Where do Bible-alone folks find pornography forbidden?

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Funky_Cedars

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several folks here have asked for explicit scriptural statements regarding Catholic teachings, saying that if its not in explicitly stated, we should not accept it.
so, while I know why we see pornography as sinful, i dont recall it ever being explicitly address in the Book. thus i wonder if there are folks who think faith should be based only on the clearly ennuciated teaching of Scripture who could tell me where Daddy came right out and said i cant look at naughty pictures.
thanks for listening, love and peace, terry
 
Well, since you are on a Catholic site, I assume that the majoriy of the responses you are going to get will be ones that are grounded in Scripture, Apostolic Tradition, and the Magesterium of the Church, which is much more definitive than scripture alone.
 
well, i suppose if you can look at those picturs without objectifying one (or two or three) of God’s creatures then it wouldn’t be sinful. lust is a sin and those pictures are designed to cause people to lust. pornography is wrong because it is inferred that it is wrong. no one says (not even the most hardline sola scriptura protestants) that every single word of our faith (like trinity) needs to be found in scripture or it’s not true. some things can be a logical conclusion of scripture.
 
Pornography is not prohibited by name in the Bible.

The prohibition is an extra-scriptural interpretation of a Bible verse where Christ says “if you look at a woman lustfully, you have committed adultery in your heart.”

Is the interpretation equal to the actual teaching? That requires an extra-scriptural judgment.
 
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BobCatholic:
The prohibition is an extra-scriptural interpretation of a Bible verse where Christ says “if you look at a woman lustfully, you have committed adultery in your heart.”

Is the interpretation equal to the actual teaching? That requires an extra-scriptural judgment.
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When Jesus says something and it is recorded in the Bible, I think Bible-Alone folks find that most convincing all by itself. Even if He is interpreting scripture. A lot of Bible-Alone people like red letter versions of the Bible (where Jesus’s words are in red).

I’ve heard people say: “Jesus said it. I believe it. That settles it.”
 
Funky Cedars:
so, while I know why we see pornography as sinful, i dont recall it ever being explicitly address in the Book. thus i wonder if there are folks who think faith should be based only on the clearly ennuciated teaching of Scripture who could tell me where Daddy came right out and said i cant look at naughty pictures.
thanks for listening, love and peace, terry
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Hello,

I have know atheists who, despite a disbelief in God, let alone Scriptures, are actually very good, moral people. Why is that? I have known some who admire the teachings of Christ for its moral principals and standards, but reject the fact that He is God. Why is that? Some even go to promote what they view as the teachings of Christ without deifying Him (click here).

God gave everyone a conscience, a moral consciousness (although few seem like they are without one). Some follow it and some don’t. When the Jews were about to stone the adulterous woman in John 8, it states that their “conscience” convicted them (vs.9). In Romans 2:14-15, Paul goes on to state that those who don’t have the Law and do the Law, show the Law *written in their hearts *, their conscience also bearing witness.

Overall, there is a big difference between proving there is a purgatory (as an example) from Scripture, and the God-given moral convictions that steer a person’s conscience to understand what is right and what is wrong.

Peace,
CM
 
As a former sola scriptura (supposedly) Southern Baptist (and earlier, Pentecostal), I agree that the prohibition on the used of porn is implicit, not explicit, in Scripture, based on Jesus’ definition of lust as virtual adultery. This puts it in the same category as the ban on abortion, the ban on polygamy for regular males (not bishops or deacons), etc. I’m sure that if porn has existed in the first century, and had not been mentioned explicitly in the Bible, we would see it mentioned by name in the writings of the earliest fathers.

DaveBj
 
Scripture repeatedly teaches that sexual immorality is wrong.

A few selected verses:

Eph 5:3
But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints;

“Let it not even be named among you” goes a step further than saying don’t do it. It means stay completely away from it.

Matthew 5:
28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

Ro 13:13
Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.

Ga 5:16
I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

1Jo 2:16
For all that is in the world–the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life–is not of the Father but is of the world.

So Scriptures explicitly teaches:

Lust of the flesh is bad. Ro 13:13,Ga 5:16,1Jo2:16.
Fornication is bad. 2Co12:21,Ga 5:19,Eph 5:3,Col 3:5.
Adultery is bad. Ex 20:14, De 5:18, Pr 6:32, etc.
Sexual immorality is bad. Mt 5:32,Mt 19:9,Ac 15:20,Ac 15:29,Ac 21:25,Ro 1:29,1Co 5:1,1Co 6:13,1Co 6:18,1Co 7:2,1Co 10:8,1Th 4:3,Jude 1:7,Re 2:14,Re 2:20,Re 2:21Re 9:21.

Scripture also teaches that to “allow” those who cause sexual immorality among you is bad:

20 Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.

All these examples and you claim that those pesky bible-beleiving Protestants would need the RCC to tell them that pornograpy is wrong? I don’t think so!

Brian
 
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brianberean:
All these examples and you claim that those pesky bible-beleiving Protestants would need the RCC to tell them that pornograpy is wrong? I don’t think so!
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Brian! Welcome, good to see ya here from DCF 🙂

Anyway, like I mentioned before: Pornography is not mentioned by name in the Bible. The prohibition of pornography is an interpretation of Christ’s words.

The interpretation is CORRECT, yes, but nowhere written in the Bible that this applies to pornography. That comes from extra-Scriptural Tradition (which Protestants do have)

Now, if pornography is mentioned in the Bible by name, I’d like to see it.
 
Dear Brian,

Your verses do not address the question directly. Pornography is the presentation of material that can LEAD to sexual immorality, but certainly the sin does not seem to be inherent in the material itself, but in the person that falls into sexual immorality.

Consider this: a picture of a naked woman. Where is the sinfulness to be attributed: the picture, the person taking the picture for the purpose of seducing others into sexual immorality, the person who distributes the picture, or the person who commits immoral sexual acts influenced by that picture?
Your verses, and the Bible, directly addresses the last three of these options, but not the first. It is implied, even easily implied, but the issue at hand is NOT DIRECTLY addressed by Scripture.

God bless,
Greg
 
A tougher question would be to find where in scripture it says that human cloning is wrong.
 
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Socrates:
A tougher question would be to find where in scripture it says that human cloning is wrong.
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Good question. Start a new thread on this 🙂
 
Huh?

The Sin (IS) Inherent in the material itself

What is pornography:

A depiction(s) of singles or groups of people involved in the act of fornicating and/or masturbating…either themselves or each other. To do most of the things they do is clearly forbidden outside the context of marriage. They are violating themselves, God laws, etc…ANYONE watching it is fooling themself that its only a sin to watch IF they (the viewer) falls into a sin of lust…huh? Thats the MAIN AND ONLY purpose people watch porno…to get themselves off…I dont recall the times I watched that garbage trying to fool myself I wanted to “appeciate” the human body or “see how people express love” in order to better a relationship…I used it to SIN…sorry to be crass…anyone stating otherwise is fooling themselves.

Why is it that blatently obvious topics around here manage to get so complicated when they are so easy to comprehend that biblically they are ARE addressed by simply understanding them in context of the basics of SIN…fornicating, etc…
 
Question: Where do Bible-alone folks find pornography forbidden?
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Answer: In public. Or in Church.

Sin is something you prefer in your own privacy. Away from God.
 
Dear Faithful to Rome:

Consider the image of the serpent on Moses’ staff. It was used to heal. The image itself was not sinful. However, there came a time when the image itself became worshipped. Thus, God commanded that the staff be put away.

Once again, the question is asked: is the sin inherent in the image (or picture) or is it in the persons who use those images for sinning.

God bless,
Greg
 
The Old Testament if full of Pornography such as adultery, homosexuality, incest, group sex.

Why would the bible forbid itself?
 
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GAssisi:
Dear Brian,

Your verses do not address the question directly. Pornography is the presentation of material that can LEAD to sexual immorality, but certainly the sin does not seem to be inherent in the material itself, but in the person that falls into sexual immorality.

Consider this: a picture of a naked woman. Where is the sinfulness to be attributed: the picture, the person taking the picture for the purpose of seducing others into sexual immorality, the person who distributes the picture, or the person who commits immoral sexual acts influenced by that picture?
Your verses, and the Bible, directly addresses the last three of these options, but not the first. It is implied, even easily implied, but the issue at hand is NOT DIRECTLY addressed by Scripture.

God bless,
Greg
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Greg and CBob,

Taking into account the totality of what Scripture says about sexual immorality, lust, fornication, adultery etc., a reasonable Christian could not conclude that pornography is okay. Protestants (and anyone claiming to be Christian) who can read words and interpret them in context can naturally deduce from Scripture that pornography is wrong. To say that Scripture must specifically say “pornography is wrong” is like saying Scripture must explicitly state every possible way to take the Lord’s name in vain. Scripture says sexual immorality is wrong, pornography is sexual immorality, therefore it is wrong. I don’t think a Christian really needs to sit down and decipher where to attribute the sinfulness of pornography, the Christian simply needs to know to stay away from it.

In Proverbs 5, God speaks of the immoral woman. He doesn’t tell us to sit down and analyze where the sin is, he tells us to stay far away. Same with porn. Christians can objectively conclude from Scripture alone that they should stay away. Not that I claim protestants don’t have tradition.

Brian
 
Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think about these things. (WEB)

Genesis 39:7-20
7And it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me. 8But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand;

Numbers 15:39
You will have these tassels to look at and so you will remember all the commands of the LORD, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by going after the lusts of your own hearts and eyes.

Job 31:1
"I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl.

Proverbs 6:25
Do not lust in your heart after her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes,

1 John 2:16
For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world.

Gal 5 fruit of flesh vs fruit of spirit

wife of youth faithfullness
 
**The Story of Two Sisters **

The Story of Oholah and her sister Oholibah

This is only a snippet (v14-20) Read the whole story Ezekiel 23 starting with verse 1

14 yet she went *further *in her harlotry. When she saw men drawn on the wall, the images of Chaldeans drawn with vermillion,15 with sashes girded about their waists, flowing turbans on their heads, all looking like chariot warriors, the portraits of Babylonians, natives of Chaldea, 16 she lusted for them; no sooner had she set eyes on them than she sent messengers to them in Chaldea. 17 Then the Babylonians came to her, to the love couch, and defiled her with their intercourse. As soon as she was defiled by them, she became disgusted with them. 18 Her harlotry was discovered and her shame was revealed, and I became disgusted with her as I had become disgusted with her sister. 19 But she played the harlot all the more, recalling the days of her girlhood, when she had been a harlot in the *land of Egypt. 20 She lusted for the lechers of Egypt, *…
 
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