17/06/2021
Is Watching P**n a Sin?
P**nography is not a new phenomenon by any stretch of the imagination. It is not some spawn of the internet or byproduct of the digital age. The creation and distribution of s*xually explicit material designed to arouse viewers and feed human lust has been in practice for centuries. But is it a sinful? Is consuming any form of po*******hy considered a sin?
Today, po*******hy has simply become more ubiquitous and accessible, made readily available to anyone with a smartphone, tablet, or laptop.
But make no mistake. Is it a sin to watch p**n? The answer is yes. Watching po*******hy or having anything to do with the proliferation of po*******hy is a sin for several reasons.
Does the Bible Say P**nography is a Sin?
The word po*******hy did not become part of the common language until the 19th century, even though its practice and origin can be traced back to ancient times.
According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word “po*******hy” emerged in the 1840s as a combination of the Greek words, p**neia and graphe.
P**neia, when translated, points to fornication, prostitution, adultery, s*xual immorality, and other forms of filth and perversion. And we actually see this word used throughout the New Testament.
Graphe is the Greek root for various forms of writing, drawing, or expression.
The word “po*******hy,” therefore, implies the description or depiction of s*xually explicit content designed to s*xually arouse the reader or viewer. That is, in essence, the intention behind nearly every form of po*******hy, both past and present. And thanks to advances in modern technology, explicitly s*xual content can be captured through photography and film, preserved in print or other digital media, and shared via the internet. Plentiful. Inexpensive. Accessible. This is the world we are living in when it comes to the proliferation of po*******hy.
If you’re looking for a specific verse or passage from the Bible that addresses the topic of po*******hy by name, I have bad news for you: you won’t find one. The term po*******hy is not specifically mentioned or condemned by name in Scripture, which may be why this question is being asked.
However, the Bible is clear about God’s expectations for His followers, particularly when it comes to personal purity.
To start with, it is nearly impossible to watch po*******hy without being s*xually aroused. That is its intention, but instead of being aroused by the love of a committed spouse, the one watching p**n is stimulated by n**e photos, suggestive images, or gratuitous video of others having s*x.
P**nography removes s*x from the context of marriage and uses words, images, and thoughts to feed the desires of the flesh with a false promise of intimacy offered through self-pleasure rather than meaningful, God-honoring relationship. It promotes personal s*xuality and instant gratification over relational intimacy and self-control. And in the end, po*******hy encourages the viewer to desire and objectify others outside of marriage.
This is why Job wrote:
I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman. For what is our lot from God above, our heritage from the Almighty on high? Is it not ruin for the wicked, disaster for those who do wrong? Does he not see my ways and count my every step? – Job 31:1-4
While some may argue that watching p**n or even taking it a step further through ma********on are not the same as actually having s*x, Jesus was adamant that lust should be taken just as seriously as the act of adultery itself...but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. – Matthew 5:28
Many people dabble with po*******hy, assuming it can be a harmless pastime, but there is nothing passive or harmless about sin, even small or casual forms of sins. As Solomon wrote:..can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched?” – Proverbs 6:27-29
God’s instruction regarding s*xual sin, even the small, socially acceptable sins, were remarkably straightforward and even extreme at times.
But among you there must not be even a hint of s*xual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. – Ephesians 5:3
Watching p**n may not seem the same as having actual s*x, but why would any follower of God flirt with s*xual sin in any form? Not even a hint, Paul writes.
Rather than dabbling with sin, Scripture instructs us to run from it:
Flee from s*xual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins s*xually, sins against their own body. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. – 1 Corinthians 6:18-20
Sexual sin always involves two people. While lust, watching po*******hy, or ma********on may not directly involve a second person, it is nonetheless a sin against one’s own body, and therefore, involves the spirit of the one who resides within us: the Holy Spirit. That is a sin against God as well as our own bodies.
Jesus taught us to stay vigilant, on guard (1 Peter 5:8), and always intentional about what we look at or listen to or allow into our bodies, the place where God resides (1 Corinthians 3:16). Jesus said:
