A longtime Christian counselor says the 2025 Southern Baptist Convention was right to support government bans on pornography.
Baptists overwhelmingly approved this measure as pornography usage is increasingly prevalent in society. "We urge the United States Congress and state legislatures to enact comprehensive laws that ban the creation, publication, hosting, and distribution of pornographic content in all media … in the ultimate effort to eradicate pornography nationwide," a portion of the resolution states.
Dr. Alex McFarland notes that Jesus says in Matthew 5:28 that "whoever looks at a woman with lust in his eyes has already committed adultery with her in his heart."
"Pornography is such a detrimental reality in our world," he tells AFN. "It actually is a human rights issue. The vast majority of pornography exploits women, and it contributes to human trafficking and prostitution."
Speaking as a minister and counselor of 35 years, he knows that "porn addiction has decimated marriages [and] relationships." "Pornography warps the minds of young people, especially young males, detrimentally harming their ability to have meaningful marriages in the future – trust-based, God-honoring marriages," McFarland laments.
As a tithing Southern Baptist, it is his prayer that the denomination will continue to reaffirm its commitment to the authority of God's inherent, infallible word. "The Word of God clearly sets forth Jesus as the only way of salvation, heterosexual monogamy as God's design for marriage, [and] binary gender; God made male and female," the apologist relays. "So much of what's in the world today that is just undermining truth, jeopardizing the souls of people – the answer is found in the Word of God"
At the annual meeting Tuesday, Christianity Today reports a slate of SBC resolutions—positional statements meant to represent the denomination's position —all passed by huge majorities with little to no debate. Southern Baptists showed they remain united in their long-standing opposition to gambling, pornography, abortion, and same-sex marriage. However, a motion to prohibit member churches from employing women in any pastor role failed after a similar measure to the Law Amendment was narrowly defeated last year.
McFarland hopes the SBC will stand true to the spirit and tradition of acknowledging and living within the authority of God's holy Word.
