Pornography and How It May Lead to Infidelity

Pornography is a big obsession in the US, and its popularity is increasing. From the time they are old enough to watch TV, boys are fed a social stereotype of what a beautiful and sexy female is supposed to look like. In turn, young girls are taught that they are perceived as sexy by men if they look, dress, or act a certain way. When the beauty of real life doesn't match the stereotype, many people look to pornography for sexual satisfaction.

Real beauty comes in many forms and it is just not realistic to expect that all women will conform to any single standard. A woman is young and beautiful in her youth, but experiences changes after childbirth and age. Men, too, suffer blows to their self-esteem as their youthful looks slowly disappear. As a man ages and loses some hair or perhaps puts on a few pounds, he often fears that women will start to find him repulsive.

Sometimes pornography is okay in a marriage, but you must put your spouse's feelings first. Maybe you are that lucky guy whose wife is all for porn and even wants to watch along with you, but it is much more likely that your habit is making her feel inadequate. If your behavior is causing any kind of emotional harm to your partner then it is your duty to change. Don't let a fantasy keep you from recognizing and appreciating the genuine beauty of the world and people around you. All you are getting from porn is a carefully crafted but entirely unrealistic depiction of sexuality. Stop supporting a corrupt industry and start supporting the person you promised your eternal love to.

Do you find yourself sneaking around behind your partner's back in order to watch porn? If you are keeping such a huge secret from your spouse then you probably know or fear that they would not approve of your actions. And if this is the case, then you should not be looking at pornography in the first place. This goes for anything you might lie about, not just pornography. You might also betray your partner by doing something like making a major purchase without their knowledge or consent. Or you might lie about your plans when going out for the night. The only logical reason to avoid telling your spouse what you are up to is that you think or know that they would disapprove, and that means you are doing something wrong.

When you are viewing pornography, are you getting sexual satisfaction? If so, then might as well be committing repeated acts of infidelity. Once you are married, the only person that you should be receiving sexual satisfaction from is your spouse. Respect, honesty, and intimacy are fundamental to a good marriage. Sexual intimacy is the only thing that a married couple shares only with each other. There are of course many kinds of love that do not have to be restricted to your spouse. Neither must trust be confined to your spouse. But when it comes to sexual relationships, a married person is only allowed one. Bypassing your spouse and finding sexual satisfaction from outside sources is unacceptable and will leave your relationship in shambles.

Any kind of pornography -- whether it is going to strip clubs, looking at magazines, or looking at internet porn -- is a perverse and ridiculous intrusion into your relationship. If you are telling yourself "It's harmless," "Everyone does it," or you justify it in your mind because your partner is not meeting your needs, you are wrong. It is not true that everyone watches pornography, and even if they did you still owe it to your spouse to make your own decisions that are best for your own relationship. Before you try to justify your actions by blaming your spouse for your sexual frustration, talk to them honestly and openly about your feelings and make a genuine effort to work through the problem.