My world is full of porn. Great line, huh? If you know me then you are still reading because maybe just maybe you think I’m gonna reveal something juicy. Well, I am.

The truth is Michael and I talk about porn found in society, porn in the Church, porn in commercials, porn on Fox news. It’s everywhere. I always thought bringing awareness to the problems with using porn; how it affects relationships, your children, your spouse, and your heart, we would be doing them a favor. But are we?

I am deeply concerned for the Christian culture who, almost universally, confuses the terms sex addiction and pornography addiction with the phrase “I struggle with pornography”.

Just a few weeks ago I was fired up when Relevant Magazine ran a two part article authored by a married couple who claim that the husband is an addict, but recovered, but still struggling. I couldn’t help but wonder if the editor of the magazine didn’t catch the hypocrisy or whether the Christian culture is masking a serious addiction under the “I struggle” umbrella. Sure it’s a lot safer to say I struggle with porn than to admit to your spouse that your compulsive consumption of sexual images has escalated to unthinkable fantasies. Yea, I see why “the struggle” is gaining momentum. Or what about the “Porn Pastor’s” growth in popularity because he, who doesn’t suffer from pornography addiction, likes to hang out at porn star conventions. I have a hard time with this way of doing church for many reasons. Even though I have, over the years given XXXChurch and Craig Gross their shot at legitimacy, I fear they have not earned it yet.

Forgive my language as it is always to the point and unlikely to deviate.

Not only are we fighting the stigma of sex and pornography addiction but now we must contend with the multiplicity of misunderstandings particularly as it relates to the who and what of sexual addiction.

So, what is the truth and what is the misunderstanding?

Truth: Mental health professionals have no standard criteria to diagnosis porn addiction.

Truth: Addictions are compulsive behaviors that significantly impact your life in a negative way.

Misunderstanding: Watching porn when you believe it is wrong is an addiction.

Think of it this way. If you are Christian with specific beliefs, one of which is not to lie but you lie, are you addicted to lying? I think most people would say they aren’t addicted to lying. Instead I think they would say they struggle with lying.

Bottom line is that not every man or woman who looks at porn is an addict. And the more Christian books, articles, and pastors confuse this, the more damaging it is to the men and women who are losing there jobs, their homes, their marriages, and even their freedoms because of full blown sexual addiction.

Please speak out.