The Purity Project of OKC

by Luke Gilkerson, Blog Editor for Covenant Eyes

Why Accountability?

Recently, I explained the idea behind Covenant Eyes accountability software. The response I received was “That’s creepy.”

This is a typical response. The idea of a detailed Internet-usage report being sent to designated accountability partners sounds like a subplot from 1984. Big Brother is watching you.

What benefit does accountability of this type have? Why would anyone endorse* such a program. (Read on …)

Who are we really?

Sometimes, when you visit a web site like this one, you may wonder, “What motivates people, like those at The Purity Project OKC?” “Why would they take the time and energy to create a website to try and get in touch with me? Perhaps you are slightly suspicious and rightly question, “What do they really want?” It might be easy to assume that we’re a bunch of religious fanatics or a bunch of crazies with nothing better to do than interfere and judge the personal lives of others. Nothing could be further from the truth.

If you are happy with the way things are going in your life, then keep living the way you are. But, if you find yourself like us: people who were once in over our heads, people whose lives weren’t working and whose lives had become unmanageable, people who who had all but given up–you’re at the right place. We found something that changed our lives. The Purity Project of Oklahoma City is a group of men who’ve experienced and struggled with brokenness, pornography, sexual addictions, and all that go with this; but now, are on the healing and recovery journey. Some of us are further along than others. We’re here to help those who want something better and need help getting it. (Read on …)

I’m very fortunate. I work in a place that doesn’t require all of us to wear a suit and tie. Our code is that you should look nice, be presentable and feel comfortable. The other day I decided to go for it. I wore a nice shirt, tie, coat and slacks. No doubt about it, I looked great. Around noon I discovered something. I had been going from place to place and department to department with my zipper down! I could not help but wonder how many people had seen my predicament and decided to say nothing rather than embarrass me. The same is true about life. All of us have blind spots; the parts of our lives that others can see but we cannot–and some of it can be pretty darn embarrassing. When I was heavily involved in pornography, and all that goes with that affliction, I had a huge blind spot. I couldn’t see it, but those close to me could. Even today I am still coming to terms with just how blind I was. The blindness I am talking about is selfishness. (Read on …)

Early Beginnings

The sexuality in my family is a little vague but I do know that there is some dysfunction at least two generations deep. My Grandmother on my fathers side had slept with various men while married and otherwise. She left my biological grandfather for my adopted grandfather and she eventually left him for other men. I know that my Father was sexually active before meeting my mother. I know that they did not intend to have me as quickly as they did, I was not purposed by my earthly father. My Father supposedly was having multiple affairs on my mother. I suspect my mother ran to the arms of a man before the divorce was final. After the divorce and while he was single, my father had multiple girlfriends and sexual partners. Two years later he was married only to be divorced fifteen years later. I believe and understand that extra marital affairs were involved in this break up. Dad has been bouncing from one woman to another ever since. He has had multiple sex partners and has threatened marriage a couple of times. I believe dad is first a love addict and next a sex addict, while mixing in drinking and drug use. (Read on …)

Masturbation is rooted in lust

For me the central reason is rooted in lust. I cannot masturbate without lusting. Lust is clearly defined as a sinful act in scripture so if lusting is wrong and I lust while I masturbate then I deduce that masturbation is wrong.

The second reason that masturbation is wrong would come from a passage out of 1 Corinthians 6:18-19, it speaks of sexual sin being committed against my own body and that my body is the temple of the Holy Spirit; in essence the place where God resides is in my body. (Read on …)