{"id":51524,"date":"2019-11-13T05:02:14","date_gmt":"2019-11-13T11:02:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites-stage.josh.org\/main\/?p=51524"},"modified":"2025-08-06T12:40:36","modified_gmt":"2025-08-06T17:40:36","slug":"the-porn-epidemic-problem-consequence-and-hope","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites-stage.josh.org\/main\/the-porn-epidemic-problem-consequence-and-hope\/","title":{"rendered":"The Porn Epidemic: Problem, Consequence, and Hope"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>

I love hearing the highlights of people\u2019s lives, vacations, weekends, or even workdays. They are insights into people\u2019s unique passions, joys, and personalities. In my two years traveling with Josh McDowell as his assistant, I experienced quite a few highlights.<\/span><\/p>\n

But one event, in particular, still stands out to me: the Set Free Conference<\/a>. There is an epidemic in the church today, and it all revolves around pornography.<\/h3>\n

\"epidemic\"<\/p>\n

\n

Global Initiative to Expose Porn Addiction<\/b><\/h2>\n

Set Free<\/strong><\/a>, an initiative launched by Josh to educate, start conversation, and de-shame porn addiction, focused on a few major themes: What is pornography? What are its associated problems, consequences, and solutions? A global initiative, Set Free Conferences have been held in the U.S., Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay, and Singapore; attendees have heard from top speakers such as <\/span>Dr. Donald Hilton<\/a><\/strong>, <\/span>Jessica Harris<\/a><\/strong>, <\/span>Ben Bennett<\/a><\/strong>, and <\/span>Josh McDowell<\/a><\/strong>.\u00a0<\/span>
\nWhy was Set Free the highlight of this two-year period? Because of the needed global conversation about the pornography epidemic — but also because of the response from attendees.\u00a0<\/span>
\nI’ve watched empowered pastors share excitement and become eager to teach what they\u2019ve learned. I’ve seen moms and dads finally be able to understand their child’s struggle with porn. I’ve seen community leaders get fired up about starting recovery groups. And I’ve seen wounded, broken, humble people openly confess, through pouring tears, the porn addictions that have torn their lives apart<\/span>.<\/span>
\nThe first two sections of the Set Free Conference were hard-hitters: the problem of porn, and its consequences. As attendees heard the mind-boggling stats and gut-wrenching repercussions, they were glued to the edge of their seats. As they learned that porn is the number one problem in the Church — globally — their reactions ranged from shock and anger to utter despair.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When we find the courage to talk about that which we deem to be dirty and uncomfortable, shame can be broken, movements can be started, and people can take the initial steps towards freedom.<\/h3>\n

The Problem of Porn<\/b><\/h2>\n

Our culture is so sexually saturated that porn is now included in top-selling books, advertising, and social media. We don\u2019t even realize how many pornographic images we are exposed to daily, without our even trying to see them. <\/span>
\nChristians are just as tempted as non-believers to view porn, which is why p<\/span>astor Charles R. Swindoll has called pornography the greatest cancer in the history of the Church. As Josh adds, \u201cIt\u2019s available, accessible, affordable, anonymous, appealing, aggressive, and addictive.\u201d Porn is affecting the majority of families in every church around the globe. This epidemic is destroying families; it’s now the root cause of 56 percent of divorces.<\/span>
\nSo what is pornography? A general description is that it’s \u201cthat which is designed to arouse or sexually excite.\u201d<\/span> Porn is not juvenile and harmless, like too many people generally think. It is hardcore, graphic, and disgusting.<\/span><\/p>\n

Porn addiction is biological, relational, and spiritual. Solutions must address each aspect for us to gain freedom.<\/h3>\n

Why is it an epidemic? I\u2019ll share my personal experience. As I told readers in my last post, I have battled an addiction to porn<\/a><\/strong> that started well before my teens. I know<\/em> how porn addiction distorts every part of a person’s life. I know<\/em> the tangible consequences of the degradation of human life. I know<\/em> the misery of living an isolated and disconnected life, and the hopelessness of addiction.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mind-Boggling Stats<\/b><\/h2>\n

The reach of the porn industry is mind-boggling. One study found that porn sites receive more regular traffic than Netflix, Amazon, and Twitter combined each month. Porn now accounts for a third of all Internet traffic! More than 91 percent of men and 60 percent of women have reported consuming pornography in the past month.<\/span>
\nBut a lot of those viewers are young people, who got exposed to porn as early as eight years old! It’s just too easy to stumble on it on both cell phones and computers. <\/span>In sharing my own story of woundedness, addiction, and journey toward freedom at the Set Free Conference, I\u2019ve seen just how many young males \u2014 and increasingly young females \u2014 are struggling with addiction to porn.\u00a0<\/span>
\nThis breaks Josh’s heart; this crippling addiction is not what God intends for us. Josh has spent the past decade researching the <\/span>problem<\/strong>, consequences, and solutions to pornography<\/strong><\/span><\/a>. Here are just a few startling statistics:<\/span><\/p>\n

\n