1. Avoiding Degrading Media Influences

2. Helpful/Harmful

3. Poisonous »Prophets have warned us of another contamination that can be deadly, not to our bodies, but to our spirits and minds.

4. Are we affected by the media? »What shows or advertising are you exposed to on a day to day basis? »What are some of the effects of  Sex  Profanity  Violence  Obscenity »What shows or advertising are you exposed to on a day to day basis? »What are some of the effects of  Sex  Profanity  Violence  Obscenity

5. President Spencer W. Kimball »Tragedy often begins with a visit to an [inappropriate] motion picture theater or fingering through an obscene magazine. The path to the grievous sins of fornication, adultery, and homosexuality can begin with the viewing of some of the sex- and violence-oriented programs now being shown on television. (Ensign, Nov. 1976, p. 6).

6. President Kimball »There is a link between pornography 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 (Ensign, Nov. 1974, p.7).

7. Does the media influence you? »We may not notice the effects  Bit-by-bit  Day-by-day  Week-by-week and numbed to  Until we are blinded and numbed to the Spirit of the Lord »We may not notice the effects  Bit-by-bit  Day-by-day  Week-by-week and numbed to  Until we are blinded and numbed to the Spirit of the Lord

8. Satan’s Tools »Uses logic to confuse »Uses rationalizations to destroy »Will shade meanings »Opens doors an inch at a time »Leads from purest white through all the shades of gray to the darkest black »Uses logic to confuse »Uses rationalizations to destroy »Will shade meanings »Opens doors an inch at a time »Leads from purest white through all the shades of gray to the darkest black

9. »How does this experiment relate to our exposure to degrading media influences? »How might viewing even one objectionable movie or television program affect you? »Where could such continued exposure lead you? »How does this experiment relate to our exposure to degrading media influences? »How might viewing even one objectionable movie or television program affect you? »Where could such continued exposure lead you?

10. Marvin J. Ashton »The great prophet Mormon, viewing his own fallen people, wrote his son Moroni a very telling indictment when he said that because of wickedness his people were ‘past feeling.’ (See Moroni 9:20.) How tragic to reach the point where the Spirit must withdraw, and we become unable to sense or feel right from wrong. (Ensign, Nov. 1977, p.72).

11. Peer-to-Peer »What does it mean to be past feeling in connection with objectionable media content? »How can we become so accustomed to having these influences around us that we lose our judgment about what is degrading and what is not? »How important are righteous standards in judging what we should see, hear, and read? »What does it mean to be past feeling in connection with objectionable media content? »How can we become so accustomed to having these influences around us that we lose our judgment about what is degrading and what is not? »How important are righteous standards in judging what we should see, hear, and read?

12. You be the Judge »Whatever weakens your reason »Whatever impairs the tenderness of your conscience »Whatever obscures your sense of God »Whatever takes off your relish for spiritual things »Whatever increases the authority of the body over the mind »Whatever weakens your reason »Whatever impairs the tenderness of your conscience »Whatever obscures your sense of God »Whatever takes off your relish for spiritual things »Whatever increases the authority of the body over the mind

13. President Ezra Taft Benson »The fact that a book is old does not necessarily make it of value. The fact that an author wrote one good work does not necessarily mean that all his books are worthy of your time. Do not make your mind a dumping ground for other people’s garbage. It is harder to purge the mind of rotten reading than to purge the body of rotten food, and it is more damaging to the soul. (“In His Steps,” in Speeches of the Year, 1979 [Provo: Brigham Young University Press, 1980], p.61).

14. How to Avoid Degrading Influences »Do not see or talk about objectionable movies »Do not look at pornographic magazines, pictures, or stories »Have courage to walk out of an off-color movie. »Keep television shows with suggestive conversation and experiences out of your home »Do not see or talk about objectionable movies »Do not look at pornographic magazines, pictures, or stories »Have courage to walk out of an off-color movie. »Keep television shows with suggestive conversation and experiences out of your home

15. Case Study #1 »Diane was invited to a party with friends where a video was to be shown. She found out ahead of time that the movie was of questionable quality, and she was able to persuade her hostess to change it. But on another occasion, Diane found herself in a situation where she had not known beforehand what the entertainment would be. It was a movie that had received excellent reviews in the newspaper, and most of her friends had already seen it. They had all said that it was wonderful. Diane had heard that it included language, ideas, and scenes that she knew would embarrass her.

16. Case Study #1 »What were Diane’s alternatives? »What would you do in these circumstances? »What were Diane’s alternatives? »What would you do in these circumstances?

17. Case Study #2 »One of Sarah’s closest friends seemed constantly to be listening to her favorite radio station. One day their conversation drifted to the kind of music that particular station played. Sarah asked Mary why she listened to it when the words to much of the music suggested immorality of many kinds. Mary replied that she liked the beat and sounds of the music and did not pay much attention to the words anyway.

18. Case Study #2 » What effect might the lyrics have on Mary even though she does not consciously listen to them? »What might Sarah have said to Mary? » What effect might the lyrics have on Mary even though she does not consciously listen to them? »What might Sarah have said to Mary?

19. Case Study #3 » A young man was in a big city for a school competition. His chaperon was ill, and he knew no one. He had an evening free, so he stayed in his hotel room and looked up the television listings. To his dismay, he learned that only a cable movie station was available, and it offered a suggestive movie. He spent the entire evening arguing with himself about whether he should watch it or not. It became a real battle of self-discipline trying to overcome the temptation to watch when no one would know.

20. Case Study #4 »A father telephoned a theater where a movie was playing that his family planned to see. He was told by the manager that it was “acceptable family entertainment.” When the family arrived, the very first scene was an explicit bedroom scene. The entire family walked out of the theater.

21. Case Study #4 »What did this father teach his children? »If the father had chosen to stay, which tool of Satan’s would have been used if the children continued to follow his example on other occasions? »What did this father teach his children? »If the father had chosen to stay, which tool of Satan’s would have been used if the children continued to follow his example on other occasions?

22. Case Study #5 »Dan and Martha were trying to decide what to do one evening. Dan suggested seeing a movie. “That’s fine with me, but I want to warn you that I walk out of movies that are below my standards,” Martha replied. »Martha had obviously set a standard that she would not go beyond. »What would a young man think of a young woman who not only set such high standards, but actually kept them even though she risked offending her date? »Dan and Martha were trying to decide what to do one evening. Dan suggested seeing a movie. “That’s fine with me, but I want to warn you that I walk out of movies that are below my standards,” Martha replied. »Martha had obviously set a standard that she would not go beyond. »What would a young man think of a young woman who not only set such high standards, but actually kept them even though she risked offending her date?

23. President Ezra Taft Benson »Some of the greatest battles you will face will be fought within the silent chambers of your own soul. (“In His Steps,” p.60).