Utah Governor Gary Herbert ceremonially signed a resolution declaring porn a health crisis in April last year, making Utah the first state to officially recognize this epidemic. Utah is in a unique position to see the crisis firsthand, with the highest consumption of porn per capita according to a Harvard research study.
South Dakota followed on January 31, with both houses unanimously voting in favor of a similar resolution.
A measure recognizing pornography as leading to individual and societal harms was passed by the Virginia State House with a landslide majority of 82-8, while Tennessee’s Senate Health and Welfare Committee is set to consider a similar resolution next week.
Meanwhile, President Trump also signed a pledge during his campaign last August to defend the innocence and dignity of America’s children by enforcing the existing federal laws and advancing public policies designed to “prevent the sexual exploitation of children online and to make the internet safer for all.”
So why the movement to declare porn a public health crisis?
Because it is!
A 2016 Barna Group report revealed that 27 percent of children are being exposed to pornography before they reach puberty and while their brains are still in development. A study from 2014 confirmed the link between pornography use and decreased brain matter in the areas of motivation and decision making, impaired impulse control and desensitization to sexual reward.
The National Center on Sexual Exploitation reports that since 2011, there have been 24 major studies that have revealed porn’s detrimental impacts on the brain.
Jeremy Wiles, who directed a film series that helps men break free from porn, had the opportunity to interview several brain experts in the making of the Conquer Series. “I interviewed a neuroscientist who showed me brain SPECT scans of a normal brain, a heroin-addicted brain and a porn-addicted brain. The porn-addicted brain had the greatest deterioration in brain activity,” Wiles said.
When a mother is breastfeeding her child, her brain releases chemicals that bond her to her child. When you watch porn, these same powerful chemicals such as dopamine are released, which bond you to those images. This is why Satan attacks our sexuality so much because in attacking human sexuality, it actually interferes with human bonding. According to neuropsychologist Tim Jennings from the Conquer Series, “Any type of repetitive behavior will create trails in our brain that are going to fire on an automatic sequence.” The result is years of bondage.
We also have mirror neurons in our brain that help us to learn—when we learn to tie our shoelaces by watching someone else, that is those mirror neurons at work.
According to neuroscientist William Struthers, who wrote Wired For Intimacy; How Pornography Hijacks the Male Brain, “These mirror neurons are involved when someone views pornography because what they view, they vicariously experience and learn from.”
These mirror neurons are active as men view the most popular porn films, where 88 percent of scenes contain physical violence. Can we really argue that pornography has no influence on rape culture and attitudes towards sexual violence?
Pornography is shaping our culture and Christians are not immune.
According to a national study conducted by Pure Desire Ministries, 68 percent of church-going men view pornography on a regular basis. While this has typically been seen as a male issue, there are more and more females viewing pornography and unable to stop.
In the 2016 Barna research study commissioned by Josh McDowell Ministry, church leadership indicated that this problem is much bigger than it was 20 years ago, yet only 7 percent of pastors said they have a ministry program for those struggling with porn.
Pornography is having a devastating affect on the health of our nation and the Church.
Thankfully, it is not only the government realizing the extent of the porn epidemic but churches are starting to take action by providing small group studies and recovery programs, like the Conquer Series, that are designed to break the cycle of pornography and provide sexual discipleship.
