The late Hugh Hefner, founder of Playboy Magazine, once said, “A good life is a life lived by your own rules … I have one of the best jobs in the world. I get to do what I want, when I want. That’s a good way to live.”
Hefner, however, was tragically deceived by wealth, fame, and perversion. His misguided attempt to fill the God-shaped void in his heart closely aligned with the infamous phrase, “Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law,” coined by Satanist Aleister Crowley. Crowley’s teachings on sexual liberation and sex magic claimed that “sexual energy” could be harnessed to fulfill one’s own corrupt, fleshly desires, opening the door to spiritual darkness and demonic influence. Hefner’s worldview profoundly influenced the normalization of sexual sin in society, leading countless souls into sexual depravity.
As someone who personally struggled with this addiction for years (and no thanks to Hugh Hefner), I can’t overemphasize just how important this topic has become. Online pornography has, without a doubt, wreaked havoc on potentially billions of lives across both secular and Christian communities. It has shattered countless marriages and families, fueled infidelity, and destroyed the faith of many. It has become a modern, global epidemic — one that is spiritually and morally devastating the Church.
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The destructive power of online pornography
To illustrate the sheer scale of its influence, pornography is a massive industry, surpassing the combined revenues of the music, sports, fashion, and video game industries in the U.S. — a staggering thought. Its gross income is hard to pinpoint, but it is estimated that the global pornography industry generates $97 billion annually. Research shows that over 35% of all internet data traffic is pornographic in nature — not including the vast amounts of soft‑porn posted on social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram.
PornHub, the most visited porn site on the internet, has reported that over 6.8 billion hours of video were watched on its website in 2021, and receives a staggering 5.49 billion visits per month. Most disturbingly, the site has received multiple accusations of hosting videos of trafficked and abused minors and child abuse content. As a whole, there are an estimated 1 to 2 milliontrafficked children each year, many of whom are featured online for the viewing pleasure of all ages. In 2023 alone, over 104 million images/videos of child sexual abuse were reported by internet service providers.
One would be hard pressed to avoid watching porn without contributing to this demonically inspired industry. Jesus strongly warned His disciples, “If anyone causes one of these little ones — those who believe in me — to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea” (Matthew 18:6).
Millions of Christians are addicted to porn
Today, millions of professing Christians around the world are living double lives, trapped in the destructive cycle of sex addiction and porn use, hiding their struggles in secrecy alongside unbelievers and often unnoticed by their families and churches. The number of believers compromising in this area is truly astonishing.
A 2024 report by Pure Desire Ministries revealed that 54% of practicing Christians in the United States consume pornography at least occasionally, and 49% said they are “comfortable” with their engagement. A common misconception is that this is a male-only problem, which is false. Twenty-five percent of women and 54% of men are said to engage in semi-frequent to habitual porn use. In reality, the real numbers are likely much higher than this.
Worse yet, even many pastors have been ensnared by this wickedness, too.
Statistics show that a clear majority of Evangelical pastors in the United States — over 67% — have watched pornography at some point in their lives, and 18-21% confess to be currently engaging in it. Given that there are currently over 60,000 congregational pastors and youth pastors in the United States, it indicates that 11,700 of them have a porn issue.
Porn is like a drug
Scientific research shows that pornography, much like drugs, can lead to both mental and physical dependence, similar to the effects of heroin and cocaine. This is due to the incredible release of dopamine that is released in the brain, a key chemical involved in reward and pleasure. Scientific studies have shown that, like substance addiction, the brain’s reward system is hijacked by over-stimulation, leading to changes in brain chemistry and neural pathways that reinforce compulsive behavior.
To the Christian, it is an extremely destructive sin — a double-edged sword that wounds both the soul and the physical body. By God’s design, however, the brain can heal itself through the way we think, a process that neuroscientists call neuroplasticity. Most remarkably, the brain reshapes itself through repeated thought patterns, actions, and prayer, showing that seeking God can help change it: “…whatever is true and noble … think about these things … and the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:8-9).
Spiritual battle
This is definitely a wake-up call for every Christian. The Bible couldn’t be clearer — continuing in habitual sexual sin is playing with fire. Scripture warns in 1 Corinthians 6:9: “Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers … will inherit the kingdom of God.”
It is obvious that a very real spiritual battle is being waged for our souls. While God desires reconciliation with us, the devil’s goal is to steal, kill, and destroy by rendering Christians useless, ineffective, and defeated. Sexual sin is surely one of Satan’s most effective tools for shipwrecking people’s faith.
Calling on those who want freedom
Today, we must face the burning question asked by Jesus: “…will the Son of man find faith on the earth?” While the facts indeed look grim, many hundreds of thousands of individuals have been set free from its grip through choosing to obey Christ, as “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us” (2 Peter 1:3-4).
If you find yourself caught in this sin and desire to repent and be free, it is essential to face the reality that you need help beyond yourself — bring it into the light. As someone who personally battled this for many years — even as a Christian — I can attest that freedom is certainly possible, but you must take radical action to overcome it. The following are the ways in which I was able to do it:
First, I genuinely sought Christ through faith, heartfelt repentance, godly sorrow, and in asking Him for wisdom. Short of the Holy Spirit’s indwelling and in seeking Him with all your heart, you will not be able to obtain true freedom. Accountability is an absolute necessity. Your first accountability is the Lord, and you must ask Him for cleansing (see 1 John 1:8-10). Seek a strong, mature believer you can confide in. Commit to being accountable to this person, even daily, if needed.
Secondly, I regularly sought strong Christian fellowship and radically immersed myself in the Word of God. The truth will set you free; begin systematically reading and meditating on the Bible in the morning for one hour (yes, one hour!) before your normal waking schedule, journaling your questions, thoughts, feelings, and the truths God reveals to you through His Word. Jesus said, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7). Your life will be truly transformed, as was mine.
Christian-based addiction programs can be very helpful as they promote confession, accountability, and fellowship. I also recommend a Christ-centered resource like Falling Forward by Craig Lockwood, or Building for Freedom by Troy Haas, a very insightful workbook that played a significant role in my healing process. Penning feelings and experiences will deepen your understanding and are instrumental in changing the way you think. These practices will transform your mind, strengthen your heart, and reawaken emotions. In turn, you will be more passionate about following Christ and leading others to a renewed life in Christ.
Remove the tools that make it easy to fall
As we all know, electronic devices are convenient tools — but they are also gateways to sin. You must remove anything and everything that causes you to fall. The most common gateway to falling is your smartphone. Plainly stated, for the sexually addicted, these are terrible devices to own. If it is a source of temptation, you would do well to let it go (as I chose to do). Switch to a device without internet access, such as a call-and-text-only flip phone or an administrator-controlled phone like Bark by Galaxy or Gabb, both of which have no browser or apps that provide access to the internet. If social media is a problem for you, don’t be afraid to say goodbye to it. It is not worth losing your soul over.
Lastly, if you must have a computer or smartphone, install accountability software such as EverAccountable or Covenant Eyes. The bottom line is this: you must place strict boundaries on your electronic devices or simply remove them. If you have children, do the same for them.
God bless you on your journey to a new life in obedience to Christ!
Originally posted at thehardertruths.net
Greg Cooper has been a born-again Christian since 2000. Driven by a deep passion for the truth of the Gospel, Greg recently felt led to launch a blog focusing on the evolving dynamics within the Christian Music Industry. His writings have since expanded to cover a broad range of topics related to Christian life, all aimed at challenging the body of Christ. His articles are designed to confront and expose false Christian ideas, pointing readers toward what can be considered the “harder truths” found in Scripture.
Greg resides in Southern California with his wife, Francesca, and their four adopted children.
