DEAR DR. GRAHAM: What exactly is wrong with pornography, in your opinion? I have a friend at work who's into pornography fairly deeply (mainly on the Internet), and when I challenged him about it he told me he didn't see anything wrong with it. I'm afraid I couldn't think of a good answer. -- Z.M.

DEAR Z.M.: Let me reverse your question and ask it this way: What exactly is right with pornography? The answer is simple: absolutely nothing. It is a total perversion of one of God's greatest gifts to us -- the gift of sexual intimacy between a husband and wife.

I could answer your question in many ways, of course, but in this limited space let me point out two reasons why pornography is wrong. First, it's wrong because of what it does to us. It appeals only to our self-centered, sinful, pleasure-seeking nature, and the more we get involved with it, the more we feed that nature and become captives to it. The Bible says, "The sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit. ... They are in conflict with each other" (Galatians 5:17).

Pornography is also wrong because of what it does to others. It treats others not as people but as objects, as playthings for our own selfish gratification. In other words, lust replaces love and that is wrong. This, incidentally, is why marriages based only on physical attraction seldom last.

Pray for your friend, not only that he will be freed from his captivity to pornography, but that he will turn his life over to Christ. Only Christ can forgive our sins, and only He can fill our lives with true joy and peace. Is your life committed to Him?

DEAR DR. GRAHAM: Is looking at pornography wrong in God's eyes? I admit I've gotten hooked on it through the Internet (which my wife doesn't know about) but I'm not sure I see anything wrong with it. Do you? — M.M.

DEAR M.M.,
The fact that you are keeping this from your wife should give you the answer. If it isn't right in your wife's eyes (which I'm sure it isn't), how can it be right in God's eyes?

The Internet has brought many good things into our lives—but (like any other technological advancement) it also has opened the door to much that is evil. Right at the top of the list is pornography, which is now so accessible that millions of people have become addicted and enslaved by it.

Pornography is wrong in God's eyes, and it will become a cancer in your soul that will destroy you if you aren't careful. Pornography appeals to our lusts, and turns what God has created into something selfish and demeaning. The Bible is clear: "Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you" (2 Corinthians 6:17).

My prayer is that you will make a clean break with this habit and commit yourself instead to purity in your mind and heart. But more than that, commit your life to Christ. Right now, God has no place in your life. But you need His forgiveness and His salvation. You also need His Spirit living in you in order to resist temptation. Open your heart to Christ today, for "the blood of Jesus ... purifies us from all sin" (1 John 1:7).

DEAR DR. GRAHAM: I hate myself for this, but I just can't stay away from the porn sites on the Internet. God must be very disappointed in me. I don't know why I'm writing you, but no one knows I have this problem and it feels good to share it with someone. — K.B.

DEAR K.B.,
Like other inventions, the Internet has brought much good to the human race—but it also has brought much evil. The explosion in Internet pornography is vicious and corrupting, and is one reason why I believe parents should monitor very closely what their children are accessing on their computers.

Others may not know what you are doing in the privacy of your room—but God does, and some day you will stand before Him to give an account of the way you allowed your mind to be filled with this evil. The Bible warns, "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account" (Hebrews 4:13). These are sobering words, and you should take them seriously.

But listen: God loves you, and He doesn't want you to be enslaved by your lusts. Instead, He wants to free you—and He will, if you will let Him. Jesus said, "If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed" (John 8:36). I urge you to claim this promise as your own.

Begin by confessing your sins to Christ, and asking Him to forgive you and cleanse you and fill you with His Holy Spirit. Then take practical steps to avoid temptation—by setting up anti-porn filters on your computer, for example, and moving it to a public place.

DEAR DR. GRAHAM: My parents found me on an Internet porn site the other day, and now they've started monitoring every Web site I visit. I admit I'm a bit bummed, because I was just curious. It's not like I was doing anything immoral, was it? — J. McF.

DEAR J. McF.,
I have a friend who says that pornography is like the slime left behind by a snail or slug, because it leaves its traces on your mind long after the original image is gone. It is one of our greatest scourges today, and it needs to be labeled for what it is: a great moral and spiritual evil.

I know you probably resent having your parents tell you what to do on your computer—but the truth is, they love you and they don't want you to fall into pornography's trap. They know its allure, and they know also how destructive and addictive it can be. Pornography treats people as mere objects to be used for our own selfish gratification. Pornography also destroys the meaning of true love. The Bible is clear: "But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity" (Ephesians 5:3).

Never forget that what goes on in our minds eventually influences the way we act. Jesus warned, "I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Matthew 5:28). Make it your goal to keep your mind pure, as well as your body.

The most important decision you will ever face, however, is what you will do with Jesus Christ. He loves you, and He wants to help you fight temptation and become the man He created you to be. Ask Him to come into your life today.

DEAR DR. GRAHAM: Thank you for answering a question recently about pornography. I've been hooked on Internet porn for several years, and I always excused it by saying it wouldn't hurt me. But now I know better, and God is helping me break free. It's still a struggle, however, so please pray for me. — J.Y.

DEAR J.Y.,
I'm thankful you have turned to God to help you break free of pornography's evil grip. Few things pollute a person's mind and soul as thoroughly as pornography—and it can be just as addictive as a dangerous drug.

You can be sure the devil will battle you every inch of the way as you turn your back on this habit. He always attacks us where we are weak, and we need to be alert to his schemes. The Bible says, "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8). Don't be deceived: He is your enemy!

The most important thing you can do, however, is to grow in your faith and your commitment to Christ. Elsewhere in your letter, you admit that you turned to Christ because you felt so weak—and I'm thankful for this, because you need His strength. Take time each day to read your Bible and pray, and turn to other believers for the help and encouragement you need.

The Bible says, "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you" (James 4:7-8). This is God's promise to you. Don't give the devil any room to work, but resist his enticements. Put a filter on your computer ... move it to a more public area ... and ask Christ to fill your mind with His love and purity.

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