There’s no renewal without conversion. There’s no mercy without justice. There’s no resurrection without the Cross. These axioms define what it means to be a Christian. Our lives must be in a constant state of renewal as we conform ourselves to Christ.

Pamela Anderson is widely regarded as one of the great sex symbols of the 1990s. This dehumanizing title, though intended to be a compliment, is repugnant. Labelling Pam as a sex symbol supplants the mystique of her femininity with something other than, less than. She’s back in the news after penning an op-ed piece about the dangers of pornography. The Internet reacted predictably and unkindly.

One pornographer even responded by asserting, “I believe that my movies, that couples have watched, have saved more marriages than all the marriage counselors combined.”

Most of the comments were inane, but the running theme was hypocrisy. Why should the public trust a woman who was a staple in Playboy magazine?

Porn is the new cigarette. Like cigarettes, I think we’re getting ready to collectively realize just how harmful it really is. The anonymity of Internet pornography targets a group of the population that would never be caught dead in a porn shop or the “adult” section of the bookstore. It’s a temptation that ordinary people wouldn’t struggle with were it not for the easy access. The Internet has opened up porn to a whole new market segment and it’s ripping our homes apart.

While the impact of porn is heartbreaking, it’s also brought into focus a beautiful side of humanity. Websites like Fight the New Drug seek to counter the porn propaganda and educate young people about the sickening realities of porn. Anti-porn apologists like the great Matt Fraddnow drop wisdom on the Internet. One of his recent tweets was especially impactful: “Love says, “this is my body given up for you.” Porn says, “this is your body taken by me.” Reject fake.” TIME magazine ran a cover story on the dangers of porn and the government of Utah declared porn a public health crisis.

Many chose to condemn Pam, but in her witness, I see a very familiar character. Before Saul was Paul, he was a devastatingly effective enforcer. Saul was so unwavering in his persecutions, that Acts 8:3 tells us that he “was trying to destroy the church.” Along the road to Damascus, Saul had his great conversion, became Paul, and began to follow the Way.

Understandably, the Christians were dubious. But Paul began to publicly preach about Jesus in the synagogues in Damascus. This led the Jews to ask themselves, “Is not this the man who in Jerusalem ravaged those who call upon this name, and came here expressly to take them back in chains to the chief priests?” (Acts 9:21). The Jews were so upset at Paul’s conversion that they plotted to kill him (Acts 9:23).

We know that Paul’s conversion was sincere, and the significance of his story lends credibility to his witness. Here’s a man who hated the church, converted, and is now the most prolific writer of his era. Paul’s letters fill the New Testament with rich theology and practical wisdom. He paid a great price for his conversion, executed as a martyr in Rome.

The fact that Pamela Anderson is willing to publicly denounce the culture that made her famous, I think, lends credibility to her testimony. Many doubt her authenticity, but I’m reminded of the truths that I’ve come to know about the Christian life. There’s no renewal without conversion, no mercy without justice, and no resurrection without the Cross. Porn is destroying our families, and if one more voice crying out in the wilderness is what it takes to end this scourge, I’m all ears.