The Church's crusade against porn

[Broomstick]

True enough - a society may value women as brood mares and chattel instead of human beings, but that most certainly is not a society I'd want to live in, nor approve of.

Wouldn't that BE the subculture of porn then? What else are they showing women doing, and do they really go out of their way to flesh out the humanness of the actresses? They are kind of depicted as fuck dolls in endless variation of the same cliches.

No, not really - there's lots of sex in porn, of course, but very little reproduction. Fucking with pregnant women would be a narrow niche, and I rather doubt it's been done during actual childbirth. And while there is a certainly a "slave girl" niche in porn, there are plenty of porn movies where women are depicted as nurses/doctors/some other profession from outside the home (someone recently sent me some porn featuring women as construction workers using power tools). Again, heavily fetishized, or merely incidental to the main plot, but it acknowledges in a casual way that women do have such jobs. The type of society I was referring to is more like the FDLS where there is literally no other role for a woman in society other than wife, mother, and housekeeper.

[Darth Wong]

And the porn where the guy doesn't have a costume, or indeed any lines beyond "oh yeah"? Porn objectifies the porn stars, male or female, it's not that unusual to have entire porn scenes where the guy is lucky to have the camera show that he has a face at all.

That actually speaks to my argument, because a lot of the time when you see a girl's face, it's wrapped around a dick, or about to get a load on it, or it is frozen in the perfect expression of worship and amazement at what the guy is doing to her. Face time in a porno isn't quite the same as mainstream TV or cinema. Seriously, "Are you ready for my close up" is a totally different inference.

So? It's still true that porn objectifies everyone (seriously, you can't tell me that a porn has actual male character development just because the guy is wearing a fireman costume). The woman is portrayed as a sex-crazed nymphomaniac. The man is portrayed as a grunting penis on legs. It only seems fairer to the men because we believe that men actually are closer to their porn archetypes than women are.

[Darth Wong]

Wouldn't that BE the subculture of porn then? What else are they showing women doing, and do they really go out of their way to flesh out the humanness of the actresses? They are kind of depicted as fuck dolls in endless variation of the same cliches.

No, not really - there's lots of sex in porn, of course, but very little reproduction. Fucking with pregnant women would be a narrow niche, and I rather doubt it's been done during actual childbirth. And while there is a certainly a "slave girl" niche in porn, there are plenty of porn movies where women are depicted as nurses/doctors/some other profession from outside the home (someone recently sent me some porn featuring women as construction workers using power tools). Again, heavily fetishized, or merely incidental to the main plot, but it acknowledges in a casual way that women do have such jobs. The type of society I was referring to is more like the FDLS where there is literally no other role for a woman in society other than wife, mother, and housekeeper.

There is actually a fairly popular genre of porn (to be found attached to mainstream porn megasites like Brazzers or Mofos) which is about female bosses who coerce male underlings into sex. There's also a genre (and a website) called CFNM (clothed female naked male). Sure, there's plenty of porn where the women are portrayed as helpless targets of male conquest, but that's the thing about porn: it caters to every fantasy.

[Themightytom]

So? It's still true that porn objectifies everyone (seriously, you can't tell me that a porn has actual male character development just because the guy is wearing a fireman costume). The woman is portrayed as a sex-crazed nymphomaniac. The man is portrayed as a grunting penis on legs. It only seems fairer to the men because we believe that men actually are closer to their porn archetypes than women are.

Ah... the thought had crossed my mind that maybe I was projecting a positive portrayal of men onto porn stars because they are favorable archetypes. I suppose you are right.


Even though in my case those archetypes are ENTIRELY accurate of course.

[Danny]

Someone explain to me how an organisation where its people are required to live in celibacy and that's been riddled with pedofile scandals has any authority on sexuality.

LOL!!! Well said sir. I think the whole war against sex/porn started after Francis of Assisi [who by all accounts was quite a lech in his younger years] preached the very concept of sex was utterly abhorrent to God, and should only be used for procreation and not pleasure. Since then [despite their obvious hypocricies] have treated sex like the leper. I find the very concept of celibacy in caTholicism ridiculous anyways, since the first "pope" was peter, and he was married.

Its a known fact the more you repress yourself, the more addicted you become. Since the Church once believe the world was flat, and that sea monsters lurked the oceans, and "burning corpses" will imprison peoples souls until judgement day...why should any1 take the church seriously?

Catholicism aside, there is simply too much division within the church for us to take them seriously. The bible numerous of times mentions pleasure, as well as obtaining a wife has "good favor" from the Lord. Porn isnt the gateway to sin when your married. If anything, it would increase your love life exponentially now that you have visual stimulation as such.

The church has made a habit of making crusades, or wars, against things it neither understands or misunderstands. They need an enemy anyways to keep them around, so why not make it something which alot of people have screwed [no pun intended] their lives over- sex.

[Hamstray]

The church has made a habit of making crusades, or wars, against things it neither understands or misunderstands. They need an enemy anyways to keep them around, so why not make it something which alot of people have screwed [no pun intended] their lives over- sex.

I've hardly ever heard of anyone having their lives screwed over with protected sex. Usually it's reproduction and an anti-abortion stance (which the church supports) that screws people over.

[Justforfun000]

Just wanted to say something in regards to what Chewie was saying....the idea that porn itself is something you just gravitate towards and become 'addicted' to is absolutely ridiculous! Of course you can become addicted to ANYTHING...any human behaviour or desire can be fetishized and overindulged in...but sex isn't THAT insanely compelling...at least not to me.

I very rarely masturbate because I find it boring..and porn doesn't interest me much. I own almost none of it...I would watch a scene on a very rare occasion just to help "relieve the plumbing"..but as a rule, I would much rather be doing something with somebody one on one and when I was in love and in a relationship..that's precisely how my behaviour developed. I wanted it with that person, and all the time! When it was over...I slid right back to this rare masturbation pattern.

If only I was straight, I'd be right up the church's alley!

[Themightytom]

Just wanted to say something in regards to what Chewie was saying....the idea that porn itself is something you just gravitate towards and become 'addicted' to is absolutely ridiculous! Of course you can become addicted to ANYTHING...any human behaviour or desire can be fetishized and overindulged in...but sex isn't THAT insanely compelling...at least not to me.

I very rarely masturbate because I find it boring..and porn doesn't interest me much. I own almost none of it...I would watch a scene on a very rare occasion just to help "relieve the plumbing"..but as a rule, I would much rather be doing something with somebody one on one and when I was in love and in a relationship..that's precisely how my behaviour developed. I wanted it with that person, and all the time! When it was over...I slid right back to this rare masturbation pattern.

If only I was straight, I'd be right up the church's alley!

How exactly do you view addiction? If you pick up a beer you're alcoholic? You snort cocaine once and you're hooked? I suppose since visual hallucinations don't happen, at least not to you, that's all probably poppycock?

[PainRack]

It is unclear what these evangelicals mean by 'porn addiction' since. They also include 'and sex addiction' further down. While I would consider the preference of watching porn instead of having actual sex with people to constitute addictive behavior, frivolously throwing around with the term 'sex addiction' does not do well to your credibility.
One major symptom of addictive behavior is isolating yourself socially. Sex on the other hand is a form of social interaction, unless it's rape.
If you go by the definition of addiction simply as something that dominantly affects all of your life then marriage is rather likely the thing that qualifies for addiction.

To be fair, a porn addiction may also be part of sex addiction.

The differences isn't really that clear.

Sex addiction is usually diagnosed when you engage in risky behaviours to have sex, to the extent of damaging your relationships with others or other aspects of your life(work, play, family etc). Watching excessive porn may also qualify that if you combine this with visiting prostitutes regularly and etc.

Of course, I note that no one here actually asks the question of whether porn addiction is an actual addiction:D
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pornography_addiction

[Justforfun000]

How exactly do you view addiction? If you pick up a beer you're alcoholic? You snort cocaine once and you're hooked? I suppose since visual hallucinations don't happen, at least not to you, that's all probably poppycock?

I didn't say there wasn't such a thing as sex addiction! I simpy said that the churchlike assumption that everyone is prone to it is bullshit! I have zero religious influences on me whatsoever and I am of age to search out all the porn or action I wish. But I don't overdo it, in fact I if anything almost abstain for no other reason then I don't have an overwhelming desire for it. I relate better to feelings mixed with sensuality. Doesn't mean it's impossible for me to get turned on in purely carnal way occasionally...but it just isn't something I tend to seek out.

I wasn't speaking for everyone...calm down!