Pornography - Road to Hell

By: Michael Pearl

WARNING This article contains information targeting married couples and mature teenagers. You should read it first and then decide if you want your children to read it. Be prepared to answer their questions.

Dear Debi,

My husband and I have been married for 14 years. During those years my husband has back-sliden several times. During those times he was involved in pornography. For the last nine months he has been praying and reading the Word, fellowshipping, leading devotionals with the family, and serving where he was needed at church. We were growing closer together everyday as a couple and as a family.

However, two weeks ago, my husband started watching the sports. He had to go to the house of his employer to watch it because we had thrown out our TV. He knew it was dangerous for him to be around it, but his boss gave him an old one so he could watch sports. I argued with him saying that we agreed not to have a TV. I did not feel safe with it in the house, especially since he put the TV out in his shop where no one else is allowed without his permission. I also told him that I could not join myself to him because I didn't know if he was joining himself to the pornography. He says he is not watching pornography, but he spends all his time out there in his shop, and sometimes even sleeps there by himself at night.

My question is, am I wrong? Am I as a wife out of line? Is pornography adultery, as I believe it is? My husband says it is not. He says it is nothing personal. It has nothing to do with me. I could go on and go about the pain it causes me, but I will not. Any type of counseling is out for him because he says I am the one with the problem.

If you could, please help me. I know you are busy and would understand if you can't. It just helps to know someone else is there with me. I know, one way or another, the Lord will direct me. He alone is faithful and true.

The grieved wife,

This publication is dedicated to child training and family. It would seem that a dissertation on pornography should be confined to a different format. But we receive many letters from wives concerned about their husband’s pornographic indulgence. The letters we receive are from homeschooling, no birth control, go to church, ‘put on a good front’ families. Wives want to know how they can train up their children to follow the Lord when their husbands are secretly following porn queens. At one large meeting of several thousand "Christian" men, over 50% of those present confessed to having "used pornography" in the previous seven days. Most ministers avoid ever mentioning this shameful subject. Of those that do, the majority treat it as a "weakness" that Christians should "overcome with counseling." I disagree. We too have avoided addressing the subject because of its sensitiveness. Some of you who live in isolation (thank God that you do) may be offended at my frankness. But you must understand that the life of many families and the souls of their children are at stake.