A row of men and women stand shackled. Society sees but says it's normal. They say, "This is the natural order of things". But one old man is rallying men to fight it. To fight this modern day slavery: pornography.
Hi, my name is Terence and I'm your host for Reading and Readers, a podcast where I review Christian books for you. Today I review "The Death of Porn: Men of Integrity Building a World of Nobility" by Ray Ortlund.
A Budget for Porn
Porn addiction is a subject that many Christians find uncomfortable to read or talk about. We know it's wrong. The fact that we continue to struggle against it and often fail puts our faith in doubt. For how can Christians who sing praises to a Holy God, who claim Jesus Christ as Lord over all, who are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, can have, as Ortlund puts it, "a budget for porn in their consciences".
The way to win a spiritual battle is to cast darkness into the light. To speak it out into the open. And this book, "The Death of Porn", does just that.
The Author
The man behind this book, Ray Ortlund, is the Senior Pastor at Emmanuel Church in Nashville, Tennessee and served as Professor of Old Testament at Trinity Divinity School, Chicago for nine years.
Today's book, "The Death of Porn", is in a different category from the theological books or commentaries Ortlund has written. This is a book of six chapters; six chapters written as six personal letter from an older man - Ray Ortlund is over 70 years old - to a younger man.
Modern Day Slavery
Every chapter begins with, "Dear Son". Although he recognises women can be trapped by porn, this book is written to men. But if you are a woman, keep listening because this book could be of help to you or to someone you love.
Ortlund was inspired to write this book because of a letter. In 1791, John Wesley wrote to William Wilberforce that unless the divine power had raised Wilberforce up, Wesley could not see how Wilberforce can continue to oppose that cursed villainy that is slavery.
I quote from Wesley's letter:

Unless God has raised you up for this very thing, you will be worn out by the opposition of men and devils. But if God be for you, who can be against you? Are all of them together stronger than God? O be not weary of well doing! Go on, in the name of God and in the power of His might, till even American slavery (the vilest that ever saw the sun) shall vanish away with it.

Later, Ortlund writes:

... this old letter got me thinking: What about us today? What if not just one man but a whole generation of men takes a bold stand against the new slave trade of our time - pornography?

Pornography is not simply a matter of private conscience or private sin, it's a matter of injustice. I am reminded of J. F. Kennedy who said at his Berlin speech, "When one man is enslaved, all are not free." He was speaking of communism but what he said equally applies to pornography. In this book, Ortlund envisions the death of porn, not just for the individual but for nations.
Structure
He divides the book into two parts, three chapters each. The first part is titled: "Reintroducing the Characters" with the chapters, or letters, "You are Royalty", "She is Royalty" and "He is Royalty", Jesus is royalty. Part One is foundational to Part Two. Foundational in the sense if you have all the identities right, men, women and Jesus, then you build on them a good life. But some of us may not know how to build on those foundations and that is where Part Two comes in. Part Two gives practical support and guide on how to overcome porn.
The second part is titled: "Reimagining the Future" with the chapters, "We Can Do This", "We Can Work Together", and "We Can Make a World of Difference".
Dear Son
Let me quote from the first letter Ortlund writes. Listen to