A MAD Porn Thread

[_bcspace]

Another example of interpreting vague scripture to mean something specific. In the 50s, this scripture could've been a prophecy of communism. It could also be used against homosexuality. Anything that the church thinks is evil can be the "scourge" and "sickness" in that scripture.

Duel prophecy!

[_mentalgymnast]

I'm still not sure if porn is as great a scourge as you think, MG. I've known people who don't think it's such a big deal, couples who sometimes view it together as entertainment, and then I know at least one person who barely has his marriage intact and goes to a 12 step program for sex addiction. At the same time, I know people who gamble at casinos in Vegas once in a while, and I also know one guy who has desperately wrecked his credit, his 401K, his marriage, and his family's financial life twice!

There are always going to be variations on the theme. The variations may not represent the larger scope and/or big picture of things though. The stats I linked to earlier though sure seem to point towards porn as being BIG. Scourge? Very possibly.

We may be playing with fire as a society. Time will tell.

Regards,
MG

[_mentalgymnast]

Another example of interpreting vague scripture to mean something specific. In the 50s, this scripture could've been a prophecy of communism. It could also be used against homosexuality. Anything that the church thinks is evil can be the "scourge" and "sickness" in that scripture.

Duel prophecy!

Isaiah was good at that.

Regards,
MG

[_Mister Scratch]

The boiling frog story states that a frog can be boiled alive if the water is heated slowly enough — it is said that if a frog is placed in boiling water, it will jump out, but if it is placed in cold water that is slowly heated, it will never jump out.

Meaning.... What? That looking at porn until one "boils to death" is a bad thing? Well, I would agree with you there. I don't think anybody on this board would advocate what you're describing.

Now this story cannot be used to justify what may appear to be a rational or at least reasonable argument such as "porn use will gradually and most assuredly leading to broken families" or "porn use will often act as a catalyst in causing a marriage to fail". A slippery slope argument that does not prove each step is a logical fallacy. So Scratch, I can't prove by cause and effect that porn always results in broken homes, broken marriages, and in some cases dysfunctional children.

It's a gut feeling. But I'm personally willing to go with it.

Hey, that's terrific. I experience a "dark feeling" when I read the FARMS Review. Does that mean it is a "scourge"?

What does your gut feeling tell you? Porn is healthy? Porn is good?

Do you make a habit of viewing porn? by the way, if porn is healthy and good there should be no shame in answering this question.

Do you masturbate, or have you ever beaten your wife? Did you once have a serious problem with pornography, hence your "gut feeling"? Come on, now, MG. How stupid do you think I am? As a bonus question: Can you name the logical fallacy you just used?

*If so, was there a time in the past that you felt as though it was dirty and/or smutty to do so?
*Do you find yourself the better person as a result of viewing porn in your own estimation?
*Does your wife value your involvement in porn?

by the way, if you are not a viewer of porn, I would've course encourage you to disregard the three asterisked questions as they would obviously not apply to you.

Regards,
MG

Again: you are making silly, fallacious arguments, my friend. You could very easily flip the questions around so that the Church bears the brunt of the implication. In the end, your position is illogical. Probably, it reflects your fears and insecurities concerning sex, which the Church---you are LDS, right?---drilled into you.

[_Danna]

I am going to have to do a literature search on this at work. Crickey, have you ever tried to search using 'pornography' in google. yerrrchk...

[_asbestosman]

I think there are some good reasons to avoid porn, such as that it exploits women, and because married people will be tempted to stray from their partner by participating in it.

You and The Dude have hit on some real reasons to be concerned with Porn. It exploits women, some people become obsessed or addicted to it (although similar dangers exist for some online games like World of Warcraft and Evercrack), and it can tempt one to be unfaithful.

I think the exploitation angle is most interesting from a legal perspective. We already recognize that kiddie porn is a very gross exploitation and abuse of children, even if the children "consent"--even if the child took the picutres him/herself and only released them after turning 18. I think there are similar dangers to porn as there are to prostitution for the exploitatoin angle. I think the temptation to seel your body is too great, especially for poor women.

Is porn the scourge? I think it is a scourage, but I think there are others: gluttony (obesity epidemic), wrath (road rage), greed (thanks you Wall Street for our subprime mortgage crisis), etc.

[_The Dude]

Just a heads up, everyone. I noticed that MADB has found a new scourge for the week:

Computer Gaming by LDS Men, Is this a bad thing? Is this a big problem?

A few confessions and horror stories to drive the point home:

I have been 9months free.
I have known several guys that have had devorces mainly over to many video games.

I know exactly what these women were experiencing. I've seen the addiction in my own life, in the lives of others, and we're starting to struggle with our children over it. While practically anything can become an addition if taken out of bounds (even this board!), I think video games pose more of a problem than other hobbies because in a very real sense you turn your mind over the game.

Our stake president specifically mentioned World of Warcraft being a huge problem in our stake. I know at least a couple women whose husbands play it so much, it is affecting their marriage.

I think that video games are capable of being very addictive and destructive.

hey don't call it the World of Warcrack without good reason. It's a addicting as Crack.

Move over porn!

[_harmony]

and horror stories to drive the point home:

I have been 9months free.
I have known several guys that have had devorces mainly over to many video games.

I know exactly what these women were experiencing. I've seen the addiction in my own life, in the lives of others, and we're starting to struggle with our children over it. While practically anything can become an addition if taken out of bounds (even this board!), I think video games pose more of a problem than other hobbies because in a very real sense you turn your mind over the game.

Our stake president specifically mentioned World of Warcraft being a huge problem in our stake. I know at least a couple women whose husbands play it so much, it is affecting their marriage.

I think that video games are capable of being very addictive and destructive.

hey don't call it the World of Warcrack without good reason. It's a addicting as Crack.

Move over porn!

These people have never been truly addicted to a substance that controls their every thought. And while, neither have I, it appears highly unlikely that a video game has the instant physical addictive qualities of a morphine-based narcotic or nicotine.

Perhaps because these Mormons want to fit in so desperately, they are willing to attach extreme psychological and physiological terms to their social issues. Have any of them actually seen someone addicted to crack? Or meth? or heroin?

And lest someone take me to task for implying that it's not possible to get addicted to video games (or porn), or that such an addiction may cause havoc in an individual's life and relationship, an addiction to vidoe games or porn is not in the same ballpark as an addiction to crack cocaine.

[_Bond James Bond]

I'm still not sure if porn is as great a scourge as you think, MG. I've known people who don't think it's such a big deal, couples who sometimes view it together as entertainment, and then I know at least one person who barely has his marriage intact and goes to a 12 step program for sex addiction. At the same time, I know people who gamble at casinos in Vegas once in a while, and I also know one guy who has desperately wrecked his credit, his 401K, his marriage, and his family's financial life twice!

Being a youngster I haven't noticed anyone with sex addiction or addiction to porn. But I do know a few guys who do basically nothing except play video games all day everyday.

Has anyone noticed the news stories of late where people have died from playing video games too long? Or neglected their kids so that the kids died because they were too busy playing WoW? I'll try to get some links later today, but I consider video games far more addictive and dangerous because there is no social stigma attached to them the way porn is viewed in some circles.

Either way, addiction is addiction and addiction is bad, unless you're addicted to Bond, in which case indulge [ladies]. :)

[_harmony]

I'm still not sure if porn is as great a scourge as you think, MG. I've known people who don't think it's such a big deal, couples who sometimes view it together as entertainment, and then I know at least one person who barely has his marriage intact and goes to a 12 step program for sex addiction. At the same time, I know people who gamble at casinos in Vegas once in a while, and I also know one guy who has desperately wrecked his credit, his 401K, his marriage, and his family's financial life twice!

David Duchovny from the X Files entered rehab in August, seeking a cure from his addiction to sex.

link: http://www.people.com/people/article/0, ... 58,00.html