Watching A Lot Of Porn Might Change You In A Very Unexpected Way

Have you been watching a lot of hardcore porn? Do you feel guilty about it? Are you feeling like you need to go to church and wash away your sins?

If the answer is yes, apparently you're not alone.

According to a new study, people who watch a lot of X-rated videos are more likely to become religious overtime, Complex reports.

University of Oklahoma sociology professor Samuel L. Perry looked at data from 2006 and 2012 from the Portraits of American Life Study, analyzing the relationship between porn and religiosity. What he found was surprising.

While the study found people who viewed moderate amounts of porn become less religious overtime, it also found people who watched a lot of porn (once a week or more) became more religious after six years.

Perry thinks this is likely because these individuals feel guilt or shame about the amount of porn they're viewing. Speaking with Complex, he said,

These people may be saying something like, 'OK, God, I may be disobeying you in this area of my life, but look at all the religious stuff I'm doing over here!'

Perry also speculates this could be due to some obsessive, or compulsive, tendencies in certain individuals. As he put it,

Some personality types tend to be compulsive about religious participation and these same folks may also be compulsive in other areas of their lives like pornography use.

Perry's findings are definitely fascinating.

At the same time there is also evidence of a link between porn viewership and supporting gender equality. A relatively recent study also found porn viewers were more likely to harbor egalitarian perspectives.

Correspondingly, there's also a correlation between secularism and support for gender equality. Research shows secular societies are more likely to believe in equal rights for women.

So, there seems to be some contradictions here in terms of the impact watching porn really has on people. More research is definitely needed.

In the meantime, feel free to watch some porn, go to church and support gender equality. You do you.