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.” …

“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.”

[Fascinating answer from my friend Dennis. Maybe we’ll debate this, but one contention in this is that Judaism views sin externally rather than internally. However, the Ten Commandments forbid us from “covet[ing]” thy neighbor’s wife, which would at least allude to internality of sin. This should spark a robust debate. — Ed]