by Allen Teal

Created on: January 30, 2007   Last Updated: April 30, 2007

Measuring the harm of pornography on society requires more than one lifetime. Human history is the result of the ripples of many events on multiple generations. Let me suggest a scenario to illustrate this point.

Suppose that a man with a wife and two children becomes entangled and addicted to pornography. His pornography addiction will in different ways affect his relationship with his wife. She doesn't look like the nimble, silicon-enhanced women he views on his computer screen. She also is not a crack addict or a heroin user. Consequently, her sexual interest and appearance will probably not approach that of the hookers and dope heads in the porn. After all, she's probably sane, doesn't report to a pimp, and is not being compelled to perform sex acts on demand.

As his wants are gradually satisfied more and more with false images and auto-erotic behavior, he loses interest in his wife. She may or may not be aware of the addiction. Eventually, he will stray or she will become tired of his unfulfilled demands. He may never become a monster or grossly evil or a sexual predator. But, their marriage either fails or becomes a platonic relationship between two roommates who show little affection or care for each other.

This translates into relational problems for the children. Who each have children of their own. If the children were exposed to the porn as pre-teens, then the likelihood that they will develop a porn addiction is increased. The cycle begins. As the addiction spreads, the need for more explicit acts increases. The chance of sexual deviation becoming malevolent action grows with each increase in the intensity and scope of the addiction.

Does one porn viewer today lead to rape tomorrow? Probably not. But, the seeds are planted for there to be hundreds of addicts in the years to come. As the numbers multiply, so do the ramifications.

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