Criminalising violent porn is a good start. But as a Christian, I want it all banned

Did you know that some types of porn which portray horrendously violent acts, such as strangulation and suffocation, are currently legal? You might, quite reasonably, have presumed such horrific, dangerous content was criminal. Thankfully, from 6 November, it will be.

From next month, porn that shows sexual activity between people who are related, or adults role-playing as children under 16, will also be illegal in England and Wales. If you possess or publish such material, you could face prison. 

I can understand if you’re shocked that it’s taken so long for the law to catch up with what many people would consider common sense. I’ve worked for CARE for more than a decade, and one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that achieving policy goals takes an enormous amount of time. It’s not easy or straightforward to introduce new legislation or regulations that ban certain behaviours. Therefore, this is something to be celebrated.

Real credit must go to Baroness Bertin, who led a review of the UK’s porn laws, published last year. She made 32 recommendations and then worked tirelessly in the House of Lords to ensure the government engaged with them. At times, this involved fraught negotiations over the precise wording of various clauses and amendments. 

Towards a total ban

The changes in law represent a further step forward in the fight against pornography and the damage it is wreaking in our society. And yet, while we celebrate the progress made, let’s also be clear: there is still a long way to go. Banning violent porn does not go far enough; the time has come to ban porn altogether.

I know some will protest that this infringes on people’s freedom. But I don’t think we have freedom to exploit others. I can also hear the voices of some critics who will say that I’m a puritanical, killjoy Christian who wants to allow the state to legislate my own morality.

The more we depart from God’s design and plan, the more harm and chaos we will cause

Well, funnily enough, choosing to support the existence of the porn industry is a moral choice as well. Choosing to argue that people should have freedom to indulge in porn, or participate in it, is also a moral position. But it is one I profoundly disagree with.

My source for morality is not my own imagination or wisdom, but the unchanging word of God. In the Bible, we learn that God made all human beings in His image. Part of this God-given dignity means we are made for a purpose. We are created to use our gifts and talents to help steward the world around us. We’re made, ultimately, to worship God and to know Him.

But none of us are made to abuse our bodies and use them to make pornographic videos.

Design for life

God’s design for sex is intentional. It’s not just about pleasure; it’s also connected with procreation. And as the wise Creator, God alone has the authority to determine where sex takes place.

The vision we find in the Bible for sex is beautiful. It is between one man and one woman within the covenant of marriage. It is to be consensual and sacrificial.

Porn is about as far away from this teaching as you can get. Many believe it encourages sexual violence and abuse. An article published in Psychology Today said research showed a link between porn use and sexual violence. In particular, men who act aggressively towards women are typically also heavy porn users. Research from the Institute for Addressing Strangulation (IFAS) shows 43% of sexually active 16 and 17-year-olds had been strangled during sex - a phenomenon many say is driven by porn.

We also know that God has a real heart for the most vulnerable in society. Here is yet another reason to ban porn outright. It is a profoundly exploitative industry. It harms those in it. It harms those who watch it. And it harms wider society, too. 

The more we depart from God’s design and plan, the more harm and chaos we will cause. This is exactly what Paul argues in Romans 1:18-32. He describes, in shocking detail, the consequences of leaving God and his wisdom and commands out of the picture. The result, ironically, is the very opposite of what is promised. The sexual revolution promised freedom, but it has led to moral chaos.

Our God is a God of order. And this gets to a crucial dimension of faithful Christian advocacy in the public square. We seek to bring order to chaos. We look to bring God’s word and wisdom to help shape the laws of the land.

CARE has been advocating for laws to protect children from online porn and for violent porn to be banned for years. The 6 November changes are another step in the right direction. But the work must go on. Ultimately, we need to win the argument that the time has come to ban porn, fully and completely. Only then can we say that the job is really done.