Magic Mike, 50 Shades of Grey, and You

I recently shared my thoughts via social media on the movie and book phenomena that is sweeping our nation -- that of which many Christian women have succumbed to. Little did I know it would go on to be re-shared thousands of times, land me a radio and television interview, and spark a debate that lasted for weeks in the Christian world.

Here it is:

"The movie, Magic Mike, and the book, 50 Shades of Grey, are soft porn. And soft porn is pornography. Period. There is no soft sin. Its sin. It's addicting and it ruins lives. Stop glamorizing this to be anything other than what it is. This isn't even a gray area. Jesus says, 'If you love me, you'll do what I say.' (John 14:23 NLT). Girls, stop sensationalizing erotica to be entertainment. It distorts our minds, allows you to fantasize about what you do not have (and by the way, it romanticizes what you really never will have), and leads you down a slippery slope. Our sole purpose on earth is to live a life pleasing to the Savior, the one who sacrificed it all, so that we may live an abundant life. If you think you can sit beside Jesus and laugh about how "cute" Channing Tatum is in Magic Mike, think again. God hates lukewarm. He vomits it up! Many marriages are ruined by porn. Human trafficking is rooted in porn. Addiction & bondage to porn leads to an empty life." 

We know that pornography has been a secret sin that has plagued our Christian men for years, even more so in the last twenty years with the Internet boom, and only recently has the body of Christ stepped to the plate to talk about it. However, our Christian women are also falling prey to the lies of what pornography is, what is and isn't acceptable in our private lives, and how "innocent" things such as movies, music and books are. And many are too embarrassed to come forward with their secret sin.

As a pre-teen, I was physically forced to view pornography through no fault of my own. It repulsed me. It sickened me. Yet, for years, I struggled to process what I had seen. I have no doubt this attributed to my slippery slope of sexual immorality through my teen years.

Ladies, hear me on this ... do not compromise. Do not settle for lukewarm in your life. Don't open the door to it. 

- Do you have an accountability partner?

- Are you confessing your sins "one to another"?

- Are you praying and seeking God's wisdom in every area of your life, including social media and entertainment? 

- What are you doing to protect your thought life?

Jennifer Maggio is an award-winning author and speaker who has a passion to see women living the life God intended. She has been featured on countless radio and television programs and has spoken in some of the nation's largest churches, as she shares her journey through homelessness, severe abuse, and multiple teen pregnancies. She is founder of the global nonprofit, The Life of a Single Mom Ministries. For more information, visit http://www.thelifeofasinglemom.com.