no time fixing the underlying problem that created the addiction to begin with.
Then there is another thing so many seem to forget: there is such a thing as a fetish addiction. Now, I am not going to define that in the way most do, but I knew of a man who NEVER looked at Pornography, but still masturbated to pictures of men (yes, he was gay, but of course, he was cured because he endured the church's curatives, only he simply masturbated to the pictures of men he liked, but never porn, so he could in good conscience say he was not looking at porn).
Certain types of men pleased him, and he got his photos of them out of the newspaper, magazines, and even from taking photos of them on the street. These were ordinary men, built like anyone else, no models. He liked construction workers, cops, bus drivers, etc. and just seeing a photo of such a man (and the photos had absolutely NO sexual overtones whatever) was enough for him and his fantasies.
Now, as everyone goes on and on about the evils of pornography, and how addictive it is, I have seen that anything can be addictive if we let it. In this case, of a man I worked with home teaching, no, he didn't actually violate the "NEVER LOOK AT PORN" rule, but he created his own pornographic experience with photos that exposed nothing at all in the way of sexuality.
And the end results were exactly the same as if he had been using hard core porn. It ruined his marriage (which was a sham in my view to begin with), and it encouraged him in his sexual thoughts.
Again, it gets down to the same idea: Why was he looking at pictures? It was because something was wrong in his life. He was not getting any satisfaction out of his marriage, it wasn't filling his needs, and it was not who he was. Because he was living untrue to himself, he sought out that which would fulfill him, and made sure it was not in violation of the church standards.
Pornography can be addictive, and it can contribute to the damage of marriages and lives. However, just because someone looks at it, or has seen it, doesn't guarantee they will become addicted to it.
However, I still remain conflicted over the fact it is EVIL when you are just a normal person, but it is OK if you are enduring reparative therapy. Wouldn't the damage be the same, or somewhat similar, in both cases? And even though I didn't become addicted to it, I do know of those who endured therapy as I did (which never cured me of being gay, so don't think for a moment I support reparative therapy of any kind) who did become addicted to porn, and in a big way. The saddest thing about it is they never looked for it, or even wanted it, before the therapy began.
And there is a truth we must never forget: once those images are in your head, they are there for life. And that can be a problem if you are trying to avoid such thoughts for singing a church hymn DOESN'T ever remove them.
I personally think Pornography can be just an option like many others that we have in our modern society. Whether it can be harmless or not that is up to us. It is just like alcohol or tobacco; we decide how much (for those who have personally decided to consume them.)it can be addictive or not depending on our personal circumstance and needs.
Besides, pornography portrays a world of fantasy as it has been mentioned before.
If people come and ask me if I enjoy watching pornography, most likely I would tell them that it makes feel bored since I can do that (well, I would need someone else). Regards
In response to what Anonymous stated on the third comment down from the top, just because porn does not cause chemical changes doesn't mean it's not addicitive. It may not be chemically addictive, but it can be psychologically addictive. Some who view porn find they want to view it progressively more often, then progressively more suggestive and erotic, until, in some cases, the porn no longer satisfies. Then they seek a live victim, particularly in the case of aficionados of child porn.
I say it is either, depending on the individual use of it... every thing in life can be either also... religion can be either, food can be either, homophobia can be either... depends on how it is used or abused and if it is used to simply help yourself or to hurt others... if it is just a personal secret passtime, then i see no harm in it, as it is better than no sex at all...
some people do look like the models in films, otherwise the films would have to be animation features... i do see some men who look that good at the clubs and they enjoy being seen in public as patrons or as performers there... and some of them give good hugs and dance with us...
does this replace a relationship? no, but then relationships are not always good or eternal, so it is good to be able to have more spice available when needed... it may even help a relationship if the other partner knows you can have an instant partner on film when he is not willing to cooperate or when he is being bad or antisocial or not doing his part for you...
relationships come and go... a porn film will be there always, especially on a dvd... and even after the porn star either dies of AIDS, or retires, or overdoses on something... you can still look at him and enjoy him and get off.
enjoy it :) and if you dont agree, dont tell me off, just deal with yourself. life is too short to worry about it that much. :)
For a few years, I've been struggling to overcome a pornography addiction (yes, an addiction). I have read through some entries and have found things I do do not agree with, but if there is one thing for sure, it is that porn has made life difficult for me. Someone above wrote that porn can lead to worse things, and in my case it did. I don't blame my problems wholly on porn, but it has definitely contributed to my disaster. I have commited sex crimes, and as an excommunicated member, am trying to repair the damnage that I've done, and that porn has done to me.
Yes, these views are mine. I do not impose them upon anyone or anything; they are merely for information. As more time goes on, I see more clearly how empty porn is. I am convinced there is no real joy in any part of it, and I intend to find joy in this life, not just pleasure. Slowly, it reduces me to solitude and sorrow as I walk a well trodden, but lonely road.
I have a personal testimony that the leaders of the Church speak the truth about pornography. I can attribute most of the problems I have encountered to a sort of gateway of pornography. I became involved in a slimey culture of taking drugs and watching pornography for hours and I watched as my life dove-tailed.
Stopping all of that had nothing to do with overcoming anything or breaking a habit, and I can tell you the drugs I took were very addictive. Stopping was a direct result of the Spirit and remembering who I am (a child of God and a Priesthood holder). The thought of "I should not be watching pornography or doing drugs or engaging in sex" never came across my mind. Instead I saw what I once knew and I persued it and never looked back. It is obvious that I still believe in the Church despite my sexuality, but I have my personal issues with some of the things the Bretheren say. On the issue of pornography, however, they are not just a group of old men rambling on about by-gone standards.
I would be shocked if President Hinckley has ever intentionally viewed pornography. He nevertheless has very considerable insight into the issue, as what he says is very close to my personal experiences.
19 Comments:
I definitely think it is an addiction. Not that it is a major addiction such as heroin or alcohol but it creates addictive behavior. However, even worse than the addictive behavior is the distortion of sex and how it can be a part of a healthy, monogamous relationship.
Unfortunately, those who reject any parameters on behavior or responsibility of actions will ridicule this topic.
It can be both.
It can be nice way to 'release'. But, just remember, it's fantasy. The typical person does not look the way the porn stars do. The scenarios are pure fantasy. It's as fake as WWE and cartoons. But, it is a nice way to relax.
But, too much of porn can be a bad thing. Little or moderate use is okay. We all have hormones and need it. It's physically safer than regular sex. You can't get an STD from porn. But, too much can affect your work and personal life.
Also, it brings in tons of money to the local economy where I live. Want to take a guess where I live?
When elder Faust says that pornography is as addictive as cocaine (Ensign, Nov 2000, 45), he’s making an utterly irresponsible statement. Every psychiatrist will tell you that watching pornography is NOT addictive because, unlike illegal drugs, it doesn’t produce any chemical changes in the brain.
LDS leaders also believe that homosexuality is an addiction. “Addiction” has become the code word for anything they want to demonize.
Pornography doesn’t have anything to do with addiction. But the LDS rhetoric on pornography has everything to do with a religious hierarchy who wants you and me to be as sexually repressed as they are.
If one is looking at it 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or thinking about it all the time, then yes it may be a problem. But come on people, we all want to have a fantasy about somthing (or someone). Dream about winning the lottery, thats a fantasy. Dream about the perfect date, thats a fantasy.
When people drop the hang up about sex, the sooner they will be truly free.
Sounds like the chrstian right republicans have done a great job once again making people feel bad over some "fantasy".
I definitely see it as an addiction of sorts with the possibility of major negative effects on a person's life, but for years, when I was a closeted, repressed, self-hating, gay, faithful member of the church, it was my salvation.
It kept me from "acting out" on my sexual impulses with another man. It allowed me to find release without looking for it in parks, restrooms, and back alleys. This is a complete rationalization, I know, but it's how I survived in the closet for decades as an active member of the church.
Of course, now that I don't go to church any more, and I'm gradually outing myself, the whole mind-set is moot. But when my heart was fighting a battle against who I wanted to be, I thought that having sex with a handsome nude guy in a magazine was far less evil than actually getting naked with another man.
Now I'm kicking myself for wasting so much time with porn. Intimacy with another living, breathing human being is far more satisfying!
Actually, viewing ography or having CAN produce natural chemicals (endorphins?, pardon my spelling) that one can become physically addicted to, much like . However, I believe the greater risk is in developing behaviour patterns that are unhealthy. For me, viewing is escapism from real life -- and the wasted time takes away from the more spiritual and healthy sides of my life. It is addictive in the way that it's hard to eat just one potato chip or one peanut. Unfortunately, it can replace healthy ual activity because it's so easy -- no rejection either. But not real.
There are two side of Ponography one it is harmless and the other it is harmful.
Pornography is harmless if it taken in small doses. Most people uses porn as a tool or guide to arouse themselves when they are alone or to get in the mood. This is fine as these people may used it rarely. As a single person who don't do the bars, clubs, sex premises and who study and work long hours i would say porn have help me but then again i know the different between reality and fantasy.
Pornography only become harmful when there is a blur between reality and fantasy and it depend on the person watching it whether they have an addictive personality and whether the line of their fantasy and reality have been crossed along the path. I know guys who will not be with another individual unless the person look like certain porn stars, to them the fantasy/ reality lines are very blur.
The other part is where it infringed on other people rights. The whole argument comes down to does it infriged the rights of others? well only if the actors are forced to make the porn, and people are forced to watch it, and people are stereotyped by it or if you decide to treat your partner in a degrading way as shown in some video. This is harmful no ifs or buts.
In essence if pornography does not infringed the rights of others and it used in moderation then it a good thing else it can and will be harmful.
yes, it is an addiction, one i had at age 15. For about 4 years I was addicted to it, mainly because of the Internet, where its so free and available. I came to know quite a bit about sex, or so I thought. Then I met someone who changed it, made me a better person, and made me realize that porn is a problem, especailly at younger ages.
I read somewhere that viewing porn at an early age can make you a sex addict, or a child molester, or sexual predator....I seriously think it can
It was about as hard to quit being addicted to porn as it was to quit smoking, the latter of which I'm still struggling with.
Porn IS an addiction, I WAS ADDICTED to it for 2 years during my "homosexual adolensence" and it in no way was good for me in any does or under any control. It alters your mind and how you view things. at first in small ways that you don't notice, so you may think "it's not so bad" IT IS!!!! I can understand that when you are in the closet you feel the urge to "be gay" or act homosexual, I had the same feelings, but prayer and help from the Lord is the best way to deal with it not through a degradation of what sex can really be. Good friends and moral support are great ways too, me and my gay friends have a gay movie night where we get some gay films and watch them for a day or so, but we do not I repeat do not get films that are overly sexualy explicit. There doesn't have to be alot of sex to be a gay film. I would rather be enriched than sexualy satisfied by a picture on a screen.
Lets face it we're gay, that means our perception of sex is altered, we have a protection against it bulit up in a way that allows us to see it from a different perspective, but we see it enough that we don't need to subject ourselves to more. It can destroy relationships, a little leads to a little more and a little more until suddenly you all the way from 1 to 100. Don't put yourself in jeapordy.
Pornography can indeed be seen as a relase, but it can also be seen as presenting an idealistic view of sexulatiy, and the "relationships" presented in pornographic films and literature involve littel more than sex.
Real life does involve sex, but a lot of other things too. As other contributors have said, pornography is not a representation of reality, and most people don't look like porn actors. Consumers of porn need to distance themselves from it so that they realise that it's highly unlikely they're going to recreate what they see in real life.
Addiction to porn is possible, but a person addicted to porn often has other problems too, be it repression, loneliness, or lack of communication skill, among others.
I still think it's possible to be moderate about one's intake of pornography.
Everyday everyone of us engage in activities that can become addictive: watching TV, sports can become an addiction, eating food, and drinking soda. There are work-aholics, shop-aholics and, yes, even Church-aholics. (boy do I know some of those!)
My point is all of the above are normal, pleasurable and even necessary activities - when done in moderation. I remember seeing a "New Era" article about the evils of porn. There was a MRI image of the human brain during "normal activity" and juxtiposed next to it, another image of the human "exposed to porn!" There was a graphic difference; certain areas of the brain were blue instead of orange and visa versa. The obvious intention of the article was to scare the bejesus out of you. It implied that any alteration of the brain was bad. I showed the images to my very pious wife and asked "what do you think our brains would look like if they scanned us during (healthy church sanctioned) sex?" She was not amused.
I say, moderation in all things brethern! enjoy
I think this is an interesting and important topic, but I come to it with a very different slant, and one that most LDS people will find horrible. I was forced to endure a year of porn when enduring shock therapy, all at BYU and under the direction of the church. I do believe pornography can be very addictive, but if it is, why does the church still use it when dealing with "difficult homosexual cases?" Though it is not used often, it is still used when doing some form of behavioral modification therapy (none of which changes a person's sexual orientation).
One of the biggest difficulties for me is hearing talks and things on the "evils of pornography" when I know it is used to supposedly cure gay men. The church can't walk both sides of the street on the issue; it can't be evil and addicting in one case, and good as therapy in another.
That said, not everyone who looks at pornography, just as not all people who gamble, become addicted to it. There is no firm rule of thumb about that. I was forced to look at it all that time, and I never became addicted to it at all. In fact, it physically sickens me.
But like any addictive behavior, it can cause some really terrible troubles. However, more often than not, those who seek out pornography, especially those in marriages, are already suffering some form of breakdown before the pornographic addiction forms. That is something we seem to overlook at church. We blame pornography for ruining the marriage, but forget that people go searching for it because something is wrong in their lives, in their relationship, even perhaps in their spirituality. This is not to say everyone who looks at porn has a mental or spiritual problem, but so often, just as with chatroom relationships that ruin marriages, something is already wrong with the relationship and that is why people start seeking for something else.
I really feel we put the cart before the horse too often. Pornographic addiction is often the symptom of something else which led to it. Yet, we care only about the addiction, or the symptom and spend no time fixing the underlying problem that created the addiction to begin with.
Then there is another thing so many seem to forget: there is such a thing as a fetish addiction. Now, I am not going to define that in the way most do, but I knew of a man who NEVER looked at Pornography, but still masturbated to pictures of men (yes, he was gay, but of course, he was cured because he endured the church's curatives, only he simply masturbated to the pictures of men he liked, but never porn, so he could in good conscience say he was not looking at porn).
Certain types of men pleased him, and he got his photos of them out of the newspaper, magazines, and even from taking photos of them on the street. These were ordinary men, built like anyone else, no models. He liked construction workers, cops, bus drivers, etc. and just seeing a photo of such a man (and the photos had absolutely NO sexual overtones whatever) was enough for him and his fantasies.
Now, as everyone goes on and on about the evils of pornography, and how addictive it is, I have seen that anything can be addictive if we let it. In this case, of a man I worked with home teaching, no, he didn't actually violate the "NEVER LOOK AT PORN" rule, but he created his own pornographic experience with photos that exposed nothing at all in the way of sexuality.
And the end results were exactly the same as if he had been using hard core porn. It ruined his marriage (which was a sham in my view to begin with), and it encouraged him in his sexual thoughts.
Again, it gets down to the same idea: Why was he looking at pictures? It was because something was wrong in his life. He was not getting any satisfaction out of his marriage, it wasn't filling his needs, and it was not who he was. Because he was living untrue to himself, he sought out that which would fulfill him, and made sure it was not in violation of the church standards.
Pornography can be addictive, and it can contribute to the damage of marriages and lives. However, just because someone looks at it, or has seen it, doesn't guarantee they will become addicted to it.
However, I still remain conflicted over the fact it is EVIL when you are just a normal person, but it is OK if you are enduring reparative therapy. Wouldn't the damage be the same, or somewhat similar, in both cases? And even though I didn't become addicted to it, I do know of those who endured therapy as I did (which never cured me of being gay, so don't think for a moment I support reparative therapy of any kind) who did become addicted to porn, and in a big way. The saddest thing about it is they never looked for it, or even wanted it, before the therapy began.
And there is a truth we must never forget: once those images are in your head, they are there for life. And that can be a problem if you are trying to avoid such thoughts for singing a church hymn DOESN'T ever remove them.
I personally think Pornography can be just an option like many others that we have in our modern society. Whether it can be harmless or not that is up to us. It is just like alcohol or tobacco; we decide how much (for those who have personally decided to consume them.)it can be addictive or not depending on our personal circumstance and needs.
Besides, pornography portrays a world of fantasy as it has been mentioned before.
If people come and ask me if I enjoy watching pornography, most likely I would tell them that it makes feel bored since I can do that (well, I would need someone else). Regards
It's disastrous. I know from personal experience. Regardless of the short-term pleasure, in the end, you feel emptier, unloved, and irritable.
This is one thing that "the brethren" are right about... it is evil.
In response to what Anonymous stated on the third comment down from the top, just because porn does not cause chemical changes doesn't mean it's not addicitive. It may not be chemically addictive, but it can be psychologically addictive. Some who view porn find they want to view it progressively more often, then progressively more suggestive and erotic, until, in some cases, the porn no longer satisfies. Then they seek a live victim, particularly in the case of aficionados of child porn.
I say it is either, depending on the individual use of it... every thing in life can be either also... religion can be either, food can be either, homophobia can be either... depends on how it is used or abused and if it is used to simply help yourself or to hurt others... if it is just a personal secret passtime, then i see no harm in it, as it is better than no sex at all...
some people do look like the models in films, otherwise the films would have to be animation features... i do see some men who look that good at the clubs and they enjoy being seen in public as patrons or as performers there... and some of them give good hugs and dance with us...
does this replace a relationship? no, but then relationships are not always good or eternal, so it is good to be able to have more spice available when needed... it may even help a relationship if the other partner knows you can have an instant partner on film when he is not willing to cooperate or when he is being bad or antisocial or not doing his part for you...
relationships come and go... a porn film will be there always, especially on a dvd... and even after the porn star either dies of AIDS, or retires, or overdoses on something... you can still look at him and enjoy him and get off.
enjoy it :) and if you dont agree, dont tell me off, just deal with yourself. life is too short to worry about it that much. :)
The Lonely Road...
For a few years, I've been struggling to overcome a pornography addiction (yes, an addiction). I have read through some entries and have found things I do do not agree with, but if there is one thing for sure, it is that porn has made life difficult for me. Someone above wrote that porn can lead to worse things, and in my case it did. I don't blame my problems wholly on porn, but it has definitely contributed to my disaster. I have commited sex crimes, and as an excommunicated member, am trying to repair the damnage that I've done, and that porn has done to me.
Yes, these views are mine. I do not impose them upon anyone or anything; they are merely for information. As more time goes on, I see more clearly how empty porn is. I am convinced there is no real joy in any part of it, and I intend to find joy in this life, not just pleasure. Slowly, it reduces me to solitude and sorrow as I walk a well trodden, but lonely road.
I have a personal testimony that the leaders of the Church speak the truth about pornography. I can attribute most of the problems I have encountered to a sort of gateway of pornography. I became involved in a slimey culture of taking drugs and watching pornography for hours and I watched as my life dove-tailed.
Stopping all of that had nothing to do with overcoming anything or breaking a habit, and I can tell you the drugs I took were very addictive. Stopping was a direct result of the Spirit and remembering who I am (a child of God and a Priesthood holder). The thought of "I should not be watching pornography or doing drugs or engaging in sex" never came across my mind. Instead I saw what I once knew and I persued it and never looked back. It is obvious that I still believe in the Church despite my sexuality, but I have my personal issues with some of the things the Bretheren say. On the issue of pornography, however, they are not just a group of old men rambling on about by-gone standards.
I would be shocked if President Hinckley has ever intentionally viewed pornography. He nevertheless has very considerable insight into the issue, as what he says is very close to my personal experiences.
Live and let live, love comes in many forms.. some like the real thing and some like to watch.
Lamore, Lamore
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