The Dangers of Pornagraphy

I just read an article last week about the dangers of pornography, which is excellent, you can find it here http://tob.catholicexchange.com/2010/02/01/1571/; but the only negative thing about the article was it didn't offer any advice for people struggling with this addiction. It was basically like telling people that were stranded on a dessert island, that the island is extremely dangerous, and by the way, there's no way off, ever. But that's not faith, in the pregame to the Super Bowl last night, a jazz musician sang, "Saints endure, that's why even the sad songs in New Orleans, end happy". But lets be realistic, pornography is absolutely a poison to our culture, here's why.

When ever operating something, its always best to use something as close to its makers original intention as possible. Your car will not work for very long if you put vegetable oil in the gas tank every time, your iphone will not work for very long if you let it fall in water 6-12 times a week (I am not talking from experience here). But the key to happiness that I am learning over and over again, is to work with life in the way that God intended, and for a human it can all be summarized in words from John Paul II, "man must make a sincere gift of himself," The more we do that the happier we will always be. But the second part of that, is that we must always treat other humans as what they are, human beings. A human being can never, ever be an object. Here's the major problem with pornography, it treats women as objects #1, and it de-masculizes men #2. Because it makes men into something they were never meant to be, a thief, someone who steals, someone who takes. A man is a man when he acts in accord with his nature, and that is someone who gives, someone who protects, someone who loves. Pornography at its root, is about taking something that is not ours, and reducing the other to a mere thing. That is the exact recipe for unhappiness.

As always, here's the good news. We have the good news! Jesus is able to transform our sins and failings into something good. Pornography is very difficult to overcome, because God made our minds very strong, for all the reasons above- To Give, to create, to protect, to love. But when we poison the hard-drive, it takes time to remove the images. But with grace, "All things are possible". You will often hear drug addicts and alcoholics talk about how God turned their lives weakness into their greatest blessing, all because they were forced to rely completely on God's strength to carry them, and not rely on themselves, which is life anyway. Here's great advice from St. John Bosco, "I have never seen anything work outside of the Eucharist and the Rosary." The Rosary is really the great answer to overcome this scourge though because its a pro-active solution, it replaces the dark lies of pornography with the truth and light of the images of the Rosary. Confession is also an incredible help, because it applies not only accountability, but also grace to the wound. Lastly, its important to start again after confession, looking back only brings fear and despair, looking forward offers the opportunity to live as we were created to live.