[ScottGem]

Here is an arrticle which gives a list of negatives in relation to pornography. Hope it contributes to answering your question.

That is rather interesting, but it goes against a lot of what I have read previously. The thing I found distrubing was there were almost no citations for all the statistics listed.

[Starman]

That is rather interesting, but it goes against a lot of what I have read previously. The thing I found distrubing was there were almost no citations for all the statistics listed.

THE PRIMARY EFFECTS OF PORNOGRAPHY

(1) Even "soft" porn is harmful to everyone.
(2) All pornography desensitizes the viewer.
(3) Pornography is addictive.
(4) Pornography degrades marriages.
(5) Pornography increases crime in dangerous offenders.
(6) Pornography encourages and facilitates other crimes.



These impacts are also listed in The Hill-Link Minority Report of the Presidential Commission on Obscenity and Pornography. A copy of this report, written in 1970, may be ordered from Morality in Media, 475 Riverside Drive, New York, New York 10115.


In many cases, the issue of Hustler magazine that describes how to perform the so-called "orgasm of death" have been found at the feet of the victims.[5]

R. Hazelwood, P. Dietz, and A. Burgess. "The Investigation of Autoerotic Fatalities." Journal of Police Science and Administration. September 1981, 404-411. See also the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 25, 1990.


More than 65 studies have shown that dangerous offenders (child molesters, killers, rapists, incest fathers) are not only more likely to commit their crimes if they employ pornography, they are likely to precede their violent acts with the extended use of deviant materials.

The Hill-Link Minority Report of the Presidential Commission on Obscenity and Pornography. This report may be ordered from Morality in Media, 475 Riverside Drive, New York, New York 10115.


British psychiatrists Martin Roth and Edward Nelson state that "Far from having a cathartic effect, exposure to pornography produces an enhanced interest in sexual deviancy."

"Porn Traffickers Share Guilt in Sexual Murders." The Wanderer, March 9, 1989, page 2.


The rest is accessible via this link.
If you still disagree then I guess we just differ in our opinions.
http://www.ewtn.com/library/PROLENC/ENCYC134.HTM


BTW

(Matthew 5:27-32)

27Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:

28But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

[imation]

I guess it depend on what you feel the word 'harmful' means...
One could make the point that everyone should learn about sex and sexuality and that if we keep all the children sheltered from it then we are doing them harm by not attending to their curiosity
One could also argue that pornography portrays sexual activity very negatively and a teenager learning about sex would not pick up the right attitude towards sex by watching it and learning from it
I personally believe that pornography degrades the morality and ethics of those involved in it, some things are so sick to mention, I'm sure you all know what I mean
But porn being 'harmful' to a 13 year old...
Probably not. Maybe its not the best way to learn, but every kid in they're youth is going to look up porn, its just how it is. I say let them look, but make sure they understand its not real and that they shouldn't take all of what they see seriously

[s2tp]

There is a lot to agree with from just about everyone on this thread. Some people think its fine to have kids growing up more quick these days, and others want to keep the youth and innocence.

When I was like 7or 8 my older brother confiscated some playboys from our dads toolbox. (it was locked but he somehow got he key). My brother showed these to me, and while I was very confused and shocked, I would definitely say I lost my innocence then. Not all of it of course, but I started wondering what other boys and girls looked like naked and what they did together. I haven't become any sort of pervert now, but I do remember touching myself back then, curious of why those areas were 'special' for adults.

I don't know what I am trying to prove here... but I agree with Rose. Porn may not 'harm' a child and make them all out of wack... but I think it takes away their youth. Porn is just not something anyone under 18 should be exposed to... They should be at an age when they can understand what they are seeing and evaluate whether it is right or wrong, plus understand the thoughts that go through their mind when seeing sexual activities... a 13 year old has a hard enough time realizing they are even attracted to other people, let alone what they could Do with those other people..

[excon]

THE PRIMARY EFFECTS OF PORNOGRAPHY

(1) Even "soft" porn is harmful to everyone.
(2) All pornography desensitizes the viewer.
(3) Pornography is addictive.
(4) Pornography degrades marriages.
(5) Pornography increases crime in dangerous offenders.
(6) Pornography encourages and facilitates other crimes.



These impacts are also listed in The Hill-Link Minority Report of the Presidential Commission on Obscenity and Pornography. A copy of this report, written in 1970, may be ordered from Morality in Media, 475 Riverside Drive, New York, New York 10115.

Hello Stardude:

You're silly! You forgot (7) Pornography causes hair to grow on your palms...

Morality in Media?? What's that, a place run by Ted Haggart?? Bwa ha ha ha.

excon

[talaniman]

I believe kids do grow up too fast, and not enough supervision, and my own rule is if they ask tell them the truth in a way they understand, so I think it best to know the kids first and be ready, or you will find your cabbage patch story cute, but they will already know and blow you and your cute stories off forever. I think its unrealistic too think 13 year olds don't know about porn, sex, or drugs and you better catch them early just to give them guidance. Never assume anything and use those parental controls for the TV and computer, which goes in the family room anyway. Just my cent as I've had my eyes opened, not only by my kids, but grand kids also. They know and have seen more than you think. If you don't fill in the blanks ,trust me someone else will.

[valinors_sorrow]

Wholesale approval or disapproval hits me as some amazingly black and white thinking. Not to really wind things up here but I think there are a number of "adult" things that fall into what I call the "context really matters" category. Here is such an example: Guns. I think guns are not so different from porn in that it makes a profound difference who has it, what kind it is and how its being used as to whether its actually harmful or not. There is a pretty broad spectrum to both guns and porn in the world. To miss those details is to miss a lot. Who here can take exception to guns and kids or porn and kids isn't the wisest of mixes without adult supervision? Like Tal suggests, I would like to see kids get their sexual information from balanced sources... so parents' voices had better be in the mix. But the original argument that set this off was based on a woman objecting to her kid seeing some porn on the basis that she felt it was harmful, I believe, and that should be any parent's right to object to, whether it damages the kid in some documentable way or not. It's a quid pro quo argument that says if you don't think its harmful to kids, then you'll probably not take as many measures to prevent your kid from seeing it as the parent who thinks it is harmful. End of argument. LOL

[crazytrain]

Porn is very addictive.
Some people who view porn start to think that it is normal and start to expect there boyfriend or girlfriend to do the stuff they view. Some of it is normal and some of it isn't normal. You have to be able to tell what is normal and what isn't normal.

Remember to keep your feet on the ground and don't believe everything you see or read.

I think that there are a lot of rapes out there because some people think what they saw is normal and there partners tells them they don't want to do it and they force them to do it anyway.

[talaniman]

Porn is very addictive.

Very much so.

Some people who view porn start to think that it is normal and start to expect there boyfriend or girlfriend to do the stuff they view.

And get mad when the partner doesn't do what the want.

Remember to keep your feet on the ground and don't believe everything you see or read

Its only a movie and the actors get paid good money for what they do.
Good points crazytrain.

[valinors_sorrow]

I don't know if this will help or only further confuse but I could never seem to get my hands on anything resembling an official definition of pornograpy addiction when I was in the recovery business (which I recently quit) and if we use the conventional standard less may actually "qualify" then you might think.

I did some fast googling about pornography addiction and can't say that I am impressed with the impartiality of many of the sites. The closest one to that I could find is this:
http://internet-filter-review.topten...tatistics.html

But even at that site, there are some goofy looking stats, at least to me.

And to see if they even correlate, I looked at this one too despite its obvious slant:
http://www.blazinggrace.org/pornstatistics.htm

Suffice to say when an internet addiction or a sexual addiction or porn addiction (and now you can see what adds to the statistical problems) occurs, there is plenty of suffering for everyone then.

[aqua@home]

Let me start with the last sentence above. There is nothing wrong with the human body. Nudes have been part of art for ages. Naturalists/Nudists are among the most well adjusted people in the world. Its certain elements of society that have made viewing nudes taboo. And many of them are some of the most mal-adjusted people I've encountered.

I can agree that nudity for art may be all right, if tastefully done. I can see that a problem would arise because everyone's tastes are different.

What's wrong with most porn is that it tends to be sex for sex's sake and doesn't play up the beauty of sexual intimacy as a sharing between two people who care for each other.

I think that most porn is quite degrading towards women and I think this can cause problems.

The argument that one thing leads to another has been made time and time again over the years and its rarely been proven. Yes it happens, but its the exception not the rule. If things were as bad as you indicate then we would have a lot more sex crime then exists. With so much money being spent on porn, how come rapes and other sexual crimes are declining? How come teenage pregnancy is declining?

Don't you see that a problem exists if it porn contributes even 10% of the time to any acts against children or other person. I completely disagree that things don't escalate. I just heard that teenage pregnancies are on the rise.

Finally, I would just like to say that children are children for only a short time, why be in such a hurry to let them grow up. I am a firm believer that you should not shelter your children, but I do think that you should let them be children. They have a long enough time to be grown up... why push? I think that most children will be curious and yearn to learn new things in their own time, just let them.

I don't look at anything online or read anything, I wouldn't mind my children looking up.

[Chebba709]

I didn't want to further hijack the thread where I made that statement. So I'm moving this discussion here.

So explain to me how they would be harmed? Obviously they aren't going to be physically harmed. Do you really believe that that someone, especially a 13 year old in western cultures, will be seriously scarred by being exposed to some graphic images of sex? What do you expect to happen? Will they become rapists, frigid, what?

I'm not advocating porn here. But I just find it hard to believe that the vast majority of people, of any age, will be seriously affected by seeing some porn. Until someone can convince me otherwise, I stand by my stated opinion above.

Hello,

I'm married to man that is a victim of porn and I can shed a little light on how it's harmful. In my opinion -- when young kids view porn -- they lose the human element of sexuality. My husband started viewing porn when he was in first grade - his dad thought it was good for him and supplied it. By the time my husband was in his teens and should've been experimenting with girls his own age -- he didn't bother because he had his own fantasy world that didn't need anyone help to meet his needs. The other part he's now having to deal with as an adult -- he has to learn how to deal with a partner and their needs. At times, he views women as you would a book -- an object. Their genitals are all he see's and he has arousal problems with out seeing porn as an adult.

I hope this adds to the discussion and I hope will change a few minds on how and why porn is so bad for everyone -- even the ones that don't see or use it.

Chebba709 (see my post in marriage -- husband's porn addiction)