Why is pornography considered a degrading thing?

Ender

I thought they burned the dictionary, you know, the big papery thing that was ordered to be thrown into the fire...

Sorry, it has just been a LONG few days, and that problem has happened elsewhere.

Also, I thought DM only said that AFTER someone else said it?

 

How can you forgive and accept someone but refuse to tolerate the fact that they're human?

Because Jesus looked on the soul ("heart"). The Bible teaches that we are slaves to our flesh, our sin nature. Jesus opposed sin, even sin that (almost!) can't be helped, such as lust, anger, or what have you. Why? Because it's sin. However, He came to set us free from that, to give us a spirit, His Spirit, to lead our souls in the right direction. He loves US, not our flesh.

Furthermore, being sorry means you'll never again do whatever you did. Thus, when Jesus forgave people, He expected them to never again do the sin they committed.

 

Ah, my question got ignored, so I'll repost it.

Why is it illegal for a woman to sell her body on the streets (i.e. have sex for money), but it's perfectly fine for a woman to sell her body for a shady porn film? I mean, are these acts any different AT ALL? I personally don't see any difference other than geography and who signs the paycheck.

 

Viper, there is no real difference. Either people condemn both, say both are fine, haven't thought about it, or are hypocrites.

My take on porn.... sex like so many other things is more fun to do than watch. It is the same thing with sports.

 

IMHO porn is bad because of what it can lead to. It seems to me that adultery, out of wedlock child birth, sexual abuse, rape, sexual slavery, and STDs (including HIV) all seem to be on the rise in the world now days (not just in America). I blame the increasing accessibility of porn on the internet and in other sources (like Satelite TV and magazines).

Some people claim that seeing that stuff is just a fantasy and nothing more. They say "where's the harm if you aren't involved in any other way other than watching?" Well IMO some people can't separate fantasy from reality (porn and sex are only one aspect of this and I freely admit that, but it doesn't justify the use or legality of porn) and thus when they see a fantasy occur on their computer, magazine, or on TV it only increases their desire to act on that fantasy because they begin to consider it to be normal.

Finally, kids in Junior High or High school (OR SOMETIMES EVEN YOUNGER!) have started to blatantly have sex at a younger and younger age. This has only caused more babies to be born that have no stable home to raise them in. Thus they grow up in poor conditions and have no positive future to look forward to. The parents have not lived long enough to know how to properly raise a child or even have enough education accumulated to get a proper job. They simply are not able to provide a good life for the child because they haven't grown up yet themselves. IMO this is why gang problems are on the rise. Children like this, that grow up in broken down homes, turn to gangs for the kind of support that they need or want. Thus crime is on the rise.

In short, porn = chaos and the degredation of society. It should be, and I pray to God that it stays, illegal. If I had it my way the porn industry would be shut down entirely. But alas, I'm not the one in charge. But I will continue to voice my opposition to porn because I refuse to ignore the problems that it causes.

Oh, and finally, it's morally wrong too. But saying the "M" word around here sometimes leads to nothing but a flame war, which I'm sure my post will do anyway.

I'm a Christian (LDS to be more specific) and because the scriptures tell us that sexual immorality is evil, it is no surprise to me to see its destructive influence on society. God isn't an idiot you know and he gave us commandments for a reason. For our own welfare and benefit.

 

Why do you feel that porn is the (or a bit) root cause of all those problems and not just a symptom of some other larger problem?

 

I think that porn is only just a portion of the problem, but it is definately a part. Make no mistake of that. To say that porn is the thing that causes all problems in society is not at all correct or what I was saying. But to say that it is something that doesn't have a hand in causing these problems is incorrect as well. As far as why porn causes so many problems, I think my previous post did an adequate job explaining that. It seems to be pretty much common sense IMO.

 

Let's imagine, for a moment, a society so obsessed with food that they watch movies like this:

The scene opens with a drawn curtain. The curtain is slowly pulled back to reveal a table with a covered dish. The dish is slowly removed to reveal some sort of meal, covered with a napkin. The napkin is almost removed -- teasingly -- and then it's ripped off to reveal... a roast beef sandwich!

The diner removes the sandwich's bun, seductively covering the luncheon meat with layer after layer of white, creamy mayonnaise. She then picks up the sandwich and slowly, noisily eats it. Her exaggerated jaw movement is accented with a soundtrack that matches its rhythm with her chewing. She swallows the bit of sandwich, wipes the mayo from the corner of her mouth, throws back her head and drinks a glass of soda.

Let's imagine that people actually watch these movies, creating a billion-dollar industry. That celebrities make news when they decide to eat a pork roast for the cameras at Playboy -- or even if they hold up a plate of chicken without actually eating it, for the cameras of Maxim Magazine.

Would you say that industry would illustrate a "healthy expression" of one's appetite for food? Of course not, it's the expression of a grossly inflamed, unnatural, and unhealthy appetite.

Likewise, anyone who says that porn is healthy is deluding themselves.

 

The_Fireman: Thus, when Jesus forgave people, He expected them to never again do the sin they committed.

My, but you speak so definitively on Jesus' behalf....

Vezner As far as why porn causes so many problems, I think my previous post did an adequate job explaining that.

Like the paragraph about H.S. kids having sex...leading all the way to gangs & broken homes? You are blaming pornography for such things? I could just as easily blame the deterioration of the ozone layer for those societal ills -- which one of us would be right? I wouldn?t deem your efforts at providing an explanation as ?adequate? just yet?do you have any type of legitimate studies you can cite to support your claims?

It seems to be pretty much common sense IMO.

But that?s just it: to your perception, your opinion = ?common sense? but it doesn?t necessarily follow for the rest of us. Do you have a more thoughtful argument to provide, other than just lazily saying that it?s ?common sense??

 

Ohh yeah baby, I LOOOOVE roast beef....

Actually Bubba, I feel most TV adds for most foods have come frighteningly close to that (except the length obviously)... I hope no advertiser person reads your post...

Vezner, I feel that in your first post, you said that porn was the soul cause of the problems (you didn't offer any other possible causes and said that the access to porn is to blame).

Furthermore, I feel you didn't say why it was porn?s fault aside from that some people are messed up or just too stupid to know reality from fiction. I feel that banning something for that logic, that some people are so weak, is no reason to ban or blame it. The same argument is made of violent video games, that people are so dumb they think they are real, and that leads to problems. In those cases, the problem is not the porn or the video game, but the people.

Honestly deep down I don't think porn itself causes any problems, but the way people want porn today is a symptom (just like the rise of STD's and teen/out of wedlock pregnancy are symptoms) of a deeper problem. Porn may further some of these problems (I doubt it though), but I don't think that it itself causes any of them. Think like a bad virus. The virus causes a fever and boils and aches and whatever, and I see porn as a fever, not the virus.

Also the only reason things like this are a recent problem is that they can be. If in the middle ages or any other time in history there was Playboy and the internet porn industry, it would have been just as bad then as it is now.

 

My, but you speak so definitively on Jesus' behalf....

Why thank you! I know Him well, and I study His Gospels often. It's not a hard conclusion to come to.

 

Bubba_the_Genius: Would you say that industry would illustrate a "healthy expression" of one's appetite for food? Of course not...

Umm...how is it not "healthy?" Maybe you can start by defining "healthy" for us...?

...it's the expression of a grossly inflamed, unnatural, and unhealthy appetite.

Funny, I was thinking more along the lines of it being the expression of an ordinary human experience, that had merely been re-done in such a way so as to give it some entertainment value....

Likewise, anyone who says that porn is healthy is deluding themselves.

And your food example has demonstrated this how, exactly...?

 

Vezner, I feel that in your first post, you said that porn was the soul cause of the problems (you didn't offer any other possible causes and said that the access to porn is to blame).

Please quote me as to when I said it was the sole cause of the problems now days. I will admit that you could think I had meant that, but I never actually said it.

Furthermore, I feel you didn't say why it was porn?s fault aside from that some people are messed up or just too stupid to know reality from fiction. I feel that banning something for that logic, that some people are so weak, is no reason to ban or blame it. The same argument is made of violent video games, that people are so dumb they think they are real, and that leads to problems. In those cases, the problem is not the porn or the video game, but the people.

Actually I think I gave plenty of examples of why porn is a problem. I will refer to my example of how kids are having more sex now than ever before. Thus causing problems with broken homes and children (Junior high/high school kids) having babies. Do you think that these kids start having more sex just out of the blue? I sure don't. They are exposed to it through porn and thus start to accept it as the norm. This is poison to society.

Honestly deep down I don't think porn itself causes any problems, but the way people want porn today is a symptom (just like the rise of STD's and teen/out of wedlock pregnancy are symptoms) of a deeper problem. Porn may further some of these problems (I doubt it though), but I don't think that it itself causes any of them. Think like a bad virus. The virus causes a fever and boils and aches and whatever, and I see porn as a fever, not the virus.

I'll bite. So what's the virus? I'm not trying to argue with you here. You may very well be right, but I don't know what the virus is. Satan?

Also the only reason things like this are a recent problem is that they can be. If in the middle ages or any other time in history there was Playboy and the internet porn industry, it would have been just as bad then as it is now.

I agree with you 100% there. In fact you almost sound like you are agreeing with me on my statement of how corruptive and damaging porn can be.

 

Umm...how is it not "healthy?" Maybe you can start by defining "healthy" for us...?

Funny, I was thinking more along the lines of it being the expression of an ordinary human experience, that had merely been re-done in such a way so as to give it some entertainment value....

Read my first post in response to this thread. That is how it is "unhealthy".

 

Let's imagine that people actually watch these movies, creating a billion-dollar industry. That celebrities make news when they decide to eat a pork roast for the cameras at Playboy -- or even if they hold up a plate of chicken without actually eating it, for the cameras of Maxim Magazine.

I?d say more power to them, if there?s an audience for that kind of stuff then so be it.

Would you say that industry would illustrate a "healthy expression" of one's appetite for food? Of course not, it's the expression of a grossly inflamed, unnatural, and unhealthy appetite.

Anything that's not harming anyone or themselves is considered a 'healthy' expression. At least in my opinion. If you want to collect guns, go ahead, just don't harm anyone or yourself with them and it's healthy. So where's the harm in porn? You pay money for a pornographic tape to get off to, or for you and your girlfriend to get your jollies from; your money goes into making more of these films which keeps people in business and going. The actors, studios, staff, the preppers (hehe...), and everyone else associated with that movie makes money. Where is the problem? Oh yeah, I forgot orgasms were a 'sin' you're not allowed to enjoy sex because it's a 'sin'. Well...speaking of sins and how unhealthy people can be if they treat sex like it's a bad thing. Let's use good ol' Jimmy Swaggart as an example. Did you know he tried to proposition a prostitute into letting him sleep with her daughter?

I didn't believe it myself, but since he has "lust" in his heart, let's see what the prostitute said. Since you know they don't BS about sex.

He'd ask me if I'd ever let anyone ****** my daughter when she was that young, and I said, "No, She's only nine years old." He asked me if she started developing or if she had any hair down there. [...] "I can picture my **** going in and out of a ***** like that," he said.

This guy maaaaybe had an unhealthy mind to begin with. But considering his position and what he?s been taught I don?t expect him to have any ?healthy? addictions. Now I use him as an example of what happens when you try to repress, suppress, and oppress feelings of gratification and or horniness. Porn is not a bad thing, it?s helped me quite a bit deal with being single ( ) and it also lowers a male?s chance of prostate cancer. Yeah?masturbation (to porn/thoughts/images/etc.) cleans out all of the bad stuff. So next time someone says porn doesn?t solve anything, be sure to let them know.

Likewise, anyone who says that porn is healthy is deluding themselves.

Likewise anyone saying porn is unhealthy obviously has never seen a porn or represses themselves. No offence, but that?s usually the case for people who are against it, that and if you?re a neo-nazi feminist that demands ?equality?.

So here?s a healthy thought: Let people live their lives as they see fit. If porn isn?t your thing, fine, but don?t tell people how to run their lives. My cup of tea is not repression, suppression, and oppression of natural human feelings. But who knows, maybe yours is. It?s all up to the individual and their partner.


Jimmy Swaggart has lust in his heart, proof inside

 

Space_Man, define what you mean by "defining" and I might provide a definition of "healthy." Or are you being obtuse?

You're out of your mind if you genuinely think that pornography is nothing more than merely documenting the human experience in an entertaining way.

And if you don't actually believe that porn is little more than an entertaining documentary, you're being quite dishonest about this debate.

Pornography is created so that the viewer can enflame his own sexual desires. It's no mere documentation of the fact that, yes, humans copulate, and an honest debate about the morality of pornography must first have an honest appraisal about the nature of pornography.

You seem most unwilling to make that appraisal.

 

Fire, the Bible does not teach -- nor do I believe -- that orgasms are inherently sinful. On the contrary, the Bible teaches that sex and even desire limited to the confines of marriage are not only morally permissible but also to be encouraged.

If the best you can do is smear and mischaracterize my position, perhaps you should not even attempt a response.

 

Fire, the Bible does not teach -- nor do I believe -- that orgasms are inherently sinful. On the contrary, the Bible teaches that sex and even desire limited to the confines of marriage are not only morally permissible but also to be encouraged.

If the best you can do is smear and mischaracterize my position, perhaps you should not even attempt a response.

I tried to mischaracterize your position? Your position is that porn is unhealthy to everyone that views it and acts in it. No way could I mischaracterize that. That sinful remark is an exaggeration of a belief. The belief that sex outside of marriage is sinful.


And I'd like a reply other than some remark about one little exaggerated comment.

 

No way. Porn is porn, it's PEOPLE that can be unhealthy.

I mean, if you want to bang your wife six times a day and blow your load in every crevice of her body, I would think that as long as it doesn't interfere with work or whatever, it actually COULD BE healthy. And if porn helps you get in the mood, I say AMEN brother!

I mean, its all about moderation and the invidivual. Porn could be unhealthy, but occasionally watching porn while your love is away or perhaps with your lover if that's what you are into, whats' wrong with that?

Porn isn't unhealhty just like food isn't unhealthy. However, being obsessed with and overindulging, that might be unhealthy.

But who says we have to overinduldge? That's not porn's fault Bubba, it's YOUR fault if you overinduldge in porn-watching.

 

Fire, you wrote:

So where's the harm in porn? You pay money for a pornographic tape to get off to, or for you and your girlfriend to get your jollies from; your money goes into making more of these films which keeps people in business and going. The actors, studios, staff, the preppers (hehe...), and everyone else associated with that movie makes money. Where is the problem? Oh yeah, I forgot orgasms were a 'sin' you're not allowed to enjoy sex because it's a 'sin'. [emphasis mine]

Call it what you will: a mischaracterization, a strawman, a lie, or merely going overboard in your little rant.

Regardless, it is not -- and has never been -- my position that either orgasms or enjoying sex is immoral. To suggest otherwise is to be dishonest about my position.


McCartney, porn isn't comparable to eating food: it's comparable to obsessing about food even between meals. Watching pornography to any degree is a mark of obsessing over sex, so the possibility that some people watch porn in moderation does little to persuade me that porn is healthy.


And if you want to get brutally personal about this subject, I can follow you down in the mud. But I would prefer have a mature discussion without comments about other people's personal lives.

 

Wow...that's so sad...can't even refute an argument. I remember when you'd refute anything, even the existence of the kitchen sink if you were so convinced you were right.

 

Can you at least admit that you overstated things when you mischaracterized my position as one that condemns sex in all forms?

Or will you continue to cluck in disappointment that I'm not refuting whatever argument you were making and ignore the fact that you lied about my position?

 

Now I use him as an example of what happens when you try to repress, suppress, and oppress feelings of gratification and or horniness.

Did it ever occur to you that maybe this is an example of how porn has royally screwed someone up in the head? There are monks that devote their lives to celebacy and more particularly, to God. I don't see them going around saying stuff like this or lusting after everyone around them. Jesus preached the restriction of sexual desires and I know he knew what he was talking about. Sex isn't bad as long as it is used the way it was meant to be. Through marriage and for "replenishing the Earth".

However, as I said earlier, the regious arguments against porn are not the only reasons. My first post concerning the evil nature of porn was only slightly about religion.

 

Can you at least admit that you overstated things when you mischaracterized my position as one that condemns sex in all forms?

I'd say exaggerated, not mischaracterized. Since that has nothing to do with your main point. It's like a subplot, yeah it's there, but it's not really the whole thing.


Or will you continue to cluck in disappointment that I'm not refuting whatever argument you were making and ignore the fact that you lied about my position


See the last paragraph for my argument. I just liked poking fun at Jimmy Swaggart and he's a good example of what happens to a person when they have to hide who they are inside.


Vezner, see the point above.

 

Sex isn't bad as long as it is used the way it was meant to be.

That's assuming its meant to be used a certain way.