Joseph Antley wrote:Last night I attended a fireside at BYU by Mark Kastleman, one of the co-founders of Candeo and the author of several books. What really struck me was something Kastleman said President Gordon B. Hinckley said at a training meeting for mission presidents. He said that President Hinckley said that the the "overflowing scourge" and "desolating sickness" prophesied of in D&C 45:31 is pornography in the modern world.
"And there shall be men standing in that generation, that shall not pass until they shall see an overflowing scourge; for a desolating sickness shall cover the land. But my disciples shall stand in holy places, and shall not be moved" (D&C 45:31-32).
I found this very interesting.
Yep! I bet you did! But probably not as much as this fellow:
Kollow wrote:Certainly sounds like a description of pornography to me. I spent a couple years at the SLC Library as a security guard in my early twenties. 80% of my job was to catch people viewing porn on the public library computers. I caught men looking at porn in the childrens section of the library. I caught young boys looking at the some of the most discusting hardcore porn imaginable, and married men looking at gay porn and all of this in public place where anyone could see you surfing for porn. Somedays that's all I did was kick men off the computer for looking at porn.
???? It is intriguing to note that this poster understands the difference between "normal" porn and "some of the most discusting [sic] hardcore porn imaginable." Obviously, this individual has a lot of experience with this material.
Porn does appear to be a scourge.
Here's a good place to start in regards to porn and the media:
An interesting follow-up post from a person called "pcarthew":
pcarthew wrote:Very interesting. I have sat in many disciplinary proceedings over the years and I would guess that nearly 90% had a very sad and tragic tale to tell about pornography. I have seen it destroy both women and men and wreck families. It is insidious, it is literally a "desolating sickness" as you so correctly point out. There are scriptures that also use the words "filthy dreamers" I would assume that has also reference to pornography. I have in the past 2 years seen an unprecedented occurrence of pornography addiction amongst women in my stake, which has lead to tragic consequences. So very sad....!
I'm interested in what the "tragic consequences" were (beyond excommunication/disfellowship, of course). How, for instance, did the porn "destroy both women and men"? Did they die while looking at it or something?
Mister Scratch wrote:An interesting follow-up post from a person called "pcarthew":
pcarthew wrote:Very interesting. I have sat in many disciplinary proceedings over the years and I would guess that nearly 90% had a very sad and tragic tale to tell about pornography. I have seen it destroy both women and men and wreck families. It is insidious, it is literally a "desolating sickness" as you so correctly point out. There are scriptures that also use the words "filthy dreamers" I would assume that has also reference to pornography. I have in the past 2 years seen an unprecedented occurrence of pornography addiction amongst women in my stake, which has lead to tragic consequences. So very sad....!
I'm interested in what the "tragic consequences" were (beyond excommunication/disfellowship, of course). How, for instance, did the porn "destroy both women and men"? Did they die while looking at it or something?
Referring to the bolded part, of course he would assume that. It's all part and parcel to the habit of jumping at shadows that is interpreting all things religious. It's little wonder Dawkins refers to god as a delusion, when all people seem to do is make up religion as they go along. What they call religious philosophizing I would call myth creation and fiction writing.
"Tragic consequences?" What, like they couldn't take the sacrament that week? Or maybe... *gasp* someone touched themselves? Next thing you know, they'll get a little more enjoyment from riding a motor cycle than they should.
The horror!!
(Religious folks are simply too easy to make fun of. They're like a comic book waiting to be written).
God belief is for people who don't want to live life on the universe's terms.
It seems to me that porn 'addiction' seems to be a scourge for people who are forbidden to look at it. And I don't think it is just because LDS and other fundy organisations are more likely to make a fuss over it. Being forbidden to enjoy sexuality seems to create some sort of compulsion to find an outlet. Possibly it is just that porn is easier to engage in than visiting prostitutes or becoming a peeping tom .
I seem to recall reading some information along these lines but can't think where, does anyone have any information on the psychology of porn?
Danna wrote: I seem to recall reading some information along these lines but can't think where, does anyone have any information on the psychology of porn?
Yes: studies show that porn enhances masturbation.
God belief is for people who don't want to live life on the universe's terms.
Mister Scratch wrote:An interesting follow-up post from a person called "pcarthew":
pcarthew wrote:Very interesting. I have sat in many disciplinary proceedings over the years and I would guess that nearly 90% had a very sad and tragic tale to tell about pornography. I have seen it destroy both women and men and wreck families. It is insidious, it is literally a "desolating sickness" as you so correctly point out. There are scriptures that also use the words "filthy dreamers" I would assume that has also reference to pornography. I have in the past 2 years seen an unprecedented occurrence of pornography addiction amongst women in my stake, which has lead to tragic consequences. So very sad....!
I'm interested in what the "tragic consequences" were (beyond excommunication/disfellowship, of course). How, for instance, did the porn "destroy both women and men"? Did they die while looking at it or something?
Broken families? Wayward or dysfunctional children? Marriages that go down the tubes?
Can you think of any others? Spiritual death and/or decay for example?
If you're not able to or if you're unwilling to come up with some of the negative consequences of porn addictions and/or viewing, go back and read some of the links I referred you to if you're a bit wishy washy as what they may be.
mentalgymnast wrote:Broken families? Wayward or dysfunctional children? Marriages that go down the tubes?
Can you think of any others? Spiritual death and/or decay for example?
If you're not able to or if you're unwilling to come up with some of the negative consequences of porn addictions and/or viewing, go back and read some of the links I referred you to if you're a bit wishy washy as what they may be.
Regards, MG
Problem is, one man's scourge is another man's harmless victimless activity.
Surely a scourge would be something that effects millions of people, that potentially causes death, that is both incurable and easily transmitted. Kinda like... AIDS. Or the Black Plaque. Or Smallpox.
In comparison to a death sentence, porn seems kinda... lame.
(Nevo, Jan 23) And the Melchizedek Priesthood may not have been restored until the summer of 1830, several months after the organization of the Church.
mentalgymnast wrote:Broken families? Wayward or dysfunctional children? Marriages that go down the tubes?
Can you think of any others? Spiritual death and/or decay for example?
If you're not able to or if you're unwilling to come up with some of the negative consequences of porn addictions and/or viewing, go back and read some of the links I referred you to if you're a bit wishy washy as what they may be.
Regards, MG
Problem is, one man's scourge is another man's harmless victimless activity.
Surely a scourge would be something that effects millions of people, that potentially causes death, that is both incurable and easily transmitted. Kinda like... AIDS. Or the Black Plaque. Or Smallpox.
In comparison to a death sentence, porn seems kinda... lame.
Speaking of lame, this is one of the lamest responses I've seen you make harmony. And you've made some lame ones along the way, in my opinion.
You're saying that porn is not a scourge? Let me hear you say it directly and without equivocation.
Then go back and read the links that I posted if you haven't already done so.
mentalgymnast wrote:Broken families? Wayward or dysfunctional children? Marriages that go down the tubes?
And...? How do you propose to explain that porn would be the direct cause of this? This is a classic case of cum hoc, ergo propter hoc. Correlation does not equal causation, MG. Obviously, each of the people referred to in the above MAD post were also LDS. Does that therefore mean that we could blame Mormonism for the "broken families" and so on?
Can you think of any others? Spiritual death and/or decay for example?
Hey, if you can offer up concrete proof of those things occurring, I'd love to see it.
If you're not able to or if you're unwilling to come up with some of the negative consequences of porn addictions and/or viewing, go back and read some of the links I referred you to if you're a bit wishy washy as what they may be.
mentalgymnast wrote:Speaking of lame, this is one of the lamest responses I've seen you make harmony. And you've made some lame ones along the way, in my opinion.
Now see? That is a personal attack. My lameness or lack of lameness is not the subject of this thread. Try to stick to the subject: porn.
Not up to PP's standard, but still...
You're saying that porn is not a scourge? Let me hear you say it directly and without equivocation.
I'm saying no one died because of porn. (Please understand that I hate porn, but I'm not willing to exaggerate to make a point). And it seems to me for something to be a "scourge", lots and lots and LOTS of people need to have died... directly!... because of it.
(Nevo, Jan 23) And the Melchizedek Priesthood may not have been restored until the summer of 1830, several months after the organization of the Church.
