Where Do We Go From Here? 18: Are Evangelicals 'Addicted to Lust'?
This episode is for anyone who wants to better understand how pornography impacts evangelicals. We know what we say in public: porn is sin, it leads to destruction, and it harms marriages and families. But we also know evangelical men and women still view porn. Does pornography have unique significance for conservative Protestants? Dr. Samuel Perry, a sociologist, says yes.
He studied pornography in the lives of conservative Protestants in the United States for over four years, and his findings are published in his book Addicted to Lust, which we discuss in this episode.
We cover the following topics:
- the impact of moral incongruence on evangelicals
- how complementarian theology justifies male porn use
- the unique impact of porn on evangelical women
- the difference in how evangelicals handle masturbation and pornography
Samuel L. Perry is an Assistant Professor of Sociology and Religious Studies at the University of Oklahoma. He holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Chicago and a Th.M. in New Testament Studies from Dallas Theological Seminary. His research explores the changing dynamics of religion, politics, race, sex, and family life in the United States. The author of numerous peer-reviewed articles, Sam has also written three books, one of which is Addicted to Lust: Pornography in the Lives of Conservative Protestants. He has also recently co-authored a book on the rise of Christian nationalism in the US .
You can connect with Sam on Twitter