Speaking Plainly
It is always good to get together with brothers who understand the struggle to live free of pornography and lust, and who earnestly seek to pursue purity.
i was talking with a brother the other day and the conversation hit all the hot topics: pornography, lust and masturbation (PLM). Over the years i have become skilled at talking about these topics in public places, using code words to ensure a level of decorum amid strangers. My brother, a fellow WarriorPoet, and i were discussing the various ways PLM act as “old friends,” which are not friends at all.
They tempt us with a promise of peace and comfort. They lure us with the thought that when life gets a little crazy or unpredictable, we can “count” on them to give us a measure of control and satisfaction. And they allow us to have experiences which, although fleeting, please us in however small a way.
But we also talked about how obviously counterfeit PLM are. They offer a false intimacy; a pleasure which is tainted through and through with shame; and they set us on a path where we are pulled out of real relationships, rather than strengthened in the midst of relational challenges.
It can be unsettling to think of life live apart from the “Old Friends” of PLM because we get so used to our coping mechanisms. And leaving the old and striking out for the new often feels less predictable. But “Old Friends” like those will kill you.
Intentional Warriors 
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