Is some pornography worse than others?

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Neithan

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When we confess the sin of pornography, is it enough to simply say “I looked at pornography X times,” regardless of what kind of pornographic images we were viewing? Isn’t ‘hardcore’ pornography worse than ‘softcore’ and even within the former, there are some really extremely degrading acts depicted on some fringe websites, that are certainly worse than the mainstream. For example, isn’t pornography involving homosexuality, minors/children, animals, or sado-masochism of graver offense?

Is the viewing of all indecent imagery–even if it depicts particularly degrading acts or even crimes against nature–all lumped together under the umbrella of pornography; or should we confess–without scandalizing the priest–what *kind *of pornography we are guilty of viewing?
 
Neithan said:
When we confess the sin of pornography, is it enough to simply say “I looked at pornography X times,” regardless of what kind of pornographic images we were viewing? Isn’t ‘hardcore’ pornography worse than ‘softcore’ and even within the latter, there are some really extremely degrading acts depicted on some fringe websites, that are certainly worse than the mainstream. For example, isn’t pornography involving homosexuality, minors/children, animals, or sado-masochism
of graver offense?

Is the viewing of all indecent imagery–even if it depicts particularly degrading acts or even crimes against nature–all lumped together under the umbrella of pornography; or should we confess–without scandalizing the priest–what *kind *of pornography we are guilty of viewing?
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I honestly feel that while the viewing of any pornography can result in mortal sin, viewing any disordered act might intensify the gravity of the sin. Whether you’re viewing “soft” core or “hard” core the people are still viewed as objects merely for sexual gratification. The only reason that I can see for telling the priest ,for example, that you viewed child pornography is to sort out any possibilities that this might evolve into actual child molestation. And the same would go for homosexuality as anyone viewing this for pleasure might anticipate homosexual activity. ALL pornography is grave matter and should be avoided at all costs. If I’m ever in doubt as to what I should tell the priest I tell him. It’s your soul and it’s better to be safe than sorry. They understand and will draw the line if they observe scrupulosity. God Bless…🙂
 
I see your point, OP. Murdering somebody with 20 blows from a blunt object might be more depraved than murdering somebody with a single gunshot. But in the confessional, I think “I committed murder one time” would suffice. Unless the penitant expects some kind of brief counseling (in which case he should probably make an appointment with the priest), I would think he needn’t go into specifics regarding pornography either. That said, if the pornography involves unnatural acts or subjects, it is likely that an additional sin has been committed and that should be confessed as well.

But that’s just my opinion as a layperson.
 
Child pornography is much worse than “ordinary” pornography.
 
What an interesting and thought-provoking question!

I think some of it is worse than others. For instance, the just plain run-of-the-mill man-and-woman-getting-together kind is bad but the kind that involves children, violence, etc. is even worse.
 
It may or may not objectively be worse or involve additional sins - the question is whether to reveal such details would change the advice or penance the priest gives. Quite likely they would, so they should be added (though not in any great detail) in the confession.
 
Sandi said:
What an interesting and thought-provoking question!

I think some of it is worse than others. For instance, the just plain run-of-the-mill man-and-woman-getting-together kind is bad but the kind that involves children, violence, etc. is even worse.
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The just plain run-of-the-mill man-and-woman-getting together kind is bad?? Interesting take on pornography.
 
It’s like asking is some sin worse than other sins or is some evil worse than other evils…

yes, but so what, we are to avoid ALL sins and we are to hate and avoid ALL evil.
 
I think that the pornography which is most evil is that which appeals to our personal appetite and leads us to sin.

When I was younger, the sight of a naked female was very provocative. Nowadays it matters me not. A naked woman actually is very beautiful, artistic almost, such a picture does not cause me to have sexual urges or sexual feelings.

Actually, I do feel the need to speak out if I see the younger guys at work looking at porn, not because it is porn but because I believe that it demeans womanhood. It also suggests that a woman is a sex object. To conceptualise someone as an object is to deny their subjectiveness.

I am also convinced porn leads to sexual crimes. I once had a young man tell me that he frequented bus stops with the intentions of meeting ‘one of those women’ who just can’t keep their hands off men. He was depressed that he had not been molested. I explained to him that actually, the stories he read, were not real, they were the creations of the perverted mind of their author. I also explained that his behaviour was probably perceived by lone females as very threatening and therefore very wrong. He was astonished to learn those things do not happen in real life.

This man was a Catholic. I know his family well. Obviously as his correctional officer, what he said to me is confidential but it served to illustrate how porn stories are taken seriously by frustrated men. He is relatively harmless and would not attack anyone. But I can’t say that about most others in his stiuation with whom I have worked.

Therefore, I think porn should be banned and companies which produce it heavily and punitively fined. I am convinced that the perpetrators of sexual crimes start off with simple porn. In that sense it is highly dangerous and even life threatening
 
To conceptualise someone as an object is to deny their subjectiveness
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“Subjectiveness” means “existence only in the mind of the viewer”. The word you’re looking for is “personhood”.

There are definitely kinds of porn that are worse than others, but porn is porn. It’s worse to torture a victim to death than to shoot them in the head, but murder’s murder. Actually, pornography itself is no more a sin than a gun; making it and viewing it are the sins, just as using the gun unjustly is a sin.

Some kinds of porn can be worse in their effects, however–buying child porn a) weakens one’s resistence to temptations to actual pederasty (pedophilia is actually something different, not necessarily sexual) and b) gives money to people who produce such things.
 
I would say that it is important to give some indication to the severity of the pornography problem for two reasons:
  1. Proper Penance
  2. Spiritual Advice (priestly advice on how to avoid such sin in the future)
My :twocents:
 
This thread got me thinking, what about watching a movie that happens to contain nudity? Is watching a Rated R movie a sin? I have assumed that you have to actively participate in the sin of lust during a nude or suggestive scene to be guilty of anything but is simply watching it sinful in and of itself even if you are watching the movie inspite of the smut and not because of it.
 
Sixtus said:
…I once had a young man tell me that he frequented bus stops with the intentions of meeting ‘one of those women’ who just can’t keep their hands off men.
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I just have to say, this information explains soooo much about my bus riding days :eek:
 
ezuUfamTobie
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Re: Is some pornography worse than others?
Quote:Originally Posted by Sixtus
…I once had a young man tell me that he frequented bus stops with the intentions of meeting ‘one of those women’ who just can’t keep their hands off men.
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I just have to say, this information explains soooo much about my bus riding days
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The answer is not to look at any lone male at a bus stop or any other venue unless you want to meet him that is.

By not giving attention you communicate in a very powerful non-verbal way that you are not interested.

Most single men, the vast majority are ok. Sex crimes are actually not that frequent despite what the popular press tries to tell us. But I hope you can see why I am against porn and wish for their producers to be put out of business
 
Subjectiveness" means “existence only in the mind of the viewer”. The word you’re looking for is “personhood”.
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I think you mean ‘subjectivity’. Subjectivness is the state of being subject, or person. But I wont argue the point
 
Good, because I didn’t even think “subjectiveness” was a word. It’s not.

Except possibly some benighted, savage country where they call trucks “lorries” and flashlights “torches.” Could be a British thing, I suppose. Aren’t you British? I seem to recall you mentioned pounds in a post.
 
It occurs to me it’s sometimes hard to tell on forums (no faces/voices is the usual explanation), but above, when I called Britain a benighted savage country, I was kidding. Like any foreigner, I find parts of British English annoying, but Brits find bits of American English annoying, and Ozzies and Canadians are annoyed by us and each other and…Anyway, I was kidding.

No offense intended; sorry to post twice.
 
BlazingBolt said:
This thread got me thinking, what about watching a movie that happens to contain nudity? Is watching a Rated R movie a sin? I have assumed that you have to actively participate in the sin of lust during a nude or suggestive scene to be guilty of anything but is simply watching it sinful in and of itself even if you are watching the movie inspite of the smut and not because of it.
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That’s a good question. To avoid scrupulosity (which all Catholics should be careful to avoid), I would say that as long as you aren’t watching a movie *because *it has nude or suggestive scenes–in other words because you want to indulge lust–then it probably isn’t sinful.
 
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