Pornography

Pornography is getting more and more common with the rush of technology, but do people realize that it is such a mind-numbing activity? It causes people to think differently, treat people differently, and it takes so much time and hard effort to break the habit. With Christ's help anything is possible though, and in most cases people must get help from the Lord to stop. Pornography destroys relationships and countless other things.

·         “In the second chapter of the book that bears his name, Jacob condemns men for their “whoredomes” (vv. 23, 28). He told them they had “broken the hearts of [their] tender wives, and lost the confidence of [their] children because of [their] bad examples before them” (v. 35).” –Dallin H. Oaks (Pornography)

·         “Whosever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart” (Matthew 5:28; see also 3 Nephi 12:28; D&C 59:6; 63:16). –Dallin H. Oaks (Pornography)

·         “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.” –Dallin H. Oaks (Pornography)

·         “Some involved in pornography apparently minimize its seriousness and continue to exercise the priesthood of God because they think no one will know of their involvement. But the user knows brethren, and so does the Lord.” –Dallin H. Oaks (Pornography)

·         “Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity” (Matthew 23:27-28). The immediate spiritual consequences of such hypocrisy are devastating. 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undertake to cover our sins,…behold, the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of that man” (D&C 121:37).” –Dallin H. Oaks (Pornography)

·         “Pornography impairs one’s ability to enjoy a normal emotional, romantic, and spiritual relationship with a person of the opposite sex.” –Dallin H. Oaks (Pornography)

·         “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]” –Dallin H. Oaks (Pornography)

·         “The old saying ‘The Lord is voting for me, and Lucifer is voting against me, but it is my vote that counts’ describes a doctrinal certainty that our agency is more powerful than the adversary’s will. Agency is precious. We can foolishly, blindly give it away, but it cannot be forcibly taken from us.” –Boyd K. Packer (Power to Overcome Pornography)

·         “Priesthood holders carry with them the antidote to remove the terrible images of pornography and to wash away guilt. The priesthood has the power to unlock the influence of our habits, even to unchain from addiction, however tight the grip. It can heal over the scars of past mistakes.” –Boyd K. Packer (Power to Overcome Pornography)

·         “Nowhere are the generosity and the kindness and mercy of God more manifest than in repentance. Do you understand the consummate cleansing power of the Atonement made by the Son of God, our Savior, our Redeemer? He said, ‘I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent.’  In that supernal act of love, the Savior paid the penalties for our sins so that we might not have to pay.” –Boyd K. Packer (Power to Overcome Pornography)

·         “We cannot afford to have those who exercise the Holy Priesthood, after the Order of the Son of God, waste their strength in pornography or spend their lives in cyberspace (ironically being of the world while not being in the world).” –D. Todd Christofferson (“Bethren, We’ve Got Work to Do”)