I am not sure whether you have heard of Ted Bundy, a serial killer. In several interviews, most notably with a Christian psychologist Dr James Dobson from ‘Focus on the Family’ just hours before he was put to death in 1989, Bundy spoke at length about his exposure to pornography and how he believed it played a significant role in the development of his violent urges. Bundy stated that his exposure to pornography began around the age of 12 or 13. He described finding “soft-core” pornography in grocery stores and later discovering “harder,” more explicit material in garbage cans around his neighbourhood.
He claimed that, like an addiction, his consumption of pornography progressed over time. He continuously sought out more potent and graphic material to achieve the same level of arousal and excitement.
Bundy described reaching a point where simply reading or looking at pornography was no longer sufficient. He began to wonder if “actually doing it” – acting out the violent and sexual acts he saw – would provide a greater sense of excitement and fulfilment.
He explicitly stated that violent pornography, in particular, fuelled his fantasies and desires, eventually eroding his inhibitions against criminal and violent behaviour. He saw it as an “indispensable link in the chain of behaviour” that led to his assaults and murders. Bundy also claimed that during his time in prison, he encountered many other men who had committed violent crimes and that, without exception, they all had a deep involvement with pornography. He believed this was a significant and often overlooked factor in violent offenders.
This chilling first-hand account of how Bundy perceived his addiction to pornography as a crucial element in his descent into extreme violence confirmed what the researchers have found.
According to many research, frequent pornography consumption can alter an individual’s “sexual template” or what they find arousing. The brain may become conditioned to the specific and often unrealistic scenarios depicted in pornography, potentially leading to a decreased interest in real-life sexual interactions. This poses serious problems among married couples.
Relationship problems can arise due to decreased interest in partnered sex, infidelity (in some cases), and the emotional distance created by secretive pornography use can often break up the marital bond. Individuals may find themselves spending increasing amounts of time viewing porn, neglecting other responsibilities, and experiencing distress when unable to access it. Some married individuals may develop a preference for the artificial and hyper-stimulating content of porn over the nuances of intimate relationships.
Some may develop feelings of guilt, shame, anxiety, and depression. It comes from having poor body image issues and dissatisfaction, as individuals compare themselves or their partners to the often-unrealistic portrayal of how perfect bodies should look like. Some may even act them out as described by Ted Bundy.
St Paul instructs believers to “flee from sexual immorality (1 Cor 6 :18) because it is self-harm, unlike other sins that are committed outside the body. Paul emphasises the importance of fleeing, run away, not just turn away. We are not fighting against flesh and blood but against the principalities, against the rulers of the darkness of this world and against spiritual forces of evil. (Eph 6:12). Our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, made in the image and likeness of God.
In summary, based on observations coming from the fields of psychology, neurology, and the social sciences, there’s much that can be said today about the evils of pornography. Pornography is addictive. It presents men and women as sexual commodities. The women in porn are often coerced, sexually abused, and encouraged to use drugs. Porn use is contributing to divorce rates. All of these are true; however, it is important for Christians, and for human beings in general, to understand the cardinal problem with pornography and flee -ee… from it.
