As the one who created this world and the people who live within it, God is the one who gets to determine what is a sin and what is not. It doesn’t really matter what you or I believe about it, but it matters an awful lot what God believes about it.

I’m so glad you are asking this question because it’s an important one. Maybe you will find it comforting to know you are not the only one asking it—more people come to this site by searching “Is watching porn a sin?” than any other question.

I think I know what you are hoping for. You are hoping I will say “No, watching porn is not a sin.” You are hoping I will say that because you want to watch it and that answer will give you a little more freedom to indulge in something that tempts you, draws you, and offers you a kind of satisfaction.

But it’s not quite that simple, is it? I think there is a part of you that also hopes I will say, “Yes, watching porn is a sin.” You are hoping I will say it’s a sin because that answer will address the sense of guilt you feel, that part of your inner self that nags you when you watch it. Human beings are complicated that way—different parts of us can desire different things or even opposite things. It’s possible to long for something with one part of yourself and hate it with another.

I am glad you used the word “sin,” because it is the key to a good answer. When we consider whether watching porn is a sin, we are essentially holding it up to a set of morals to ask, “Does it violate this standard of morals or is it consistent with it?” But here’s a follow-up question: whose morals are we comparing it to? This is where the word “sin” is so helpful, because when we commit a sin, we are violating God’s morals. As the one who created this world and the people who live within it, God is the one who gets to determine what is a sin and what is not. It doesn’t really matter what you or I believe about it, but it matters an awful lot what God believes about it.

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