Pornography and the Law of Chastity
LDS Mormon Quotes
What is Pornography?
Definition of Pornography :
"Pornography is any material
depicting or describing the human body or sexual conduct in a way that arouses
sexual feelings. It is distributed through many media,including magazines,
books, television, movies, music, and the Internet. It is as harmful to the
spirit as tobacco, alcohol, and drugs are to the body. Using pornographic
material in any way is a violation of a commandment of God: “Thou shalt not …
commit adultery … nor do anything like unto it”"
&
"Pornography is any
entertainment that uses immodest or indecent images to stimulate sexual
feelings. So even a mainstream television program or advertisement can be
pornographic. If images trigger sexual feelings in you, you should avoid
them."
LDS.org
LDS.org
What is Worthiness?
"Personal worthiness is an
essential requirement to enjoy the blessings of the temple. Anyone foolish
enough to enter the temple unworthily will receive condemnation."
Richard G Scott, LDS. org
.".He or she should know that
unless there is true worthiness, there will be no blessing gained, and condemnation
will fall upon the head of him or her who unworthily crosses the threshold of
the House of God.”
- David E Sorenson, LDS .org
“Let me give a word of caution here.
We cannot go to His holy house unworthily without bringing upon ourselves the
judgments of God. For God will not be mocked.
…If a man who is dishonest in his
personal life, as it pertains to his wife and children or his business
dealings, goes to the temple, he is heaping damnation upon his own soul and is
in great need of repentance.”
- Elder J Ballard Washburn
"Holy temples may also
be defiled and desecrated by members of the Church who go into the temple and
make covenants unworthily, or which they are not prepared or willing to accept
and carry forward. When people go to the temple and then make light of its
sacred principles, they are defiling it. When unrepentant people accept the
holy ordinances without full determination to prove worthy of them, they are
helping to violate the sacredness of the holy temple and they are desecrating
holy places.
When promises are made and covenants
are entered into without serious or pure intent to magnify them, pollutions may
occur in the holy temples. It is not only a matter of receiving a
recommendation to enter the temples of the Lord, but it is also a matter of one
having a pure, sweet, and repentant spirit as well."
- Spencer W Kimball, LDS.org
“We are not expected to be perfect to enter
the temple. Rather, the purpose of the things we learn and the covenants we
make in the temple is to help perfect us. We must, however, be worthy to enter.
This recommend allows us to enter
the temple for the next two years, provided we remain worthy.
The following are some of the topics
your priesthood leaders will ask you about:
1. Your testimony of Heavenly
Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost.
2. Whether you sustain the President
of the Church.
3. Whether you live the law of
chastity, pay tithing, are honest with others, and keep the Word of Wisdom.
4. Whether you strive to attend
church, keep the covenants you have made, and keep your life in harmony with the
commandments of the gospel.”
“When you sign your recommend, you
make a commitment to the Lord that you sure WORTHY of the privileges granted to
those who hold such a recommend.
“One who goes into the house of the
Lord must be free from any unclean, unholy, impure, or unnatural
practice."..
Remember the Lord knows all things
and will not be mocked. We are trying to help you. Never lie to try to obtain a
call, recommend, or a blessing from the Lord.
If an applicant is not keeping
the commandments or there is something unsettled about his or her life
that needs putting in order, it will be necessary for that individual to
demonstrate true repentance before a temple recommend is issued."
"If the adversary could
succeed in any way to overcome you, it would be to keep you from the temple or
to entice you to go there unworthily."
- Elder Kent F Richards, LDS.org
“..It is much better to postpone a
mission for a period than to go unworthily. In almost every case he can repent
and prepare himself for a mission."
Elder N Eldon Tanner, LDS.org
Is Watching Pornography a Direct Violation of the Law of Chastity and Worthiness?
The Chastity Definition on LDS.org INCLUDES pornography :
"Stay away from pornography.
Do not view, read, or listen to
anything that depicts or describes the human body or sexual conduct in a way
that can arouse sexual feelings. Pornographic materials are addictive and
destructive. They can rob you of your self-respect and of a sense of the beauties
of life. They can tear you down and lead you to evil thoughts and abusive
conduct."
“Keep the law of chastity. This
includes avoiding pornography in any form."
“Those who seek out and use
pornography forfeit the power of their priesthood. The Lord declares: “When we
undertake to cover our sins, … behold, the heavens withdraw themselves; the
Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood
or the authority of that man”
Patrons of pornography also lose the
companionship of the Spirit....They cannot have the Spirit of the Lord to be
with them.”
"The scriptures repeatedly
teach that the Spirit of the Lord will not dwell in an unclean tabernacle. When
we worthily partake of the sacrament, we are promised that we will “always have
his Spirit to be with [us].” To qualify for that promise we covenant that we
will “always remember him” (D&C 20:77). Those who seek out and use
pornography for sexual stimulation obviously violate that covenant. They also
violate a sacred covenant to refrain from unholy and impure practices. They
cannot have the Spirit of the Lord to be with them. All such need to heed the
Apostle Peter’s plea: “Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God,
if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee".
When persons entertain evil thoughts
long enough for the Spirit to withdraw, they lose their spiritual protection
and they are subject to the power and direction of the evil one... "
- Dallin H Oaks
"Some have suggested that pornography
should be a separate question in the temple recommend interview. It is already.
At least five different questions should elicit a confession and discussion on
this subject if the person being interviewed has the spiritual sensitivity and
honesty we expect of those who worship in the house of the Lord."
- Dallin H Oaks
"With this priesthood comes a
great obligation to be worthy of it. We cannot indulge in unclean thoughts. We
must not partake of pornography. We must never be guilty of abuse of any kind.
We must rise up above such things. “Rise up, O men of God!” and put these
things behind you, and the Lord will be your guide and stay.
"If you are using pornography,
you are not morally clean, even if you haven't done anything else immoral."
"Some who would not think of
taking a sip of liquor or of smoking a cigarette, have rationalized indulgence
in pornography. Such have warped values totally unbecoming one who has been ordained
to the priesthood of God”
"Actually, with pornography,
there is no such thing as just looking. Looking is the problem. Viewing
pornography triggers sexual feelings. We can easily get hooked on those
pleasurable feelings, especially if they seem to relieve stress or anxiety—and
we can start a cycle of addiction just as difficult to break as an addiction to
drugs or alcohol."
“Satan has become a master at using the addictive power of pornography to limit individual capacity to be led by the Spirit. The onslaught of pornography in all of its vicious, corroding, destructive forms has caused great grief, suffering, heartache, and destroyed marriages. It is one of the most damning influences on earth. Whether it be through the printed page, movies, television, obscene lyrics, vulgarities on the telephone, or flickering personal computer screen, pornography is overpoweringly addictive and severely damaging. This potent tool of Lucifer degrades the mind and the heart and the soul of any who use it. All who are caught in its seductive, tantalizing web and remain so will become addicted to its immoral, destructive influence. For many, that addiction cannot be overcome without help. The tragic pattern is so familiar. It begins with curiosity that is fueled by its stimulation and is justified by the false premise that when done privately, it does no harm to anyone else. For those lulled by this lie, the experimentation goes deeper, with more powerful stimulations, until the trap closes and a terribly immoral, addictive habit exercises its vicious control.
Participation in pornography in any of its lurid forms is a manifestation of unbridled selfishness. How can a man, particularly a priesthood bearer, not think of the emotional and spiritual damage caused to women, especially his wife, by such abhorrent activity?
Well did inspired Nephi declare, “And [the devil] will … pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, … and thus [he] cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell.”
"True repentance from
pornography requires more than slimply ceasing to use it. Such repentance
requires a change of heart through the Atonement of Christ."
"We hope that our parents and
leaders will not tolerate pornography. It is really garbage, but today is
peddled as normal and satisfactory food. … There is a link between pornography
and the low, sexual drives and perversions.
It is ridiculous to imply that
pornography has no effect. There is a definite relationship to crime. Murder,
robbery, rape, prostitution, and commercialized vice are fed on this
immorality. Sex crime statistics seem to reflect a relationship between crime
and pornography.
Members of the Church everywhere are
urged to not only resist the widespread plague of pornography, but as citizens
to become actively and relentlessly engaged in the fight against this insidious
enemy of humanity around the world."
"..Pornography degrades sex.
It dehumanizes the participants and those who witness it. Much of this filmed,
photographed, or written “prostitution” is actually antisexual, because it
gives a great deal of misinformation about human sexuality. Rather than being
sex education, most of it is sexmiseducation. Introducing abnormal stimuli into
the mind of those who view it, it could create fantasies that may never be
erased. It has the potential of corrupting values and degrading those who
indulge. It suggests behaviors that could destroy one’s marriage and family.
It fills the mind and soul with ugly
images. It can lead to a psychological, sexual, and spiritual regression.
Those who witness this
porno-violence in commercial cinema, on cable television, or on a rented
videocassette and who allow their children to view it—in my judgment do great
injury to themselves and their children. This exposure creates false images and
feelings about men and women and sexuality and raises the possibility that the
viewer may be conditioned into practicing sexual deviancy. For, as much
evidence has suggested, all sexual deviations are learned, not inherited.
I have heard some argue that it is
all right for moral, religious people to view soft-core pornography, such as
that found in some R-rated films. They say this isn’t the really “rough stuff”
found in the so-called hard-core films. But actually, the only difference may
be a slightly different camera angle. The inappropriate behavior witnessed is
still the same.
In the past five years a series of
studies on the effects of pornography has been conducted by such investigators
as Neal Malamuth at the University of Manitoba in Canada, Seymour Feshbach at
UCLA, Edward Donnerstein at the University of Wisconsin, and Dolf Zillman at
Indiana University. They have found that a merging of sexual and violent
imagery increases the viewer’s aggressiveness, especially toward women. They
found that it also lessens men’s sensitivity about rape, increasing their
callousness toward women and stimulating fantasies of aggressive rape. Many viewers
have admitted entertaining the idea of raping someone—especially if they
thought they could get away with it. In one study at UCLA, 51 percent of the
males studied admitted to such a possibility if assurred they would not be
caught. So-called “nonviolent pornography” was also found to have a series of
negative consequences for the viewers in studies by Dr. Dolf Zillman at the
University of Indiana.
Three British scientists, R. J.
McGuire, J. M. Carlisle, and D. G. Young, have noted how such sexual activity
as masturbation.. , exhibitionism, and voyeurism can be prompted
and reinforced by pornography. A number of studies I have reviewed suggest that
persistent deviant sexual fantasies frequently lead later to deviant behavior.
(“As he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” (Prov. 23:7.) "
Transgression:
“One of the greatest of these is the
use of pornography. Pornography is related to such sins as self abuse,
homosexuality, fornication, adultery, child and spouse abuse, incest, rape, and
cruelty. No love ever develops out of
the use of pornography.”
"Common in many stories,
however, is a realization that no amount of pornography use is OK or
normal."
“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.”
Pornography impairs one’s ability to
enjoy a normal emotional, romantic, and spiritual relationship with a person of
the opposite sex. It erodes the moral barriers that stand against
inappropriate, abnormal, or illegal behavior. As conscience is desensitized,
patrons of pornography are led to act out what they have witnessed, regardless
of its effects on their life and the lives of others.
Pornography is also addictive. It
impairs decision-making capacities and it “hooks” its users, drawing them back
obsessively for more and more. A man who had been addicted to pornography and
to hard drugs wrote me this comparison: “In my eyes cocaine doesn’t hold a
candle to this. I have done both. … Quitting even the hardest drugs was nothing
compared to [trying to quit pornography]” (letter of Mar. 20, 2005).
Some seek to justify their
indulgence by arguing that they are only viewing “soft,” not “hard,” porn. A
wise bishop called this refusing to see evil as evil. He quoted men seeking to
justify their viewing choices by comparisons such as “not as bad as” or “only
one bad scene.” But the test of what is evil is not its degree but its effect.
When persons entertain evil thoughts long enough for the Spirit to withdraw,
they lose their spiritual protection and they are subject to the power and
direction of the evil one. When they use Internet or other pornography for what
this bishop described as “arousal on demand” (letter of Mar. 13, 2005), they
are deeply soiled by sin.
Dallin H Oaks
"If we stop chopping at the
branches of this problem and strike more directly at the root of the tree, not
surprisingly we find lust lurking furtively there. Lust is an unsavory word,
and it is certainly an unsavory topic for me to address, but there is good reason
why in some traditions it is known as the most deadly of the seven deadly sins.
Why is lust such a deadly sin? Well,
in addition to the completely Spirit-destroying impact it has upon our souls, I
think it is a sin because it defiles the highest and holiest relationship God
gives us in mortality—the love that a man and a woman have for each other and
the desire that couple has to bring children into a family intended to be
forever. Someone said once that true love must include the idea of permanence.
True love endures. But lust changes as quickly as it can turn a pornographic
page or glance at yet another potential object for gratification walking by,
male or female."
“There are magazines today
publishing pictures and articles which … beckon to the baser instincts of men
and women and young people. There are newspapers around the world which,
seeking greater circulation, boldly flaunt sex. Some of our newspapers continue
to publish illustrated advertisements which are basely provocative, inviting
their readers to pornographic motion pictures. It is in such advertisements and
motion pictures where seeds are sown for rape, unfaithfulness, and the most
repulsive of deviant sexual transgressions.”
Spencer W. Kimball, in Conference
Report, Apr. 1978, p. 67; or Ensign,May 1978, p. 45.)
"Alma told his wayward son
Corianton, who had gone after the Lamanite harlot Isabel: 'Know ye not, my son,
that these things are an abomination in the sight of the Lord; yea, most
abominable above all sins save it be the shedding of innocent blood or denying
the Holy Ghost?' (Alma 39:5.) Sometimes we give as reasons for the law of
chastity the risk of pregnancy or abortion, the possibility of an unwanted or
embarrassing marriage, or the chance of a terrible venereal disease. As serious
as these things are, I’m not sure they are the fundamental reason for the
Lord’s having placed this commandment ahead of armed robbery, fraud, and kidnapping
in the seriousness of sins. Think of it - unchastity is second only to murder.
Perhaps there is a common element in those two things - chastity and murder.
-Elder Bruce C. Hafen
"What would happen if we truly
treated our bodies as temples? The result would be a dramatic increase in
chastity, modesty, observance of the Word of Wisdom, and a similar decrease in
the problems of pornography and abuse, for we would regard the body, like the
temple, as a sacred sanctuary of the Spirit. Just as no unclean thing may enter
the temple, we would be vigilant to keep impurity of any sort from entering the
temple of our bodies."
"Initially, we must avoid
pornography ourselves because it is deadly. It kills genuine, tender human
relationships—destroying marriages and families. It destroys the spirit of the
person who consumes it as surely as the most deadly poison kills the body and
the mind."
"Tenderness and respect—never
selfishness—must be the guiding principles in the intimate relationship between
husband and wife. Each partner must be considerate and sensitive to the other’s
needs and desires. Any domineering, indecent, or uncontrolled behavior in the
intimate relationship between husband and wife is condemned by the Lord.
Pornography, flirtations, and
unwholesome fantasies erode one’s character and strike at the foundation of a
happy marriage.”
- The Prophet Howard W. Hunter
“Chastity also includes cleanliness
in thought"
"Now a word regarding how we
treat those who have been ensnared by pornography. All of us need the Atonement
of Jesus Christ..
Through proper and complete
repentance, they may become clean, pure, and worthy of every covenant and
temple blessing promised by God."
https://www.lds.org/liahona/2015/10/youth/recovering-from-the-trap-of-pornography?lang=eng
What Can a Church Leader Do to Help?
Go here for information on how to help:
Consequences and Repentance and the Process of Worthiness. LDS Church quotes
Articles That Also May Help:
What We All Wish Church Leaders Knew About Wives of Pornography Addicts: http://makemyburdenlight.
Is Confessing Sins To a Wife Required For Repentance?: List of LDS Church quotes regarding the matter.
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http://makemyburdenlight.
LDS Quotes on Masturbation
http://makemyburdenlight.blogspot.com/2016/07/lds-mormon-view-on-masturbation_64.html
Addiction Recovery - What It is, and what it isn't (list of behaviors):
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Unconditional Love Requires Boundaries. LDS Quotes
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Commanded To Forgive: Must We Forgive Those Who Harm Us And Is Forgiveness The Same As Trust? LDS. org Church Quotes
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LDS Church definition of Emotional, Sexual, & Physical Abuse : Quotes & Definitions http://makemyburdenlight.
