One feminist campaign I do agree with is the Make Love Not Porn effort that exists to draw attention to some of the unintended consequences of pornography.
Apparently Christians are not the only group concerned with the unreasonable expectations pornography puts on intimate relationships.
Therapists are usually desensitized to talking about sex. If anyone here decides to google Make Love Not Porn, know that campaign material is explicit, even vulgar by some standards, so foretold is forewarned. It is the message I agree with, not always the delivery.
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There is abundant literature on the subject, but it boils down to this: The regular use of pornography often erodes a persons enjoyment of real sex, it also erodes a persons ability to be emotionally intimate with their spouse during lovemaking, and not surprisingly porn use can progress to full-blown addiction.
Why is emotional intimacy so important?
One Christian writer, Philip Yancey I think, speculated that emotional intimacy is sacred because it is a peek into what all relationships will be like in the next life.
In Heaven we will be secure enough to make ourselves emotionally vulnerable to each other and, “pass through each others souls.” We will utterly and completely know each other.
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Is that why sexual intimacy is sacred? Because the emotional intimacy that can be experienced during lovemaking foreshadows the emotional intimacy we will experience with each other in our second lives?
Something to think about.
Porn is the theft of intimacy. Lovemaking, in the way God intended, is real.
Love is real. Porn is fake.
Sexual intimacy, and marriage, are not simply a metaphor but the model for the relationship between God and His people.
ReplyDeleteThe oft used phrase "better than sex" is intended to describe intense satisfaction. Well, if Heaven is better than anything here on Earth, the Lord must have some incredible intimacy experience waiting. Since God is love, might we say that the closer we can get to true expression of love, and the farther we can get from the experience expressed in porn, is a true taste of Heaven?
I appreciate the coverage - I assume from the above that you are referring to www.makelovenotporn.com, which I launched at TED earlier this year:
ReplyDeletehttp://blog.ted.com/2009/12/cindy_gallop_ma.php
Thanks for spreading the word.
All best wishes, Cindy Gallop
Cindy - Thanks for reading the blog post. I'm familiar with your website. In fact I have one client who used it to educate her husband on the mis-education of porn. I think the slogan Make Love Not Porn has been around several years. Do you know how it originated?
ReplyDeleteAs a Christ follower who believes that sex, enjoyable passionate lovemaking, is a gift from our Creator, we have common ground in dispelling the myths surrounding pornography.
Blessings Cindy
Good thoughts, Russell. There's something completely dehumanizing about porn, turning people into objects to be used and manipulated.
ReplyDelete"Porn is the theft of intimacy."
ReplyDeleteExcellent.
Great thoughts to ponder, Russell.
ReplyDeletePorn is such a huge industry and awareness is so important!
Thanks for this.
Thanks for posting about this subject. Christians and churches need to talk about this subject far more than they do!
ReplyDeleteWe will be secure enough to make ourselves emotionally vulnerable to each other and, “pass through each others souls.”
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing experience that might be...And the emotional distance that porn creates between the user and anyone s/he would want to connect with sexually and emotionally is the antithesis of that experience. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this for the blog carnival.
"Porn is the theft of intimacy. Lovemaking, in the way God intended, is real."
ReplyDeleteWouldn't it be sweet in every area of our lives if we never settled for
less than the real best thing?
Thx.
Russell - I don't actually. Funnily enough, I'd never heard it myself before I came up with it as the name for my website and movement - and was obviously pleased to find that the url was wholly available :)
ReplyDeletethere are so many things that we are fooled into thinking is really Love. i am sure that we all have certain things in our life that we think is love, yet is not.
ReplyDeletei suppose that it can be obvious with some things, yet because of the attraction that somethings can hold and the pleasure it can produce, that the evil one can use it to an advantage to capture a soul and keep them bound in addiction.
"Porn is the theft of intimacy." Seems to be everyone's favorite take-home message. I have seen it create an empty, hollow heart that is visible from the outside, but not by the person inside.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
Anne - You are direct... And correct... I think Heaven will overwhelm everyone... :-)
ReplyDeleteGlynn - You are right. Porn destroys lives, literally.
VoV - Thanks for reading!
Bridget - Thank you for being the M.C. of the Blog Carnival!
Chris - You are right. The Church needs to look the enemy in the eye.
Rebecca - Porn is an empty promise. People who us it are trapped in a lie.
Hey Kathleen - Thanks again for posting here. God wants what is best for us!
Cindy - Thanks again! Jesus loves you so much!!
nAncy - Love has many false prophets for sure...
Candace - Many people do not know what porn is doing to them...
Blessing and Love to you all...
this was great....collectively agreeing that your statement "Porn is the theft of intimacy." is so powerful and the message needs to be heard!
ReplyDeleteThank you Michelle!
ReplyDelete