British Prime Minister David Cameron has announced an initiative to block pornography from every home computer in England unless it is specifically requested by the Internet account holder. His initiative would also block inappropriate content accessed by Wi-Fi in public places.
Critics were quick to respond. Some warned that sites about sexual health and sexuality could get banned inadvertently. Others claimed that people will find ways around the technological blocks. Still others characterized the prime minister's initiative as "a kind of default censorship." Iceland has been attempting a similar approach to pornography, with similar negative responses.
Whatever comes of Mr. Cameron's announcement, it is clear that society must do something. Consider these facts:
- Pornography generates $13 billion a year in the U.S.—$3 billion comes from Internet porn.
- There have been more than 1.3 billion pornography Internet searches so far this year.
- Every day, 2.5 billion pornographic emails are sent.
- 42 percent of all Internet users view porn.
- 100,000 websites offer illegal child pornography.
- A person's first exposure to Internet pornography typically comes at 11 years of age.
What about pornography's impact on marriage? More than 60 percent of attorneys surveyed by the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers stated that Internet pornography is linked to higher rates of divorce. Research indicates that 56 percent of divorces involve one party having an excessive interest in pornographic websites.
Couples are marrying later in life than ever before. One significant reason: Repeated exposure to pornography causes a person to devalue the importance of monogamy and marriage, and decreases the desire to have children. According to Psychology Today, pornography is also linked to sexual dysfunction. It is highly addictive and lowers interest in normal sexual encounters.
If you are involved with pornography, get help now. If this is not an issue for you, pray for those in your life who may be struggling with purity. With God's strength, we can say with Job, "I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl" (Job 31:1). The psalmist advises: "How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word" (Psalm 119:9).
How "pure" is your way today?
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