Website owner: James Miller
The Immorality Explosion!
Part 1
By Bradford G. Schleifer
The Real Truth Magazine realtruth.org
Old-style morality is under assault like never before. Many have come to wonder what is right and what is wrong—what morality really is. Is it a strict intolerant attitude? Would morality problems be resolved if everyone tolerated and learned to “understand” all the actions of others? A new perverse subculture has crept into nearly every home and every society. Here is the plain truth about immorality—and where it is going!
To some, the world exists in a state that appears to be improving. Great achievements in science, technology, medicine and economics have led to advancements of every kind imaginable. As problems arise, we seem unlimited in our ability to solve them. But are we really solving them? Are the inevitable wounds of advancement being healed by technology?
It has been said that the total fund of human knowledge doubles annually. Does all this information improve society? Does it allow us to make better choices? Are we, as “informed” people, better off than the “ignorant and uneducated” masses of previous centuries?
One area in which knowledge has flourished is that of sex. A plethora of information—and instruction—is now available. But has it allowed us to make better choices?
No doubt you can see the depth to which sex permeates society. One can no longer turn on the television without finding a program that has sexual undertones. Magazines are filled with stories, photos and features that would shock those of past generations. There is now also the Internet, offering a veritable buffet of perversions.
But are these things really having an effect on society? Is this public fascination with sex actually changing how we act, think and live? What about children? Does the explosion of sex-related material taught in schools and presented by the media have positive or negative effects on them?
Psychologists have suggested that children need the “seeds of tolerance” planted in them at an early age, to allow them to blossom into well-rounded, tolerant adults. In this vein, many school curriculums have been altered to allow alternative lifestyles and viewpoints to be expressed, oftentimes without the parents’ knowledge.
Will such seeds of knowledge sprout into a better, more tolerant society? Or is there a price to be paid for the “re-education” of our children?
Society has embraced the concept of political correctness. It allows all people to live their lives however they choose as long as “it doesn’t hurt anyone else.” The “PC” attitude has spawned an era of tolerance that, before our time, was unknown. Everyone and everything is now tolerated—or is it?
Pleasure and betterment are the main goals and hopes of many. Some would argue that, if they are doing something to themselves, they should have the right to experiment and enjoy whatever they please. After all, they would theoretically hurt no one but themselves. But is self-pleasure actually leading toward betterment?
The world is filled with many avenues of recreation—escape—especially in the western world. Television, movies, dance clubs, bars and the Internet allow people to escape their daily lives or meet others who share similar interests. The most enabling of these is the Internet. Never has it been so easy for so many to reach those who share similar interests—no matter how extreme.
The Internet literally has “something for everyone.” For instance, if you are interested in rock climbing and have recently moved to a new city, the Internet would allow you to find others who share this interest.
But, with the click of a mouse, one can just as easily find people who are interested in pedophilia!
The Internet is the ultimate form of full-information access. But how the Internet is used, and how sex has dominated this medium, will shock you.
Never before could someone who was “curious” about same-sex relationships find a partner to explore that curiosity in such an open and encouraged forum.
And in the same way, children are now exposed—often without their parents’ knowledge—to predators of every kind.
These types of windows into society exist. But where does society itself now stand? Collectively, what does it believe?
The State of Affairs
A statistical picture reveals the sexual state of the world. Although it will not supply you with answers, it will show you the dire straits in which we live.
In today’s world, it is common to lose one’s virginity by age 16. However, this is tame in comparison to the problems across middle schools in America. Instead of learning math and english, reports regularly appear about students caught having oral sex in the classroom. This is now generally considered to be at epidemic levels.
Fifth grade graduation parties feature scores of children “freak” dancing—a form of dancing in which they simulate the sex act while keeping their clothes on.
Thinking about being “sexy” starts even younger. The popular “Barbie” doll has recently introduced a version called “Lingerie Barbie.” Although Mattel stated that this Barbie is for ages 14 and up, the average market for Barbie is ages 8 to 12. The product description shows how children are forced to confront sexuality issues: “Barbie exudes a flirtatious attitude in her heavenly merry widow bustier ensemble accented with intricate lace and matching peekaboo peignoir.”
Children are supposed to be childlike—innocent—throughout childhood! Sexuality should never even enter their thinking. Yet they are constantly bombarded with—force-fed—images and products that push them to be sexy.
One market that seems to have no concept of childhood is that of fashion. It seems that, if you want sex to sell, you must start with the very young, as this quote from ABC News shows: “A fake lizard miniskirt…boots and fishnet stockings…If you think it’s the wardrobe of a 20-something, think again!” It goes on to explain that this is the closet of a five-year old!
The sexualization of children has spawned a generation of adults who have delved into every perversion under the sun. Relationships have also become twisted and perverted. This has devastated marriages, which are now more likely to end in divorce than not.
And the Internet has also had a hand in this. An American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers survey recently showed that in the last 12 months, Internet-related issues caused 62% of all divorce cases. From meeting partners for affairs, to delving into perversions once suppressed or addiction to pornography, families are being destroyed by the immoral fiber that has become pervasive in our society.
Studies show that over 80% of marriages in the U.S. have an unfaithful partner. Children learn by example. What example is being set? Children who are abused tend to become abusers. By extension, might children of openly promiscuous parents take on these qualities as well?
But there are even more extreme forms of behavior happening in the home. Just as addiction to soft drugs leads to heavier drug use, experimenting with pornography leads to other perversions. Many couples are delving into alternative lifestyles. Becoming popular across the western world is the concept known as “swinging.” Couples meet other couples and each will then trade partners!
Imagine the confusion a child would experience if exposed to such blatant immorality!
Examples could continue for pages. The different lifestyles, interests, habits and choices are just a small window into the bowels of society. Can we turn back the clock? Or have Ozzie and Harriet (the beloved TV family of the 1950s) been transformed into The Osbournes?
In an effort to provide information to help make the “correct” sexual choices, better judgment has been left behind. Imagine giving detailed instructions to a terrorist on how, when and where to plant a nuclear weapon. Then imagine that, after such a weapon is detonated, we deduce that the solution is to give such terrorists more information—with even MORE detail. No one would suggest such a ridiculous idea!
Yet every day, children and teens are being given what they need to commit moral terrorism.
Will there be any towers of morality left when—or if—this tide is stemmed?
Perversion of the Family
A two-parent family is the best and most productive environment in which to raise children who will one day grow into sound, well-rounded adults.
It is ideal when the mother is able to care for her children, while the father provides an income for the family. This helps children to grow up in a happy and stable environment. Children with this foundation have sound male and female role models.
Sadly, this has all but disappeared. There is such a wide array of “families,” the new “normal” family structure is nearly impossible to define.
For instance, one out of every three children in the U.S. is born to an unwed mother. And this number is skyrocketing. Many believe that the odds of a marriage surviving are so low that they should forgo marriage altogether. This results in cohabitation becoming the precursor to marriage—not the other way around.
It was very different even a few generations ago. Couples would date and get to know each other. Sexual relations would not have been an option until marriage. The idea of living together would have been completely foreign.
Today, we see a complete reversal of this. Often, couples live together for years, appearing as married without making the firm commitment of marriage. Often, marriage comes because of either a surprise pregnancy or a pressure inside the relationship. This creates the commitment for all the wrong reasons.
Is it any wonder that the “divorced” status is the largest growing classification in North America?
But cohabitation is the simplest of these new “families.” Single-parent families lack balanced gender role models. A boy raised by his mother may never learn how to be a proper father. The same principle applies to a girl brought up by a single father. What father would understand the problems an adolescent girl experiences?
What about the concept of two parents of the same gender? How would a child learn to understand the differences between genders and know their roles in society? Or what about “swinging” parents? Imagine going back just 50 years and trying to explain such things.
In our society, the nuclear family is the last bastion of morality, and its defenses are being breached. As stated above, over 80% of marriages will suffer some form of adultery and, ultimately, many end in divorce.
It should come as no surprise, since society places so much “value” on sex. Before marriage, the average person has had up to five sexual partners. Sex is no longer a mysterious and exciting aspect of marriage. What should be one of the most powerful expressions of love has been reduced to something as “special” as sharing a bank account or buying a car. Therefore, it is no surprise that something so under-valued is so easily marred.
This framework and its examples have created what has been called the most sexually active generation of children the world has ever seen.
Children and Sex
As mentioned, children have been bombarded with an array of mediums pushing sex at them. But the problem runs even deeper.
The media has created an unrealistic image. If you are a girl, that image is scantily-clad runway models and movie stars with bodies almost impossible to achieve. They all try to look “sexy” because sex sells. Young girls see such images and, partly because they lack role models at home, aspire to be like them.
Sex is popular. Many television shows represent sex as fun and exciting without any repercussions. Recently, one star of a popular television program became pregnant. The character made having a child, as a single woman, seem as simple as buying a new dress. The young and impressionable mind sees this and reacts.
The fashion industry also responds and drives these desires. Little girls are now able to purchase clothing that many adults would avoid. One major fashion chain sold child-sized thong underwear with sexually suggestive phrases on them. Should a ten-year-old have underwear with phrases such as “eye candy,” “kiss me” or “wink wink” on the front?
It has reached the point that it is nearly impossible for a young girl to find shirts or blouses that cover her midriff, or pants that are not shockingly revealing. But this is not limited to teenagers. Children try to be “sexy” before they are even capable of understanding what sexy means.
But it is not just limited to girls. Boys also try to aspire to “ideal” body types. They are taught that it is cool to have as much sex with as many girls as possible. A boy’s ability to “conquer” is often directly related to how much of a man he feels he will become. This has created a generation of young boys aspiring to be like what they see on television.
The result?
Researchers in Washington, D.C., wanted to start a program to prevent sexual activity in youth. After initially offering the program to seventh-graders, they found it ineffective because too many seventh-graders were already having sex!
The program was then re-worked and offered to fifth-graders. (Keep in mind, we are talking about 10- and 11-year olds.) The study followed these students from 1995 to 1999, and the results were nothing short of eye-popping. While it said that most simply talk about sex, 20% of the students had sex before they were 15 years old—one in five! A notable fact was the change in girls. The 1999 results showed that 19% of girls reported having sex. This was a 42% increase from 1988.
According to a teen quoted in a USA Today article, it was estimated that almost 50% of seventh- and eighth-graders engaged in some kind of sex act. Part of the problem is that children have a very different view of sex than do adults.
A recent U.S. president added to this confusion. In the course of denying his act of adultery with an employee, he declared that oral sex is “not sex.” This mentality has solidified itself in the minds of many youths. Adults often define sex as any sort of arousing activity between two people. Young people believe that only intercourse is sex. Oral sex, petting or touching is not, to them, defined as sex.
This explains three stories below. The explicit nature and graphic wording of the articles are far too detailed to be quoted directly. Keep in mind the ages of the children involved in these incidents.
(1) A 14-year-old reported to USA Today that two students were caught in a washroom in the midst of a sex act. Reports such as this are becoming all too common!
(2) A 13-year-old told ABC News that a female student had sexual relations with nearly a third of their school’s football team.
(3) Another recent story involves two 12-year-olds in Baltimore, Maryland. While a movie was being shown to the class, these children were in the back of the room committing a sex act!
There is simply not enough space to mention all the increasing news reports of children caught in the act of sex. It should then be no wonder that a recent New York Times article stated that “some studies indicate three-fourths of all girls have had sex during their teenage years and 15% have had four or more partners.”
But wasn’t sex education supposed to help this? Are teenagers not taught that abstaining from sex will save them from the problems that such unwise choices create?
Sex Education
If one has sex without thinking through the consequences, many problems—pregnancy, abortion, sexually transmitted diseases, etc.—can result. Knowledge should give one the power to make well-informed and wise choices—right?
You would assume that teaching children about sex allows them to make right choices. But are children able to see past their teen years and understand the consequences of their decisions? Based on what we have already seen, the answer is a resounding NO!
But should we re-think what we are teaching children? Termed “Comprehensive Sexual Education,” it was once considered the answer to help teens abstain from sex. However, it has turned into instructions on how to have sex.
The reasons for avoiding premarital sex have been minimized or removed. Many believe that telling children not to have sex is naïve and that we must provide any and all information to prepare them for WHEN—not if—they have sex.
Such illogic! The world is drowning in a sea of confusion and misunderstanding. Education seems to have completely lost its way. But there is a reason for such confusion and there is a hope for this misguided world. Nearly 6,000 years ago, the first man, Adam, rejected true knowledge—including proper understanding of sex. Since that time, man has created his own system of education instead of turning to God and His Word for such understanding. Modern society—with its improper approach to sexual education—shows the “fruits” (Matt. 7:16, 20) of a system that gropes blindly for the solutions to seemingly unsolvable problems. Mankind has trusted in its own wisdom instead of God’s. And the Bible has a warning for such men: “Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes!” (Isa. 5:21).
But there is a system—a hope—that will solve all these problems and introduce proper and true sex education. Very soon, Jesus Christ will return to this earth and set up a new government and education system. That system will remove all confusion and misunderstanding about what is moral and immoral, what is pure and what is perverse. The teachings of the Bible show that any form of sexual relationships outside of marriage will result in an endless array of problems. But because so few follow those teachings, many do not understand—or even know of—this way of life that brings peace, happiness and joy. Soon, the government of God will teach this way of life throughout the entire world.
But until that time, a stubborn mankind will continue to build upon a brittle and cracking foundation.
Flawed Foundation
The problem with sex education is the foundation on which it is built. Its basis is that all people are sexual—that from the moment we are born, we are fully sexual creatures. Proponents have even compared the hugging of a grandparent to a sexual act. Most sex educators refuse to believe documented evidence that children—unless molested—have no sexual impulses until approximately age 12.
They also assert that children are being misinformed and misdirected by their parents, who, they feel, cloud the issues and often drive kids to make wrong choices. When summarizing the view of sex educators, Kerby Anderson stated, in The Teen Sexual Revolution, “Parents, in [the educators’] view, have simply not done their job, so we need ‘professionals’ to do it right. Parents in trying to protect their children, fail to affirm their sexuality, and even discuss sexuality in a context of moralizing.”
The answer?
Turn what was to be simple information into full-blown sexual instruction for youth! An example of such a program is called “Learning About Family Life.” This heavily studied program is used by the state of New Jersey. It covers, in detail, sexual desire, AIDS, divorce, condoms, masturbation and much more. Yet it nearly excludes any mention of abstinence, marriage, self-control and virginity. They are actually promoting sex to children.
In a 1994 article “The Failure of Sex Education,” Barbara Dafoe Whitehead clearly demonstrated that popular sex education failed in accomplishing its original directives: Dropping the number of pregnancies and cases of STDs.
While conducting her study, she found that a popular form of “prevention” was “outercourse.” This involves sexual touching, petting or kissing in the hopes that it would keep teenagers from going further. Any reasonable person knows where such things would lead with adults. Would any believe that teenagers would have more self-control?
Her study also showed that the number of unwed mothers rose over 20% from 1980 to 1991, proving that the proliferation of sex information does not prevent problems.
Another flaw in sex education’s foundation is the concept of “safe sex.” Countless studies have shown that no form of premarital sex is safe—especially among adolescents. But regardless of the evidence, teaching children to practice “safe sex” is the core of sex education.
But how dangerous is “safe sex”? Proper condom use prevents the spreading of STDs and instances of pregnancy—right? The answer would be “no” if you asked the 31% who reported condom failure.
Studies in a 1993 issue of Social Science Medicine showed that condoms were only 87% effective in preventing pregnancy and 69% effective in preventing the spread of HIV.
But proponents for condom use often quote a study by the Ninth International Conference on AIDS. However, only part of the study is quoted. They excerpt data showing that when couples are properly trained and educated in using protection, it does prevent the spread of diseases such as AIDS.
While this is true, it unfortunately falls short of all the information the study provides. More than a third of the couples involved were unable to learn how to properly use protection. Of this third, 12 became HIV positive and, without doubt, this number increased over time.
In a study to show the effectiveness of condom use, couples could not be taught to use condoms well enough to prevent infections. How much more would teens in reckless sexual encounters put themselves in danger?
Sex education has been broken since its inception and—like many things in our culture—we blindly follow it, never asking any questions. But sexual instruction is one part in a system that turns an innocent young mind into a lusting sexual being.
Sexualization of the Innocent
Sex now grips an entire generation. And with each generation, the target becomes younger. Why have youth become so preoccupied with sex? The real reason is not teenage sex, unwed mothers or the rampant spread of STDS. The real reason is the systematic sexualization of youth. Children, as young as five, are beginning to think of themselves as “sexual” beings. They want to be as sexy as those they idolize on television.
No young teen, and certainly no five-year-old, should be wondering if they are sexy. Why has society created an atmosphere that pushes children to meet expectations that were once only placed on adults?
We have read about the sale of sexually suggestive clothing for little girls, and statistics of various sex acts by children and teenagers. Also, that schools seem to teach children to be sexual, basically instructing them about sex before they are able to understand the repercussions. The list of such things is practically endless.
It seems that our entire society is organized in such a way as to sexualize young people. But why would a society—a culture—want to do this?
Children of varying ages are taught to be tolerant of all forms of sexual expression. Many Hollywood movies show minors in sexual situations and, at times, sexual acts with adults. And in high school, they are taught what it means to experiment in the context of “learning who they are.”
The seeds of tolerance and mass information have created the aforementioned moral terrorists. But weren’t these forms of education designed to help children make better—healthier—choices about their lives and futures? Weren’t such systems established to improve society and create stable, happy families?
While this may have been the original goal, the system has been hijacked and the goals perverted. Society as a whole has been focused on “more important” problems, and an entire generation is paying the price.
But in educators’ attempts to teach children how to grow into well-rounded adults, they could not have known that such a system would turn into something so wrong. They could not have known that teaching—and instructing—children about sex would create the problems we now see. Or could they?
The Bible records many several-thousand-year-old prophecies that were written about today’s world. The conditions of pollution, crime, and disease are all described—and so is sexual immorality. God’s Word foretold the state we see in our modern time:
“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves…disobedient to parents, unthankful…without natural affection…despisers of those that are good…heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God…led away with diverse lusts, ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (II Tim. 3:1-7).
How true of our modern society!
And, just as surely as these prophecies about our times have come true, there are other prophecies yet unfulfilled that will come to pass. They speak of a world very different from our own. A time of hope and stability. A time when the Ten Commandments will be taught throughout the world, and, with them, a proper understanding of sex. No longer will children be forced to learn about immoral sex—premarital, extramarital or homosexual. Children will be taught the powerful bond that sex within marriage creates. And they will come to understand the blessings that flow from keeping the laws of God and practicing the morality He created.
The Answer Exposed!
Though man ignored the prophecies showing that his systems would fail, he must certainly see the results. Why does he keep using a system that is so obviously flawed at its very foundation? Why are abstinence and virginity not shown to be the wise choices that they are? Why are perversions pushed to extremely young children as normal and viable options? Not only are educators embracing the concept of giving more information to our teenagers, they are giving them information that most adults do not even know or comprehend.
Worse yet, teens and even small children are being exposed to alternative lifestyles without even parental knowledge. Under the banner of tolerance, parents have been removed from teaching their children and establishing proper morals.
This is the darker side of the modern sexual society. It is the system that sexualizes children and makes them more sexually aware at ever younger and younger ages. Why would anyone want to sexualize children, making them sexually aware and active at increasingly younger ages? What happens when young people are exposed to this? Why is tolerance taught in schools when many schools are not tolerant of a parent’s morals? What kind of adults has this society, rooted in tolerance, produced?
We will answer these questions, expose the hidden side of sexual education, and show how far off the world’s moral compass has become next month in “The Immorality Explosion! – Part II.”
The Immorality Explosion!
Part 2
By Bradford G. Schleifer
News articles report shockingly immoral activities happening in your backyard. Should we be tolerant of such actions? Schools are teaching—even instructing—young people on sexual topics of all kinds. What is the cause of this escalating immorality in society? And what will be its end?
In Part I, we looked at many of the effects that immorality has on society. The stories and statistics that were current then still apply and, in many cases, downplay the growth of immorality in our society. Starting with the base family structure, we began looking at the foundation on which children are raised. We also looked at the school system, and how it forces children to face adult issues years before they are actually adults. We examined the role of tolerance and what it means. Finally, we uncovered the wide array of immoral acts committed in schools, and that the flawed system of sexual education is actually promoting these acts.
While statistics and trends in Part I were eye-opening, the fruits of that system—young adults today—are alarming. Adults are involved with many dangerous lifestyle choices. They open themselves up to sexually transmitted diseases, with no thought of any prolonged impact.
Legislators have introduced bills and statutes that would give pedophiles and other “alternative lifestyles” legal standing. Our society is failing and the results are evident.
Douglas MacArthur (1880-1964), Supreme Commander of the Allied forces in the Pacific during World War II, stated, “History fails to record a single precedent in which nations subject to moral decay have not passed in to political and economic decline.” These wise words point to the moral decay that is rotting our nations around us. Time is short—humanity must pay attention now!
Moral Barometer
Children and adults are bombarded with advertising, television, and social issues that simply did not exist a few generations ago. Each year, the standard of what is considered acceptable entertainment drastically degrades. Hollywood pushes immoral concepts through movies. And the fashion industry and magazines take up the baton in offering clothing to suit these roles.
Such drastic social changes have not occurred without a dramatic effect!
Society has gone from Hollywood and television driving the moral standard, to Hollywood and television trying to keep up with society as a whole. Mass media now merely reflects the condition of society.
In 2002, a survey in the United States showed what children believe and consider to be moral. It was a kind of moral gauge—or barometer—to see where the country stands.
It found that 30% of adults in America did not even believe in morality. Take a moment to realize what this means. Almost one in three adults does not feel that morals shape the way he thinks and makes decisions.
The American Heritage Dictionary defines morality as “a system of ideas of right and wrong conduct.” Unless those surveyed do not understand the meaning of morality, one-third of Americans do not believe in a concept of right and wrong conduct.
How did this happen? Just a few decades ago would have shown completely different results. Can the blame be laid at the feet of the entertainment industry? Many will argue: “Adults can resist the pulls of television and society. They can watch televised acts of murders, sex or deceit without it affecting their moral compass.” This thinking is partially correct. The most effective way to instill wrong morals into a person is to teach him wrong morals as a child. The key is education!
For example, few suggest that people are born as racists. It is learned—developed—over many years, in an environment that drives these wrong concepts into his mind, supplanting what should have been proper and balanced concepts of racial equality.
Also, the younger a person is when wrong thoughts and concepts are introduced, the more likely he is to be open to them. Attitudes must be programmed before a concept of right and wrong solidifies. And so is the case with morality. People must be taught morals when they are young to have them transfer to adulthood. But if they are not being taught proper morals, what are they learning?
The most basic and seemingly innocent of popular teachings is that of tolerance.
The Intolerance of Tolerance
Unlike most concepts we will cover in Part II, the concept of tolerance seems logical. Should we not tolerate everyone else? We should not judge people or discriminate against them because of genetics or similar characteristics. Tolerance is based on this noble foundation. But the framework built on this foundation has distorted and perverted what appears to be a moral concept.
Educators have gone beyond simply teaching that we should tolerate—accept—someone because they are African, Chinese, short, tall, thin, etc. We have reached a point where society and its schools are teaching that we should be tolerant of every action one would encounter.
For example, when a child throws a temper-tantrum, it is no longer an unruly child—it is a “child expressing himself.”
When countries attack another, it is not blind hatred or lust—it is our “mismanaged foreign policy.”
There is now always a reason—an excuse—for what is simply wrong conduct. “Being tolerant” has become that excuse.
An often-heard mantra of tolerance advocates is, “As long as we are not hurting others, what we do to ourselves is our business.”
But is this concept sound?
Most hospitals and prisons do not feel that it is. When a patient or inmate becomes suicidal, he is put under a “suicide watch.” This prevents him from doing something to himself that in theory “would not hurt others.” He is being protected from hurting himself.
While modern society cannot stop people from committing immoral acts, individuals must realize that their actions do carry serious consequences. The world has reached a point where virtually anything is tolerated. Almost nothing is considered intolerable. Or is it?
The basis of true tolerance would be to tolerate all viewpoints. But there is a critical view—God’s view—that has been completely wiped from such teachings.
Even small children are now being taught about lifestyles and sexual concepts that would make adults blush. They are taught, as we have said, from a very young age, so that such beliefs and ideals are ingrained into them as they grow into adults.
The result? One-third of adults in the United States do not believe in morality! Yes, one-third does not believe in the concept of right or wrong conduct. It has been said that “you don’t know what you don’t know.” This is especially true with morality—you are not born with a proper concept of right and wrong, you must be taught!
The reason many problems such as crime, war, adultery, theft, etc, are exploding around us is that children are no longer taught right from wrong. They no longer understand what is proper conduct and what is improper—immoral—conduct. When one says that something is wrong, they are being intolerant of wrong conduct. Teaching tolerance will never be compatible with teaching right from wrong, because teaching right from wrong is considered intolerance!
Schools are no longer able to teach that something is wrong because the true understanding of right and wrong is found in the Bible. And when schools begin to teach anything even remotely connected to the Bible, they are hit with legal battles from those who feel the separation of Church and State has been compromised.
The task of teaching children proper morals now completely lies in the hands of parents—and this responsibility is usually underemphasized. Think of all the things influencing our children today: Music, television, movies and peers, which all undermine proper parental influence and authority.
Those pulls always appeal to the carnal nature and “feel good” attitudes in people—especially youth. Television “reality shows” continue to push the envelope of what is acceptable. One begins to wonder if we are even “pushing” anything anymore. It seems that anything and everything is acceptable on television—even in prime time.
For example, every year, a popular lingerie company parades models around in outfits that would have been unthinkable even in catalogs just a few decades ago. Another extremely popular program among children touches on many aspects of the darker side of human nature. This program—which airs in prime time—is about a group of trendy twenty-somethings who fight and kill vampires. During the opening of one program, two female “friends”—who are also witches—were shown in bed together talking about their recent “experience.”
Aside from one’s view of such relationships, should parents be forced to address these issues, presented in such a shocking “in your face” manner?
Truly, anything and everything is tolerated in our society, except those who warn of the consequences of such tolerance.
Which begs the question: Is God tolerant? Many will say that God tolerates any form of conduct as long as we “love each other,” that as long as we “have Jesus in our hearts,” conduct is secondary.
The Bible teaches no such thing. It does say that without love, you are nothing. It also says that living the laws of God is love. To be truly happy, one must follow and live God’s laws. The Creator of the universe put these laws in place to allow people to live happy and fulfilling lives. He knows that when His laws are broken, sadness, emptiness and confusion result.
Therefore, unless God is a cruel and heartless being, He could never tolerate sin, because He knows it brings unhappiness. The world around you is the result of a confused humanity walking blindly, deciding for itself right from wrong, when the Bible has existed for millennia with clear and precise answers.
Gender “Blending”
A major part of the problem comes from people not understanding or knowing what their roles should be. When you show that there are differences between men and women, many angry and loud voices enter the fray. They usually overpower the one speaking. But understand! Men and women were NOT created equal. We are not the same. This is not to say that men are better or vice-versa, but the simple fact is: Males and females are different.
In what is perhaps the most sexist act of all, modern thinkers have tried to blur those differences, instead of allowing men and women to develop their natural abilities—which would result in a more productive and balanced society. What has this caused?
Men are being softened—emasculated—and women are being hardened. People have lost who they are. Again, popular culture is helping this to develop. Beginning in the mid-60s, asexual-looking males became popular. Fashion and hairstyles became unisex. And this has increasingly become the norm. “Pretty” men are the ones who walk the runways and star in movies and, again, boys are unsure who they are and who they should be. Young boys have become so confused by the images drilled into them, some even feel they were born the wrong gender—thinking that God somehow made a mistake in their creation.
Many times, the effect is often more subtle and, like the transition of our culture from morality to immorality, the changes seem minor and “tolerable.” No longer is the man the head of the home. His role of authority has been destroyed, and horribly behaved children are the result. When one does not respect authority, the standards and rules of authority are also no longer respected—and, at times, openly challenged. The line in the sand is blurred, making it easier for young people to cross it.
One such example is women being sexually demure. This is no longer the case; oftentimes women are as aggressive or more aggressive than men. In Part I, we presented statistics showing that women are increasingly becoming the instigators in premarital sex. A strong, conservative woman is portrayed as boring and weak. Radical feminism has sought sexual liberation and has contributed to a perverse, immoral society.
Men have all too readily taken the passenger’s seat in relationships. They no longer lead the relationship, and assume a role not natural for them. This forces women to also walk a path that is not natural for them. Marital problems often stem from partners not understanding and fulfilling their natural roles—so much so, that over 50% of marriages now end in divorce.
When parents play these distorted roles, they leave their children to grow in a confusing environment. Understand! People are not born thinking they are something different than they are. Boys are born knowing they are boys, and the same can be said for girls. But society—and at times, parents—greatly influence child development and their ability to identify with their gender. And it is society, schools and parents that have created gender identity problems for children.
Education Revisited
Be it at home or at school, education is the core component of any child’s development. Whether a child becomes a stable adult is largely based on how that child is raised and what he is taught. The following are actual courses taught in schools nationwide:
“What They Didn't Tell You About Queer Sex & Sexuality in Health Class: A Workshop For Youth Only, Ages 14-21” or “Teach Out,” which was held in Massachusetts. It featured Massachusetts Department of Education employees—government employees—instructing children as young as 14 in how to properly perform homosexual sex acts.
Or how about “One Teenager in Ten: Writings by Gay & Lesbian Youth.” This recommended book in the California school system discusses, in explicit detail, a 16-year old’s first lesbian experience with her 23-year old dance teacher. The story continues, teaching that she should hide the experience from her religious parents.
We could continue quoting news articles from around the country. But now ask: How sure are you that your child is not learning some of the above courses? Many of these and others have been introduced into school systems under the banner of “tolerance.” This has caused many educators to open their doors to such “modern” and “politically correct” attitudes and teachings.
By classifying such courses and assemblies as “Anti-Hatred,” many schools allow very young children to be taught such explicit materials without a parent ever knowing.
How hard it has become to be a parent in the twenty-first century!
Like heroin to a drug addict, sex to human nature—especially that of children—is nearly impossible to resist! Therefore, is it any wonder that children are performing sex acts in record numbers, that teenage sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy are skyrocketing?
The Source of Confusion
The different acts of immorality prevalent today could have filled many pages, with varying descriptions. We could have gone into detail about the agendas and methods various groups use to promote their beliefs—and relieve their guilt. Such accounts are usually the launching point for attacks on people—not their conduct. We have no interest in attacking people. That said, some background must be understood to know the real cause behind the perversions of pedophilia, homosexuality, bestiality, etc.
There is a being who does not fully understand sex. What he does understand is that that sexual relations are a critical part of marriage. While we do not have space to go into why the devil hates marriage, it can be best understood by knowing that the marriage union is symbolic of a union Christ will have with His Church when He returns to earth.
The devil hates that union because it represents a time when he will be put away and unable to influence humanity any longer. But that time has not yet arrived, and he is doing everything in his power to influence and twist mankind.
Is it any surprise that such perversion has gripped our society?
A core concept he wishes to destroy is that of marriage. In a perverse and immoral society, the concept of marriage becomes irrelevant—and the devil has achieved his goal. (To learn more about how marriage represents an important part of God’s Plan, read our free booklet The Purpose of MARRIAGE—Ever Obsolete?) Also, as an angel, Satan has no gender, and therefore does not understand sex. And as god of this world (II Cor. 4:4), this distorted, genderless fallen angel has created a distortion of genders and perversions of sex.
The whole world has been deceived by the devil (Rev. 12:9). Yet, this does not leave man without responsibility for his actions. Satan leads mankind, and the perversions described below are the result of that leadership. Keep in mind that we are not attacking people or groups of people, but we are attacking sin, and helping this blind world see the result of its actions.
“Lying with Mankind”
The concept of homosexuality is neither new nor original. It has existed since ancient times. Near the fall of any dominant society, homosexuality flourished. Be it in Sodom and Gomorra, or ancient Greece, the proliferation of homosexuality has become the great indicator that a society’s days were numbered.
Make no mistake. Homosexuality is wrong and is sin (Lev. 18:22; 20:13; Deut. 23:17-18; I Cor. 6:9; I Tim. 1:10; Jude 7). God Himself calls it an abomination. It is unnatural and mocks the very concept of marriage and reproduction. It is clear what God teaches about homosexuality. In no way would He create someone as homosexual. It must be a learned behavior. The road it has taken in modern society has changed it from criminal, to a mental disorder, to a celebrated and encouraged “lifestyle.” Never has a subsection of society seen such sweeping changes and acceptance in such a short period.
Nevertheless, the survival of homosexuality also links it to other perversions—such as pedophilia. A 1998 study showed that 86% of pedophiles described themselves as homosexual. In fact, the Encyclopedia of Homosexuality verifies, “that until very recently man/boy love relationships were accepted as a part, and indeed were a major part, of male homosexuality.” The links continue: Alan Bell and Martin Weinberg found that 25% of white gay men have had sexual relations with boys under age 16.
This is obviously not to say that all homosexuals look to corrupt children, but historically, when taken as a whole, the man-boy relationship has been prevalent.
And as shocking as it may seem, schools are helping to promote this! In just the last year, various organizations have begun to promote curricula with increasing success. Schools all across the country have begun to teach children how to be homosexual—be it by cross-dressing, reading about homosexual relationships or even booklets teaching children what sodomy involves.
Many times, such programs are delivered to children without parental knowledge. Again, do you know if your children are being taught any of the following popular courses?:
Booklets like “Jesse’s Dream Skirt” and “In Mommy’s High Heels,” for elementary-age boys, show them that it is “good” to want to wear your mother’s high heels or your sister’s dresses. How about “Daddy’s Roommate” or “Heather Has Two Mommies”? Not to mention the courses listed in the introduction of this article.
And if it is not enough that children are being taught such things, teachers are being encouraged to take extended learning programs such as “Mobilizing Young Same Gender Loving Men,” “Responding Effectively to the Right Wing,” “Using Music to Deconstruct the Heterosexist Meaning of Family” and “Transgender Mind, Body, Spirit.”
These various curricular materials not only encourage experimentation with homosexuality, but also encourage such experimentation to be done without a parent’s knowledge.
Again, what are your children being taught?
If the curricula were not enough, a California school district unanimously passed a resolution that allowed teachers to “come out” to their classes, discussing such topics as homosexuality, sodomy and experimentation, with children as young as six-years old!
Pedophilia
Pedophilia is when an adult engages in sexual relations or intimacy with a person who is under age. The definition of underage varies according to local age-of-consent laws, but the world average is 16-years old for both heterosexual and homosexual relationships.
As previously mentioned, the links between homosexuality and pedophilia are many. But links between any acts of immorality should not come as a surprise. It can be compared to the process a drug user undergoes on the road to harder drugs. When you experiment with something that is forbidden you experience a thrill. Over time, what was forbidden becomes the norm and to experience a thrill again, you become curious—interested—in other more forbidden drugs.
Inevitably, most who smoke marijuana will try other drugs, but always tell themselves that they would not do a particular drug, or method of consumption. Over time, their adversity to heavier drugs fades and they slowly, but surely, happily trot down avenues once considered completely outside the realm of possibility.
And so it is with immorality. Like drug abuse, sexuality immorality is addictive. Many who have been arrested for rape, sexual abuse and pedophilia freely admit that they would do it again. They feel they would be unable to help themselves from fulfilling their addiction. Like drugs, any sexually immoral indulgence will typically lead to others. Studies show that pedophiles, homosexuals and swingers (adulterers) are more likely to be involved in bondage, masochism and other dangerous sexual activities.
And like many “fringe” sexual topics, pedophilia now seems to be viewed the same way that homosexuality was viewed just 50 years ago. Back then, homosexuality was shown to be the immoral choice that it was. But today, many feel that homosexuals are “born that way” and have no choice but to exercise that lifestyle. The pedophilia movement in North America sounds very similar to the homosexual movement of years ago. Many states and provinces have now introduced legislation to define pedophilia as “mental disorder” instead of a crime. Like homosexuality, this is the stepping-stone into excusing pedophilia as a lifestyle choice that must be therefore understood and accepted.
There is also other legislation to reduce or remove the age of consent laws—the minimum age at which a child can legally have sex with an adult. Many countries have already reached crossroads in this. In Canada, the age of consent law allows children as young as 14 to have sexual relationships with an adult. In some states, the power of the lobbying groups is more evident. While New Mexico’s age of consent for heterosexuals is 17 years, it is 13 years for homosexuals. Take a moment and imagine if a 13-year old understands the consequences of sodomy. But this is the steady, ever-growing trend.
The voices of the pedophilia movement are gaining in intensity, and many are beginning to listen. Some popular psychiatrists have even stated that sexual relations between an adult and a child can be beneficial to the development of a child—shocking! While it may seem incredible that we are seeing such sweeping changes throughout society, it should never be so. As mentioned, before the fall of any society, rampant immorality reigns—especially pedophilia and homosexual.
The Nation of Israel Changed the World
In approximately mid-1400 B.C., God led the nation of Israel out of Egypt. In the course of re-teaching this slave nation all the laws and statues that would help them live in happiness and prosperity, God taught them laws governing morality.
Such teachings were foreign to the world at large. Various perversions were rampant in the world, to the point that the ideas this small slave nation put forward were extreme, as this quote from Martha Nussbaum, Professor at Brown University shows:
“Ancient categories of sexual experience differed considerably from our own. The central distinction in sexual morality was the distinction between active and passive roles. The gender of the object…is not in itself morally problematic. Boys and women are very often treated interchangeably as objects of [male] desire.” It could be said that Israel’s laws were “deviant” in the ancient world.
From ancient Mexico, Mesopotamia, Greece, Rome to the Far East, homosexuality and pedophilia were so common that sociology professor Dr. David E. Greenberg writes that such action “seems to have been universal among male citizens” (Why Judaism Rejected Homosexuality, Dennis Prager).
Therefore, this new nation of Israel was completely different in its beliefs and concepts. Its introduction of monogamous marriage-bound relationships shook the ideas common in the world. But the laws of God took years to be properly enforced. Male prostitutes often appeared in temples throughout Israel’s history. Some of their kings sought to put out this evil: “And he [King Asa] took away the sodomites out of the land…” (I Kgs. 15:12). The Greek word used for sodomites is qdeshim, which means “a male devotee by prostitution.” Given free reign, human nature will always turn to immorality.
But regardless, when Israel followed God’s Law, the people prospered. They were happy and their nation was at peace.
With the re-introduction of The Ten Commandments, this former nation in bondage began to learn the ways of God, and was forced to walk against the traditions of the world. They put away perversions, such as homosexuality. They had learned from God that in order to find happiness, they must follow His laws and no longer believe or “go along” with the deceived world around them.
Many other biblical examples show that immorality was put out from among the people of Israel. Using their example, the modern nations of Israel—United States, Britain, Canada, New Zealand and Australia—should do the same. If a nation does not turn and follow proper morality, it is assured the same fate that has befallen ancient Greece, Rome, Egypt, Mesopotamia and others.
The Amorality Explosion
Things have turned from the era of modesty and purity that was normal only a few generations ago. If the world does not wake up and see the results of their actions, homosexuality, pedophilia and even bestiality, will quickly become the norm.
The purpose of this article is to help the world see their sins, and that happiness, prosperity and fulfillment will not result from immoral and perverse lifestyles. The world must awaken to its sins and turn from the slippery slope that is taking it from an immoral society to an amoral one—a society that has gone from decaying morals to one without morals, without rules, and without rule!
But this is not the “end game” of society. There will be a very different way coming to this world very soon. It will end the sadness and emptiness that immorality and sexual abuse have brought. Christ is returning to earth to enforce the laws of God throughout the entire world. And, like ancient Israel, true happiness, peace and prosperity will break out throughout civilization.
You do not have to follow the path society has chosen. You now know many of the facts and statistics on how immorality has proliferated throughout our society. The concepts, the teachings and agendas have been exposed for what they are. You now understand that there is a being—the devil—who directs and shapes the moral code of this world, and his concept of morality is distorted and perverse. Will you allow yourself to be shaped as a veritable puppet? Or will you choose God’s Way and experience the joy and happiness that it brings?
In Part III, we will give you more facts to further understand how pervasive immorality has become in our society. You will be able to see the big picture and know where this road will lead. And finally, we will provide you with the REAL answer—God’s solution to the problems of immorality—next month, in “The Immorality Explosion! Part III”
The Immorality Explosion!
Part 3
By Bradford G. Schleifer
Modern media and the Internet have changed society. But is it for the better? What have they added to society—and what have they degraded? Much more is done “behind closed doors”—with these “subcultures” pushing the envelope of decency and morality. What is their cause? What are their effects? And what will be the final solution to these seemingly unsolvable problems?
If you have been reading this series from the beginning, you have seen the evidence showing how immorality plagues society. You have seen the rampant lack of morality or even the concept of what it is. Schools have given up in the battle to properly teach children how they should act—and many parents have also dropped the baton. If you have not read the previous parts in this series, we recommend that you do so to put into context what we will cover here.
Throughout this series, we have shown that tolerance is the crux of youth education. This has caused them to grow up accepting and tolerating most any form of conduct. But there are more sources for the rampant immorality in our society.
A business of immorality has developed, growing into one of the most successful “entertainment” industries ever seen. Always innovating and grasping new forms of technology, this business has reached into modern media. Scanning television channels would uncover many that exist strictly for pornography. The Internet is also no stranger to perverse sexuality. Anyone with email access knows of the constant bombardment of explicit advertising asking them to visit this or that website. Thousands upon thousands of websites indulge in every perverse action imaginable.
Yet it is not limited to just the Internet and media. Many people are coming together in “understanding” and “tolerance” like never before. Those who share these immoral interests are creating subcultures and forums that allow them to indulge their fantasies. And, as explained in Part II, the thrill of the forbidden is short-lived, leading great numbers to engage in increasingly more forbidden activities to maintain that thrill.
And so sits civilization today—dark, confused and perverted. As it begins to crumble, it will give way to a solution just over the horizon—one that will change the way the world seeks pleasures and fulfillment. The law of cause and effect will be universally understood. This cause is near—and the effect will be peace, happiness, fulfillment and joy to everyone around the world.
A proper understanding of sex will also come with this cause. This article will show you the cause, the solutions and what you can do today to help you experience that cause 1,000 years before many—even most—will even know it has arrived.
But to truly understand how great this soon-coming society will be, we must first examine the world in which we currently find ourselves.
The Internet—Privacy and Perversion
Modern society has every imaginable convenience. Information is at our fingertips—at the click of a button. Media and the Internet drive this information surge. The Internet has changed communication. It has allowed millions from all around the world to keep in contact—and make contacts—unlike any time in history. But these amazing achievements cast a dark shadow.
This technology has spawned the Information Age, but, as this series has shown, not all information is good. Like most forms of technology, the Internet is neither good nor bad. It is simply a tool that can be used for good or bad.
Many things can be considered “good,” such as families scattered around the world communicating for virtually no cost via email. Researching a subject is made incredibly easy, yet thorough, with this great tool. You can follow news and events from around the world as they happen!
It is exciting to see how this medium provides mass information. But all that information has its downside. The instant access to news and communication also allows instant access to negative—even immoral—forms of information. With little investigation, you can indulge any perverse desire. There are now websites that focus on even the most extreme of perversions.
Often, such websites allow others of similar interest to discuss their lusts. This creates an atmosphere of acceptance and validation for such people and propels them even further down the slippery slope of immorality.
But you may wonder, “Just how big is pornography on the Internet? Is it as bad as the media portrays?”
Surprisingly, it is far worse than the media portrays!
Every day, nearly 1,000 new pornography websites appear! Of course, many go out of business, but many more appear than disappear. And why are so many appearing? Why would organizations and corporations start a thousand such websites a day?
Because there is a demand for them—money is to be made for supplying this kind of content.
This is not a new phenomenon. Even in the early 1990s, pornography was a budding business on this then largely unknown medium.
Some even assert that pornography was the Internet’s first big business venture—that it helped drive the Internet economy in those early years. Even today, studies show that file-sharing systems are used primarily for pornography.
You may remember the Napster service that gained media attention in the late 1990s. It allowed users from around the world to share music, bypassing the need to purchase it. Napster has come and gone, but other similar services have appeared in its wake. These services have gone beyond allowing just music to be shared, but also movies, software, images and more.
Studies show that 6% of all the searches on these systems were for some form of child pornography, with a full one-fourth of these directly looking for pornographic images of children. A shocking 73% of all movie searches were for pornography!
But, considering the large number of youth utilizing the Internet, is this any surprise? Imagine if you put a teenage boy in a house with many rooms and tell him that, in each room, different types of sexual acts are taking place, and that all he need do is open the door to see them. Do you think he wouldn’t look? What if you extended the analogy to be more like the Internet, where one does not even have to open the door? He can view what is happening in these rooms as if he were watching television. Tell him no one will know he is watching and that all he has to do is turn a dial to view what is happening in these rooms.
Does anyone actually believe that this teenage boy would be able to resist? Of course not! Statistics prove this: “According to Net Value, children spent 64.9 percent more time on pornography sites than they did on game sites in September 2000. Over one quarter (27.5%) of children age 17 and under visited an adult web site, which represents 3 million unique underage visitors. Of these minors, 21.2 percent were 14 or younger and 40.2 percent were female” (“The Net Value Report on Minors Online…” Business Wire, Dec. 19, 2000).
“Nearly a third (31%) of kids age 10-17 from households with computers (24% of all kids 10-17) say they have seen a pornographic web site” (“Survey Shows Widespread Enthusiasm for High Technology,” NPR Online, 1999).
But viewing pornography is only one facet of the Internet. There is a much more dangerous aspect, one that allows people with similar interests to find validation. There are those on the Internet who seek out such teenagers.
There are many “man-boy” love organizations that have an Internet presence and encourage, empower and promote individuals to commit illegal acts. They use this tool to seek victims and have been very successful in their activities: “Based on interviews with a nationally representative sample of 1,501 youth ages 10 to 17 who use the Internet regularly, approximately one in five received a sexual solicitation or approach over the Internet in the last year. One in thirty-three received an aggressive sexual solicitation—a solicitor who asked to meet them somewhere; called them on the telephone; sent them regular mail, money or gifts. One in four had an unwanted exposure to pictures of naked people or people having sex in the last year” (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, June 2000).
It was recently reported that such a perpetrator attacked and raped a young boy because of the encouragement he received from one of these online forums. When people are involved in such perversions, their minds are already twisted. The only thing they lack is support from others wanting to live vicariously through these more aggressive individuals.
The Internet empowers this!
How much new life has the Internet shot into pedophiliac pornography? “Child Pornography was pretty much eradicated in the 1980s. With the advent of the Internet, it exploded” (“The Web’s Dark Secret,” Newsweek, March 19, 2001). And that was two years ago. Since then, cases have more than doubled yearly.
But like we have said, the Internet is simply a form of technology. It is neither good nor bad. But who can control this? Who can control such an amazing technology, that it only be used in a good way? Can organizations? Can governments?
A government is coming that can—but its time has not yet arrived, and the world still wanders blindly.
Pornography—The New Entertainment Industry
As we have seen, the Internet is a driving force behind pornography and vice-versa. But pornography existed long before the Internet came on the scene. Interestingly, if you look back over time, you will see that pornographers have often been the first to embrace new technologies. Human nature is always looking for new ways to “express itself”—and corrupt others. People have always sought ways to indulge their lusts, yet maintain privacy—secrecy. This is one reason the Internet grew into such an effective tool for pornographers. It has even been said that the VCR became mainstream because the availability of pornography drove its sales.
One must ask: Why do so many feel that they can continue with all kinds of sexual exploits as long as they keep them secret?
Could it be that people know what they are doing is wrong? Do they know they are not helping their development or improving themselves? While such thoughts may not be conscious, this is the reason why any wrong act is done in secret—“in the dark.” Of course, whether it is theft, deceit or lust—people tend to hide their wrong acts.
Notice: “Men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19). People hide their actions because they are wrong. But this is not the answer the average person would offer. They would speak of privacy and personal choice. They might even chide the questioner for being “old-fashioned,” “out of step” or “prudish.”
Our society has grown into a culture that craves and encourages instant gratification. Look around! You will see the wonders and comforts that promote this—television, email, telephones, microwaves, etc. So many things are done with the short-term in mind. Few consider the long-term consequences of their actions. It is much the same with pornography. Indulging short-term pleasures can result in long-term problems. How would a wife feel if her husband turned to pornography instead of to her? Would it develop the bond of their relationship? Is lusting after a virtual stranger fulfilling—or is it just a short-term indulgence?
While seemingly harmless, pornography taints your expectations, ultimately desensitizing you to what is normal and balanced. The more you surrender to these desires and lusts, the more they will control your thinking. When you focus on yourself, you will be the center of your attention. In marriage—and in life—you should direct that focus on others!
Imagine a society in which everyone else looked out for each other. Even selfishly, it would be in one’s best interest to act this way. If those around you are completely self-centered, then each person only has one person looking out for him—himself! But, if everyone were looking out for everyone else, then thousands, millions, even billions of people would be looking out for your best interests. How sad that the world does not see this! Instead, most people focus on themselves, seeking self-gratification and—in the case of pornography—self-destruction!
Most do not realize that the pornography industry dwarfs Hollywood: “Annual rentals and sales of adult videos and DVDs top $4 billion, and the industry churns out 11,000 titles each year—more than 20 times as many as Hollywood, according to Adult Video News, an adult industry trade magazine” (Los Angeles Times Magazine, Jan. 6, 2002).
We have already seen that, once you open the door to perversions, it is very difficult to close. More often than not, what was originally enticing and exciting will become drab and boring—that is, until you find something more extreme! Nowhere is this more obvious than in the modern media.
Media Immorality
Television has been called the window into our society. It truly shows the “state of affairs.” As mentioned in Part II, there was a time when society reflected television. It was the stimulus for change in society. Popular culture once reflected what was seen on television—and so did morality. The early years of television saw programs such as Leave it To Beaver and The Donna Reed Show. These programs represented wholesome families, and were good examples for the viewing audience.
But, like so many things in our culture, human nature prevailed. Competition frayed the moral direction of producers. What “sells” became more important than what effect their programs would have.
We have seen this go even farther today. Society no longer reflects television on important moral issues. Society is now regressing at a faster rate than even this popular medium can sustain.
Many have heard the saying, “Sex sells,” and nowhere is this truer than on television. Programs for teens and adolescents feature overtly sexual messages, their characters dressed in the skimpiest of clothing. These characters are lacking more than just morality. These “role models” disrespect their parents, fight with authority figures and have a general disregard for the adult population, which is often portrayed as “lacking understanding” or “uncool.”
And these are just the programs for teens!
The newest phenomenon is “reality television”—basically voyeurism. These programs place “normal” people into various situations. The audience laughs at their mistakes or lives vicariously through their achievements. While this started with a show that put a group of adults on an island to see if they could “survive,” it has degraded into something far worse.
Programs like Married by America, Temptation Island, The Real World, Are You Hot? and Cheaters are just a small sample of what “reality” television is becoming. Even the name of this genre speaks volumes for the state of the world. While what happens on these shows is not reality for most, how long before it is?
And this is just television! It is considered tame in the entertainment industry. The movies produced by Hollywood would make your average television producer blush.
A movie with a good storyline that does not contain numerous sexual references or violence is rare. Even children’s movies contain such references to keep adults entertained.
How sad that Hollywood feels that older children are not aware of these undertones and the consequences they can bring.
Another aspect of this popular media is fashion. While not truly a form of media, fashion is usually the one most often imitated by the general population. As we have seen in this series, children are having difficulty finding clothing that actually covers their bodies. It is too tight, too short—and too revealing. The fashion industry, promoted by television and movies, has created this dilemma.
Award shows, the ultimate marriage of television, movies and fashion, are truly “unreality” programming. The “rich and famous” parade in shockingly short, revealing or plain inappropriate dresses. When winning awards, they spout some sort of extreme—yet “tolerant”—viewpoint.
The entertainment industry creates a false reality—a fantasy world—for those who look to its moguls as idols, mimicking the dress, style and blatant immorality that they endorse. Where is the entertainment in that?
The Swinging Explosion!
As we have seen, the concept of marriage has degraded substantially from its original purpose. Many today look at marriage as nothing more than a “tax break,” “convenience” or simply “what’s best for the kids.”
Such attitudes have caused many to remove what they would call the “restrictions of monogamy” and practice a shocking, new—and growing—lifestyle.
Across many nations, married couples are visiting swinging clubs. Such clubs allow couples to trade partners with other couples. Often, no concept of whom those partners are—or where they have been—even enters the equation. Group activities are indulged and human desires tantalized. Could you imagine any relationship where such activities take place, and retain any form of trust—or at the very least a lack of jealousy?
You may think that such clubs are rare or are hidden in the back alleys. But across this country, the “swinging” lifestyle is rapidly growing in popularity. In 2000, a study showed that up to 2% of the adult population in the United States was involved in this lifestyle. While it may not seem like a large percentage, this constitutes over 3,000,000 adults!
Notice the following quotes from within this “community”:
“The number of parallels between the modern swing community and the modern BDSM/leather community is truly remarkable.
“A 1985 study of over 400 swingers found its subjects ‘significantly more liberal than a control group of nonswingers on items dealing with areas such as divorce, premarital sex, pornography, homosexuality, and abortion.’
“In 1984, Dr. Joan Dixon published some fascinating research on female bisexuality within the swing community. Summarizing: She noted that the prevalence of sexual activity between females in the swing community is extraordinarily high. She assembled (apparently without difficulty) a sample of 50 women for her study, all of whom had their first experience with female-female sex in the swing community after age 30, and none of whom even fantasized about women before these first experiences” (Society for Human Sexuality, Community Profiles: Swinging).
What sort of example do parents involved in this lifestyle create for their children? One that may encourage their children to involve themselves in the same perversity. Children are like moldable clay. By teaching and by example, parents lay the foundation on which children will grow into adults.
Notice this wise statement from the book of Proverbs: “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (22:6). This applies to both good and bad examples!
The swinging culture is creating an entire generation interested in the extremes of “premarital sex, pornography, homosexuality, and abortion.” Its result will surely not be a positive one.
The Far Extreme
While many of the topics covered in this series are immoral, society generally accepts them. Homosexuality is accepted on a large scale, as are many of the other perversions that we have covered. But there are still many more extremes, subcultures and various perversions running rampant in society.
While many fall under the classification of being too lewd to discuss (Eph. 5:12), some are so widespread that they need to be examined.
One such perversion is bestiality. This is the embrace of the rawest aspect of carnal nature. Gone is any form of decency or self-respect. The only focus on such an action is sick, perverse self-gratification. This has been such a large problem throughout time that God, in His Word, addressed it.
Notice: “Neither shall you lie with any beast to defile yourself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion [Hebrew: unnatural].” (Lev. 18:23).
Not much needs to be said about bestiality or even should be. But it should be noted that such perversions, although starting out with little more in mind than a “cheap thrill,” always lead to something much darker, just as a drug addict gets into heavier and heavier drugs with time. The God of the universe understands that any sin will lead a person into others (Jms. 2:10).
There are many other extremes far too perverse, twisted and immoral to mention. Almost everything in this society has been turned into a sexual object for fascination. But always remember that when sin is entertained, it will grow progressively worse over time, reaching even to the point that such things as bestiality become an option.
Perversions Foretold
The state the world has gotten itself into should not be a surprise. It has been developing for millennia. But would you believe that it was foretold thousands of years ago that immorality would reach its current state?
One-third of the Bible is prophecy—the future written in advance. Most of those prophecies describe our time. This includes many describing the state of the world just before the end of the age.
Today’s filth, lust, perversion, sickness and immorality were foretold long ago in God’s Word.
Notice: “…In the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves…disobedient to parents…Without natural affection…despisers of those that are good…lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God…For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with diverse lusts…” (II Tim. 3:1-4, 6).
How true!
Look around you. Such conditions are epidemic in our society. Most actions involve some form of adultery, fornication, seeking pleasure at any cost, homosexuality or unruly conduct. The Bible speaks often about how those who live in the “now”—never looking ahead to see the consequences their actions—will end up.
Of course, everyone knows the account of Sodom and Gomorrah. God destroyed these cities because everyone had become involved in perversions—especially homosexuality. But God compares our time now to those lost cities (Luke 17:30). Society is quickly reaching the same level of conduct that required God to utterly destroy the thousands living there!
Understand! God cannot continue to tolerate—or allow—such actions. Sin of any sort leads to unhappiness, depression and eventually death! But God has a solution! He does have an answer for all those who seek it.
Can We Rewind?
But has society gone too far? Are we able to turn back the clock? Is it still possible to purge from our culture the unbridled immorality around us? Of course, it is possible. But ask yourself: Is it likely? Will modern society, as a whole, remove sex from advertising? Will the fashion industry stop selling suggestive clothing to children and teens? Will children stop learning how to perform sex acts in grade school? Will today’s sex education ever help children understand what makes them female or male—instead of confusing them? Will they be taught that sex is something that can be fulfilling, if it is within the vows of marriage?
Will the Internet purge the hundreds of thousands of pornography forums and websites? Will the adult entertainment industry close its doors and choose a better, more productive profession?
Will people stop committing adultery—either without their partners’ knowledge, or in swinging-type relationships? Will homosexuals and pedophiles turn from their vile ways, and embrace proper adult heterosexual relationships?
Do you believe that even ONE of these questions will be answered with a “Yes”?
Saying “No” does not mean that all hope is lost for humanity. There is coming a system that will change everything! Literally, everything that is wrong with our society will be corrected. You can be part of that coming society. Just because the world around you will not choose what is right, it does not mean you must follow.
The Longed-for Solution
The Bible teaches that we have reached the end of 6,000 years of man’s rule. God gave Adam and Eve a choice—a way that would have led to peace and happiness, or their own way—their own rule.
Obviously, the latter was chosen. Did you know that the first concept of immoral acts immediately followed that choice? After making this choice, the “eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons” (Gen. 3:7). Why did they cover themselves? Because they were ashamed!
Since that fateful choice, the world has been ashamed, yet enticed, by sexuality. But 6,000 years of man’s misrule is ending. Very soon, the world is going to be shown its mistakes and wrong choices for what they are, and given a chance to reject the ways that lead to immorality and unhappiness.
That age will dawn when Jesus Christ returns to earth. He will lead the government—alluded to throughout this article—that will create this change. The changes it implements will make people truly happy. They will have no choice but to give up their ways, which create confusion and unhappiness, and will literally be forced to choose happiness! How ironic that the world will need to be pushed into happiness and fulfillment.
This government will teach all nations what marriage means. It will show them that the devil has been the force behind sexual immorality—the root of their lusts. He will be put away, unable to influence humanity any longer. When the easy temptation to commit immoral acts is gone, people will be able to unlearn them. This exciting future lies before humanity. This is the hope that will come when the sickness that exists today will be put away.
Here is how the Bible describes the ultimate destination for humanity—the new heaven and new earth: “And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away” (Rev. 21:3-4).
Happiness, prosperity, joy and the right, wholesome understanding of morality will encompass the entire earth!
A Choice
Lust causes much more than just sexual problems. It does more than break up marriages, destroy families and corrupt children.
Even war is caused by lust! Notice: “From where come wars and fightings among you? Come they not hence, even of your lusts…?” (Jms. 4:1).
Lust is a dangerous aspect of human nature. Throughout history, more people have died from wars than any other man-inspired event. The Word of God commands that we flee from lusts—that instead of “entertaining” wrong desires, we must put them out of our minds. Otherwise, they will turn into deed. You may not have realized it, but when you begin to entertain an idea, you are actually planning to act on it.
Ask yourself: “Have I ever done anything without first thinking about it?” Of course not! You always think about an action before it happens. And when it comes to lusts, it is inevitable that your thoughts will be followed by actions: “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust has conceived, it brings forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, brings forth death” (Jms. 1:14-15).
One simply cannot toy with human nature and expect to control it. You cannot find happiness in things that need to be hidden—of which you feel ashamed.
What you consider innocent will eventually cause more trouble than you now understand. The Bible uses the analogy of comparing sin—one of which is lust—to the yeast in bread.
These inappropriate thoughts often start small, like leaven—perhaps even just a pinch. But they will quickly expand and grow, taking over and spreading to encompass your life. Like leaven, sin grows. It starts small and innocent—even just a thought—but it quickly becomes an action. And that action stirs more thoughts—which create more actions. And soon, you are no longer controlling your lusts. They are controlling you.
Do not be a slave to such things. (Notice Romans 6:16.) Do not allow the god of this world (II Cor. 4:4) to shape you in the way he sees fit. You have the choice of changing your path.
You can be a part of the coming government of God, which will change this world and create the utopian paradise for which many hope.
The facts of this explosion of immorality now sit in your hands. You are able to make a wise and in-depth choice in your life. The only question left is whether you choose to be led into unhappiness and depression, or whether you break those chains and choose happiness, joy and peace. The choice is yours to make.
Choose wisely!