What’s Wrong in Watching Pornography Without Hurting Others? - [Part 2]

Click here to read Part 1 

3. What You Watch and Imagine Speaks About Your Prospective Behavior

In Part 1, we have learned that what we watch and imagine speaks about who we are and about our commitment. In Part 2, I want to share with you that what you watch and imagine speaks about your prospective behavior.

Let us not be casual about what we watch in secret and fantasize in mind. What we watch, think and entertain in our mind is liable to what we can do.

For instance, think about a man who is given to watching child pornography. Can you leave your children alone with that person, although he may claim to simply watch for entertainment without any intention to harm anyone?

You may never do this.

Why?

Because when a person is given to watch and entertain lustful images in private, he is most likely to practice it when he gets an opportunity. Once evil things are rooted in mind, we know that it is unsafe and doesn’t take too long to manifest in action.

We know that he who is good in his mind would be good in his behavior. He who is evil in his mind, although he may appear good in his behavior, he is still untrustworthy. If an opportunity pops up, what is sown in mind would be cultivated in action.

O, the safest person to be with is the one who is in public what he is in private!

Now there are many sexually immoral people who are not serial killers or outright rapists. They seem very decent in the society. They do not manifest their lustful attitude because of public fear and disreputation.

However, when they get an opportunity in private atmosphere, they subtly manifest their deviant behavior to lure someone to gratify their passion. Or they would at least easily yield when they are tempted by someone.

Why?

Because they cannot control themselves from doing what they have watched and entertained in secret. Mind is the remote controller of behavior.

If anyone is addicted to watching porn and did not yet fall into physical fornication or adultery, the reason is not that he is a person of self-control; he in fact did not yet get the right opportunity to yield to physical temptation. An opportunity is enough for him to manifest his immoral attitude.

Here is the fact—some are blatantly deviant, like serial killers and rapists; and some are subtly deviant, like opportunists who look good but manifest their beastly conduct at the right time. Whatever the person, what is sown in mind may someday come out in action.

How many folks began watching pornography for the sake of just personal entertainment and gratification; however, it later became such an addiction that they now struggle to control their behavior which has been greatly impacted with deeply ingrained sinful thoughts and imaginations.

Dear reader, don't deceive yourselves by supposing you are watching porn just for personal entertainment without any intention to practice in action. Remember, if we let our sight and thoughts to flirt, we have to struggle to keep our feet from getting into dirt.

This is what I say—what you watch is what you catch; what you catch is what you hatch. So, guard what you watch and what you think, so that you would guard your conduct. How true are these words:

Sow a thought, reap an action;
Sow an action, reap a habit;
Sow a habit, reap a character;
Sow a character, reap a destiny.

Final Words

Above all, there is one primary reason for why I believe watching porn secretly, even without an intention of harming others, is still sinful and destructive.

The Holy Scripture says that there is Someone who knows every thought we think and every secret act we do. The One who created all things knows everything and He is going to judge us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. (2 Cor. 5:10)

The Lord said, "I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve." (Jer. 17:10)

“Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?" declares the LORD. "Do not I fill heaven and earth?" declares the LORD. (Jer. 23:24)

“Should you not fear me?" declares the LORD. "Should you not tremble in my presence? I made the sand a boundary for the sea, an everlasting barrier it cannot cross. The waves may roll, but they cannot prevail; they may roar, but they cannot cross it. But these people have stubborn and rebellious hearts; they have turned aside and gone away.” (Jer. 5:22-23)

Keep in mind, my friend, “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (Heb. 4:13). We are going to give an account to the Lord about our secret sights, thoughts, words and actions.

Why?

Because He is our Creator and we owe our life to Him. Not only so, the Lord “gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good” (Tit. 2:14).

The Lord hates pornography, which is a desecration of sacred sex, which He created for us to enjoy solely in marriage. Apart from marriage bed, the Holy Bible condemns deliberate exposure of nakedness before others. If sensually exposing one’s nakedness is sinful, is it not sinful too to watch the nakedness of other women with lustful heart? Is not pornography a lustful gaze at other women’s/men’s nakedness?

Therefore, I encourage you to repent of your sin, seek the Lord’s forgiveness and walk in the sacred consciousness of His watch over you.

I urge and caution you not to look for petty excuses to justify your sinful acts. This world is becoming more insecure to live in because of its rebellion against the moral standards God gave us for our own safety. Let us, then, return to the Lord and walk in His ways. His word is our only light and purity in this world of darkness and immorality. Let us pray with the Psalmist: "Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to Your word." (Ps. 119:37)

[Click here to go to Part 1 of this article] | 2 of 2

Related Articles:

• Can Married Couples Watch Pornography Together?
• Liberation from Pornography 
• Accountability - An Impetus to Overcomes Pornography 

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