Fr. Richard OMOLADE

Social media has come with incredible opportunities of communication and human interaction, at the same time there is no doubt that it has also brought about limited human interaction. There is a void that is created, and this void begs to be filled.

Welcome to the world of pornography and self-stimulation. Catholic theology has always maintained that as sexual being we are meant to be in communion and sexual activities of partners are meant to deepen their love for each other. The sharing of life is considered the primary aim of marriage, such that procreation of offspring is the fruit of this sharing of life. Hence the proper place for spousal sex or genital sex is within the embrace of one’s partner in a lawfully contracted and solemnized marriage.

Today, sex has been taken out of marriage and place on the highway of pleasure. It has been forced out of the embrace of partners and turned into instrument of pleasure for any would be seeker of erotic orgasmic satisfaction. Sex has become a commodity, readily available and often without any reservation. Sex has left the comfort of the home the glitz of clubs and massage parlors and every available space. Sex has become another object of trade by barter, and the crafty gets the better deal. No wonder many glory in their multiple partners and their dexterity in different styles.

Hitherto, sex was the preserve of married couples, now that it has become mainstream, those without spouses have to devise new ways to tap into the pleasure offers by sex.

Welcome to the world of pornography. Dictionaries often defines Pornography as any work of art or literature depicting the life of prostitutes. This is in tandem with the perceived etymology of the word as the word pornography is derived from two Greek words porni (“prostitute”) and graphein (“to write”) Today, the word is generally used to describe printed or visual material containing the explicit description or display of sexual organs or activity, intended to stimulate erotic rather than aesthetic or emotional feelings. Take note of its intent, it is means to cause sexual excitement. And many are craving this excitement today.

Pornography exposes people to the subtle lure of sex, pulling one in with the false promise of free, and exhilarating sex. But it is a fleeting promise because no sooner had the pleasure arrived than it is quickly dissipated, and the urge must be satisfied once more and again after that. In the past, it was available only through special magazine and videos, but the advent of fast internet, pornographic materials are readily available online and could now be accessed in the comfort of one’s home at any time and by anyone. This is what makes it dangerous because children are also exposed to it and having not matured enough, they are unable to navigate the desirability of it and are sucked in with no emotional foundation or rational skills to think through its false promise. The consequence is that many are caught in the web of pornography and are unable to get free. Today we are faced with the problem of children and adult with their emotions destroyed and their sexual orientation completely confused.

In the beginning we had love, now, all we have is sex, sex without responsibility and meaningful purpose. This form of sex aims only at self-satisfaction even if ever so briefly. The other person, be it in picture or videos is not the one  that is loved, but the instrument to be used to extract maximum pleasure, no wonder, they now demand good pay for services rendered.

Pornography comes with other sins because once the excitement is generated, it must be experienced, and the energy dissipated. Hence it leads many to masturbation. Masturbation practiced too often becomes a chronic habit that is difficult to let go. So, the circle begins all over again and people are no longer able to live a normal life. Any wonder that pornographic sites are the most visited online sites. Pornography is a bad obsession, a bad habit, a vice that demean perpetrators. It is looking at life with a bad eye and bad intention. It is contrary to God’s design. Having learnt bad stuffs through our procurement and exposure to pornography, man is unable to love truly, and this continue to affect many marital relationships. Exposure to pornography can also lead to irrational behaviour as those exposed to it might be tempted to try out in real life what they have seen in videos. Such people often demand sex from their partner as they please and make some unreasonable demands, called fetishes. These habits damage relationship and present sex in a way that the author of life does not approve.

What is the way out?

Christians who live in the world must remember at all times, that they are called to live for God, therefore live in the world without being of the world or desiring its inordinate pleasures. They must realize that the internet if fraught with much danger and learn to navigates its sites only for positive ventures. In this case the Catholic injunction to avoid not only sins but the occasion of sins must be kept in mind at all times, because even the briefest of exposure to pornography is like playing with fire with nothing to extinguish it around.