Church of God News

Sadly, pornography is growing in acceptance in the Western world at least.

Furthermore, what was considered immoral dress in the mid-20th century is now more modest dress than many young females wear.

Yet, the Bible teaches:

8 I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting; 9 in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation…(1 Timothy 2:8-9)

The Western nations no longer seem to highly prize modesty in female apparel (though female politicians tend to remain modest in their dress). Immodesty in dress is now mainly considered to be acceptable or simply daring, as opposed to being immoral by many.

Although these females (and their promoters) believe that this is harmless entertainment that will help careers, it is not without cost:

15 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination?
No! They were not at all ashamed;
Nor did they know how to blush.
Therefore they shall fall among those who fall;
At the time I punish them,
They shall be cast down,” says the Lord. (Jeremiah 6:15)

Not only will those that participate and promote pornography pay a price, society will as well:

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man — and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.

24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. (Romans 1:18-32)

Some have claimed that there is also a child porn ‘epidemic’ (http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-27872401). Child pornography hurts the child, the promoters, and the viewers of it.

But even pornography related only to adults is not harmless (cf. Matthew 5:27-28).

Notice something that Time reported:

After 40 years of peer-reviewed research, scholars can say with confidence that porn is an industrial product that shapes how we think about gender, sexuality, relationships, intimacy, sexual violence and gender equality – for the worse. By taking a health-focused view of porn and recognizing its radiating impact not only on consumers but also on society at large, Utah’s resolution simply reflects the latest research. (Porn and the threat to virility. Time, April 11, 2016)

Shortly after that came out, the Governor of the State of Utah declared pornography a public health hazard:

April 20, 2016

Utah has become the first U.S. state to declare pornography a “public health hazard.”

Governor Gary Herbert on Tuesday signed into law a resolution and a bill related to porn, stating that it could lead to “a broad spectrum of individual and public health impacts and societal harms.” The resolution, S.C.R. 9, which was introduced in January, says porn “perpetuates a sexually toxic environment” and contributes to the “hypersexualization of teens, and even prepubescent children, in our society.” http://www.newsweek.com/utah-porn-public-health-hazard-450223

Here is much of the resolution:

Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
24          WHEREAS, pornography is creating a public health crisis;
25          WHEREAS, pornography perpetuates a sexually toxic environment;
26          WHEREAS, efforts to prevent pornography exposure and addiction, to educate
27     individuals and families concerning its harms, and to develop recovery programs must be
28     addressed systemically in ways that hold broader influences accountable;
29          WHEREAS, pornography is contributing to the hypersexualization of teens, and even

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30     prepubescent children, in our society;
31          WHEREAS, due to advances in technology and the universal availability of the
32     Internet, young children are exposed to what used to be referred to as hard core, but is now
33     considered mainstream, pornography at an alarming rate;
34          WHEREAS, the average age of exposure to pornography is now 11 to 12 years of age;
35          WHEREAS, this early exposure is leading to low self-esteem and body image
36     disorders, an increase in problematic sexual activity at younger ages, and an increased desire
37     among adolescents to engage in risky sexual behavior;
38          WHEREAS, exposure to pornography often serves as childrens’ and youths’ sex
39     education and shapes their sexual templates;
40          WHEREAS, because pornography treats women as objects and commodities for the
41     viewer’s use, it teaches girls they are to be used and teaches boys to be users;
42          WHEREAS, pornography normalizes violence and abuse of women and children;
43          WHEREAS, pornography treats women and children as objects and often depicts rape
44     and abuse as if they are harmless;
45          WHEREAS, pornography equates violence towards women and children with sex and
46     pain with pleasure, which increases the demand for sex trafficking, prostitution, child sexual
47     abuse images, and child pornography;
48          WHEREAS, potential detrimental effects on pornography’s users can impact brain
49     development and functioning, contribute to emotional and medical illnesses, shape deviant
50     sexual arousal, and lead to difficulty in forming or maintaining intimate relationships, as well
51     as problematic or harmful sexual behaviors and addiction;
52          WHEREAS, recent research indicates that pornography is potentially biologically
53     addictive, which means the user requires more novelty, often in the form of more shocking
54     material, in order to be satisfied;
55          WHEREAS, this biological addiction leads to increasing themes of risky sexual
56     behaviors, extreme degradation, violence, and child sexual abuse images and child
57     pornography;

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58          WHEREAS, pornography use is linked to lessening desire in young men to marry,
59     dissatisfaction in marriage, and infidelity;
60          WHEREAS, this link demonstrates that pornography has a detrimental effect on the
61     family unit; and
62          WHEREAS, overcoming pornography’s harms is beyond the capability of the afflicted
63     individual to address alone:
64          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the
65     Governor concurring therein, recognizes that pornography is a public health hazard leading to a
66     broad spectrum of individual and public health impacts and societal harms.

http://le.utah.gov/~2016/bills/static/SCR009.html accessed 04/20/16

Pornography is a problem, and at least some are recognizing that it is.

Yet, what is considered to be acceptable dress for public display (mainly for females) continues to the trend to show more skin, more cleavage (and more and more women have decided to have “breast enhancement” apparently for display), and more of their figures. This is not good. And this is not just limited to television or the movies.

Another trend, which is apparently in the USA as well as Europe is the trend for women’s clothing to become more sheer. So sheer, that one can look through the clothes. This is not a positive trend.

The end-time sorrows and troubles in Western society are still in the beginning stages (Matthew 24:5-8), and will get much worse according to the Bible (Matthew 24:21-22; 2 Timothy 3:1-7).

I believe that the growing acceptance of pornography (hard and soft) and other forms of immorality help weaken the USA, Canada, and their other Anglo-nations (Romans 1:18-32) and likely will also be a factor in them being vulnerable to invasion by the final Beast power that the Bible warns about (Revelation 13; Daniel 11:39; Isaiah 10:5-11). And while the Bible shows that the Beast power will be punished later (cf. Daniel 11:44; Isaiah 10:12), this does not mean that the Anglo-nations should not discourage pornography now.

Female starlets need to be told that encouraging pornography and lust is not true success.

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