Churches can offer hope to people seeking freedom from pornography: report
Churches can play a significant role in helping individuals heal from pornography, according to a recent study that found pornography use has continued to rise over the past decade, including among those who identify as Christians.
While pornography use is generally more prevalent among men and non-Christians, it affects both genders and people of all ages and religious backgrounds. As technology advances, so does access to pornography and sexually explicit material.
Pure Desire Ministries, in partnership with Christian research organization The Barna Group, released a study Tuesday titled "Beyond the Porn Phenomenon." The study highlighted notable changes in pornography use since Barna last researched the issue in 2016, according to Barna Group CEO David Kinnaman.
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“The rise in porn has been fueled by the shift to daily life online during the pandemic, increased loneliness, anxiety, and depression; the spread of sexualized content on social media and growing cultural acceptance,” Kinnaman said in a statement provided to The Christian Post. “The changing landscape requires the Church to step in and respond.”
“Our hope is that this study illuminates the serious consequences porn has on people, families, and congregations so that church leaders can offer support and tangible help for their people,” he concluded. “For both porn users and betrayed spouses, we want to see the Church come alongside those struggling and provide hope to those looking for freedom from porn.”
The study surveyed 2,976 U.S. adults through an online questionnaire conducted from Oct. 20 to Oct. 30, 2023. The margin of error for the sample was +/- 2.3 percentage points at a 95% confidence level.
Additionally, the study included surveys of 205 U.S. Christian youth leaders, conducted from Nov. 16, 2023, to Jan. 16, 2024, and 462 U.S. senior Protestant pastors, conducted from Sept. 27 to Oct. 9, 2023.
Researchers found that three in five U.S. adults (61%) reported viewing pornography, with 84% of these users saying they don’t have anyone in their lives to help them avoid it. Nearly four out of every five men and two out of every five women admitted to viewing pornography.
Among married couples, one in five adults reported using pornography at least weekly, and nearly one in three said their spouse or partner regularly uses it. Christians were not exempt, as more than half of those surveyed reported viewing pornography at least occasionally.
While otherstudies have found frequent porn use can negatively impact one’s mental health and well-being, the Barna Group reported that 44% of U.S. adults believe “watching pornography has little impact on the other aspects of an individual's life.”
“Two in three (66%) agree a person can regularly view pornography and live a sexually healthy life. This view is held more strongly by men (75% agree) than women (59%),” the study stated.
Practicing Christians were less likely than the general population to agree with the idea that one can maintain a healthy sex life while regularly consuming pornography. However, the study found that more than half of practicing Christians still believed the opposite. Additionally, 48% of practicing Christians agreed with the 60% of U.S. adults who said that viewing pornography can improve a person’s sex life.
The researchers emphasized that pastors and churches cannot ignore the rise of pornography use and unwanted sexual behavior. A key finding of the study was that many churchgoers who view pornography feel they are dealing with this issue alone.
Churches, which have extended resources to support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous by providing space for meetings, could take a similar approach for individuals seeking help to overcome pornography use, according to Barna researchers.
Even though 58% of Christians and churched adults said it was important for their church to address the issue of pornography, only 10% reported that their church offers programming to help.
Barna asked survey respondents for suggestions on how churches could address the pornography issue. Nearly half (48%) of Christians and 42% of non-Christians said providing access to counseling or therapy services would be the most effective approach. Additionally, 41% of Christians and 33% of non-Christians suggested that churches should "promote healthy discussions around sexual behaviors that emphasize moral values."
"Pornography is an intensifying problem confronting both our culture and churches," Nick Stumbo, executive director of Pure Desire, said in a statement provided to CP.
"The data reveals that this issue is more widespread today than ever before, affecting people across all ages, genders, social statuses, and religious beliefs," Stumbo continued. "We hope this data serves as a call to action for pastors, churches, and laypeople to recognize how damaging porn can be to individuals, relationships, and communities."
"We want to see the church become the safest place possible for anyone struggling with porn use or dealing with betrayal," he added.
Samantha Kamman is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter: @Samantha_Kamman
