According to a recent report, a significant number of clergymen consume porn when they’re not preaching against it. We explore the impact of this unholy double standard.
On any given Sunday, legions of God-fearing Americans pack into church pews, eager to repent for being royal asshats all week long. Some may even try to reconnect with their chosen savior, hoping to secure a sweet spot in the afterlife when they finally kick the bucket.
Presiding over this weekly ritual of forgiveness is the pastor—a spiritual guru of sorts, who’s sworn to preach the word of the Lord. Often, these are the people who tell you to keep your hands off your peckers, that it’s a sin to mentally fornicate with internet harlots and the like, and that anytime you get the urge to tug at your crotch carrot, you should pick up a Bible instead. But behind closed doors, what some of these holy rollers are holding tightly isn’t the scripture. Nope, they’re gripping something else altogether as they scroll through porn.
Turns out, some of these good shepherds are petting the walrus just as often as their flocks—maybe even more. According to a new Barna Group report, Beyond the Porn Phenomenon, nearly 70% of U.S. pastors confess they’ve tangoed with temptation at some point, with almost one in five still sneaking peeks at pornographic material between sermons. The younger clergy, in particular, are losing this digital duel with their carnal temptations.
Naturally, this information doesn’t sit well with some churchgoers. “They’re telling people they’re sinners and they’re struggling,” Kellie, a 45-year-old self-proclaimed Christian, tells HUSTLERMagazine.com. “They should be ashamed of themselves.”
