Robertson Brothers Discuss Pornography’s Impact
In a recent discussion on “Unshamed,” the Robertson brothers alongside Zack Dasher tackled the subject of pornography, often referred to as the P-word.
Pornography has become pervasive, affecting millions, particularly boys and men. While it’s been around in various forms for centuries, the digital age has made it ever more accessible. It’s ubiquitous—appearing on televisions, phones, you name it. Even artificial intelligence seems to be getting involved in unsettling ways.
These days, many boys are introduced to porn long before they hit puberty.
Al Robertson recalls being exposed to it at a young age—he thinks he was around 7 or 8. Growing up next to the bar that his father Phil ran before his conversion to Christianity made this early encounter especially impactful, causing Al struggles within his marriage for years.
Zack Dasher shares a similar experience. At just 11, a friend’s older brother introduced him to adult films. Years later, he learned from Dr. Trent Langhofer, a Christian counselor, that seeing pornography before puberty could have ramifications similar to sexual abuse.
“That’s when it clicked for me,” Zack says. “It was a formative experience I wrestled with for years… Early exposure probably pushed me into a pattern of sin for quite some time.”
Jace Robertson, on the other hand, managed to avoid early exposure. He believes the roots of the issue trace back to the creation of humanity. God saw that Adam shouldn’t be alone, leading to the creation of Eve, marriage, and the sanctity of sex. Pornography, he argues, is a distortion of that intended goodness.
According to Jace, it isolates individuals—something God has warned against—and skews their perceptions of reality, particularly in their relationships with their spouses.
For Al, fatherhood shifted his perspective. Confronting the reality that every girl depicted in porn is someone’s daughter and made in the image of God deeply resonated with him. “You start thinking like Jesus,” he reflects.
Zack emphasizes that understanding the truth is crucial, but so is taking responsibility. For him, accountability was essential to breaking the cycle. He suggests that confession is a necessary first step, especially if married. “You have more at stake,” he notes.
“After confession, we need to establish a new rhythm. We become what we take in,” he adds.
“If you change what you consume, you’ll change what you become. You end up worshiping what you see. If you’re consuming entertainment, that’s what you might end up idolizing,” he warns.
He articulates that true freedom comes from “truth combined with discipline.”
To hear more from their unfiltered conversation, you can catch the full episode linked above.
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