Father Stephen De Young warned that the pornography addiction crisis is warping young identities and damaging spiritual lives. The Eastern Orthodox priest told Tucker Carlson that online pornography now reaches children at younger ages, and he said its effects have afflicted “all men and most women.”
De Young, who pastors Archangel Gabriel Antiochian Orthodox Church in Lafayette, Louisiana, said isolation makes the crisis worse. He argued that real community helps people heal by bringing them back into embodied relationships.
Online Exposure Starts Early
De Young said confessions have changed over 20 years. Sexual sin once often involved other people, but now it frequently begins alone with internet pornography.
He said many people seeking help describe early exposure to hardcore content. Some report that it escalated into darker and more dysfunctional material. Carlson reacted with alarm when De Young said the average American child first sees hardcore pornography at age 8.
Identity and Isolation Raise Concerns
De Young linked early exposure to confusion around sexuality and gender identity. He said young people often build their first sexual experiences through screens, so those experiences become detached from their bodies.
He also warned that many Zoomers socialize mostly online. Some call online-only contacts their closest friends, and some have romantic partners they have never met. He said Gen Alpha faces even greater risk.
Supporters Point to a Civilizational Threat
Supporters share concerns that the pornography addiction crisis reaches far beyond private behavior. Ronald DeHaas, CEO of Covenant Eyes, called widespread porn addiction a “civilizational crisis” in a 2024 interview.
DeHaas cited research on porn struggles among churchgoing Christians and sexual problems among young men. He also said many scholarship applicants reported addiction or deep struggle by age 12, and some began as young as 6. Carlson has also argued that pornography weakens men and threatens the nation’s future.
Orthodox priest claims porn is warping children, afflicts ‘all men and most women’
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