“…lust not only takes possession of the whole body and outward members, but also makes itself felt within, and moves the whole man with a passion in which mental emotion is mingled with bodily appetite, so that the pleasure which results is the greatest of all bodily pleasures. So possessing indeed is this pleasure, that the moment of time in which it is consummated, all mental activity is suspended.” ~ St. Augustine
Over 1500 years before the invention of the Internet, St. Augustine rightly predicted the mechanism by which Man would become addicted to sex and porn. His approach is threefold – as there is a physical, emotional, and spiritual aspect to sexual perversity. With regards to this proclivity, St. Augustine wrote that “…it is a happier thing to be the slave of man than of lust; for even this very lust of ruling, to mention no others, lays waste men’s hearts with the most ruthless dominion.” As he further cited, these lustful emotions originate in the realm of the demons, as “…they are delighted with the obscenities of the theater, and the fictions of the poets, [late-Roman Empire porn] since they are also subject to human passions.” Therefore, the demons revel in our love of porn and inability to stop watching it; and as Augustine warned - this results in a form of enslavement – that reaches into every corner of a man’s being. And, the attack leaves us damaged, wounded, and bleeding. The severity of the injuries often coincides with the length of time we were so enslaved and to the depth of our depravity. Then, in most cases, the time for healing varies from person to person. From my own experience, much of our recovery depends on how good (or not) of a patient we are; I was proud, obstinate, and suspicious. Thus, it took many years for the loving touch of Christ to reach those most shameful and secret parts of my memory. For, Christ sees our suffering: “…[Jesus]came near him; and seeing him, was moved with compassion. And going up to him, bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine: and setting him upon his own beast, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.”