MAD's Obiwan: A Recovering "Pornoholic"?

[_Gadianton]

Thus, we have yet more evidence that the LDS Church has created yet another pornography addict.

A devastating blow, indeed.

I have a proposed mechanism. In addition to the repression and mystery of total abstinence, those with the strongest testimonies have the deepest issues because of the sure link the gospel supposes between anything mildly erotic and outright depravity not to mention the belief that Satan is literally there pulling them with all his might. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy. And its even worse for apologists who argue with atheists because lacking any evidence whatsoever, they are forced to look for strained ways of justifying belief which includes looking to for reasons their lack of belief in Mormonism would lead to moral doom for humanity. So these apologists condition their minds to the nth degree that this link is real, and when the time comes and the dolphin gets bruised up a bit, they instantly dump themselves on the toboggan run and head blindly for an oblivion of the church's making.

The church creates another, and another, and another.

[_Scottie]

Perhaps I've been misinformed, but everything I have heard about the porn industry is that it is a predatory business. They find weak and emotionally unstable girls and exploit them.

I saw the argument about the men in these films as well, but I think the thought processes between men and women are substantially different. It's a fantasy for men to star in a porn flick, while is the depth of degradation for a woman.

Am I off base here?

[_Analytics]

Perhaps I've been misinformed, but everything I have heard about the porn industry is that it is a predatory business. They find weak and emotionally unstable girls and exploit them.

I saw the argument about the men in these films as well, but I think the thought processes between men and women are substantially different. It's a fantasy for men to star in a porn flick, while is the depth of degradation for a woman.

Am I off base here?

I have no doubt that exploitation in the porn industry exists, but that can be said of many industries. The morals of it can be pretty gray. Say you are an 18 year old girl trying to get by, and a pornographer offers you $500 for an afternoon of sex and a fast food joint offers you $60 for the whole day. Is it really that clear that the pornographer is a predator trying to exploit you while the fast food place is offering you an honest day’s wage for an honest day’s work?

I happen to know a woman who is self-employed in the porn industry. She owns a website and is its biggest star. She is her own boss, chooses exactly what she does, is making a lot of money, and is having a blast doing it.

Playboy treats its models with the utmost respect, and there is a huge supply of successful, beautiful women who try to get into its pages but can’t. The porn business isn’t inherently predatory.

[_Ray A]

I sat down to watch one of these movies with my wife, looking to add a little “excitement” to our marriage. As soon as the hero took of his pants, my wife’s jaw dropped, and she asked in astonishment, “so that is what those are supposed to look like?!”

ROTFLMAO!

[_TAK]

I have no doubt that exploitation in the porn industry exists, but that can be said of many industries. The morals of it can be pretty gray. Say you are an 18 year old girl trying to get by, and a pornographer offers you $500 an afternoon of sex and a fast food joint offers you $60 for the whole day. Is it really that clear that the pornographer is a predator trying to exploit you while the fast food place is offering you an honest day’s wage for an honest day’s work?

Aren’t most 18 years olds supposed to be just getting by? That’s the way life is. Perseverance and sacrifice typically leads to a better life. Go to college, work part time, struggle. So I really don’t see the exploitation there. I see a person who chooses the porn path as willing to trade sacrifices.

[_antishock8]

Who's the predator and who's the prey? That's the question when it comes to pornography and perhaps, to a greater extent, prostitution. A predator usually scores 100's if not 1000's of victims over the course of its life. It uses whatever evolutionary advantage life gave it to attract, and then extract whatever it needs from its prey. How is a woman in the porn/prostitution industry any different? She lures men to her, takes their money, and then discards him when he's no longer of use (ie, the money stops). On to the next easy target...

[_Analytics]

Aren’t most 18 years olds supposed to be just getting by? That’s the way life is. Perseverance and sacrifice typically leads to a better life. Go to college, work part time, struggle. So I really don’t see the exploitation there. I see a person who chooses the porn path as willing to trade sacrifices.

Trading sacrifices is a great way to express it. How about this as an example. There are two students at UCLA. One if financing her education through a low-paying part time job and giant student loans. The other is paying for it in full with money from a part-time porn gig. Which is the better choice? Burdening yourself for 15 years with student loans, or taking a high-paying job that may at times be even more demeaning than working in a cubicle?

[_selek]

Thus, we have yet more evidence that the LDS Church has created yet another pornography addict.

A devastating blow, indeed.

I have a proposed mechanism. In addition to the repression and mystery of total abstinence, those with the strongest testimonies have the deepest issues because of the sure link the gospel supposes between anything mildly erotic and outright depravity not to mention the belief that Satan is literally there pulling them with all his might. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy. And its even worse for apologists who argue with atheists because lacking any evidence whatsoever, they are forced to look for strained ways of justifying belief which includes looking to for reasons their lack of belief in Mormonism would lead to moral doom for humanity. So these apologists condition their minds to the nth degree that this link is real, and when the time comes and the dolphin gets bruised up a bit, they instantly dump themselves on the toboggan run and head blindly for an oblivion of the church's making.

The church creates another, and another, and another.

Gadianton, I think you may be onto something here. I've read hundreds of ex-mo exit stories and a very large proportion of those stories entail a desperation of spirit where they feel they can never measure up to all of the demands, commandments, rules, etc.

For example, the LDS church and it's leaders create artificial "sin" out of something as harmless as masterbation, then drive home again and again how "worthiness" and "feeling the spirit" are somehow linked to whether or not a person self-gratifies. Most teenage boys can't help but "succumb". Many fall into a downward cycle of self-loathing.

Though I have no data to support it, anecdotally I've also noticed an interesting phenomenon (not specific to LDS): teenagers raised in the strictest of religious households really jump off of the proverbial "deep end" if/when they ever choose to drink, engage in premarital sex, use drugs, etc. Do you think this is part of an "all or nothing" mindset?

[_Jason Bourne]

Unless I am mis-reading him, it seems he is admitting to personally have a "problem" with porn. Thus, we have yet more evidence that the LDS Church has created yet another pornography addict.

And just HOW has the LDS Church created a porn addict? Evidence please.

[_Jason Bourne]

Give me a break. So what if he's had issues with porn? I find this kind of misplaced schadenfreude distasteful. Good for him for being honest and up front.

Runtu

You are a decent man. I hope all is well with you my friend. I may be in your area in early January. If so I will let you know and maybe we can do lunch.