Cybersex 'rife' in Britain's churches
-22/6/04
An Evangelical charity is claiming that 'cybersex' is rife in Britain's churches.
CARE (Christian Action Research and Education) known for its conservative positions on issues of sexual ethics and family issues, has said that people in churches up and down the country are "caught up in the web of internet pornography".
Their findings follow work with pastors and ministers as well as ordinary church members.
In 2001 CARE surveyed 3,500 church leaders and discovered that many had already been consulted by people who were "addicted" to internet pornography. Most pastors and ministers identified 'cybersex' as a significant problem.
A similar survey in the USA had previously revealed [0] that almost 18 percent of people who called themselves "born-again Christians" admitted visiting Internet porn sites.
Since then CARE says that it has been tackling the problem with a range of initiatives ñ the latest of which is a national conference to be held this autumn entitled ëIn Search Of Intimacyí.
The conference will be held at Westminster Chapel on October 8th, and the talks will feature in a specially written book to be published around the same time.
Speakers will include CARE for the Familyís Rob Parsons, medical expert Dr Trevor Stammers, Dr Stephen Carrick-Davies of Childnet International, addictions specialist David Partington and child abuse consultant Dr Alice Swann.
The charity says they will advise church leaders on how to help households "menaced by pornography" ñ as well as offering a "way of escape for people tormented by its grip".
CARE has also launched a special section on its website [1] which offers help to "those struggling with this issue."
"Many leaders felt they lacked the resources to help others," said CAREís General Director Nola Leach. "We want to give them some practical tools ñ without being judgemental in any way."
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