“How applicable is Alexander Pope’s classic “Essay on Man”:
Vice is a monster of so frightful mien
As to be hated needs but to be seen;
Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face,
We first endure, then pity, then embrace.”
~President
Thomas S. Monson, “Pornography, The Deadly Carrier”, quoting Alexander Pope,
July 2001 Ensign, lds.org.
“Parents, the days are long past when regular,
active participation in Church meetings and programs, though essential, can
fulfill your sacred responsibility to teach your children to live moral,
righteous lives and walk uprightly before the Lord. With President Monson’s
announcement this morning, it is essential that this be faithfully accomplished
in homes which are places of refuge where kindness, forgiveness, truth, and
righteousness prevail. Parents must have the courage to filter or monitor
Internet access, television, movies, and music. Parents must have the courage
to say no, defend truth, and bear powerful testimony. Your children need to
know that you have faith in the Savior, love your Heavenly Father, and sustain
the leaders of the Church. Spiritual maturity must flourish in our homes.”
~Elder Quentin L. Cook, “Can Ye
Feel So Now?” October 2012 General Conference, lds.org.
“As we encounter that evil carrier, the
pornography beetle, let our battle standard and that of our communities be
taken from that famous ensign of early America, “Don’t tread on me.”
~President Thomas S. Monson, “Pornography,
The Deadly Carrier”, July 2001 Ensign, lds.org.
“Brothers and sisters, how do we protect our children
and youth? Filters are useful tools, but the greatest filter in the world, the
only one that will ultimately work, is the personal internal filter that comes
from a deep and abiding testimony of our Heavenly Father’s love and our
Savior’s atoning
sacrifice for each one of us. How do we lead our children to deep
conversion and to access our Savior’s Atonement? I love the prophet
Nephi’s declaration
of what his people did to fortify the youth of his day: “We talk of
Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, [and] we prophesy of Christ … that our children may know to what source they
may look for a remission of their sins.”
~Sister Linda S. Reeves “Protection
from Pornography-aChrist-Focused Home” April 2014 General Conference, lds.org.
“Pornographic or erotic stories and pictures are
worse than filthy or polluted food. The body has defenses to rid itself of
unwholesome food. With a few fatal exceptions, bad food will only make you sick
but do no permanent harm. In contrast, a person who feasts upon filthy stories
or pornographic or erotic pictures and literature records them in this
marvelous retrieval system we call a brain. The brain won’t vomit back filth.
Once recorded, it will always remain subject to recall, flashing its perverted
images across your mind and drawing you away from the wholesome things in
life.”
~Elder
Dallin H. Oaks “Pornography” April 2005 General Conference, lds.org.
“We must also act to protect those we love. Parents install
alarms to warn if their household is threatened by smoke or carbon monoxide. We
should also install protections against spiritual threats, protections like
filters on Internet connections and locating access so others can see what is
being viewed. And we should build the spiritual strength of our families by
loving relationships, family prayer, and scripture study.”
~Elder
Dallin H. Oaks “Pornography” April 2005 General Conference, lds.org.
“The young man I mentioned earnestly asked if the Apostles knew how
early in life teaching and protecting against pornography and impure thoughts
should start. With emphasis, he stated that in some areas even before youth
graduate from Primary is not too early.”
~Elder Quentin L. Cook, “Can Ye
Feel So Now?” October 2012 General Conference, lds.org.
“We as parents and leaders need to counsel with our
children and youth on an ongoing basis, listening with love and understanding.
They need to know the dangers of pornography and how it overtakes lives,
causing loss of the Spirit, distorted feelings, deceit, damaged relationships,
loss of self-control, and nearly total consumption of time, thought, and
energy.”
~Sister Linda S. Reeves “Protection
from Pornography-aChrist-Focused Home” April 2014 General Conference, lds.org.
“Parents, are we aware that mobile devices with Internet
capacity, not computers, are the biggest culprit?”
~Sister Linda S. Reeves “Protection
from Pornography-aChrist-Focused Home” April 2014 General Conference, lds.org.
“Research has also shown that frequent use of pornography can
lead to obsessive behaviors and can rewire the brain to capture a person in the
prison of addiction.”
~Elder M. Russell Ballard “Be
Still and Know That I am God” May 2014 CES Devotional, lds.org.
“Another aspect of pornography is that it is generally a
“secret” activity. Users often hide their use or at least minimize their use
from everyone, including their romantic partners and spouses. Studies have
found that when people engage in this type of self-concealment—when they do
things they are not proud of and keep those things a secret from their family
members and friends—it not only hurts their relationships and leaves them
feeling lonely but also makes them more vulnerable to depression, anxiety, and
poor self-esteem. Keeping secrets damages trust.”
~Elder M. Russell Ballard “Be
Still and Know That I am God” May 2014 CES Devotional, lds.org.
|My Feelings|
This is something that has scared me ever since my first daughter was born. I am so afraid of my kids being exposed to pornography or being in danger of being hurt by someone addicted to it, whether it be physically or emotionally. I know this can corrupt a person to their very soul. Then I realized I was living by fear, and not faith. If I abide by this counsel then they will be armed with knowledge, truth, and faith. If I do what is asked of me then we will be protected by the spirit and will have the help of Heavenly Father along the way. I know this world is evil today but that doesn’t mean we can be armed and ready for it.
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