Pornography Kills
Pornography Kills
By Hannah Meador
“I’ve been in prison for a long time now, and met a lot of men who were motivated to commit violence just like me, and without exception, every one of them was deeply involved in pornography” (Ted Bundy).
This quote never fails to render me speechless. It seems crazy that a serial killer would admit such truth on his final day. There’s no doubt he was a sick man, but why admit this if it wasn’t true? Because before he became Ted Bundy the serial killer, he was young Ted who discovered pornography.
And pornography kills.
Mainstream media would have you believe that porn is harmless. In fact, it took me days of digging to find these truths. Online platforms toss lies around that say, “no one gets hurt,” “it is just pictures,” or “how could it be dangerous? No sexual act was committed.” And unfortunately, those lies ensnare individuals, and they quickly become victims of a disease that has the potential to kill the mind, soul, and body.
According to a report by Recovery Village, 40 million US adults regularly view porn. Forty million people are suffering from pornography effects, and that is heartbreaking. Yet, many who are trapped don’t realize they’re suffering until it is too late. Unfortunately, by that point, it’s done its damage.
Porn is destructive, but few realize the consequences. It breaks down the family, destroys minds, and leaves chaos in its rubble. Covenant Eyes reported that “56% of divorce cases involved one party having an obsessive interest in pornographic websites.”
Porn creates a compulsive need. After the first look, desires only get stronger. As the addiction strengthens, so does the type of material the individual craves. More than just “soft” images of exploitation, the body and brain require harder material. In Bundy’s case, he was young when he discovered and became fascinated with Playboy magazines. But as he grew, his fantasies grew darker. Due to this sequence of events, he seduced, raped, and murdered at least 20 women.
In his last interview ever, Bundy sat with Dr. James Dobson and said:
“Like most other kinds of addiction, I would keep looking for more potent, more explicit, more graphic kinds of material. Like an addiction, you keep craving something which is harder, harder, something which gives you a greater sense of excitement. Until you reach the point that pornography only goes so far…”
Likewise, other serial killers such as John Wayne Gacy and Jeffrey Dahmer also had issues with pornography. Gacy, the “clown killer,” killed more than 30 young boys. After their divorce, his ex-wife claimed, “[his] moods had become erratic, and [she] had found [his] pornographic magazine collection which was all centered around young boys.”
And as demented as Jeffery Dahmer was, he also realized porn contributed to the depersonalization of a human being. Dahmer said:
“It’s a process, it doesn’t happen overnight when you depersonalize another person and view them as just an object for pleasure and not a living breathing human being. It seems to make it easier to do things you shouldn’t do.”
Citing these three mass murderers leaves no doubt that pornography is dangerous to society, to those who view it, and even to those who don’t.
Those men went on their killing sprees during the late 70s and early 80s. Undoubtingly, in today’s world, pornographic material is more than just filthy magazines. It has only gotten easier to access (even for children), more disturbing, and alarmingly violent.
In a study conducted by Treasures, a ministry that combats human trafficking and sexual exploitation, research showed these statistics concerning pornographic material:
– 88.2% showed physical aggression towards women.
– 48.7% showed verbal aggression, primarily name-calling.
– The majority of perpetrators were male, with 94.4% of the aggression directed towards women and girls.
Just like that, the world is producing countless videos of rape, incest, and abuse for enjoyment. Porn is so much more than just an innocent habit; it is destroying our society and putting countless people in danger. Once the thrill is gone, pleasure can only be achieved by further desensitizing the reality of life and the beautiful gift of sexuality between a husband and wife.
It’s a slippery slope and a scary one at that.
Not everyone who drinks becomes an alcoholic. Likewise, just because an individual is struggling with a pornography addiction, he or she isn’t destined to become a serial killer. You can pick how you sin, but not your consequences. No matter which way you look at it, pornography’s consequences are deadly.
“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matthew 6:22 NIV)