A Letter to All Boys About Pornography

The Possible Pitfalls of Pornography  (The Art of Manliness)

Dear Boys,

All men are affected by pornography in some way or another. 

When I was in the sixth grade, my mom and dad sat me down on the couch and showed me a Playboy magazine. They wanted me to be aware that these kinds of things existed, but that I should avoid them. What I didn't tell them was that the kid who lived next door, had boxes of those magazines and that I had seen a few of them already.

In junior high one of my classmates cut the pictures out of pornographic magazines and sold them at school. Little pictures were 25 cents and big pictures were a dollar. He made quite a bit of money. Back then it wasn't easy to get a hold of pornography. Today that has changed.

Please check out the link above. I don't think "The Art of Manliness" is a Christian organization, so the author uses biological reasons to avoid pornography. One of the main problems is that scientists are realizing that pornography can actually change our brains. 

No matter what, I know that the forgiveness of God is the most important thing to heal our minds and bodies from whatever trouble we might have gotten into. I stressed this verse in my confirmation classes. I don't know if you remember it, but it is one of my favorites:  

"Such were some of you, but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God" (1 Corinthians 6.11).

Luther on Sex "IN" Marriage

I am working on my notes for Adult Bible class this Sunday based on 1 Corinthians chapter seven. The first verse includes this statement: "It is good for a man not to touch a woman."

Centuries ago St. Jerome attacked a Catholic monk named Jovinian, who had the audacity to say that married people and celibate people have an equal standing before God. Jerome argued that if Paul said, "It is good for a man not to touch a woman," then "It is bad to touch one." (1 Corinthians: Interpreted by Early Christian Commentators p. 104, by Judith L. Kovacs). This led to an ugly teaching and tradition in the church that sex was bad even in marriage. This teaching and practice reigned supreme for a millenia until Martin Luther came along.

Did Paul actually say "It is good for a man not to touch a woman"? We also have to read the sentence that comes before it: "Now concerning things which you wrote to me..." With this introduction it is clear that Paul is addressing a statement put to him by the Corinthians. Paul does find some merit in the statement as long as two important conditions are met. First, those who choose not to marry must have the spiritual gift for celibacy. Luther pointed out that it was a sin to challenge our God-given nature for sexual relations and marriage. Secondly, any sexual abstinence within marriage needs to be temporary and agreeable to both spouses.

Luther had some VERY strong words about this latter condition. Refusing conjugal rights is a serious problem. I agree completely with Luther. I said this early in my ministry, and I have never backed away from it: There is way too much sex outside of marriage in the form of movies, magazines, jokes, internet, prostitution etc., and way too little in marriage where it belongs. Luther also urged moderation in marital sexual relations. Like Paul, Luther taught Christians to avoid unnatural restraint as well as selfish, carnal lust.

I look forward to the discussion we will have on this Sunday. May God support all Christian marriages and families and by His grace lead us faithfully in the blessed estate.