'Porn and Pancakes'...

I found this story on CNN this afternoon, and it really surprised me. I guess I keep thinking that people's attitudes towards sex and sexuality were evolving.

Essentially there is an online 'Christian Ministry' that crusades against Internet pornography and it's evil effects on the mind and soul. The creator, a Mr. Craig Gross, brings together men who have had their lives negatively effected by their addiction to porn, and helps to either warn others or break them of their habit. He even holds pancake breakfasts to get people to talk openly about porn and mastrobation.

Is there a chronic mastrobation problem amongst Christian males in the United States? Is everyone whacking off behind their keyboard 24/7?

"A lot of people think Christians sure don't struggle with this," Mr. Gross said. "The stats don't lie: Christians are consuming pornography. And to me, it's not a surprise."

Um, excuse me, but what male doesn't realize other males mastrobate, and in this day and age, to porn? It's shocking that Mr. Gross so fundamentally believes this is a religious issue, encouraging men with 'problems' to check into Christian rehab clinics to cure their sins and save their souls.

You have to give Mr. Gross credit, though. He's bringing up an issue that many Churches avoid like the plauge, and it's really a great idea to intigrate sexuality conversations with religion and the Church. I have often wondered what God's final word on sex and sexuality is, and thinking back to my Confirmation lessons a few years ago, it would have been wonderful to discuss and explore sexuality (since everyone seems to be sleeping with everyone these days).

I'm a devout Christian. I have 100% belief in God. Now you're thinking, "He hasn't lived his life by God's design." Well, that may be true, but it depends on your faction of Christianity. I personally don't think God cares about our sex lives, as much as he doesn't care when you pray for your taxes to be lower, your SAT's to be high, and your wireless internet not to crash. I'm sure some on the other hand follow the Bible's comments on sexuality to the letter...but in all honesty, religious studies these days are so conflicted, with each side pro and anti sex (and especially pro/anti homosexual) quoting experts who say God is in favor/against such activities. I guess as long as you can sleep at night with a clear consious and are comfortable with your relationship with God, you're good. How the hell should I know, anyway.

I'm quite sure he's up there though. But that doesn't mean we should be taking people with real problems to Kentucky to purge them of their porno sins and to save their souls. As it stands, religious belief should have very little impact on your medical/psychological treatment. If God created the world, he also created science and medecine, so why doesn't Mr. Gross put his faith in proper psychologists to help those who are truely addicted.

All that said, I'm becoming more and more dismayed at the lack of respect being given to Christianity these days. Tomorrow is Good Friday, which is technically a holiday, yet as I walked around the city today, signs were everywhere "Open on Friday!" Nobody can bring themselves to say "Good Friday" mind you, and someone even said "Happy Holiday" to me...which is bizarre...

The problem with Christians like Mr. Gross is the fact they really are trying to be of some help, for the betterment of their fellow man. It's hard to fault someone who has good intentions, but their motiviation can certainly be questioned. If he was a psychologist who realized many men in a certain group were addicted to porn, and set up help groups to sway them from their habit, then 'Porn and Pancakes' events would be scientifically sound and morally legitimate. But since he's got Jesus on his side, and is doing it to save your soul (and your marriage too), it's not as if his motivation is unbiased medical empathy.

The article also made me look at my own porn habits. I mastrobate regularily to various media (videos, pictures, magazines). But everything I read on sexually liberated sites says mastrobation is healthy and safe (as long as you're not jerking 24/7), and there should be no discouragement from people, especially young males in their sexual prime, to jack off. I guess that's why I can be surprised that people still think that we need to keep control on another of God's creations...the human sex drive.

How ironic, the last two songs on my iTunes shuffle were Genesis, "Jesus, He Knows Me" and Cyndi Lauper, "She Bop". Ahh...crooked TV ministers and female mastrobation...and its only 4 p.m. on a Thursday!