Handling Pornography from the Internet

I will walk in my house with blameless heart. I will set before my eyes no vile thing. Psalm 101:2-3 A wide range of pornography is readily available for anyone with access to the Internet. There are hundreds of thousands of obscene sites on the Internet, many of them illegally depicting incest, bestiality, and mutilation. This is a fraction of the total number of Internet sites, and one informal study showed there are more religious sites than porn sites.

Nevertheless, an average of 1000 new pornographic sites accepting credit card purchases are added each week, according to Michael Bradshaw, president of X-Stop, an access blocking service in Anaheim, California. But if you are really serious about overcoming pornography, then you have several options to filter out immoral material. Have Someone Sit with You The foolproof way to filter out pornography is to only get on the computer when someone (like your spouse or a parent) is available to hold you accountable. This may involve installing passwords that you are unable to know (or crack). One man had his computer dealer install a key on his tower unit making it impossible to turn on the computer without his wife using the key.

At the very least, place the computer in a public place. Install blocking or tracking software Software has been written to filter the Web by blocking sites known to harbor explicit material. There is also software available that will track every key stroke that is made and every site that is visited. Another member of your household or a trusted friend could then check up on your use of the Internet. This provides accountability.

See the Christian Computing Magazine web site for up-to-date information. On their web site look for their "Safe Site" section. Use a Christian ISP Another solution that really can't be defeated is using a Christian Internet Service Provider. These companies BLOCK porn sites at an ISP level, so you simply cannot go to inappropriate sites. It is like accessing an Internet that does NOT contain porn.

The cost of these Internet Service Providers is comparable to other secular services. For some suggested Christian Internet Service Providers see the Christian Computing Magazine web site. Look for their "Safe Site" section. We suggest that you use one of these first, and then add some filtering software to help protect in the areas of email and chat. Use one that has the ability to check in and out going text for inappropriate words.

Gain freedom over temptation God not only heals physical infirmities, but He also heals the minds and hearts of addicted and hurting people. Through understanding your Father, understanding your addiction, and understanding yourself, God makes it possible for us to live life totally free from the control of pornography, even for a lifetime. For a start on this process see some of our resources and links on our Guy Stuff Page. Seek counsel Focus on the Family has created a web site as a practical resource for individuals who want to overcome the grip of online pornography and affairs. There are also resources for people who love someone who is struggling with online sexual temptation.

Go to Pure Intimacy or Man on the Road. Counsel is also available from pastors and Christian counselors. For the name of a Christian counselor in your area, call Focus on the Family at 800-232-6459. Other articles on our Web Site related to this topic: Chatting With Strangers Protecting Kids from Online Pornography and Other Dangers   Follow this graphic link to a place where you can take your stand against internet pornography.   Guy Stuff Page Your Guyness Quotient Internet Pornography Letter to the Editor Freeing the Sex Addict Weapons for the War Overcoming Masturbation An Impossible Boss Work -- A Holy Calling If We Worked for Jesus Modern Day Business Command & Family