Everybody has their opinions about whether porn is okay, or bad, or really bad. These opinions seem to be changing. According to a recent report from the Barna Research Group, pornography use has become so widespread in our culture today that it is becoming normalized ... even among church members.

Instead of listening to opinions, let's look at what researchers are finding, as they study the results of ongoing use. Some of these studies below relate to the prevalence of pornography, but most of them talk about the EFFECTS of its use.

Granted, most of these are observational studies, rather than placebo-controlled, double blind studies (which are more reliable). But keep in mind that placebo controlled, double blind studies are really expensive and difficult to do. The only way they get done is if they're funded by companies who will be able to make money from products or therapies they're testing. 

The bottom line: There's no money to be made as a result of pornography research, so observational studies are about the only thing we're going to get. 

But make no mistake, the results are IN, and they are unequivocal: pornography is an extremely destructive force in peoples' lives.

The following article gives you 13 facts about pornography today that you might find interesting, along with citations for further study, in case you're interested. We'll start out with studies that focus on the prevalence of pornography, then work our way to studies that focus on consequences, or results, of pornography use:

1. According to the Huffington Post, 30 percent of the material streamed on the internet is pornography.
2. Among men between the ages of 18 and 24, 70 percent visit internet porn sites at least once per month as stated by United Families.
3. Studies have shown, according to Focus on the Family, that the average age at which a child is exposed to pornography is eight years old.
4. Men who view pornography are more likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction than men who do not use pornography, according to researchers from the Naval Medical Center of San Diego. 
5. A Study by the Max Planck Institute found that men who frequently view pornography have decreased brain cells, specifically in the right caudate of the brain, making their brains smaller on average than those of men who do not view pornography.
6. Pornography has been shown to increase marital infidelity by 300 percent, according to a study in Social Science Quarterly. 
7. Though many people use porn to “relax” or “relieve stress,” it can cause more mental health issues in both men and women, according to a study published by researchers in the University of New Orleans’ psychology department. These include anxiety, depression, insecurity, and body image issues, to name a few.
8. Porn users who are addicted to porn have damaged and shrunken frontal lobes, according to this study published on the National Institute of Health’s website. This can impede problem-solving abilities, researchers said.
9. Studies report that people who use porn feel less love for their spouse/partner and are more dissatisfied with their spouse/partner than people who do not use porn, according to the psychology department at the University of Arkansas.
10. It is estimated that between 66 percent and 99 percent of people in the porn industry have herpes, as stated by this former porn star. In addition, she says the industry is rife with physical abuse.
11. Though many porn users begin using porn which aligns with their morals and sexual tastes, porn, over time, has the ability to alter sexual tastes so that the users believe the acquired tastes are natural. Thus, porn essentially rewires the brain with frequent use, according to a study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health.
12. The more people use pornography, the more likely they are to believe that violence against women is acceptable, research suggests. The study which drew this conclusion also noted an increase in overall aggression that came with pornography use.
13. People who view porn regularly are less likely to get married than those who do not. This is because users see porn as a substitute for marital sexual gratification, according to a study published in the Eastern Economic Journal.

NEXT ACTION:

Today's recovery action is to remind yourself again why this journey -- growing in sexual self-control, and becoming a NUOP (non-user of pornography) -- is so vitally important for your spiritual, mental, and relational health. In the Renewed Man program, we invite people to establish this intention, and revisit it every day -- maybe even writing it down in a journal or on your computer or phone:

Today, with God's help, I intend to live IN CONTROL of my sex drive ... rather than allowing my sex drive to control me.