'Thanks for Sharing' May Be Eye Opener to Serious Nature of Sex Addiction, Says XXXchurch.com Pastor
Pastor Craig Gross, who is the founder of XXXchurch.com and whose ministry specifically reaches out to people who want to overcome addiction to sex and pornography, says the movie, "Thanks for Sharing," may help viewers understand the severity of the compulsive behavior.
The movie, which opens this weekend, stars Alecia Moore (Pink), Mark Ruffalo, Josh Gad, and Tim Robbins. Moore plays the part of a woman who attends Sexaholics Anonymous meetings to help control her desire to sleep with strange men.
Although tagged as a "sex addiction comedy," Gross, who viewed an advanced screening, said there are some serious points made as well in the movie.
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"The film might be an eye opener to a lot of people that don't understand that serious nature of this kind of addiction," Gross writes in his blog. "You see men and women in the SA group throughout the film that are fighting to overcome this."
Gross, who is the author of several books, including Eyes of Integrity and The Gutter and Questions You Can't Ask Your Mama, is considered an expert on the subject of sex and porn addiction, and is a frequent speaker nationally.
He writes that he usually doesn't post movie reviews, and not "from a Christian perspective and tell you what you should see and not see," but wanted to in the case of this movie because of the subject matter.
Gross notes that the film is R-rated "because of language and probably the two sex scenes in the film." He adds, "So, if that is a deal breaker for you, you have been warned."
In his brief review, he writes, "I liked the film. It was pretty light even though it covers a serious topic. The whole movie revolves around a group of people at a SA group. The movie nails the point that you need community and you can't do this on your own."
Gross listed his favorite lines from the movie:
"It's like quitting crack while the pipe is attached to your body."
"You think I like not having a TV or computer? It blows but it's saving my life."
"You have to do the work."
"Not an excuse it's a disease."
He also wrote that he loved Moore in the film, who used her real name in the film's credit, instead of her musical stage name, Pink.
The seriousness of sex addiction has been addressed at times inside the church, but perhaps not as much as it should. The spiritual damage associated with the problem has not gone unnoticed.
Every Man Ministries founder Kenny Luck recently stated, "Pre-marital sex, and sex outside of marriage, break's hearts, sabotages the purpose for our bodies, and empties the soul of real meaning. Consider 1 Corinthians 6, starting in verse 9 that "...neither the sexually immoral...nor adulterers...will inherit the kingdom of God." And in verses 13-15, "...the body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord and the Lord for the body...Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself?...For it is said, 'the two will become one flesh.' But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit."
