I heard on the radio a lady answering the question "What is the difference between the statue of David (A naked figure of a man) and pornography?" The lady's answer was that the author of the Statue of David is celebrating the beauty of the human body, whereas pornography only awakens the sexual impulses and treats the image as a sexual object.

     At first glance, this answer seems good. However, it also gives the impression of holding the author of a work of art solely responsible for the effects of his creation. There are three components to communication- the author, the "text", and the audience. The author is independent of his audience. Let me explain.  

     A photographer may take pictures of a naked woman only for the purpose of people admiring her beauty. However, another person may see this picture and look at the woman as a sexual object. Even if the photographer explains the picture, the one who looks at the picture can still choose to look at the picture however he wants. Without knowing the photographer, we can't know his intention for his picture.

     This short explanation shows us that pornography is not a black and white issue. The battle against pornography cannot stop at preventing x-rated websites and media to invade homes. That doesn't deal with the "softer" versions of porn in our billboards, grocery checkout lines, and malls. Many of these "softer" porn were probably not intended to awaken sexual desire. On the other hand, advertisers know that sex sells. We could not just address the "authors" but also the "audiences".

     There was a show on Dateline a while ago that exposes men who try to have sexual relations with underage girls or boys. I believed it was a shortsighted project and somehow hypocritical. Is is shortsighted in that it does not recognize the deeper issue that sexuality has lost its sacredness, thereby loosening the boundaries between legitimate and illegitimate sexual desires. It is hypocritical because many of the same people who condemn those men also has problems with their view of sexuality. 

     Sex has become an activity engaged in to release desire or tension. It has ceased to serve God's intention for the oneness of the man and woman in the bonds of marriage. In some minds, the human body is ripped apart from the human soul and all that is left is an object to be possessed. Without God's help, minds that started on this road will continue on the path of devaluing humans and human relationship. This leads to the path of isolation and disconnectedness. A people that cheapens relational bonds, sexual bond being the strongest, will disintegrate, losing its ability to form faithful bonds.  

     I speak as a man who is affected by the sexualization of our society. I understand the power of sexual desire. To heal the disentegration of our society, we need to hold relationships, including the sexual relationship, as sacred again. Instead of looking at God's creation, including human bodies, as objects to be used and then discarded after fulfilling its purpose, let us treat all creation with honor. Let us fill our mind with respectful thoughts of ourselves and others. If we don't, we will become slaves to our bodily desires, unable to apprehend the value of God and his creation.