A few years ago USA Today reported that the Adventist church is the fastest growing denomination in the United States.
With apologies to my denomination, I’m going to suggest that there is another “church” growing much faster and having a far greater impact than us SDA’s.
It is the PORN “church”. Here’s why I’ve come to this conclusion. We are all created for worship. The question is always, who or what are we going to worship. Even the most secular, pagan, person you know is a worshiper. Today, in our culture, we worship, money, power, food, sports, and SEX. I believe SEX via the medium of PORN is gaining the most converts.
My understanding is based on a passage from Revelation 12:7:
“And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back.”
Now, based on Ezekiel 28:17 and Isaiah 14:12-14 I’ve always looked at Satan’s pride and arrogance, as the real issue behind the conflict, and no doubt, that’s clearly a factor. But, let me suggest that the root issue with Satan, and with all of us, has to do with WORSHIP. Lucifer determined that he would worship himself instead of God which amounts to idolatry, or false worship. Let me also suggest that the fruit of false worship is always pride, arrogance, and selfishness. Jesus had a major problem with the religious elitists during His ministry because they demonstrated blatant spiritual pride and arrogance, evidence that they either worshiped themselves as Satan did, or worshiped their religion. In either case it is still idolatry, and false worship.
I would say that PORN is the fastest growing church today, and it is attracting more worshipers than any denomination or mega-church in America. The statistics below give us some insight:
43% of all Internet users view porn.
“Sex” and “Porn” are among the top 5 search terms for kids under 18.
35% of all Internet downloads are pornographic.
The United States spends $13.6 billion on porn annually.
Here’s a quote from Pamela Paul’s book Pornified :
“We’re only beginning to recognize the implications of the growth in pornography and the pornified society’s impact on individuals who live in it. We’re only starting to grasp the extent to which the technology revolution of the past two decades had transformed the way in which pornography is produced and consumed. Those who argue that pornography has been with us since cavemen first drew fornicating women on earthen walls ignore the vast discrepancies between a world in which pornography was glimpsed on the sly, where naked girls were glanced at on the faces of nudie poker cards, and today’s culture, in which pornography is omnipresent, accepted, and glorified, and on an incessant advance.” Pamela Paul – Pornified, page 49 (emphasis mine)
Check out the last part of that quote, “omnipresent”, “glorified”, don’t we use that language to describe God? Have you thought lately what is it that you have allowed to become omnipresent and glorified in your life? The other word that stood out to me is “advance”. That is battle language. The great battle between Christ and Satan is for worshipers.
If you are struggling with porn the core issue that has to be addressed is worship. PORN is an enticing false image of what God intended for sex. When we reject the false image of porn and turn to worship the true God, sex becomes the blessing it was intended to be. Turning back the surge of growth in the PORN CHURCH requires a return to worship of God alone.