By: Shane O’Neill
ProvenMen likes to keep you up to date on the cultural conversations about porn, sexuality, gender and how these topics are being addressed.
Below is a list and description of recent resources from various social outlets.
Podcast
Premier Christian Radio: UNBELIEVABLE
For this podcast, Unbelievable brings in Matt Fradd. Matt Fradd has recently released a book titled The Porn Myth. In this book Matt wrestles with the data about the impact of porn: He looks into all of the research done by neuroscientists on pornographic affects. While Matt is a Christian, and often speaks at religious events, in this book he does not make a religious case against porn. Matt uses research studies (often secular) to inform us about the destructive nature of porn. His material is easy to read and his conversational voice comes though well in his writing, so you don’t have to be a neuroscientist to interact with the startling research.
Unbelievable is a podcast that I, personally, have been listening to for years. Justin Brierley is the show host. Justin develops conversations around current topics and brings in people from that topics field for dialogue (and often, debate). In this podcast episode, Is Porn Harmful to Society, Justin facilitates a conversation between Matt Fradd, Adam Scarborough and Charlotte Rose. Both Adam and Charlotte are arguing for the value of porn, while Matt speaks to its harm.
This conversation is valuable for several reasons. Talking about this subject often comes with a certain level of aggression and tension. Should Christians engage this kind of conversation? With what kind of attitude should a Christian have during these conversations? How does a Christian talk with people who dislike Christian ethics? Matt’s example speaks into all of these questions: Seeing how a Christian maintains a spirit of peace in the midst of difficult dialogue makes this podcast worth listening to. Secondly, it was fascinating to hear the advocates for porn unwilling to acknowledge the research. Sure, religion isn’t an authority a non-religious person would submit to, I can get that, but science? The porn advocates used their own experience as ultimate authority (even as they denied Matt’s religious experience). And by the end Matt does a great job of pointing that out.
As always, Justin does a great job of moderating the scene.
You can listen to the episode here, or find the episode on its podcast channel via your smartphone.
Nation Center on Sexual Exploitation: SEXPLOITATION
The Nation Center on Sexual Exploitation is an amazing organization. It is a non-religious center that, as you might have guessed, seeks to combat sexual exploitation. The stats they provide, the conversations they engage in, and the initiatives that they have set forward, are paving the way for sexual awareness and action.
Recently this podcast had Josh McDowell (check out his site, here) onto their show to dialogue about how churches can play a part in the fight against pornography. You can listen to that episode online, here. Or, again, you can find the Sexploitation podcast via your smartphone podcast app.
The Sexploitation podcasts are short (typically only 10 minutes) and while we’re highlighting the ‘religious’ episode, every podcast they put out is worth listening to. I always profit from their episodes.
articles
New York Times: Wanting monogamy as 1,946 men await my swipe
What a title! This article came out just the other day, and it powerfully illustrates how deeply consumerism has infiltrated how we do relationships. It is well written so you naturally follow along with the story, even as you inhabit the emotional realities presented. This particular story beat me up pretty good. You feel with the author her longing for love and her journey of falling in love through the intimacy of quirks, familiarity, and laughter. And by the end, you’re able to sit with her in feeling the emptiness of our culture’s intimacy. When sex outside of marriage is a cultural virtue, what happens to our deep longings for commitment and intimacy? This story plays out our culture’s relational failings with exceptional depth.
The article begs the question: Is [sexual] intimacy actually intimate when there isn’t a sacred and committed sharing taking place?
Gospel Coalition: Men and Women Are Not the Same
There’s a book recently out, Sex Scandal: The Drive to Abolish Male and Female, and Alastair Roberts reviews it over at the Gospel Coalition. The review is nuanced and dense, so even if you don’t have any intention of reading the book (though I highly recommend reading the book!), checking out Alastair’s review is still a good idea. Read the article, here.
Alastair Roberts has probably taught me more than anyone else about how to wrestle through sexual ethics. You can check out his writings at his site, here.
Check out these conversations and write us below with your thoughts! And subscribe to continue getting articles.
Shane James O’Neill is the Editorial Director for ProvenMen Ministries. He is currently working on a graduate degree in apologetics at Liberty University’s Rawling School of Divinity.