As Pacific nations gain more access to internet data and smart phone use becomes more widespread, a great threat looms on the horizon. Fiji is a nation that’s starting to see the effects of an overnight exposure to new technologies, however it is not the only nation in our region to be at risk.
According to an ABC News report, Fijians used 626.13 terabytes of data watching porn during the third quarter of 2023, placing them in the top 10 porn consuming nations in the world.1
Advocacy groups like Free Fiji from Porn have started in response to these statistics, however the Christian church in Fiji can and should take a leading role in the education and liberation of Fijians trapped in addiction.
While the church has lost much of its influence in modern society when it comes to topics around sex and marriage, we have been gifted a God-given model of what healthy relationships should look like.
The leaders of our Church in the Pacific need to be educated on cycles of addiction, healthy boundaries, relationships and sex so they can equip and train members to combat porn’s insidious influence. For those who think it’s more a social issue than a spiritual one, I would strongly disagree. Those battling any addiction, but especially one they know is taboo or looked upon poorly by the Church, struggle to connect with God and find themselves filled with shame. It can cause people to adopt a wishy-washy faith or even abandon faith altogether.
Not to mention that the Church has a mandate to “free the captives” and lift up the oppressed.
As much as contemporary pundits try to argue otherwise, the modern porn industry is corrupt and evil. It’s full of exploitation, sexual violence and even slavery. It encourages young people to have an unhealthy view of sex and especially young males to have unrealistic expectations and no respect toward females.
In the ABC News report, one respondent said viewing porn was better than cheating on their partner and it was seen as more of an outlet. However, biblically we have Jesus’ words where He equates lust with adultery (Matthew 5) and many partners who discover their partner viewing porn do consider it as cheating.
“Long-lasting, satisfying relationships do not align with the effects we see pornography have,” said licensed marital and family therapist Dr Jill Manning, who specialises in “betrayal trauma”. “The majority of people that I meet who are struggling with compulsive sexual behaviour have also dealt with trauma. The compulsive sexual behaviour is often a symptom of unresolved trauma.” 2
Some representatives of the Adventist Church in Fiji have joined non-denominational information sessions to learn and begin to address the problem. Anti-porn campaigner Letitia Shelton has travelled to Fiji numerous times to train pastors and combat the inroads porn is making. But the Church could do more.
“We are to proclaim the good news to the poor . . . to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives to addictions and pornography, this is exactly what the Church needs to be doing” said Pastor Tiko Kabu, Fiji Mission’s ministerial director, in a story Record ran in 2023. “We need to be actively addressing these issues from our pulpits, church board rooms and amongst our faith community. It is a difficult conversation to have, however it is a much needed one; this is our responsibility.”
Indeed, the reason it can be a difficult conversation is that for many of our Pacific cultures sex and sexual issues are not discussed openly and there is a fear that to talk about problems in this sphere would only encourage young people to try it. We need to get over our fear and tackle some of these issues head-on if we are to make an impact for eternity, especially for our young people. If we take a back seat in these issues, we allow the world to set the tone and agenda of the conversation and risk getting left behind.
Let’s link arms and together, turn back the tide on porn.
- https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-12-08/fiji-porn-problem-that-womens-activists-politicians-want-fixed/103184600
- Fight the New Drug Instagram post, June 8, 2023.
