Addicted to Lust: Pornography in the Lives of Conservative Protestants

by Samuel L. Perry

Overview

Few cultural issues alarm conservative Protestant families and communities like the seemingly ubiquitous threat of pornography. Thanks to widespread access to the internet, conservative Protestants now face a reality in which every Christian man, woman, and child with a smartphone can access limitless pornography in their bathroom, at work, or at a friend's sleepover. Once confident of their victory over pornography in society at large, conservative Protestants now fear that "porn addiction" is consuming even the most faithful. How are they adjusting to this new reality? And what are its consequences in their lives?

Drawing on over 130 interviews as well as numerous national surveys, Addicted to Lust shows that, compared to other Americans, pornography shapes the lives of conservative Protestants in ways that are uniquely damaging to their mental health, spiritual lives, and intimate relationships. Samuel L. Perry demonstrates how certain pervasive beliefs within the conservative Protestant subculture unwittingly create a context in which those who use pornography are often overwhelmed with shame and discouragement, sometimes to the point of depression or withdrawal from faith altogether. Conservative Protestant women who use pornography feel a "double shame" both for sinning sexually and for sinning "like a man," while conflicts over pornography in marriages are escalated by patterns of lying, hiding, blowing up, or threats of divorce. Addicted to Lust shines new light on one of the most talked-about problems facing conservative Christians.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780190844219
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	05/02/2019
Pages:	288
Sales rank:	503,817
Product dimensions:	6.40(w) x 9.30(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Samuel L. Perry is assistant professor of sociology and religious studies at the University of Oklahoma. His research explores the changing dynamics of religious and family life in the United States. He has published over 50 peer-reviewed journal articles and he is also the author of Growing God's Family: The Global Orphan Care Movement and the Limits of Evangelical Activism (2017). He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago.

Table of Contents

Preface
Acknowledgments

Introduction
Chapter 1: From Obscenity Outside to Addiction Within
Chapter 2: Fifty Shades of Gray Area? On Masturbation
Chapter 3: Fleshly Lusts That War Against the Soul
Chapter 4: Every Man's Battle?
Chapter 5: Till Porn Do Us Part
Chapter 6: So Help Me God (or Whatever Works)
Conclusion

Appendix A: Methods and Data
Appendix B: Tables
Appendix C: Interview Guides
Notes
Bibliography
Index

Editorial Reviews

"...scholars interested in the intersection of religion, gender, and sexuality would do well to read... the accessible writing that engages with questions about "porn addiction" and the role of congregations in individual believers' lives also makes Addicted to Lust a helpful read for nonspecialists in the field. Perry successfully balances a text that religious leaders, counselors, lay believers, and scholars can all read and come away with critical insights." — Courtney Ann Irby, Illinois Wesleyan University

"This volume is an excellent contribution to scholarship about religion and sexuality in the United States. It is well written, methodically researched, and highly accessible to lay readers and undergraduate students. I would recommend its inclusion in undergraduate and graduate courses on the sociology of religion, religion and sexuality, and American Protestantism. Its excellent methodological appendices also make it a candidate for methods courses." — Orit Avishai, Fordham University, Sociology of Religion

"The accessible writing that engages with questions about 'porn addiction' and the role of congregations in individual believers' lives also makes Addicted to Lust a helpful read for nonspecialists in the field. Perry successfully balances a text that religious leaders, counselors, lay believers, and scholars can all read and come away with critical insights." — Journal of the American Academy of Religion

From the Publisher