Pornography in Public

[mcliffor]

I go to a very secular college. Every year, the Women’s Center sponsors “Sexuality Week.” Their goal is to challenge sexual boundaires and to to help people open up sexually. They hold workshops on masturbation, for example, and hold a sex toy raffle. This year they started putting up pornography in public spaces. I confronted people, telling them that besides the fact that it was degrading to women, putting pornography in public spaces was putting men in an unfair position.

A man can’t not be aroused by a beautiful naked woman whose image is shuved in your face. Lude dressing and porn instigate lust. Most girls show cleavage to appeal to males sexual desires as opposed to encouraging “appreciation of the female form,” ergo, they seek to be noticed sexually. “Do I look hot?” vs. “Do I look beautiful?”)

Because we can’t choose not to be aroused, we can only choose what kind of situations we put ourselves in and no one should have to avoid public spaces for fear of being tempted. Bringing arousing photos out into the public domain is disresepectful to ANYONE who holds themselves to a more demanding moral standard. I’m not going to offer a cigarette to someone trying to quit smoking and then say if he didn’t want it, he didn’t need to take it. That’s just rude and inconsiderate. But because the point of putting it up there is precisely to tempt people into being more sexual, that reasoning doesn’t strike a chord.

The most common response was that they have no obligation to not tempt people. Rather, it’s my responsibility to say no to it. “It’s your job to say no to temptation. You’re not 15 anymore, and it’s not our responsibility to shelter you.” And of course, “you have no right to tell women to dress a certain way because you can’t say no to your own sexual desires.” I was wondering how other people resopnded to these kinds of arguments, that no one has the authority to keep you from dressing or acting in a certain way to avoid temptation. And why are secual acts traditionally reserved for private situations? Why in Victorian England was it so uncouth to make-out in public and why is it so common today?

 

[StCsDavid]

I go to a very secular college. Every year, the Women’s Center sponsors “Sexuality Week.” Their goal is to challenge sexual boundaires and to to help people open up sexually. They hold workshops on masturbation, for example, and hold a sex toy raffle. This year they started putting up pornography in public spaces. I confronted people, telling them that besides the fact that it was degrading to women, putting pornography in public spaces was putting men in an unfair position.

A man can’t not be aroused by a beautiful naked woman whose image is shuved in your face. Lude dressing and porn instigate lust. Most girls show cleavage to appeal to males sexual desires as opposed to encouraging “appreciation of the female form,” ergo, they seek to be noticed sexually. “Do I look hot?” vs. “Do I look beautiful?”)

Because we can’t choose not to be aroused, we can only choose what kind of situations we put ourselves in and no one should have to avoid public spaces for fear of being tempted. Bringing arousing photos out into the public domain is disresepectful to ANYONE who holds themselves to a more demanding moral standard. I’m not going to offer a cigarette to someone trying to quit smoking and then say if he didn’t want it, he didn’t need to take it. That’s just rude and inconsiderate. But because the point of putting it up there is precisely to tempt people into being more sexual, that reasoning doesn’t strike a chord.

The most common response was that they have no obligation to not tempt people. Rather, it’s my responsibility to say no to it. “It’s your job to say no to temptation. You’re not 15 anymore, and it’s not our responsibility to shelter you.” And of course, “you have no right to tell women to dress a certain way because you can’t say no to your own sexual desires.” I was wondering how other people resopnded to these kinds of arguments, that no one has the authority to keep you from dressing or acting in a certain way to avoid temptation. And why are secual acts traditionally reserved for private situations? Why in Victorian England was it so uncouth to make-out in public and why is it so common today?

I encourage you to get to know John Paul II’s Theology of the Body. It will help you deal with this misguided world we live in. Read the Christoper West book first or get his CD series, Naked Without Shame. You can purchase it for less than $5.

 

[puzzleannie]

If it were me or my child attending this university, I would find sue the college for sexual harrasment and for the local and state anti-porn and child endangerment laws which are undoubtedly being broken if there are any minors on campus, including children of employees and students at campus day care centers etc. Call police if these things are taking place in view of children and minors, it is a violation of law in most jurisdictions.

we actually did this against an overtly pornographic gay lesbian event at my public university about 15 years ago and won an injunction and a permanent ban on such events.

 

[mommyof4]

If it were me or my child attending this university, I would find sue the college for sexual harrasment and for the local and state anti-porn and child endangerment laws which are undoubtedly being broken if there are any minors on campus, including children of employees and students at campus day care centers etc. Call police if these things are taking place in view of children and minors, it is a violation of law in most jurisdictions.

we actually did this against an overtly pornographic gay lesbian event at my public university about 15 years ago and won an injunction and a permanent ban on such events.

Good idea! And I think that college would soon stop getting any of my money, too.

 

[mcliffor]

I was more interested in how to respond to people making these arguments. Why is immodesty or pornography morally wrong if it is only the individuals responsibilty to resist temptation?

 

[porriwiggle]

I was more interested in how to respond to people making these arguments. Why is immodesty or pornography morally wrong if it is only the individuals responsibilty to resist temptation?

God did not give us the Ten Commandments because he was bored and wanted to order someone about a bit. He gave them because they would make people happy. Ingoring them will have the opposite effect.

Fornication does not make people happy! It might “releive their feelings” or “release tension” or whatever the curent excuse is but it ultimately only leads to broken relationships, lonliness, drug abuse, sexual abuse, sexual diseases and abortion, or all of the above.

Continence on the other hand gives you self respect, doesn’t hurt anyone, and helps you to build good healthy friendships and relationships with your peers.

Unfortunately in a secular society such things are often sneered at, but perseverance in your way of life will generally gain you the (often grudging) respect of those who disagree loudest with your views.

I have worked for 20 years in the pro-life movement and have faced this sort of problem often. The only thing you can do is witness to the truth and trust in the Lord to keep you safe.

God Bless

 

[mcliffor]

If I wanted to do something that would tempt other people to sin, like drinking in front of an alcoholic who is desperately trying to avoid getting drunk, would I necessarily be sinning? Or is it his responsibility to resist that so that I can do what I want?

I think pornography is similar in that it is intentionally trying to arouse people even if they don’t want to be aroused. This is comparable to drinking in front of an alcoholic because it takes away our number one defense, which is avoiding whatever causes us to sin.

Pornography can tempt us into lustful thoughts, but is that completely our fault, or is the person who put the pornography up there also doing something wrong?

 

[porriwiggle]

If I wanted to do something that would tempt other people to sin, like drinking in front of an alcoholic who is desperately trying to avoid getting drunk, would I necessarily be sinning? Or is it his responsibility to resist that so that I can do what I want?

I think pornography is similar in that it is intentionally trying to arouse people even if they don’t want to be aroused. This is comparable to drinking in front of an alcoholic because it takes away our number one defense, which is avoiding whatever causes us to sin.

Pornography can tempt us into lustful thoughts, but is that completely our fault, or is the person who put the pornography up there also doing something wrong?

I think your analogy may be flawed. Drinking in itself is not a sin, and you might inadvertantly drink in front of an alcoholic without actually sinning at all. Deliberately trying to tempt another to something which will lead to sin is wrong in varying degrees depending on the seriousness of the sin he might commit (irrespective of whether or not he does commit the sin).

Nonetheless pornography is in itself sinful and displaying something sinful in order to cause others to sin is doubly wrong. The person who put the pornography where it is likely to cause sinful arousal in others is not only harming the person who sees it. It is also harmful to the subject of the poster, whether or not they (the subject) are prepared to admit this.

God Bless

 

[Island_Oak]

This mockery of feminism is a sure sign that the women involved have lived lives of convenience, privilege and affluence. You simply don’t see women who are really struggling to secure life’s basic necessities for themselves or their families advocating for “rights” as idiotic and exploitive as public displays of pornography. It is a shame and pity what an ugly offspring the culture of leisure and consumerism has spawned. They clearly need to find something meaningful to occupy all their empty time, excess energy and resources. It just might help them reclaim some dignity in the process.

 

[didymus]

puzzleannie[/B]
, post:3, topic:58815”]
If it were me or my child attending this university, I would find sue the college for sexual harrasment and for the local and state anti-porn and child endangerment laws which are undoubtedly being broken if there are any minors on campus, including children of employees and students at campus day care centers etc. Call police if these things are taking place in view of children and minors, it is a violation of law in most jurisdictions.

Actually you should find an employee to file a sexual harassment lawsuit. One of the sillier harassment suits I’ve read about (this was years ago) a woman sued because her boss kept a photo of himself & his wife on vacation – the photo made her “uncomfortable” because the wife was in a bikini. The case was settled.
Having to work surrounded by out-and-out porn should be a slam-dunk.

 

[porriwiggle]

Why in Victorian England was it so uncouth to make-out in public and why is it so common today?

I think the answer to this is very simple. In Victorian England Christianity was the basis of the law. In modern England and most of the rest of the world too - Christianity has not only been dropped by the majority of the general public it has been, and is being, outlawed.

For instance you can no longer mention Christ at Christmas, and in fact the word “Christmas” is becoming anathama and we are subjected to “Seasons Greetings” and such like rubbish.

Books and films like the Da Vinci Code are everywhere and anyone who delclares him/herself for Christ is ridiculed.

“Femenism” is now nothing but the exploitation of women BY WOMEN. How stupid is that? Satan is really having a field day.

On the other hand, as Mother Angelica said in London a few years ago - “Yippee! Rejoice and be glad, because blessed are you who are persecuted and ridiculed for the cause of right and for the sake of his name.”

 

[Neithan]

What a disgusting shame for these high-society poseurs to exploit other women’s bodies for a supposed ‘liberation’ of sexuality.
Why don’t they walk around naked themselves? I wonder how they would feel? Objectified? Hmm. Pornographers and prostitutes are selling their bodies as a commercial commodity; how is that ‘liberating’ sexually?

To answer your question–enticing others into sin is scandal, and when it deals with matters as serious as sexuality, it is gravely sinful.

 

[Ruthie]

Mcliffor, your questions are wise ones. I take it you need an answer for worldly people rather than for fellow Christians.

An answer for those who ask you what’s wrong with pornography is to say, “Because it reduces women to being mere sex objects. Picturing women as mere objects to be used for sexual gratification contributes to rape and the sexual abuse of women.”

Another shorter and blunter way to put it: “Women are not sex toys and should not be treated as if they are.”

You asked, “Pornography can tempt us into lustful thoughts, but is that completely our fault, or is the person who put the pornography up there also doing something wrong?”

With a smile, I reply, it’s six of one and half a dozen of the other. We are at fault if we allow ourselves to dwell on the lustful thoughts.

We have little control over whether lust pops into our minds. (I have found that the sooner I kick those thoughts out, the less of them I have.I ask St. Michael to intervene for me.)

That is where the people posting those pornographic pictures carry blame. They create an occasion of sin.

Hey, if I go to Chippendale’s, where they have the male strippers, then I am responsible, because I have deliberately put myself into an occasion of sin. But if I’m in a public place, and can’t do my normal stuff without seeing a male stripper, then I am not responsible for the lustful “pop-ups.” The only thing I’m responsible for in that case is hitting the delete key, so to speak.

HTH!

 

[criffton]

check out state laws, many states make it illegal to display porn in public places. Also report to the school administration, maybe the president, that you find the pictures offensive to both yourself and to women. Find other students that feel the same way and submit a list of signatures.

Before I got to school, i figured out how I would deal with it if my roommate put up posters of nearly nude women up all over the place. My mom is a nurse, I was raised on a ranch, blood and gore don’t bug me. So I decided i would get my mom to send me posters or pictures of trauma victims, burn patients, and other grisly photos. Then propose that I would take mine down when he takes his down. Thankfully that didn’t have to happen.

 

[starrball]

“Femenism” is now nothing but the exploitation of women BY WOMEN. How stupid is that? Satan is really having a field day."

Excellent Observation, especially the last part.