Alegator, of course our sinful nature will always try to take control. Even before there were pictures, there was sin - and sexual sin. But with the research on the effects of pornography and with the new type of "direct distribution" technology provides I think we would be very, very foolish to think that this temptation has not increased many, many fold and the lives it has destroyed has also increase many, many fold.
One industry that has increased by 7% each of the last 4 recession years here in the US is the sexually addicted counseling field! There is no denying this "trap" has worked well on both Christians and non-Christians.
I don't have time, but the research is clear that males are attracted to the sight of naked bodies. If you watch an 11 year old boy look at a picture with many people and on naked person 100% of the time he will zero in on a naked person in the picture. This has been shown multiple times in multiple studies. There is a God given "drive" for intimacy that can be abused (as with all God given gifts!) Now that photographs make it easy to fulfill the lusts of the flesh we have to work extra hard to battle this flesh!
The other HUGE problem is the direct distribution of materials right to kids. In my day, everything I read (remember books?), watched (only had TV and movies - nothing else), listened to (records and radio) and those I talked to (phone was attached to the wall, most conversations were within ear shot of adults) was all under the scrutiny of my parents or an accountable adult. If a radio station tried to play something inappropriate everyone got up in arms and typically that radio announcer was fired! But today our kids are reading, watching, listening, and talking without any parent or responsible adult monitoring what is going on. First, because there is just too much stuff being produced and second because the delivery of this is through technology that the child holds in his hand and he does not have to be near a parent or adult.
This is a HUGE shift that is very, very dangerous. Every day I read more and more about horrifying "discoveries" where kids have gotten themselves into huge trouble or have fallen victim to the three eyed monster (illegal, injurious or inappropriate.) Parents simply CANNOT monitor like they used to. It simply is not possible! Either they need to get rid of the phones, mp3 players, TVs, internet, etc. or they need to use tools and tactics (read - not only use filters!) to keep the kids in check!
I have now listened to dozens and dozens of heartbroken parents. Here are the stories I have heard PERSONALLY from parents:
- we left our church after my daughter posted a sexually inappropriate picture of herself on a social network. She went to take it down less than an hour later, but the boys in the church had copied it and passed it around to everyone.
- my son quick college because he sent a naked picture of himself via picture messaging to someone he thought was a girl. He was threatened and extorted. He was so embarrassed and horrified because he went to a Bible College, he just quit.
- my young son has come across pornography multiple times, I don't even know how he stumbles upon it.
- my seventh grade son is addicted to pornography - we have caught him multiple times
- my college aged son said he simply cannot stop viewing pornography. He got addicted when he visited his father's house and now he cannot stop. He says God does not love him otherwise He would help him stop, so the Christian faith is simply not worth it anymore - all he feels is guilt.
- the free simple filters don't work, my 3rd grade son prides himself in getting them to crash - I can only hope he does not go anywhere he is not supposed to
- Christian school teachers tell me they used to fight swearing and sexual content in the 7th through 9th grades, but now they fight it in the 3rd - 5th grades
Anyone who thinks this is not an all out war is simply mistaken! I honestly believe Satan is laughing at Christians who continue to keep there heads in the sand. It is time we wake up and take a stand and use the tools that are available to us.
Sure, there is the occasional "hell bent" child that is going to get into this stuff no matter what, but I feel like we are throwing all the kids over board because a few will slip off the bow. Christian parents need to step up and take this seriously.
Already we have statistics that say 94% of Christian high school students viewed pornography in the last year. I guarantee you it was NOT that high when I was in high school. We did not know where to get it if we wanted. There was a wall we had to "climb" to get it. But no more. There is not only no wall - but it is streamed into bedrooms around our country 24/7!
May God help us all! May God bless and equip parents to take a stand!