Saturday, April 11, 2015

Porn industry and modesty

I thought I would take the time to write about something a bit different. It's something I am passionate about. I love books, and I enjoy reading as much as the next person. Unfortunately, I believe that there are some books that should simply be burned due to the fact that they are poisonous to the mind.There is a book called 50 Shades of Grey, and recently the movie came out. As a female, I must say I find it rather appalling due to the fact that they constantly engage in BSDM--and to those that are not aware of what this is, it's nothing more than  a celebration of rape, pain, abuse, and disrespect towards a human being. This is the constant trash that you would find in porn. Porn treats a body not as glorious reflections of the image of God, but as sources of sin and temptation.

I'm not sure what I'm more concerned about. The fact that this is socially "acceptable" entertainment, or the fact that women enjoy reading this. The core to this is: we don't have a positive example for our children. The divorce rate is 50%. We live in a society where broken families is the norm, and we have kids growing up without a mother or a father..sometimes both.  In this instance, I will be speaking about fathers. There are many girls growing up without that father figure. A girl's first love should be her father. Unfortunately, in today's society this isn't always the case.   A father should be there to give the parental love and affection they need, and to show them what they deserve for later on in life.   Boys, never having a male role model around to tell them how to treat women with respect and love. Aside from our paternal father, we should be looking to our Heavenly Father first and foremost as the ultimate example.

But, what is teaching our children?  The porn industry, which teaches us violence against a human being. It teaches us to degrade another life. Some would use the term "violence against women", but two people take part in the act, both people are at fault in my eyes.
Let's look at some statistics:
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  • 80% of 15-17 year olds have been exposed to hard core porn.
  • 67% of men and 59% of women said that porn was acceptable.
  • Studies have shown porn is more addictive than heroin or cocaine. 
On top of all of this, we have sex trafficking that takes place in the world. We are disgusted at those who would hold women and children as sex slaves, deny them their human rights, and make them mere objects for sexual pleasure. At the same time, pornography is tolerated, accepted, openly defended, and even celebrated. What you might not know is that many women and children who are being sexually exploited and trafficked are also being used for the production of pornography.

Reading these statistics saddens me, especially since I have known people that have struggled with porn. It breaks my heart. Impurity chains your heart, and clouds your mind. What you choose to feed your brain makes a difference. To those that struggle, every single time my advice is to pray constantly.  Pray for the graces to be pure, and stay close to Mary through the Rosary. Even though porn may not seem "real", it is.  You aren't dealing with just a woman. You aren't dealing with just a man.You are dealing with a daughter of God. You are dealing with a son of God. His creations are meant to be respected and loved. His creations are not meant to be mistreated, abused, and lusted after for ones own selfish pleasure.   Treat him/her, accordingly. It might take more than prayer to beat the addiction. I highly suggest spiritual guidance/counseling.   Because it is a selfish act, true love becomes harder to find.  Love is about self giving and sacrifice. Christ is the perfect example of love.

One should really contemplate on the selfish aspect alone.
Just try to imagine. You are spending hours pleasuring yourself to impure images and various videos, you begin to become obsessed not only to the pornographic material, but to yourself. You don't know how to embrace the sacrifice that true love is designed for. Instead you view others as toys for your own selfish entertainment that are designed to fulfill  every want and need—just like the pornographic material. A Christ love is about giving and serving. It's about sacrifice. What kind of love is narcissistic and abusive?

So, what can we do to help others remain pure?
Scripture gives us the answer. 1 Corinthians Chapter 6: 19-20: 

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own. For you have been purchased at a price. Therefore, glorify God in your body.
Dress modestly. This goes for men and women.
I don't think heat should be an excuse for wearing -less- fabric. Even if it was 80-90 degrees out, it's still not an excuse. In fact, that excuse alone really frustrates me. There is a way to look cute, stylish, and still be cool and comfortable. You don't have to wear short shorts to be cool and comfortable. You can wear a cute knee length summer dress, and a nice necklace, just as an example. Maybe you have a low cut top hanging in your closet, but you can layer your clothing. You can wear a knee length, light, airy skirt.



Whether you do it for attention or not, you're still going to get attention. But what kind of attention? The wrong kind. How you dress says something about a person. It's how you are presenting yourself to the world. It may not matter to you, but it does matter because people see it. Men are more visual, and this may be an occasion of sin for them. We have an opportunity, to make people see more--and not in a bad sense. When you dress in short shorts, mini skirts, or have a low cut top on, they are going to see just that. They are going to see you for your BODY.You aren't giving them the full picture. In my opinion, if a woman were to dress in a sense that had decency--then it would show off all your inner beauty. Then people would love you for YOU and not your body.   This is the problem with porn, and Pope John Paul II said it: "The problem with porn is that it doesn't show enough." It doesn't show the inner beauty. It doesn't show the beautiful bond that takes place between husband and wife.

As women, we get defensive about our taste in fashion. We have to understand that our fashion shows off who we are--keep that in mind. It's the first impression people will have of us. It's not completely our fault, certain styles have become so "acceptable" in today's society. The media is constantly coming out with new  trends. What it really comes down to is how much you are willing to conform to society and its ways. Think for just a moment....Are you living on this earth to be accepted by a temporary world or accepted by God's infinite loving eyes? His opinion should be the only opinion that actually matters.  Our Lord is not pleased with these fashions, nor is Our Lady.

"Our Lady of Fatima:More souls go to hell for sins of the flesh than for any other reason.
Our Lady of Fatima to Jacinta:Certain fashions will be introduced which will offend Our Divine Lord very much. Those who serve God ought not to follow these fashions. The Church has no fashions. Our Lord is always the same.
Our Lady of Fatima to Jacinta:Woe to women wanting in modesty.
Our Lady of Fatima to Jacinta:Many marriages are not of God and do not please Our Lord.

Today let us offer up our day for the sins of the flesh.
Mary, Mother most pure, and Joseph, chaste guardian of the Virgin, to you I entrust the purity of my soul and body. I beg you to plead with God for me that I may never for the remainder of my life soil my soul by any sin of impurity. I earnestly wish to be pure in thought, word and deed in imitation of your own holy purity. Obtain for me a deep sense of modesty, which will be reflected in my external conduct. Protect my eyes, the windows of my soul, from anything that might dim the luster of a heart that must mirror only Christ-like purity. And when the “Bread of Angels” becomes my food in Holy Communion, seal my heart forever against the suggestions of sinful pleasures. Finally, may I be among the number of those of whom Jesus spoke, “Blessed are the pure of heart for they shall see God.” Amen. 

Pax Christi,
Layna

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