Conservative Dennis Prager: 'Men Want Variety … If Porn is a Substitute for Adultery, It's Not Awful'
During a roundtable discussion about the Book of Exodus, Dennis Prager, a prominent conservative talk-radio host and self-described “religious Jew” (not Orthodox), said that “men want variety,” and if viewing pornography is a “substitute for adultery, it’s not awful.” He also said that a man looking with lust towards a woman “is not a sin in Judaism.”
The discussion was part of a series on the Book of Exodus in the Old Testament, hosted by Jordan B. Peterson, a clinical psychologist and popular author who hosts a program on The Daily Wire. In addition to Prager, six other scholars comprise the panel.
During the discussion, part of which was posted on YouTube, Prager, who founded the PragerU video series, said, “I am less interested in the interior person, morally speaking, than you are, than probably any of you are — largely I do believe because I come from a behaviorist, law-based religion. We care how you act.”
“That’s why we don’t have a claim that if you look at another woman with lust, it’s as if you’ve committed adultery with her,” said Prager. “As I said yesterday, I thank God for America’s Christians. And Maimonides said, if it weren’t for Christians the world wouldn’t know about the Torah. I’m a big Christian fan.”
“But obviously Christianity and Judaism are not identical religions,” he added. “And we have no equivalent that if you look upon another woman with lust, it’s as if you’ve committed adultery with your heart.”
“There’s only one way to commit adultery in Judaism and it’s with a different organ,” said Prager. “And I’m not being cute. I’m being very realistic. Looking with lust is not a sin in Judaism.”
Jordan Peterson then interjected, “What’s the stance on pornography?”
Prager replied, “So, pornography. When I am asked this question – my answer, when it’s raised on my radio show, I have a male-female hour and I’m very open about sexual subjects — I always ask, if a wife calls me and says my husband looks at pornography, I found on his computer, I have one question. How is your life of intimacy with your husband? Is it good?”
“In other words, is the pornography in lieu of you or in addition to you?” said Prager. “I know that this is not a religious answer. I’m not even giving a religious answer. I’m giving what I think is a moral and realistic answer.”
“Men want variety,” Prager said. “And if adultery is a substitute for – if pornography is a substitute for one’s wife, it’s awful. If it’s a substitute for adultery, it’s not awful. That is my unpredictable answer.”
Prager did not say whether producing and distributing pornography is wrong or sinful.
In addition to his radio program, Dennis Prager is a nationally syndicated columnist, the author of 11 books, and he speaks four languages.
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