lystn

Holy crap we’re talking about porn! Yup, Porn… that thing that so many of us quietly indulge in behind closed and locked doors. That thing that causes the hyper-conservatives to recoil in fear. That thing that causes religious leaders and mothers alike to shudder at its very mention. For many people, porn has become as much a part of every day life as a regular bowel movement. We sit in a darkened room staring at a screen, clicking a mouse, opening dozens of tabs. Buffering… buffering… buffering… Always on the lookout for that perfect scene. Watching for something new and exciting. Envisioning the ultimate erotic fantasy. People say looking at porn is completely normal. It isn’t hurting anyone. I’ve been one of those people. I’ve been the lonely, depressed, or just plain horny guy who just needed a safe and private sexual outlet. I’ve been the guy who said, “I can stop looking at porn when I find a girlfriend or get married. No problem.” I’ve been the guy who felt insecure, helpless, lonely and ashamed. I’ve felt unwanted because, as I’ve heard over and over and over in one way or another in my life, “Who would ever want to be with someone who looks at that disgusting stuff?” There are countless people who feel stuck. They’re hooked and they don’t even know it. Their only escape from porn is more porn. Thousands of wrecked relationships that are living proof that porn can be devastating to love. Nobody sits down to dinner with friends and says with a twinkle in their eye, “You know what? Me and porn, we have such a great thing going. I’m just really happy with our relationship. I think we’re really going places.”   We have a problem. It’s time to fix it. And to fix it, we need to be willing to talk about it and learn about it.