Blog

Porn Myth #1—Porn Is Morally Neutral

Wed, 05 Aug 2020 15:16:57 GMT

To read Matt Fradd's interview with former Playboy producer Donny Pauling, go to https://www.covenanteyes.com/hardcore-truth/

Porn Myth #2—Porn Is Glamorous

Wed, 05 Aug 2020 15:13:24 GMT

To read Matt Fradd's interview with former Playboy producer Donny Pauling, go to https://www.covenanteyes.com/hardcore-truth/

50 Things to Know About "Fifty Shades of Grey"

Tue, 04 Aug 2020 15:07:41 GMT

Matt Fradd from Covenant Eyes talks about the Fifty Shades phenomenon that is now a trilogy, a musical, and a major motion picture.

Learn more about Covenant Eyes: http://cvnteyes.co/2pddRqt
Learn more about Fifty Shades of Grey: http://youtu.be/dD0SS3_HLSI

4 Lies About Sexuality in Fifty Shades of Grey

Tue, 04 Aug 2020 15:02:44 GMT

Matt Fradd from Covenant Eyes talks about why the book Fifty Shades of Grey is not just a love story, but violent, misogynistic pornography filled with subtle (and not so subtle) lies about sexuality.

Get the book, Your Brain on Porn: http://cvnteyes.co/2qf7DaQ
Learn more about Fifty Shades of Grey: http://youtu.be/okcS6IW9VF0

Do Women Look at Porn?

Tue, 04 Aug 2020 14:58:44 GMT

Surveys show that porn use among women is on the rise, especially among younger generations of women.

Get the complete report on porn statistics from Covenant Eyes: http://cvnteyes.co/2qfOS4w

Want resources especially for women who are struggling? Go here: http://www.covenanteyes.com/2014/06/30/resources-women-struggle-porn/

Does Porn Prevent Rape?

Tue, 04 Aug 2020 14:47:47 GMT

In recent years, some have made the argument that potential rapists perceive pornography as a substitute for rape. They believe the rise in access to Internet porn accounts for the decline in rape.

In this video Matt Fradd explains why he is skeptical of these conclusions.

Is Pornography the Same Thing as Prostitution?

Tue, 04 Aug 2020 14:45:16 GMT

Many people would argue porn and prostitution are completely different occupations. Matt Fradd disagrees.

Read more in the book, Stop the Demand: https://www.covenanteyes.com/stop-demand/

How Do You Warn Kids About Porn?

Tue, 04 Aug 2020 14:40:05 GMT

It's not a question of IF your children will see porn, but WHEN. As parents, we need to prepare them.

Get the book, Good Pictures, Bad Pictures - http://www.amazon.com/Good-Pictures-Bad-Porn-Proofing-Todays/dp/0615927335/

Also download the free book, Confident: Helping Parents Navigate Online Exposure - https://www.covenanteyes.com/when-your-child-is-looking-at-porn/

10 Shocking Stats About Teens and Pornography

Tue, 04 Aug 2020 14:32:07 GMT

Many psychologists, even those who don't have moral axe to grind with porn, are concerned about the kind of sexual education porn is giving kids.

Get more porn stats: https://www.covenanteyes.com/pornstats/

Why Does My Husband Prefer Porn to Sex With Me?

Tue, 04 Aug 2020 14:21:46 GMT

It’s important to remember: you aren’t the source of the problem. More that likely, your husband has been into porn long before you came into his life. This habit that has built up over the years has been your husband’s choice, and now he needs to make new choices to move away from his old habit and towards intimacy with you.

Download the book, Porn and Your Husband, for free – http://cvnteyes.co/2pcYz58

4 Ways Porn Warps the Male Brain

Mon, 03 Aug 2020 15:15:12 GMT

We’ve often heard men say, “I love looking at porn. Besides it doesn’t hurt anything. It’s only fantasy. What’s the problem?” Now, you may not have a moral problem with porn, but many are starting to have a medical problem with it. The more we study the impact of porn on the male brain, the more men are starting to think twice about porn being a harmless pastime.

Learn more in The Porn Circuit: Free E-book on the Science of Porn Use http://cvnteyes.co/2qf2C2l.

8 Ways to Rebuild Trust With Your Wife

Mon, 03 Aug 2020 15:11:51 GMT

I talk to men all the time who feel like they are hopelessly hooked on porn, and they really want to break free from it. For married men, they also have the added stress of: “How do I help my wife trust me again?” They know their secrecy and porn use has caused a real rift in their marriage, and they just don’t know what to do to rebuild trust.

I want to give you 8 real concrete ideas about what to do and what not to do. Keep in mind: building trust takes time. These aren’t quick fixes, but they are steps in the right direction.

10 Signs Your Husband Is Looking at Porn

Mon, 03 Aug 2020 15:08:10 GMT

Learn more at: http://cvnteyes.co/2pcYz58

Porn addiction is a real phenomenon today, and many wives are concerned about it. In 2012 there are an analysis done of five different studies about porn consumption. The researchers concluded there is a consistent pattern: the more porn one consumes, the weaker your commitment is to your spouse.

Perhaps you suspect your husband is watching porn, but you just aren’t sure. You’ve never caught him looking at it, or maybe you have but you aren’t sure what the extent of it is. Here are 10 warning signs your husband is being impacted by porn. Keep in mind, none of these things alone are a litmus test, but they are signs to look for.

For more information about the meta-analysis of five different studies on this subject, see “A Love That Doesn’t Last: Pornography Consumption and Weakened Commitment to One’s Romantic Partner,” in the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology.

Myth: Porn Is Just "Adult" Entertainment

Mon, 03 Aug 2020 15:05:06 GMT

So, what does this mean? This mean porn actually impacts us medically. We begin to lose impulse control. Cravings for porn start to grow and there are no neurological breaks to put a stop to them. Porn is, in a sense, making the brain not more mature, but more childlike.

Indulging in porn and other forms of commercial sex are hardly befitting of the adjective “adult.” Don’t be fooled. Actions speak louder than words—even when those words are five feet high, written neon, and contain the phrase “gentlemen's club.”

Fighting Porn Isn't Just a Religious Issue

Mon, 03 Aug 2020 14:57:33 GMT

Christians and other religious individuals are widely known for opposing pornography for all kinds of moral reasons. I happen to be one of them, so when I tell people I’m getting ready to publish a whole book about the ills of pornography, many people assume I’m primarily speaking to fellow Christians. Now, of course, I hope my book is read by all kinds of people, but my aim in writing this is not to talk to religious people who already detest pornography, but to the culture at large that has no problem with it.

This is because pornography use is not just a religiously motivated moral issue.

Myth: Lads' Mags Don't Count as Porn

Mon, 03 Aug 2020 14:54:06 GMT

In the UK they are called “lads mags.” In the U.S. they are called men’s “lifestyle magazines.” I’m not talking about your typical fitness magazine, but the one’s that routinely showcase women in erotic poses on the front. Many people argue magazines like this aren’t really “porn.”

Myth: To Be Anti-Porn Is to Be Anti-Sex

Mon, 03 Aug 2020 14:47:38 GMT

It is not uncommon today to hear people say they are for pornography, not necessarily because they consume it or like it themselves, but because it is a free expression of sexuality, and this should be encouraged. To discourage it or speak against it is to be, in some way, anti-sex.

Several decades ago the term “sex-positive feminism” was coined. Many feminists at the time were saying pornography was an example of violence against women, but the so-called sex-positive feminists replied saying, “When porn portrays a woman who enjoys sex, why is this a bad thing? Don’t get trapped in this Victorian idea that sex is just a man’s thing. Women enjoy sex too, and pornography a positive expression of this reality.”

3 Ugly Facts About the Porn Industry

Mon, 03 Aug 2020 14:31:06 GMT

Learn more at our website: http://cvnteyes.co/2pddRqt

Dr. Sharon Mitchell co-founded the Adult Industry Medical Healthcare Foundation, also called AIM. For about 20 years she was a porn actress and director herself, and after opening her clinic, saw well over 1000 porn stars every month for STD testing, so it’s probably safe to say she knows a thing or two about porn stars. Dr. Mitchell says there are three types of women drawn to pornography: those who are desperate for money, those who are desperate for fame, and those who are addicted to sex.

Does Porn Empower Women?

Mon, 03 Aug 2020 14:28:18 GMT

Some believe pornography can actually empowering for women. For instance, Betty Dodson has been an outspoken feminist leader since the 1970s. While she doesn’t think porn offers the best in sexual education and she would prefer men generate their own mental fantasies, she sees nothing is wrong with masturbating to porn on occasion. Moreover, porn is not just nice entertainment for men, it can also be empowering for women because of its ability to challenge the norms of our society that would control a woman’s sexual freedoms. Ms. Dodson likens modern porn star to the royal courtesans in Sumeria or the temple priestesses in ancient Egypt or the Amazon women of Lesbos—ancient women who had real social power. Dodson writes, “In order for women to progress, we must question all authority, be willing to challenge any rule aimed at controlling our sexual behavior, and avoid doing business as usual, thereby maintaining the status quo.”

Should We Call It Porn "Addiction"?

Mon, 03 Aug 2020 14:25:16 GMT

There’s a big debate among medical professional when it comes to the terms we use to describe problematic use of pornography. Should we call it porn addiction, should we call it compulsive pornography use, or should we call it pornography dependence?

The debate is actually a fairly old one, and it is bigger than just pornography, but all kinds of addiction and compulsions. In medicine, there has been a long-standing debate about these terms. Some times the definitions have considerable overlap.

The Essential Reason Porn Is Wrong

Mon, 03 Aug 2020 14:21:56 GMT

There are many reasons why people say we should avoid pornography. Some, for instance, will point out that pornography is very addictive, that it warps our brains. And this is true. In fact I talk more about that in this video here, if you want to know more about that.

Other people might point out that the porn industry is itself a kind of sex slavery—a business dominated by misogynist men who prey on women who have forgotten their own dignity or women who come from sexually and relationally broken pasts. For many people in the industry, this is true. In fact, I talk about that in this video, if you’re interested.

We could probably come up with a list a mile long about why porn is a problem, but neither of these are the essential reason why porn is wrong. These are just the accidental reasons, the consequential reasons.

8 Reasons Cosmo Is Dead Wrong About Porn

Mon, 03 Aug 2020 14:18:30 GMT

Learn more at our website: http://cvnteyes.co/2pddRqt

Cosmopolitan Magazine recently put out an article called “8 Reasons Watching Porn Doesn’t Make Him a Cheater.” Let’s look at those so-called reasons.

Does Porn Cause Erectile Dysfunction?

Tue, 28 Jul 2020 19:08:21 GMT

Porn-induced ED is a growing problem among young, healthy men today, but recovery is possible.

Get the book, The Porn Circuit: http://cvnteyes.co/2qf2C2l

Porn and Mental Health—10 Facts from the Experts

Tue, 28 Jul 2020 19:06:33 GMT

To learn more about how porn effects your mental health download the free e-book Your Brain on Porn: http://cvnteyes.co/2qf7DaQ

The evidence is clear. Consuming porn is associated with all kind of mental health concerns. We deserve better as a society. Our kids deserve better. The women in our lives deserve better. With as commonplace as porn use is today, if porn made us healthier, we would be healthy by now.

Jill Manning, “Hearing on pornography’s impact on marriage & the family,” U.S. Senate Hearing: Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Property Rights, Committee on Judiciary, Nov. 10, 2005; E. Haggstrom-Nordin, U. Hanson, and T Tydén, “Associations between pornography consumption and sexual practices among adolescents in Sweden,” International Journal of STDs & AIDS 16 (2005): 102-107; Ven-hwei Lo and Ran Wei, “Exposure to Internet Pornography and Taiwanese Adolescents’ Sexual Attitudes and Behavior,” Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media 49 (2005): 221-237; Jochen Peter and Patti M. Valkenburg, “Adolescents’ exposure to online sexually explicit material, sexual uncertainty, and attitudes toward uncommitted sexual exploration: Is there a link?” Communication Research 35 (2008): 579-601

Todd G. Morrison, Shannon R. Ellis, Melanie A. Morrison, Anomi Bearden, and Rbecca L. Harriman. “Exposure to sexually explicit material and variations in body esteem, genital attitudes, and sexual esteem among a sample of Canadian men,” The Journal of Men’s Studies 14 (2006): 209-223

Dolf Zillmann, “Influence of unrestrained access to erotica on adolescents’ and young adults’ dispositions toward sexuality," Journal of Adolescent Health 27 (Aug. 2000): 41-44

Jochen Peter and Patti M. Valkenburg, “Adolescents’ exposure to a sexualized media environment and their notions of women as sex objects,” Sex Roles 56 (2007): 381-395

Elizabeth M. Morgan, “Association between young adults’ use of sexually explicit materials and their sexual preferences, behaviors, and satisfaction,” Journal of Sex Research 48 (2011): 520–530

Katie Szittner, “Study exposes secret world of porn addiction,” Sydney.edu. May 10, 2012

Christian Laier, “Pornographic Picture Processing Interferes with Working Memory Performance,” Journal of Sex Research 0 (2012): 1-11

Sherif Karama, André Roch Lecours, Jean-Maxime Leroux, Pierre Bourgouin, Gilles Beaudoin, Sven Joubert, Mario Beauregard, “Areas of brain activation in males and females during viewing of erotic film excerpts,” Human Brain Mapping 16 (May 2002): 1–13

Michele L. Ybarra and Kimberly J. Mitchell, “Exposure to Internet Pornography among Children and Adolescents: A National Survey,” CyberPsychology & Behavior 8 (2005): 473-486

Gustavo Mesch, “Social bonds and Internet pornographic exposure among adolescents,” Journal of Adolescence 32 (2009): 601–618
For 250+ Facts and Stats About Pornography visit http://cvnteyes.co/2qfOS4w.

Porn and Sexual Violence—10 Facts from the Experts

Tue, 28 Jul 2020 19:04:09 GMT

Is there a correlation between porn and sexual violence?

The evidence is clear. Consuming porn is associated with all kinds of attitudes and, in some, even behaviors, that do not make this world a better place.

Elizabeth Oddone Paolucci, Mark Genuis, Claudio Violato, "A meta-analysis of the published research on the effects of pornography," The Changing Family and Child Development (January 2000): 48–59.

E. Timothy Bleecker and Sarah K. Murnen, “Fraternity membership, the display of degrading sexual images of women, and rape myth acceptance,” Sex Roles 53 (2005): 487-493.

Shawn Corne, John Briere, and Lillian Esses, “Women’s attitudes and fantasies about rape as a function of early exposure to pornography,” Journal of Interpersonal Violence 7 (1992): 454-461.

Janet Hinson Shoppe, “When words are not enough: The search for the effect of pornography on abused women,” Violence Against Women 10 (2004): 56-72.

Martin Monto, Focusing on the Clients of Street Prostitutes: A Creative Approach to Reducing Violence Against Women, Report submitted to the U.S. Department of Justice, Oct. 30, 1999.

Silvia Bonino, Silvia Ciarirano, Emanuela Rabaglietti, and Elna Cattelino, “Use of pornography and self-reported engagement in sexual violence among adolescents,” European Journal of Developmental Psychology 3 (2006): 265-288.

Ken-Ichi Ohbuchi, Tatsuhiko Ikeda, and Goya Takeuchi, “Effects of violent pornography upon viewer’s rape myth beliefs: A study of Japanese males,” Psychology, Crime & Law 1 (1994): 71-81.

The Great Porn Experiment

Tue, 28 Jul 2020 18:59:27 GMT

Learn more or download our e-book at :http://cvnteyes.co/2qf7DaQ

One of the big problems with doing research about the effect of video pornography on people is its hard to find a control group. Not too long ago a researcher from the University of Montreal wanted to study the effect of pornography on men, but he said when he was looking for a control group of men in their 20s who had never consumed porn, he actually couldn’t find anyone.

But there was a study that was done in the mid-80s, before the dawn of the World Wide Web, and the results are fascinating.

Sexting—7 Facts Parents Need to Know

Tue, 28 Jul 2020 18:57:04 GMT

When you combine a pornified culture with a texting generation, is it really any surprise that it results in sexting?

For more information on how to navigate this phenomenon with your kids, download our free e-book “Parenting the Internet Generation,” available at CovenantEyes.com.

Porn and Sex Trafficking—10 Facts from the Experts

Tue, 28 Jul 2020 18:55:27 GMT

Sex trafficking: it’s a well-known injustice which affects millions of women and children around the world; whereas porn: a well-known and widely accepted form of “entertainment.

What’s their connection? Well, let’s take a look at some facts from the experts.

http://www.state.gov/j/tip/rls/tiprpt/2013/210543.htm

Is Naked Art a Form of Pornography?

Tue, 28 Jul 2020 18:52:48 GMT

I'm often asked, "What's the difference between pornography and naked art?" Usually the person who asks this assumes there is no difference, and his question is intended to help me see that. This video offers the beginning of an answer to why there is a difference.

Defining our terms is a good place to start. One of the best definitions of porn is "sexually explicit content intended to sexually arouse." If you agree with this, I think you'll see why the nudes depicted in the Sistine Chapel are not pornographic. They aren't sexually explicit, or even if you thought they were, they were not intended to sexually arouse and don't have that effect.

Next, we should take a look at the intention of the pornographer and the artist, and the intention of the viewer. The intention of the pornographer and the intention of the artist are very different.

Internet Predators—5 Facts Parents Must Know

Tue, 28 Jul 2020 18:50:29 GMT

Since the dawn of the World Wide Web, the Internet has been used for all kinds of purposes, some for good and some for evil. Among the most heinous of Internet crimes is that of predation, which is using the medium of the Internet to communicate with those you intend to physically or sexual abuse.

Now, the good news is that while Internet predators are real and numerous, parents don’t need to react in fear. The Crimes Against Children Research Center has done a couple waves of research about sexual offenses against minors that stared as online encounters, and here 5 key stats they have found.

The Catholic Church and Pornography—4 Quick Insights from the U.S. Bishops

Tue, 28 Jul 2020 18:48:31 GMT

In November 2015 the US Conference of Catholic Bishops approved a formal statement entitled, “Create in Me a Clean Heart: A Pastoral Response to Pornography.” This is a major statement on behalf of Catholic leaders in the United States about how widespread the problem of pornography has spread and what the church’s response should be to that problem.
I want to offer just 4 quick comments about the wisdom contained in this rich document.

Sex Week—7 Weird Facts About an Odd College Trend

Tue, 28 Jul 2020 18:46:31 GMT

A strange trend is hitting college campuses called Sex Week. On one occasion I was invited to speak at the University of Maryland for their annual “Sex Week” and it was an event I’m not likely to forget.

Here are 7 facts you should need to know about this college craze.

How to Confess Your Porn Addiction to Your Spouse

Tue, 28 Jul 2020 18:09:47 GMT

Don’t forget to pray. Ask God to prepare your spouse’s heart for your confession. Ask the Holy Spirit to be present with both of you during this and subsequent conversations. Pray for protection against the enemy coming in to do more damage to your relationship.

Don’t choose your timing poorly. Sometimes when we need to confess something to someone, we want to sneak it in when there’s not much time so the conversation will be over as fast as possible. Don’t drop a bomb and then expect to move on to your next activity. When you confess, make sure you have the time to allow both of you to talk and process as you need in a safe place.

Don’t expect forgiveness right away. Yes, we are supposed to forgive one another because we are all sinners and God always forgives us when we ask. Allow for your spouse to be human and know it might take some time for her to come to a place where she forgives you. Also be aware she might verbally say, “I forgive you” but her actions and emotions might not match up with that right away.

Don’t go in without a plan for recovery. If you know what you need in order to find freedom from your addiction, let your spouse know how you are actively breaking your addiction. If you are at a total loss for what your next steps should be, enlist the help of a trusted friend, pastor, or counselor.

Don’t stop praying. Keep praying individually and together. Pray for yourself and for your spouse. The enemy has many entrances to both the addicted and the spouse, but the power of prayer and the Word of God are strong weapons to keep Satan out and love in.

After you confess, you might doubt you did the right thing. But truth is always better than a lie. In order for your marriage to be whole, you and your spouse need to be real with each other. Learn how to best support each other and be mutually invested in each other’s healing and recovery, whether it’s porn or any other thing in the way of a loving, strong, healthy marriage.

The Health Benefits of Masturbation

Tue, 28 Jul 2020 16:01:32 GMT

Learn more at: http://cvnteyes.co/2qf2C2l

I speak at a lot of conferences, and when I do, many in my audiences are young men—some in high school or college—and when I talk about the negative impact of pornography and masturbation, it’s not uncommon for me to get a lot of questions afterwards from these guys. You see, a lot of these guys have been told that not masturbating is actually unhealthy.

Since the days of psychologists like Sigmund Freud and Alfred Kinsey, there’s a picture people have of the sexual impulse that it is this boiling, tumultuous force that needs an outlet or it will explode in harmful ways.

Sigmund Freud, The Origins of Psychoanalysis. Letters to Wilhelm Fliess: Drafts and Notes 1887-1902, ed. Marie Bonaparte (Whitefish, MT: Kessinger Publishing, 2009), 238-239.

Immanuel Kant, The Metaphysics of Morals (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996).

Jean Stengers and Anne Van Neck, Masturbation: The History of a Great Terror, trans. Kathryn Hoffmann (New York: PALGRAVE, 2001), 58.

“Happy news! Masturbation actually has health benefits,” The Conversation, last modified December 4, 2013, http://theconversation.com/happy-news-masturbation-actually-has-health-benefits-16539.

Michael F. Leitzmann, Elizabeth A. Platz, Meir J. Stampfer, Walter C. Willett, and Edward Giovannucci, “Ejaculation Frequency and Subsequent Risk of Prostate Cancer,” JAMA 291, no. 13 (April 7, 2004): 1578-1586, doi: 10.1001/jama.291.13.1578.

Stuart Brody, “The Relative Health Benefits of Different Sexual Activities,” The Journal of Sexual Medicine 7, no. 4:1 (April 2010).

R. Morgan Griffin, “Male Masturbation: 5 Things You Didn’t Know,” WebMD, last modified August 30, 2013, http://www.webmd.com/men/guide/male-masturbation-5-things-you-didnt-know.

Stuart Brody, “The Relative Health Benefits of Different Sexual Activities,” The Journal of Sexual Medicine 7, no. 4:1 (April 2010):1336-1361, doi: 10.1111/j.1743-6109.2009.01677.

Barry S. Hewlett, Intimate Fathers (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1991), 11-46.

Barry S. Hewlett and Bonnie L. Hewlett, “Sex and Searching for Children among Aka Foragers and Ngandu Farmers of Central Africa,” African Study Monographs 31, no. 3 (October 2010): 107-125, http://anthro.vancouver.wsu.edu/media/PDF/sex_paper_final_10-2010.pdf.

Samuel S. Janus and Cynthia L. Janus, The Janus Report on Sexual Behavior (New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1993).

Alan Mozes, “Study Tracks Masturbation Trends Among U.S. Teens,” U.S. News, last modified August 1, 2011, http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/womens-health/articles/ 2011/08/01/study-tracks-masturbation-trends-among-us-teens.

C. S. Lewis, The Collected Letters of C.S. Lewis, Volume 3, ed. Walter Hooper (New York: HarperCollins, 2007).

Does Porn Impact the Brain

Wed, 06 May 2020 18:07:44 GMT

Neuroscience is telling us more and more about how pornography interacts with the brain. More recent studies show us that pornography addiction is like other process addictions, leaving to compulsive cravings.

3 Reasons Anime Porn is Really Bad for You

Wed, 06 May 2020 17:55:40 GMT

Today, there are a lot more people out there speaking out against pornography on the grounds that it really isn’t a very healthy industry. The more they read the stories of the women and men in pornography, the conditions of their work, the use of drugs, the physical pain, the instances of shady behavior among porn producers, the manipulation, the sexual abuse, both on and off camera, and the spread of STDs, the more people are saying, if porn is this abusive, I don’t want to endorse it.