So...porn wants a bailout. No kidding! The news media is reporting the following: "An article in next month's Atlantic asks, "Is porn recession proof?" According to porn magnate Larry Flynt and 'Girls Gone Wild' king Joe Francis, the answer is no. TMZ reports that the pornographer pair is heading to Washington to ask for a $5 billion porn bailout: 'With all this economic misery and people losing all that money, sex is the farthest thing from their mind,' Flynt says. 'It's time for Congress to rejuvenate the sexual appetite of America.' Francis sees his industry like the big three automakers, only BIGGER: 'Congress seems willing to help shore up our nation's most important businesses; we feel we deserve the same consideration.'"
Oh, for Pete's sake! Where do I begin?!
First of all...I'm struck with the audacity of the request. An industry that was once under the table and behind closed doors is now brazen enough to ask the government for help to sustain itself. And...perhaps even more disconcerting is that there are those who will actually believe this industry should be given an ear. No matter that they profane the sacred, objectify men and women, destroy marriages and homes, molest children and cripple a healthy understanding of sex. Regardless, some will think this form of human degradation should be given government support.
Secondly...contrary to Flynt's cavalier thoughts about sexuality, sex has not fallen off people's radar screens. It's still very much on people's minds. It's a key dynamic in who we are and how we express our love in the context of marriage. Our moral fiber has changed a great deal over the years and, unfortunately, we engage in sexual practices that do not honor God. Many, if not most, of you reading this have at some point in your lives engaged in sexual activity outside of marriage. However..because we have sinned doesn't mean we should now promote that behavior or decide that since we've fallen at some point we should no longer guard the sanctity of sex. Past behavior is not a free pass for future sin. We know what it's like to stumble...do we know what it's like to rise above it and find victory in Christ?
It goes without saying that porn does not need bailing out...it needs plowed under. This despicable and destructive industry needs to be eliminated. Realistically...that isn't going to happen. It is fed by people's greed for money and appetite for sex. So, because sex brings pleasure and the porn industry makes money...it continues to exist.
At a higher level, and even more importantly, we should pause to examine ourselves and seek to live lives that are pure and Christ-honoring. If you're living together and engaging in sex outside of marriage...that is biblical sin and does not honor Christ. If you are engaging in sex in any way outside of marriage...you are dishonoring God. The good news is this...the Lord is willing and eager to "bail us out" of our sin. He is willing to forgive us and enable us to get our feet on solid ground. Remember what the scripture says: "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God." John 3:17-21
Oh...I know. Some of you are thinking, "Good grief, Tom. You are so archaic." Yeah...I know. Listen...I'm as human and vulnerable as any reading this...and I know that if we don't lean on the Lord and seek to honor Him...we can easily fall into practices that distance us from the Lord. This is not old-school or conservative, or legalistic or Victorian or prudish...it's actually biblical and holy. That's where we need to live.
In a society where some believe that pornography is legitimate and condones almost any kind of sexual behavior we can imagine...we need all the help we can muster to live a godly life. Christ offers that help and that hope. Will we be obedient? My prayer and hope is that indeed...to the glory of God...we will.
"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things." Philippians 4:8
RSS Feed