This is the second part of the article started last week. To get the whole picture, it would be best to read Part 1 in conjunction with Part 2. The focus last week was on the term pornography in relation to cheating; this article’s focus is getting a clearer understanding of what constitutes cheating – in relation to pornography.

Note: Safefamilies.org in an article titled “Statistics on Pornography, Sex Addiction and Online Perpetrators” reports that in 2006, the worldwide revenue from the porn industry was almost $100 billion.

I Googled “why pornography is a form of cheating” and was immediately supplied with 3,660,000 references. Going to answers.com (and again selectively quoting – I encourage you to read the whole article titled, “Is looking at porn cheating?), it was explained that “There are two sides to this story. …It allows for the entrance into mind of sexual behavior outside of the relationship you are currently in.”

Wikipedia gives this explanation of cheating:

“With regard to human relationships, couples tend to expect sexual monogamy of each other. If so, then cheating commonly refers to forms of infidelity, particularly adultery. However, there are other divisions of infidelity, which may be emotional. Cheating by thinking of, touching and talking with someone you are attracted to may be equally damaging to one of the parties. Emotional cheating may be correlated to that of emotional abuse, which to date is treated seriously in a court of law as physical cheating. With the expansion of understanding of other cultures, there is a wide spectrum of what cheating means. When in a committed relationship, the definition of cheating is based on both parties' opinions, and both parties may redefine their understanding to match the party at an either lower or higher extreme of this definition. Some couples simply believe that cheating constitutes doing anything, whether verbal or physical, that one would not do in front of their significant other. Such examples would include: expressing attraction to another person, electronic communications, texting, data, kissing, making out, and sexual relations.”

(Bolding and Italics mine.)

• It cheats you from accepting the truth and from basking in the blessing that comes with that acceptance.

• When exposed at a young age, porn cheats you of innocence and the carefreeness that every child deserves.

• It destroys healthy relationships and is a cause of painful breakups.

• Any involvement cheats the participant out of something better.

• Porn can quickly become addictive and the participant is cheated out of healthy affection with another person.

• It is not being true to the Creator’s ideal, one’s self, or to one’s partner.

Engaging in porn is cheating.

The pleasure is short and fleeting.

Have difficulty with any of this? Then reach out to someone you believe can help, maybe a trusted friend or a competent counsellor. Some pretty awesome things, even miracles, have been experienced throughout history because individuals have chosen to be faithful to what is pure and honourable, to God’s purpose for their mind, body, and affections. As a result, they and others enjoy themselves and life more, the world is a better place, and heaven is the richer. The Creator has given each of us everything we need to consistently be making healthy choices regarding our relationships, our body, and sexuality. Believing is a beginning and key to living a life of freedom and transparency, peace and confidence on a daily basis – check it out and experience these truths for yourself.