A new resource for parents and church leaders seeks to educate children on the dangers of watching pornography, and teaches the “blessings of following God’s design for relationships”.
Staying Pure Online, an information book and visual presentation, is intended for use with young people aged 14-18.
It is produced by Lovewise, an organisation set up to tackle the consequences of damaging relationships and family breakdown.
Consequences
The PowerPoint presentation introduces young people to the dangers of pornography and demonstrates why it is against the teaching of the Bible.
For more information about Staying Pure Online, email Lovewise at info@lovewise.org.uk or telephone their Newcastle office: 0191 281 3636.
The resource begins by explaining what pornography is and outlining why the internet can be a particularly dangerous environment for explicit material.
Throughout the presentation the dangers and consequences of viewing pornography are considered in light of passages in scripture.
Pornography is sinful
The resource includes five sections, focusing on issues such as how watching pornography damages our relationship with God, others, ourselves and in marriage.
The first section outlines why pornography damages our relationship with God by emphasising that it is sinful, even when viewed in secret.
It references Hebrews 4:13: “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”
Porn damages relationships
Section two warns that pornography damages our relationships with other people, especially with members of the opposite sex.
One slide has testimony from a woman whose husband was addicted to porn.
Another slide quotes Martin Daubney, the former editor of ‘lads’ mag’ Loaded, who said: “The lads’ mag I edited turned a generation on to porn – and now I’m a father I bitterly regret it.”
Porn damages marriage
Looking forward to later life, section three explains how pornography damages marriage. One marriage counsellor is quoted as saying: “About 90% of the people I see with marriage issues have pornography issues as well.”
It also stresses the Biblical command of faithfulness within marriage found in Matthew 5:28: “But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
The fourth section warns that watching pornography damages ourselves. It raises the danger of addiction and withdrawal from family and friends, and shows that viewing such material can change the balance of chemicals in the brain.
Free from sin and death
However it also emphasises that the Holy Spirit can help us with addiction, quoting Romans 8:2, “because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death”.
Section five encourages students to think of the wider ramifications of pornography, which exploits people and has been linked to human trafficking.
It teaches that all people deserve to be treated with respect and compassion because “God created man in his own image”, Genesis 1:27.
Faithfulness
The closing slides provide helpful advice for young people to assist them in avoiding pornography and remaining faithful to God’s commands.
They stress that we must always ask for God’s help to avoid temptation, as instructed in Matthew 26:41: “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation”.
They show that we have a responsibility to resist sinful desires: “Flee from sexual immorality”, 1 Corinthians 6:18.
And they suggest practical methods to stay safe when using the internet such as thinking carefully about what you watch and read, turning on ‘safe search’, and using a filter.
Help in time of need
The last slide reassures young people that Jesus was tempted as we are but conquered sin, and quotes a famous passage from Hebrews.
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need”, Hebrews 4:15-16.