Majority of Christians Confess to Using Porn — And Many Are Comfortable With It, Study Finds

A new survey has revealed a majority of self-identified practicing Christians admit to viewing pornography and a sizable percentage confessed they are comfortable with the harmful habit.

The recently released study, Beyond the Porn Phenomenon, conducted by the Barna Group in partnership with Pure Desire Ministries, found pornography use is prevalent among all demographics and the gap between Christians and non-Christians is shrinking significantly.

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Around 54% of Christians and 68% of non-Christians reported viewing pornography. And among Christians, 75% of Christian men and 40% of Christian women use pornography to some degree.

Researchers stated, “Despite the church’s stance against lust generally, it seems little progress has been made to deter many of those who fill the pews from pornography consumption specifically. The gap between professed beliefs and actual behavior raises questions about the efficacy of current approaches within faith communities.”

Pure Desire Ministries Executive Director Nick Stumbo said the data in the study represents “a sobering call to realize our collective struggle has not improved,” despite the steps some congregations have taken to quell the pornography epidemic.

“The average Christian is not experiencing freedom in this area — 75% of Christian men and 40% of Christian women report that they are viewing pornography at least occasionally,” he said. “What may be more troubling is that well over half of Christians who use porn say they are comfortable with their porn use. The reality for those who struggle in the Church is that they, too, often feel like they are alone. When asked, ‘Who is helping you with your struggle with pornography,’ a staggering 82% of Christians say, ‘No one.’ Isolation is the enemy’s playground.”

Sathiya Sam, an author who specializes in helping men overcome pornography addictions, told CBN News in 2022 a significant contributor to churches failing to provide resources to those struggling with the habit is the fact many ministers are themselves struggling with addiction.

“We know that pastors and leaders are shepherds — they’re shepherds of the flocks that God has entrusted them with,” he said. “Their responsibility is to guide their sheep through the different pastures of life, and somewhere in those pastures, there’s a big area called ‘sexual integrity.’ And a lot of shepherds are not able to lead their sheep there, because they do not have access [to it].”

Sam continued, “If leaders don’t get their own lives cleaned up, they will fear bringing in the resources and the people that can actually help their congregation out of fear of being a hypocrite, being found out, losing their job.”

Perhaps because of the ubiquity of pornography, some 62% of the Barna survey respondents expressed some level of comfortability with their use of the explicit material, with 49% of practicing Christians saying they were comfortable with their use of pornography (compared to 73% of non-Christians). Across the board, 16% admitted having some reservations about it, but said they found moderate use acceptable. Only 14% expressed a desire to eliminate pornography from their lives altogether.

That staggeringly low percentage is likely due to the fact that a majority of Americans believe the use of pornography to spark arousal is not detrimental to a healthy sex life.

More than half of Christians — 55% — agree a person can regularly engage with pornography and still have a sexually healthy life, and nearly half of believers — 48% — even said they believe watching pornography can improve users’ sex lives.

Echoing Sam’s recommendation for churches to increase engagement on the matter, the Barna researchers urged ministry leaders to provide resources to fight and candidly discuss pornography use.

“Ultimately, the church is meant to be a source of hope for people facing all sorts of challenges in life, including struggles with pornography,” said the researchers. “By addressing this issue head-on with care, understanding and practical support, churches can fulfill their role as places of healing and restoration. Even small steps toward openness and support can make a significant impact in the lives of those struggling.”