My daughter is home from college. She’s becoming a beautiful young woman who happens to be immensely talented.
Beauty and talent are a powerful combination for many. For women, however, beauty and talent can become a detriment for many reasons. We don’t often see past beauty and talent, which are outwardly presentable and attractive qualities. She’s also knowledgeable. This strength is one that causes many (men particularly) to cringe.
This morning we engaged in a spirited conversation about politics, race, and justice. We also discussed a host of other topics 2020 pushed into the spotlight. As the conversation progressed, I realized that I feel like I am a political island unto myself.
Three Reasons I feel like I am a political island unto myself!
- I am an Advocate Against Porn. As a male, this is rare. Many men (and a growing number of women) think porn is an innocuous activity—one causing no harm and creating no pain. The facts tell a different story. We can trace realities like the rise of sexual assault, rape, child-slavery, child-on-child assault, woman-hatred, etc., to the porn industry’s growth. I realize correlation is not causation. Even so, empirical data is slowly seeping in to support such accusations. Within a decade, the data will be overwhelming. There is no good porn!
- I am an Advocate for Life. Rather than the popular Republican Party version, I am pro-life for the whole life. This means I am pro-life from the womb to the tomb. Generally speaking, this means I lean away from rather than toward things like the death penalty, war (particularly pre-emptive), euthanasia, and current immigration laws. My position means I oppose anything that devalues the dignity and image of God within others. This dignity-value applies to allies and enemies alike. Therefore, addressing racism, poverty, and inequalities are equally valid endeavors for a Pro-Life advocate. Surprisingly, a growing number of Democrats profess Pro-Life convictions (though the most foolish and famous still call themselves Pro-Choice). On November 8th, dozens of Pro-Life Democrats won local, state, and national elections (see this website for stats on this and other Pro-Life democrat news).
- I Lean Libertarian, Politically. My libertarian leanings mean that I recoil and react against overly strict legislation. I detest Executive (and largely unaccountable) orders that impact millions of people. I simply believe that when we respect the dignity and image of God within the other (enemy and ally alike), we can self-govern in a way that all flourish.
Dehumanizing Effects of A Porn-Saturated World
And therein lies my struggle. We no longer exhibit a capacity to self-govern for the good of all. Honestly, doing so is now impossible. Why? Because we’ve promoted the proliferation of pornography for many, many years. The porn-product dehumanizes everyone. The porn-product objectifies the individual (primarily the female). Therefore, porn acts as a killer to the highest degree. We are in a porn-pandemic.
When a high percentage of men and a growing percentage of women actively view porn, self-government becomes an absurd hope. Self-shaming is the order of the day, which leads to so many other crimes and sins that reach far beyond the self!
A Great Deal More than Hope!
But there is hope! Just last week, two credit card companies pulled their services from Pornhub (the industry’s leading brand). This action moved the needle just enough to cause Pornhub to remove every one of the “unverified” videos on the site. While it’s a small step, it is undoubtedly a step in the right direction. Actions such as these are crucial if we ever hope to stabilize a society where every protection available is equally accessible to every human alive!
Yes, Porn, Pro-life, and Protections for all. They go hand in hand. You cannot address one without addressing them all! Even for those with no political homeland (perhaps as it should be for a disciple of the Messiah), there are actions we can take to bring God’s goodness to this world. These actions don’t require politicians, but they demand our participation!
As I said earlier: my daughter is home—my moments with her remind me just how much pursuing justice in these areas matters. My sons come home tomorrow. Their presence will remind me even more.