LDS Inc. is at it again – fighting porn. Apparently they have set up a new website for porn addiction: http://combatingpornography.org/cp/eng/

So, the only reference I can find that actually says anything about pornography being unhealthy on the page for individuals is to the work of Victor Cline, who appears to be a crusader against pornography. When you check the references on Cline’s site, the most recent are from the 1980s and most are from the 1970s and 1960s. If you’re looking for the latest scientific information, selectively cited, from the 1960s on pornography, Victor Cline is the guy to talk to.

As far as all of the other references on the “individuals page” on combatingpornography.com, not a single reference says anything about sex addiction. They are all references to other types of addiction or to brain functioning and things like obesity. My interpretation, as a scientist, there is no evidence that there is such a thing as “sex addiction” or “porn addiction.” Apparently the APA agrees with me as they are not including sex addiction in the DSM-5. There is also no such thing as porn addiction according to the APA.

There is one reference in Cline’s list of references that actually seemed relevant and fairly recent (1988): Pornography’s Impact on Sexual Satisfaction. According to this article, frequent viewing of porn – soft core porn mind you – reduces satisfaction with sexual partners, but otherwise has no effects on mental health. So, even the little evidence mustered suggests the only potentially negative affect of porn viewing is decreased satisfaction with sex (though apparently a lot of studies have cited this one and I’m guessing some of them take issue with it – anyone want to dig around and see what you can find?).

So, my question: Given the fact that LDS Inc. can’t muster any real scientific evidence suggesting there is such a thing as porn or sex addiction, why do they keep harping on this? What is the REAL issue?