“What is morally wrong can never be advantageous, even when it enables you to make some gain that you believe to be to your advantage. The mere act of believing that some wrongful course of action constitutes an advantage is pernicious.”
― Marcus Tullius Cicero
In Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables, Fantine is a single mother who loses her job for having a child out of wedlock. That’s the pretext her supervisor uses to fire her for rejecting his advances.
Fantine falls on terrible times. Those who are caring for her child are extorting all her income, lying to her that the child is ill and her medicine is expensive.
Fantine sells her hair and teeth before succumbing to the demand for her body.
She dies destitute but not before extracting a promise from her supervisor’s boss to be a savior to her child.
Today, Fantine’s story repeats itself with more than one twist. Both men and women are selling their bodies virtually on OnlyFans, a social media site on which members pay to view pictures and videos of those they follow.
ABC recently aired a news feature exploring OnlyFans (content warning). The news report presented a view of what’s become a hub for pornography.
And ABC celebrated its arrival.
OnlyFans has processed $1.2 billion since it began, making founder Timothy Stokely worth $120 million.
The ABC piece reads like a commercial. No other voice gets the chance to present a different perspective. ABC provides no discussion of sexual exploitation. And not a peep about porn addiction.
Instead, ABC calls such “sex work” empowering.
The report shows viewers a creative way to make money during the pandemic. Sex work is a ticket to “financial freedom.”
One interviewee says the work requires self-promotion, “which is really difficult when you have a ready, saturated landscape of people who have those large, large followings they’re bringing to OnlyFans.”
It’s an ironic celebration of the free market as an OnlyFan member asserts that he got involved because he was comfortable with his sexuality, and there was “a need”–in other words, a market.
ABC is streaming the story, “‘OnlyFans: Selling Sexy’ on Hulu.”
We know porn is out there. It’s pervasive. Even in the Church.
Now a major television network has told millions more where to find porn, how to participate in it, and how to turn a buck by being part of it.
All without allowing a word of protest or a hint that there might be regrettable effects later. The reporter and a participant admitted and disdained that a “stigma” sometimes goes along with such work.
OnlyFans and ABC’s coverage prompt the question of what can come next.
What follows is a logical result. More people buy into a lie that selling their bodies won’t damage their psyches or their souls. It will only build their bank accounts.
And more people will carry their wounds, addictions, and a perpetual online presence into future relationships and eventual physical decline.
Fantine would warn them. But would they listen?
Ugh. I had not heard of this site nor the ABC coverage of it.
Just when I think we’ve hit rock bottom, someone drills even deeper!
Sigh.
That’s so true, Ava. Just when you think it can’t get lower… Thanks and God bless.
Our culture is filled with lies about what’s “empowering.” But I’ve learned that only through God do I have any strength at all. Apart from Him, I’m lost. I’m praying the lies of culture will be exposed and people will see the Light.
That may be the most important prayer for our times–that truth is revealed. Thank you, Jessica. God bless!
I did not know about that site. How awful! Thank you for sharing with us. I’m praying we make the right choices, and not wrong ones that hurt others and ourselves.
Amen, Melissa. Thanks and God bless!
Culture continues to practice exchanging the truth of God for a lie. (Romans 1:25)
That’s exactly right, Karen. We so need God’s truth. Thanks and God bless!
I hadn’t heard of OnlyFans before. I am just sickened by the response from ABC. My husband and I are in ministry and often have to deal with the results of porn addiction on families. Thank you for a sad eye opener.
Thank you for commenting and especially for helping so many. God bless!
I had no idea a major network had endorsed such sinful content. Thank you, Nancy, for increasing our awareness as a reason to pray.
Amen, Jeannie. Thanks and God bless!
How dreadful. It also makes me think what is coming next. As we accept we lie about sin then more people are willing to accept the next. We need Jesus
We do, Yvonne. Thanks and God bless!
This is awful! Yet one more event on the slippery slope in which our country is engaged. As I was reading about this exaltation of “sex work” I considered all the women I led in Bible studies and a Christian 12-step program in the prison. They had been trafficked by young johns who drugged and raped and humiliated them, so that their shame would enslave them. Lord, have mercy! These women found salvation and forgiveness and an awareness for the first time in their lives that they were truly and deeply loved, all because of Jesus and his great love for us, no matter what we’ve done. Lord God, please bring repentance and a turning toward you.
Thank you, Melinda, for showing them the love of Christ. He truly is the one who brings healing and changes lives. God bless!
Porn shattered my first marriage. It is not an innocent or victimless crime. Thank you for shining the light on this attempt to normalize evil.
May God heal any pain you still have from that situation, Candice. Thanks for commenting. God bless!
This grieves my heart. Still praying relentlessly for a turn-around in our country and a revival that will bring down these evil strongholds. God’s arm is not too short to do this.
Thanks for your prayers, Janice. God bless!
Nancy, thank you for bringing these issues to light. I rarely watch any TV anymore, so I had no idea this happened. Lord, have mercy on us. Save our children. Protect our families. Lord Jesus, how we need you.
How we need you, Lord, indeed and amen. Thank you, Melissa, and God bless!