The Chemical Release of a False Romance

n the last blog we examined the “elephant in the room” regarding the church and pornography. We examined how little the subject is addressed in homes and from the pulpit. Thus we, through silence, tell our husbands, wives and young people it’s ok to sacrifice their purity of mind for an image.

However, do we really understand the biological aspects of pornography? In his book The Drug of the new Millennium, the Brain Science Behind Internet Pornography Use, Mark Kastleman details the chemical releases which take place upon viewing pornography. The following are results from his research.

The Release of Natural Chemicals: The porn viewer’s brain begins releasing endogenous chemicals. The viewer feels highly aroused – all of the stress, pressures, anxieties and pain in life begin fading away as his system is flooded with endogenous drugs. The viewer is able to self-medicate and escape the reality of life.

Dopamine: Elevated levels of dopamine in the brain produce extremely focused attention. This causes the viewer to focus intensely on the pornographic images at the exclusion of everything else around him.

Norepinephrine: This chemical induces feelings of exhilaration and increased energy by giving the body a shot of natural adrenaline. Norepinephrine also increases memory capacity. This explains why porn addicts can recall viewed images with vivid clarity years later.

Testosterone: Pornography triggers the release of testosterone which in turn increases the desire for more pornography.

Oxytocin: Oxytocyn acts as a natural tranquilizer. The individual seeks an Oxytocin rush to cope with the stress and pressure of life.

Serotonin: The release of this natural chemical evokes a deep feeling of calmness. Individuals turn to porn to self-medicate and escape the stress.

When Reality Returns – the Hopeless Dialogue: When the porn viewer emerges from the narrowest part of the funnel back to a wide perspective, the heartless “drug-high” of pornography and climax quickly dissipate. Suddenly his rational thinking returns and the hopeless dialogue begins: “What have I done? What was I thinking?” He wasn’t thinking; that was the problem! Once he descends into the Pornography Funnel, he gives up his ability to “think”. The overpowering flood of chemicals overrides his cognitive thought and reasoning abilities. The frontal lobes – the logic center of the brain – are virtually shut down and the limbic system, which controls the pleasure/emotional center of the brain, takes over. (Kastleman p39-57)

As you can see from Kastleman’s research pornography is a form of, as some scientist suggest, “visual crack cocaine.” Like any drug, as the user’s body adapts to the drug, more is needed to maintain or increase the “high” the same is true with pornography. This is a silent epidemic spreading throughout the church. If we don’t realize what God’s people are up against, it will systematically dismantle the mental purity of our brothers and sisters and the number of marriages broken and homes divided will increase.

Spread the word!

 

preacherdean

The Elephant in the Room

Sometimes on TV or at the movie theater, we hear a phrase similar to, “lets identify the elephant in the room.” This phrase is used to describe a situation where everyone involved knows of a problem but fails to acknowledge the problem. We do it all the time in our daily lives, whether it’s a problem with friends, family, co-workers, or even our own personal faults. Sadly, there is a big elephant in the room and it involves the church. The elephant’s name is pornography.

here are some statistics regarding pornography worldwide.

1. Currently, 12% ( 24,644,172) of all Internet site around the world are pornographic.

2. Every second $3,075.64 is being spent on pornography.

3. Every second approximately 28,528 Internet users are watching pornography.

4. 1 in 3 viewers of pornography are women, 70% of all men aged 18-24 view pornography.

5. In the United States the “adult films” industry makes $2.4 BILLION a year. The entire world market is worth 4.9 Billion = The United States contributes to over half of the pornography market worldwide!

6. 2.5 billion emails a day are pornographic. This amounts to 8% of all emails sent per day.

7. 35% of all videos downloaded are pornographic.

8. There are 116,000 searches per day for “child porn.”

9. The average age at which a child first views pornography is 11.

10. The most popular day of the week for viewing pornography is Sunday.

If these stats don’t make you squirm, nothing will. We have become a nation and a worldwide society which embraces hedonism to the sickest degree. However, these stats also includes Christians. Yet, within the church we’re scared to identify the elephant in the room. Pornography is rarely, if ever, talked about from the pulpit, in our homes or with our youth. We have failed each other in this regard. Because the topic has become taboo, we have allowed our husbands, wives, singles and youth to believe it is ok to sacrifice the purity of their minds, for a stranger in a magazine, on a computer or on flat screen TV.

Yet, marriages, families and congregations are deeply wounded or torn apart because of the pornography drug. Therefore, this blog for the next couple of weeks will be dedicated to helping everyone understand the dangers physically, emotionally, and spiritually of the pornography drug. However, we all can do our part by simply acknowledging the elephant in the room and begin to having discussions about how WE the church, can overcome from within to heal the world outside of our walls.

In Him,
preacherdean

All statistics used in this post have been collected from United Families International website www.unitedfamilies.org

Don’t Make it Difficult

In preparation for my mission trip to Uganda, I’ve begun studying the two topics which I’ll be teaching while there, Christian Evidences and Acts. The other day I was working through the book of Acts marking key words, phrases, similarities between Paul’s ministry and Peter’s ministry, I found a key passage. Now it might not be “the” passage for the book of Acts but it certainly is for the 21st century church. In Acts 15:13-22, as the debate raged about whether or not Gentiles needed to be circumcised for salvation or not, James stands up and proclaims,

“Brothers, listen to me. Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for His name. And with the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written, ‘After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who makes these things know from old.’ Therefore, my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God…”

Isn’t it interesting what James says? He says that by binding circumcision (which was never met to determine salvation) the church placed a barrier in front of those turning to God. There are some lessons we (the church) can gather from James’ statement.

1) People who are turning to God already have a stumbling block before them.

The cross is a stumbling block (1 Cor. 1:23). At some point people grapple with what they think about Christ. Think about if for a second, what were your thoughts and struggles when you encountered the teachings of Jesus and the ultimate meaning behind those teachings? We all had to grapple with the idea of being a lost, sinning, enemy of God and if we wanted to be right with God, we’d have to give up lifestyle habits, friends, family, jobs etc.

Isn’t that enough to grapple with from the onset of Jesus’ teachings?So then why add-on to the list?  Too often we add-on to the list based on opinion. The church has split over kitchens, carpets, and cups; fought over sandals, suits, and songs sung; We’ve debated about where hands should be during worship, in the air or at our side? And Moaned about  jeans, shorts, and jorts(jean shorts) being worn during worship simply because of opinion. It was the Jews opinion which added onto the burden of the Gentiles. People turning to God have enough to contemplate without us forcing our opinions upon them.

2) There is a difference between stumbling into sin and being uncomfortable.

Yet, even with James’ judgment there were still some guidelines the Gentiles had to follow. Notice the statement James makes in Acts 15:20,

“But should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood.”

Certainly James is not standing before the assembly and suggesting the Gentiles are free to do whatever they please. James does say the Gentiles should not engage in those things which are either A) In direct violation of Christian living (sexual immorality) or B) going to cause brothers and sisters to fall into sin. Because of the Jewish view on idol worship, and meat which came from idol worship, they believed it was a sin to eat it. While the Gentiles might not have had a problem with eating the meat sacrificed to idols, they were causing their brothers to fall into sin and thus fellowship was severed. (cf. Romans 14:13 ff for more insight into the issue).

It is key to understand these issues which the Jews struggled with were matters which caused them to sin. They were more than issue or practices which simply made them uncomfortable. We tend to take things we believe are right but are matters of opinion and make them bindable simply because anything outside of our opinion makes us uncomfortable. Just because something is uncomfortable doesn’t mean it is unbiblical.  Yet, in order to save our opinion (not biblical binding doctrine) we say, “Well it causes me to stumble” when really what we mean is “I’m just uncomfortable with that.”

3 ) Let’s make it easy 

The result of the Jerusalem council was the developing and delivering of a letter to the Gentiles which they received and rejoiced over (Acts 15:31). The letter built a bridge between both sides and allowed those who were turning to God to deal with the issues pertaining to their relationship with God without the “add-ons.” We need to be a people who aren’t concerned with the add-ons but the add-ing to the number of God’s church. The way we do that is we make it easy for those who are turning to God to do just that, turn to God. Instead of worrying about things like dress (within the realm of modesty), let us simply be happy the person with the blue jeans and sandals on are present to worship beside us. Let us be thankful that someone is so on fire for God during worship that they seek to reach out to him with their hands. Let us not create barriers within our church families, lets build bridges. Lets not make it difficult.

In Him,
Dean Meadows

The Yoke of Opinion

A common motto with in the church is “we speak where the Bible speaks and are silent where the Bible is silent.” However, often times Christians want to speak up more where the Bible is silent rather than where it speaks the loudest.

For instance, what does the Bible actually say about dress in the assembly? In James 2, the inspired writer states

“My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, ‘You sit here in a good place,’ while you say to the poor man, ‘you stand over there,’ or, ‘Sit down at my feet,’ have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?”- James 2:1-4.

Clearly, the inspired writer, is suggesting, when we come together we not judge each other based on stature or dress. However, do we hold to the teaching? Certainly, nowadays, it’s not as common for congregants to assign seats within the worship setting as it was back then based on dress. Yet, how often do we criticize a fellow brother or sister because they’ve got sandals on? Or aren’t wearing heels? Properly combed hair? No tie? No jacket? No haircut? No shave? No belt? See, the list can go on and on. Is this any different from what is talked about in James 2?

Yet, there are guidelines to worship. In 1 Timothy 2 a principle regarding dress is set forth, as the apostle Paul describes the woman’s role in the church, noting,

“Likewise also, that women should adorn themselves with modest (some translations say respectable) apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness-with good works.”- 2 Tim. 2:9-10.

In the first century, braided hair, pearls, etc. were signs of prostitution, costly, and took time make or institute into ones dress. So what is Paul saying? He telling the ladies “Hey don’t dress like a prostitute and focus on Godliness!” The same holds true today with regards to dress for men and women. Should men or women wear tight clothing that leaves “nothing to the imagination?” No, if there were ever a place to “leave something to the imagination” it would be in the assembly.

I’m all for modesty within the church if there was ever a time period where it was needed it certainly is now more than ever. It seem though we want to bind things like the list previously mentioned as if they were quoted in scripture. However, while I respect the opinion of those who feel that way, it is still merely an opinion. To bind such opinions on fellow brothers and sisters is submitting them to the yoke of opinion and not the yoke of Jesus.

Dean

The Future

The Future

 

We hear it all the time, especially during election cycles. “America must do…..(fill in the blank) in order to secure the future for our children and their children’s children.” Politicians seek to motivate the nation or stress a policy because they believe if their policy isn’t enacted, America will become weak down the road. Often times, political supports rally behind the policy because they firmly believe it can secure America’s future. What’s your take on the future of the Lord’s Church? Are you motivated to action in order to secure the future of the church? Which is greater your desire to see through a greater future for America or the church of Jesus Christ?

 

In 2 Corinthians 11 Paul talks about several events he endure such as, being ship wrecked three times, being adrift at sea, in danger of thieves, his own people, Gentiles, within cities, in the wilderness, at sea, false brothers, sleepless nights while being hungry, thirsty, and naked (2 Cor. 11:26-27). Yet, apart from all the external factors which Paul had to deal with, there was the daily concern (some translations say anxiety) which Paul had for all the churches. Paul endured much hardship because he knew the future of the church was at stake, day in and day out.

 

If you would turn your Bible open to Acts 29…… You’ll notice there is no Acts 29, because Acts 29 is being written right now on the pages of your life! What will Acts 29 say in 20,30, 50 years from now? Will it describe one who endure hardship to ensure the future of the Lord’s Church? Or will it read as a note of surrender through lack of action?

The Bible and Baptism Part 2: Matthew 28

In my last blog we looked at what Christ said regarding baptism in Mark 16:16, that those who wish to obtain salvation must believe and be baptized in order be saved. We looked at the grammar and saw how the leading verb was “shall be saved” and the actions required to achieve the leading verb were two aorist participles, believing and being baptized.

Now I’d like to turn the discussion to Matthew 28:19,20. This is another interesting passage which references baptism and its importance. Jesus states to his disciples, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

The language here is interesting there is an imperative (command) given in v. 19, the command is to “make disciples” this is followed by two participles which express how the command is achieved. The first participle is “baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit.” The second participle is to teach them to observe all that I have commanded you.” Did you catch that? In order for one to be a disciple of Christ one HAS to be baptized, without baptism one cannot say that they are a follower of Christ. Then they are to teach all that Christ commanded the apostles, which, by inference one can see would also be, that baptism is essential in order to be a follower of Jesus.

Isn’t it interesting to note that those within the religious would have us believe that baptism isn’t necessary for anything really other than an outward symbol. However, Christ said that if someone desires to follow him they must be baptized. Interesting thought is it?

 

preacherdean

The Bible and Baptism Part 1: Mark 16

I would say that the majority of those who read this blog desire to do the will of God. However, sometimes when we say such word, what we really mean is, well, I’ll do the will of God…..as long as my preacher/pastor/elder/priest says that’s what the Bible says. For a moment I would like to ask you to put aside “what you’ve been taught” and just look, with the best of your ability, objectively at the holy scriptures. There is a debate raging and has been raging for….well who knows how long, regarding the function of baptism. There are those who suggest baptism is required for salvation, while others suggest it is an outward symbol of an inward expression or grace. But what does the Bible say?

For the next several posts we will look at the passages which talk about baptism and it is our job to make sure we get this right because either one of two things is happening. There are those who are either A) ignoring that which is necessary for salvation or B) those who are adding to the holy writ something they shouldn’t. Either way, one thing is for certain, one side is teaching a false/different gospel. Let our study begin, with the words of Jesus in Mark.

In Mark 16 Jesus gives the great commission to his disciples. While doing so Jesus in v. 16 states, “He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.” It is obvious that there are two conditions which are needed for one to obtain salvation. 1)believe and 2) baptism.

But the objection which is often raised goes something like this, “If Christ determined that baptism was necessary for salvation why didn’t he say, he who has believe and has been baptized shall be saved but he who has not believed and has not been baptized shall be condemned?” The question certainly is a valid one, however, such a question does not discount the necessity of baptism for salvation. The omission of the phrase “has not been baptized and shall be condemned” is logical. Certainly, faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. If someone hears the word of God but does not believe Jesus is savior, why would they be baptized? Certainly, they probably wouldn’t and if they did it wouldn’t be valid before God anyways. Only those seeking to change their lives and follow after Christ are candidates for baptism, if one doesn’t desire to do that why would they be baptized?

Furthermore, to illustrate the point, an exact parallel would be, “He who goes to the store and buys milk will receive $20.00 but he who does not go to the store will be arrested.” Obviously the person is in no position to buy milk since they haven’t gone to the store and it would be redundant to say “and does not buy milk will be arrested” some would even argue grammatically wrong to insert such a phrase.

Furthermore, the leading verb within the sentence in the Greek is “shall be saved.” What is interesting to note is that both belief and baptism are aorist participles(expressed actions which happen before the leading verb) within the sentence. Therefore, both belief and baptism shows how one arrives at “shall be saved,” thereby solidifying the fact that both are needed for salvation.

It is easy to get caught up in tradition, or what we desire scripture to say, however, when we examine Mark 16:16, it is clear that Christ notes that in order for one to arrive at salvation belief and baptism are surely apart of the equation.

 

preacherdean