Thursday, May 26, 2011

Porn, child prostitution and parenting

I decided to repost a blog entry I originally posted in 2009. But first: I just watched a short clip from a news show here in Iceland. It talked about child prostitution in Iceland and how the centers who help out rape and incest victims and Barnahús, which helps children who have been rape or incest victims have seen an increase in child prostitution here in Iceland.
This video was the number two most popular video on the website where I found it. The number one most viewed video was by a comedian from Iceland. The title had a warning, that the video might be too much for some people. I started watching it, just to see what could be more interesting or important than a news clip on child prostitution. Basically in the video the comedian was playing a drunk father singing to his 13 year old son. It starts out with the boy looking at a playboy magazine and his dad walking in without knocking... then he goes on to explain to his son that its ok because women are all whores. And then the devil goes: "Horray for the death of morals and virtue!!"
I just don't get it! I can't see how people can watch the number 1 video and laugh and then go on to watch the number 2 video and be shocked... I almost puked all over my lap top!
I thought it was interesting how the news clip on child prostitution ended by encouraging parents to have all computers be in the center of the home, a public place where the parents can watch what is going on, what their children are doing on the internet. I thought it was cool to see how I heard a living prophet say those words at general conference a couple of years ago and now they are saying it on the news. I think it must be kind of important!

Anyways, here is what I posted in 2009... I think it still applies!

I ran into some photos of 8th graders at a school dance. I was shocked! do parents today not realize that they are making parenthood so much more difficult for future parents!
Since when is it ok for 13 and 14 year old girls to walk around wearing tiny materials that barely cover anything? They wear this to attract the opposite sex I am guessing. But, do they even know anything about the opposite sex? Should they even know anything about anything that has anything to do with sex, opposite or not? These are kids, selling their bodies for popularity. It is awful. And what am I supposed to tell my daughter who will want to look like that at age 11 because parents of the past have not had guts enough to set some sort of boundaries for their children? "no honey, I'd rather not you look like a hooker and get pregnant with some idiot boys baby at 14 thank you very nice!"
This is the product of capitalism and materialism, pushing parents away from parenthood towards the search for greater wealth. The product of insane media and the devil!

Do parents not realize what information they are giving their children simply by letting them wear clothing like that (I realize there are many contributing factors, this is the one I have chosen to highlight for this blog entry). Daughters are raised to believe their bodies determine their worth, that in order to be desirable they must wear as little as possible to show off as much as possible. Their intellect, their kindness and their personality becomes less important as it will get them nowhere in the popularity contest of teenage life. Young men grow up not respecting the young women they are surrounded by. They do not look for a virtuous young woman, a kind young woman, a young woman who builds on her individual worth. They learn to look for a young woman whose body is desirable.
From this mindset future families are formed, with lack of meaningful deep connection and respect between two grownups. Families are formed with little or no understanding about the importance of self respect, respect for others and love (rather than lust). And then these families fall apart, because they were not based on love, patience, understanding and hard work (at least not hard work where it matters: in the home and family).
Parenthood is not supposed to be easy, it is hard work. Relationships and marriages are not supposed to be easy, they are hard work. But both parenthood and relationships/marriages are worth all that hard work.
We need to learn about our individual worth, gain knowledge and be accountable for our choices. We need to do good works, have integrity and be virtuous. After we do these things for ourselves, we need to teach our sons and daughters. There are so many social problems in the world today, and many of them start in the home, because of bad parenting.
When you become a parent, you take on a responsibility, its not a game! It can be wonderful, fun, challenging and difficult, all at once. But it is your responsibility as a parent to teach your child, to set some rules, and to help a child become an individual who is neither a burden to your family nor to society, but a blessing to both!
THE END


I want to add a couple of links for those who are interested....

Is pornography the new tobacco?
http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=8688430349376567424

Internet Porn: worse than crack?
http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2004/11/65772

The evils of pornography are deadly to human spirit
http://www.ldschurchnews.com/articles/39648/The-evils-of-pornography-are-deadly-to-human-spirit.html

3 comments:

Nancy said...

One of my little primary Activity Day Girls is seriously the most gorgeous ten year old ever. She is also so sweet and I truly truly love her, but sometimes I feel like crying when I look at her. Her mom is not active and has always had body issues. I think she maybe obsesses over having this beautiful daughter be able to flaunt her beauty. The girl said saomething recently to my friend's daughter like, "I like to wear short shorts because it makes boys like you." I just want to take her and wrap her up and keep her safe from the world and from her incorrect ideas about what gives her worth.

On the other hand, so far I have been surprised how willing my girls have been to dress modestly. I thought it would be impossible because even their cousins don't, but we've just started super young and explained that family and friends won't necessarily follow the same rules, and that we don't judge them but just set a good example. I'm sure it will get harder as they become teens, but so far even my nine year old seems to understand that modesty is important.

MiriamR said...

I believe pornography is worse than crack, its more accessible. My goal in life as a parent when they become teenagers is to create a home where they can come to and be and feel safe. I realise I can't control the things that will happen at school so I need to try to raise them with all the goodness in the gospel so that they can stand on their own and not faulter to the moronic images they see around them. Its going to get worse and worse too. sad.

generic viagra online said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.