Last updated 2/7/2024
1. Many Christians, even progressive ones, have a blanket ”porn is inherently harmful” policy. As with other forms of sex work, porn is viewed as inherently exploitative, rather than something that can be degrading to women but is not always so.
Uncritical examples
Is There Such a Thing as Ethical Porn? Male and Female Perspectives by William B. Bowes and Alejandra Fontecha-Bowes | Christians for Biblical Equality (September 2022)
Archived on Wayback Machine, Archive.today, and Ghost Archive
Coping with Sexual Anorexia and Aversion by Rob Jackson, MS, LPC, LMHC, NCC | Pure Intimacy (dated 2004, suggests that CSA survivorss who are sex averse are obligated to get over it for the sake of their marriage and speaks negatively of spouses who choose masturbation and porn over potentially pressuring their traumatized partner)
Archived on Wayback Machine
4 Ways Porn Will Ruin Your Sex Life by Shellie R. Warren | XXX Church (September 2015)
Archived on Wayback Machine and Ghost Archive
Christian and Sexually Empowered | Revolutionary Faith (February 2016)
Archived on Wayback Machine, Archive.today, and Ghost Archive
How We Dishonor God in Our Sex Lives by Glenn T. Stanton | Pure Intimacy (dated 2004)
Archived on Wayback Machine, Archive.today, and Ghost Archive (latter archives still work but have pornographic ads, which is hilarious))
Pornography: The Spice that Destroys Sexual Taste Buds | Christian Nymphos (December 2007)
Archived on Wayback Machine, Archive.today, and Ghost Archive
Why Porn is a Problem | The Marriage Bed (earliest archive is from August 2005)
Archived on Wayback Machine and Archive.today
Permitted or Prohibited: Christian Perspective on Sex Practices | The Pure Bed (earliest archive is from June 2007)
Archived on Wayback Machine
I'm a Duke freshman. Here's why I refused to read 'Fun Home.' by Brian Grasso | The Washington Post (August 2015)
Archived on Wayback Machine, Archive.today, and Ghost Archive
A Pornographic Style of Relating | Andrew J. Bauman (October 2016)
Archived on Wayback Machine and Archive.today
8 Sins You Commit Whenever You Look at Porn | Tim Challies (April 2017, mentions sexual assault)
Archived on Wayback Machine and Ghost Archive
Bombshell Study: Young People Care More About Recycling Than Porn by Craig Gross | XXX Church (April 2016)
Archived on Wayback Machine and Ghost Archive
Commentary
None yet
2. Some anti-porn Christians treat it like a hard drug. They may claim viewing porn on a regular basis constitutes an addiction or that viewing ”hardcore” porn will make you likely to commit violence.
Uncritical examples
The Stages of Pornography Addiction by Gene McConnell and Keith Campbell | Focus On The Family (dated 1996)
Archived on Wayback Machine
I'm a Christian Addicted to Porn by Shaun Groves | Christianity Today (earliest archive is from 2014)
Archived on Wayback Machine
The Effects of Pornography/6 Problems with Porn | Ed Stetzer (December 2009)
The original version from the author's website is archived on Wayback Machine.
The republished version from Church Leaders is archived on Wayback Machine and Ghost Archive.
Porn's Complicity in Abuse by Mimi Haddad | Christians for Biblical Equality (September 2022)
Archived on Wayback Machine, Archive.today, and Ghost Archive
Pornography does destroy. How can anyone deny that? by Bill Johnson | American Decency Association (published in January or February 2012)
Archived on Wayback Machine
8 Ways Porn Changes You. by Shellie R. Warren | XXX Church (May 2015)
Archived on Wayback Machine and Ghost Archive
Pornography by Fritz Chery | Bible Reasons (April 2023)
Archived on Wayback Machine, Archive.today, and Ghost Archive
Commentary
Op-ed: Utah students need real sex ed, not 'Fight the New Drug' byy Natasha Helfer Parker, Kristin Hodson, Kristin Marie Bennion And Shannon Hickman | The Salt Lake Tribune (October 2016)
Religious People More Likely To Feel They're Addicted To Porn, New Study Shows | Huff Post (February 2014)
3. When anti-porn sentiments overlap with Christian purity culture, it adds an extra layer of dysfunction and stigma. Christians in purity culture often believe just having sexual fantasies is wrong, supposedly because you'll set a standard your spouse can't live up to.
Uncritical examples
9 Reasons Men Should Stay Away from Porn by Tyler Ward | XXX Church (August 2015)
Archived on Wayback Machine and Ghost Archive
Commentary
None yet
Additional commentary on anti-porn beliefs in Christian spaces
Homophobia and Religiosity Drive Struggles with Porn by David J. Ley Ph.D. | Psychology Today (July 2023, discusses conversion therapy and other homoantagonism)
Further information
The porn/rape/consent debate, again by Wendy Lyon | Feminist Ire (April 2012)
Researchers: pornography addiction isn't real by Jennifer Abel | Consumer Affairs (February 2014)
The Harm of 12-Step ”Sex Addiction” Programs by Silva Neves | Psychology Today (May 2021, brings up conversion therapy)
Inside the Movement to Declare Pornography a 'Health Crisis' by James Hamblin | The Atlantic (April 2016)
Sex Addiction: Fact or Fiction? Part 1 of 3 by Michael Castleman M.A. | Psychology Today (June 2018)
The Problem With ”Sex Addiction” Therapy by Silva Neves | Psychology Today (May 2023)