Is Watching Pornography Really a Sin?

In today’s world, where most pornography is made on camera, the very creation of it involves the sin. Even when the sex acts are simulated, making the videos, or posing for graphic images, involves the two people removing their clothes and engaging in sexual contact. With erotica, the author must engage in the act of sitting and thinking about what they’re going to write, again turning one’s attention toward sin.

Jesus said, “But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28). Porn in any form requires the viewer to look upon another, whether they be fictional or real, with lust, thereby committing adultery. Even erotica encourages the reader to fantasize about the characters in the book. Men and women both fall into the trap of the fantasy, though men tend to watch porn at higher percentages while women read erotica in greater degrees.

As the church, God’s people on earth, it is important to live for Him by honoring the state to which God calls each person. Some are called to marriage, others to singleness. Either way, the Bible admonishes believers, “But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints” (Ephesians 5:3). If God ordains that healthy sexuality is between a married man and woman, then straying outside of that, even by fantasy, is indulging in sexual immorality.

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The Bible regularly refers to the natural urges, the flesh, but it also talks about the mind and the spirit. In fact, whether or not a Christian focuses on the mind or the Spirit determines which will reign in that person’s life; “For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace” (Romans 8:6). Narratives in pornography, and the behavior associated with it, reinforces a worldview that people cannot overcome their worst compulsions.

In an age where portrayals of sex are common in the media, it can be harder for Christians to define that line. Some Christians feel they can watch a television show with explicit material, while others cannot. Getting heated over the debate over whether this member of the church is correct in calling that show pornographic is right or wrong often causes unnecessary divisions in the church. Ultimately, what someone does in the privacy of their own home is something between them and God - the final judge.

Understanding that pornography has to do with intent, purpose, and how graphic and detailed it is can be a good barometer for defining one’s own personal standard. Some people feel it is wrong to walk through an art gallery if there are nude statues from the classical period, while others watch films with minutes-long scenes where people are naked. Where Christians should be more concerned is if their media consumption and standards are causing someone else to stumble into sin; Paul wrote, “Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother” (Romans 14:13). Do not cause others to fall into the temptation to watch pornography by putting something in front of them that is tempting, even if it is not arousing or tempting to you personally.

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This question is one that has been debated for quite some time in the public square, and an American judge even said - paraphrased - “I can’t define it but I know it when I see it.” Through the ages people have found ways to depict graphic depictions of sex acts. From graffiti in Pompeii, to lewd poems in European courts, to videos on demand online, people have found ways to experience sexual pleasure without getting married or finding a partner through images.

Not every depiction involving the naked human body is pornographic by nature. There are many artistic pieces created through the centuries that were meant to elevate the human body as the heights of creation. Many artists saw nudity as an examination of the one being in the world with God’s very image stamped on it, and therefore something beautiful, elevated, and they displayed it in a manner that explored its beauty, but not its sensuality. Even today people look at these works and can walk away without being aroused.

Part of what can help identify porn is how, and what, it portrays. Rather than the height of beauty, porn portrays it as merely the tools by which physical gratification can be achieved. Part of what makes porn identifiable is its graphic imagery, the intent behind it, and its purpose. Often, it intends to arouse solely for sexual gratification. It reduces humans to their baser urges, unable to resist the temptation of the flesh. Today, it is most commonly found in video form. Another common form that has been around for centuries is erotica, or literary pornography. This involves written and detailed descriptions of sex acts between two people.

One of the issues with porn is that it is usually based on the philosophical principles that humans are merely material - in other words - people are only their bodies, driven by biological urges and chemicals. Even in pornographic literature, the characters often fall on one another, compelled and overcome by desire, rather than exerting self-control. The initial connection is also driven by physical attraction.

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Many people believe that porn does not hurt anyone, so it cannot be a sin. The Bible contradicts this sentiment in no uncertain terms; “Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:18-20).

Sexual immorality is not just adultery, but any sin driven by lust, and acted upon due to the drives of the flesh, including consuming sexually explicit content. Ephesians 4:30 states that sin grieves the Holy Spirit, so there is no such thing as a sin that hurts no one. God is hurt by the rebellious behavior in His children.

There is also the potential for psychological problems that stem from pornography. Many have developed an addiction or compulsion to the habit, consuming it to the point where it has a negative influence on someone’s daily life. Work, eating, sleep, and interpersonal relationships degrade as a result of the compulsion.

Newer studies suggest, though there is not currently a scientific consensus, that the younger a person is when they are exposed to porn, the more likely they are to become addicted, and the more their pleasure centers of the brain require more graphic imagery to respond over time. They become desensitized and must find something more intense. Much of the scientific research suggests correlation, though they are reluctant to call it causation. Some of this is due to confirmation bias, meaning people who believe porn is dangerous at the start of an experiment tend to conclude their experiments the same way, and those who do not tend to find pornography is not addictive or harmful.

Due to human trafficking and exploitation, a lot of pornographic material is harmful from its very inception. Many people make the decision to go into the sex industry voluntarily, but many do not. In 2020, Pornhub, the world’s largest distributor of pornographic video content, removed 10 million videos from its site that had, or potentially had, exploitative material which is illegal in many countries. Websites like these, where anyone can upload a video, do not have good ways to verify the individuals in the videos are not minors, or being forced to participate under threat. When people consume this content, it allows the market for it to grow, incentivizing exploiters to continue their evil behavior, harming the people who are forced into being a part of it.

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Today, many people carry a pocket-sized portal to whatever kind of content they want. With one search, porn is available. Admitting to watching it can be embarrassing, and the fear of being judged often keeps people trapped in a cycle of shame and sin. Part of what the church community can do to help individuals with this struggle is allow them to seek help without feeling judged.

All men are sinners, and no man has the right to sit in judgment of those sins - only God can do that. Christians can point out that something is wrong, that it is a sin, but making someone who feels bad about a pornography habit feel worse will not necessarily help them quit. Some people do, but many do not. Christians should not downplay sin either. Jesus served as a great example of this in John 7:53-8:11. A woman who committed adultery was brought to be stoned. Jesus said the person who had never sinned may cast the first stone. No one did. Jesus told this woman, “...go, and from now on sin no more” (John 8:11b). Here, Jesus upheld the law, that adultery was wrong, and held His position as the ultimate judge. If someone in your life struggles with porn, be an encouragement, and be willing to be an accountability partner, but without belittling and berating.  

For those struggling with a pornography habit, be encouraged. With God, support, and online tools, it is possible to stop. Repenting is the first step. Go to God and turn away from the habit, making the conscious choice to fight the urge and desire. Many online resources show individuals who find an accountability partner to hold them accountable, and who they can talk to when they feel tempted. This person should be someone you trust, a Christian who understands why you are doing what you are doing, and relatively available. There are apps and settings online that can be installed to block pornographic websites, images, and search words. Some people go so far as to allow their phone to be checked at random.

Ultimately the best thing to do is to create a plan that involves blocking sites, having accountability, and finding something else to do when temptation strikes. Reading the Bible, prayer, going on a walk without your phone, or engaging in a new hobby can be good tools to distract when the desire to consume sexual content hits. If this goes beyond an unhealthy habit, and is a full-blown addiction, there are support groups that can help.

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There is always forgiveness with God. He loves people, and wants them to turn away from their sins, ask for forgiveness, and trust Him and have a relationship forever. Any habit that becomes a distraction from God and an indulgence is sin. Pornography is the salacious sin that parades sensual ideas and images before individuals, and shows them the pleasures of immediate gratification, surrendering to the flesh, and consumption.

God made people for sexual relationships, but within healthy boundaries. These boundaries keep people physically and emotionally safe, and spiritually well. No matter how tempting that immediate gratification may seem, God’s plan - which does not include spending hours indulging in pornography - will always be better.

Resource
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Addiction Center, Porn
Pornography addiction: A neuroscience perspective

Sources

Altman, Andrew and Lori Watson. Debating Pornography. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2019.

Hunt, Lynn. The Invention of Pornography Obscenity and the Origins of Moderntiy, 1500-1800. New York: Zone Books, 1993.

Lindquist, Sherry. The Meanings of Nudity in Medieval Art. Surrey: Ashgate Publishing Limited, 2012.

Struthers, William. Wired for Intimacy. Downers Grove: IVP Books, 2009.

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