Half of teenagers and nearly three-quarters of young adults come across pornography at least monthly, and both groups on average consider viewing pornographic images less immoral than failing to recycle. Those are among the findings of a survey of 2,700 Americans released by Josh McDowell Ministry.
The study also found porn use is on the rise among young women and that 14 percent of senior pastors surveyed “currently struggle with using porn.”
McDowell, a Christian author and speaker, says he is most concerned about the findings related to teens and young adults.
“What this study shows is that little by little, porn is becoming more acceptable, more ‘spiritually okay’” among teenagers and adults ages 18-24, McDowell says.
Less than one-third (32 percent) say viewing porn is “usually or always wrong” compared to the more than half (56 percent) who say not recycling is “usually or always wrong.”
With pornography “so accessible now and becoming more accessible, it’s going to become more mainstream,” McDowell says.
Part of the problem is that children’s first exposure to porn is coming earlier than in previous generations, according to the study. Some 27 percent of 25- to 30-year-olds say they first viewed pornography before puberty. In contrast, only 13 percent of adults from Generation X first viewed porn before puberty.
The study also found most teens are “sexting,” with 66 percent of teens and young adults saying they have received a sexually explicit image and 41 percent saying they’ve sent one.
The survey yielded some positive news about pastors. A full 79 percent of youth pastors and 86 percent of senior pastors say they do not currently struggle with using porn.
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