Pornography seminar includes men, women
by Laurie Oswald Robinson for mPressPrint Article Email to a Friend
SAN JOSÉ, Calif.—For the first time, Mennonite Women USA and Mennonite Men sponsored a seminar for a mixed group to discuss the increasing use of pornography within the church and to extend hope and healing to sufferers.
About 25 participants explored the topic July 3 with candor and some pain in the three-hour workshop led by Brenda Martin Hurst, who teaches at Eastern Mennonite Seminary, Harrisonburg, Va., and J. Andrew Stoner, regional conference minister for Ohio Conference. Both have served as pastors for many years.
A breakout session for women reported that they wanted men to know the following:
• “We are devastated by our partners’ use of porn and its damaging effect on our relationships.”
• “Women portrayed in porn are our sisters, and we care about them. We want to be in solidarity with them. They are someone’s wife, daughter, mother, sister.”
A similar breakout session for men included these comments:
• “We want women to know how powerful and important sex is for us, and how strong the sex drive can be.”
• “Male sexuality has become neutered in our society. Sexual energy—even the positive kind—has come to be seen as bad or wrong. We want women to know that we want to reclaim our sexuality as a gift from God.”
Hurst and Stoner encouraged sufferers—both users and those related to them—to break the silence and reach out for help. Statistics show that 47 percent of Christian men regularly struggle with porn issues in their homes—i.e. online images. Increasingly women are getting pulled in though at smaller percentages.
“As Christians we need to name the problem and begin talking openly about it,” Hurst said. “There are things that men won’t know unless women tell them, and vice versa. We must begin listening to each other. When we do that, we can face our brokenness and reclaim God’s good gift of sexuality.”—Laurie Oswald Robinson for mPress
Current Stories
Articles
- Called by the Spirit
- Watch the San José 2007 Daily VIDEOS
- San José 2007 draws nearly 6,300
- Young adults comprise 10 percent of assembly
- Ready for the call
News stories, digests and Meno Acontecer
- Delegates approve plan for pastors
- Children connect to church in Congo
- Junior highers ‘grow’ money for Congo
- Young adults bring statement to assembly
- Pornography seminar includes men, women
- Voices from the Valley learning tour
- Fuerza shows at San José 2007
- Colleges try ‘countercultural’ approach
- Quilt sells on eBay for $2,760
- The gift of life
- Letters plea for peace in Colombia
- BikeMovement documentary premieres
Columns
Subscribe