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	The Destructive Nature of Pornography By Kristine Frederickson Mormon Times March 22, 2009 http://www.mormontimes.com/mormon_voices/kristine_frederickson/?id=6853 n the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus Christ spoke clearly and unequivocally to those who would be his followers and inherit eternal life. Knowing the end from the beginning, conversant with events and practices in our day as well as his day, he commanded: "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery. But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." There can be no clearer condemnation of pornography than the Savior provides here. On LDS.org pornography is defined as "any material depicting or describing the human body or sexual conduct in a way that arouses sexual feelings," adding, "Using pornographic material in any way is a violation of a commandment of God." Further, "If you are using pornography, you are not morally clean, even if you haven't done anything else immoral." Pornography is a $5 billion industry. Pornographers make that which is seductive and destructive attractive. Make no mistake about its power to enslave and destroy. In 2004, before a U. S. Senate Committee on Brain Science Behind Pornography, Dr. Judith Reisman described the "addictive properties of sexually explicit images." She explained: "We now know that emotionally arousing images imprint and alter the brain triggering an instant, involuntary, but lasting, biochemical memory trail. Once (these) neurochemical pathways are established they are difficult or impossible to delete. Erotic images also commonly trigger … emotions of fear, shame, anger and hostility. These media erotic fantasies become deeply embedded, commonly coarsening, confusing, motivating and addicting many of those exposed." Reisman explained: "Pornography triggers a myriad endogenous, internal, natural drugs that mimic the 'high' from a street drug. ... As pornography became mainstreamed and pushed the envelope of moral sexual conduct, law enforcement reported that sex crimes mimicking comparable acts were being inflicted on women and children. ... Testimony from victims and police commonly finds pornography to be an on-site sex-abuse manual." Dr. Jeffrey Satinover of Princeton University compared "addiction to pornography (as) chemically nearly identical to a heroin addiction. ... The pornography addict soon forgets about everything and everyone else in favor of an ever more elusive sexual jolt. ... He will place at risk his career, his friends, his family ... will lie to cover his addiction heedless of risk or cost to himself or to others." Women are not immune. Jennifer Schneider identified a "dramatic increase in the number of women" with an "overt addiction" to pornography leading to extramarital affairs, exposure of children to online pornography, careers lost and legal consequences. Mary Anne Layden in the University of Pennsylvania department of psychiatry testified pornography distorts beliefs about sexuality and leads viewers to assume that sexual perversions are normative and permissible. Tolerance for increasingly perverse sexual behaviors escalates and "users are more likely to go to prostitutes, engage in domestic violence, stranger rape, date rape and incest," not surprising "since pornographic videos contain all of these themes." James B. Weaver III cited studies indicating "pornography consumption promotes sexual deviancy and destroys marital fidelity." It "creates and enhances sexual callousness toward women ... trivializes rape as a criminal offense ... trivializes nonviolent forms of the sexual abuse of children. ... (It) spawns doubts about the value of marriage ... (and) diminishes the desire for offspring." He warned "distorted messages ... conveyed by pornography" lead to a "loss-of-respect" for women and takes away inhibitions of "aggression against women. ... Repeated exposure to pornography -- fostered ... the notion that women are subservient to men and promoted an adversarial, distrustful relationship between the sexes. ... The most damaging consequences ... are evident in the ill treatment of women (e.g. employment discrimination, economic exploitation) simply because of their gender." Tragically, "there is reason to suspect that pornography ... has usurped most other socialization agents to become the de facto sex education for adolescents and adults alike." Members of Christ's church are told to "avoid pornography in any form and ... oppose its production, distribution and use (because) pornography is tragically addictive." It destroys "those who experiment with it, degrading their minds, hearts, and spirits ... robs them of self-respect, ... tear(s) them down and lead(s) them to evil thoughts and possibly evil actions." The counsel to those who struggle with this problem is to seek help because few overcome it alone. "Help is available. The repentance process is just that -- a process. It takes time to break negative patterns." And what must we understand about these individuals? A former Mormon bishop explains: "Besides my own family, I don't think I loved anyone in my ward quite as much as I loved those who came to me with broken hearts, seeking forgiveness and peace. They cared more about what the Lord thought of them than what any person thought. I respected their courage and desire to make things right. I shed tears over them. I rejoiced when they were clean and whole again. And afterward I never looked at them as former sinners -- only as beloved brothers and sisters." From the scriptures we have the example of Joseph, who, when confronted by Potiphar's wife, "fled, and got out." He ran, and we must do likewise when confronted by pornography. We must use the mouse to click off, switch the channel, leave the movie, discard the book, change the music or exit an acquaintance's house to avoid this deadly and pernicious evil. Cognizant of pornography's capacity to destroy, the Savior warned against it more than 2,000 years ago. In 1831, less than one year after The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized, the Savior commanded, "And he that looketh upon a woman to lust after her shall deny the faith, and shall not have the Spirit; and if he repents not he shall be cast out." Today's prophets continue the Lord's teaching. Counsel from President Gordon B. Hinckley simply and clearly encapsulates the truth: "(Pornography) seduces and destroys its victims. ... (Do) not get involved in its use. You simply cannot afford to."
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