I recently read ANOTHER article about Hollywood, sexual assault, and pornography. But, it’s not just Hollywood or the news offices at Rockefeller Center in New York–it’s here where you and I live. I speak with parents every week who are dealing with this in their homes. The author of the article, “Want sexual misconduct by men to stop — Start by cracking down on boys’ easy access to internet porn” is right on–problems don’t start with assault, it starts with easy access to pornography.

It is not okay for boys (0r girls) to look at pornography on their phones, iPads, or computers. I have no words to adequately communicate my heart on this subject.  Some say, “Boys will be boys…all teenage boys look at it.”  Well, I’m not buying it.  This is so out of control in our society that I have recently visited with two 8 year old girls who stumbled on to porn sites and now say they can’t stop searching for similar images.  It is not normal, healthy, or Christ-like.  Stop allowing it in your home. Stop turning a blind eye by not using filters, not taking time to check- in, and start holding your kids accountable.

“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he…” Proverbs 23:7 (KJV)

“Be self-controlled and alert.  Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.  Resist him, standing firm in the faith…And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong firm and steadfast.”  2 Peter 5:8-9a,10

“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.  And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”  1 Corinthians 10:13

Pornography has been a trap of the enemy for generations.  In the American culture, just a few short years ago, there was certainly porn addiction, but it required a lot more effort on the part of the person to fall into it.  One would have to visit a porn store on the edge of town, walk up to the counter, and purchase the porn in clear view of others.  Today, pornography is readily available to even children, free of charge, and in complete privacy.  There are no safe guards…that is, unless parents take the problem seriously, take their parenting seriously, and take a stand.

Step one as parents is to realize the trap of pornography is easy for us to fall into.  I believe that pornography is one of the most prevalent and powerful temptations facing Christian men today.  Women are succumbing to the temptation as well with the outrageous infatuation with books and movies like “50 Shades of Grey”.  It is porn, you simply can’t excuse it, and it isn’t up for debate.  The stand starts with us and we are certainly the one raising (or lowering) the standards in our own homes.

It is not okay.

We must draw a line in the sand for our children….not in our home, not at our school, not in our church, not in our community, not in our country.

Praying for you and your family,