Instead of Porn: Using the Internet for Virtue Not Vice

I’ve honestly lost count of how many days we have been quarantined. During this quarantine, people are spending more time online. This can be really helpful in fostering a sense of community. We all need connection and having a little Google Hangout session with some friends can be a great way to do this. However, the internet can also be a difficult place to navigate with virtue. It can be especially difficult when businesses like PornHub basically throwing pornography at people.

I truly believe that the internet and social media is morally neutral which means it’s up to YOU to use it well (or poorly). You were ordained to be born during THIS pandemic and to become a saint. That means instead of using this time of isolation to allow our spiritual lives to turn into a hot mess, we can actually use this time to become more virtuous. I’m going to give you 5 things you can use the internet for instead of watching porn because let’s be honest: Porn is lame and you were made for more.

1. Use Zoom to call a friend. We are made for community and connection. This time of isolation can really amplify loneliness but let’s not forget that despite the distance: you matter & you are loved. Don’t be afraid to reach out to someone who can speak that truth. 
2. Watch a few documentaries that may challenge you. I’m not saying that when you leave quarantine you need to have acquired a new hobby or be fluent in a new language. But you can take this time as an opportunity to learn something and be challenged. Instead of binge watching The Office (again), check out one of these documentaries. 
   • The True Cost: see the real cost of fast fashion and learn more about ethical shopping
   • It’s a Girl: learn the prevalence of gendercide & sex selective abortion- the ultimate form of sexism that persists to this day
   • Brain, Heart, World: an exposé on the harmful effects of pornography
   • The Dating Project: a look at what is dating like in today’s hookup culture
3. Get an e-library card. Many public libraries right now are offering temporary e-library cards for free. This can be a great way to read or listen to books. You can even gain access to apps like Hoopla and Libby for free with your library cards! These apps have a database of ebooks and audiobooks that you can stream to your phone. 
4. Be Creative. God is creative. Because you and I are made in the image of God, we are creative too. Maybe you were never labeled as a “creative” growing up, but everyone is capable of being creative in their own way! Write something, build something, take photos, or make music. Share your creativity with your friends and family by posting it on social media. Everyone can make something beautiful- and to quote Fyodor Dostoevsky, “Beauty will save the world”. Here’s a little playlist I put together for you to inspire you 🙂 YOU. ARE. CREATIVE!
5. Watch these YouTubevideos. Pornography harms our hearts, brains, and the world at large. Why not use this time to learn how you can fight for authentic love? 

At the end of the day, you were made by love, for love, to love. This means that any counterfeit to authentic love (including pornography) will leave you feeling wanting. You don’t need to leave quarantine fluent in Finnish, an expert crafter, or a brilliant musician. But you can commit to becoming a little more virtuous today. Let tomorrow worry about itself. 

You were born to be a saint of the new millenium. We can choose to use technology to become more virtuous or we can use technology for our own demise. To quote my parish priest, “God loves you, He wants you to be in Heaven, and He gives you everything you need to get there.”