As someone who used to be deep into porn addiction, I have benefited greatly from Pure Life Ministries and the work of Steve Gallagher. His book, At the Altar of Sexual Idolatry, is refreshing and thought-provoking. The story of his own exodus out of addiction, Out of the Depths of Sexual Sin, is a startling and God-glorifying book.
I highly recommend listening to a recent Purity for Life podcast. Steve Gallagher and Jeff Colón of Pure Life Ministries talk about a number of important topics:
- What is “Sexual Idolatry?” How is it related to sexual addiction?
- Should church discipline play a role in helping people recover from sexual sin?
- What is real biblical counseling?
You commented on my blog at http://www.puritandilemma.blogspot.com concerning pornography….Yes, not only have I heard about you, I have read most of your blogs, and the other articles at your site. (Where do you think I hi-jacked the picture on my blog??) As well, I have read Welch on addiction. it has been the source of much help to several folks I have counseled as well as help for me personally…I love what you are doing here. I am finishing my NANC certification this year, and would ask for your prayers. I have been counseling for several years using the principles they teach at NANC. I pastor in Florence, Alabama. Where be you? Daniel
I read this book after the revelation of my husband’s internet pornography addiction. It was a difficult book to read, especially being so unaware of the pervasiveness of sexual sin. However, by the end of the book I felt this book really sought to remove all of the barriers keeping the struggler (and the victims) from a true intimate relationship with Christ. My husband is very repentant and I have forgiven him. It is still a struggle many days. I just keep beseeching the Lord for help.
Christianity would be better served by people discussing the damage done by gossip, gluttony, and laziness. Porn is a problem but far less significant than other problems that you can go 20 years immersed in christian culture without ever hearing about. The problem is that Christianity is a female dominated religion and chicks hate porn because it challenges their power. Most Christian women are gossipy gluttons that desperately need a diet and someone to tell them to shut the *%$# up.
Have you ever actually met someone who was addicted to porn? I haven’t. I’ve met tons of “Christian” women addicted to gossip. Porn is far more likely to be a way for someone to relieve themself so they can get their mind on something else than an exciting addiction. Not admirable but trivial in comparison to the bigger problems this idiot religion is ignoring. The obsession of Christians with porn is comparable to the obsession with gays. Gays are rare so they’re easier to pick on than, say, women who filed for divorce for no good reason. Divorce is about a million times more troublesome but it hits too close to home for *^%#$ Christian male clergy.
I remember doctor James “more effeminate than thou” Dobson discussing chicks and how all the ones he ever talked to only ever had problems because bad men got them into trouble. What an *&$. Chicks blame their problems on the bad boys they choose. Any retard can recognize that. So what?
Christianity in it’s modern form is idiotic and passive in the extreme. Lots and lots of talk but the &%$#@ leaders got nothing. No direction, no balls, nothing. I’d rather be a satanist.
@jon – Thanks for your colorful comments. You seem to have a lot of problems with Christians, too numerous for me to comment on here. But in keeping with the purpose of this blog, I would say you have severely underestimated the number of Christians and other who struggle with habitual porn use. For instance, Marnia Robinson, author of Cupid’s Poisoned Arrow, has collected the testimonies from many men about this struggle, most of whom do not identify with any specific religion or religious background.
On another note, I agree much of Christendom would benefit from talking about other sin issues, such as gossip, as it is a more “socially respectable” sin in today’s American culture.
nice aproach and the matter sir Luke.
Grats