I was a little sheltered growing up–with movies, that is.
Jeff (my significant other) who is a “Movie Man” by nature, almost had his eyes pop out of his head as soon as he met me and I said “No, I haven’t seen that one either” to pretty much every film title he rattled off. He knows the name to every actor since the silent films, he can quote movie after movie and writes the best reviews. It’s a passion of his that I’m pretty ignorant with. I’ll be the first to admit it. We laugh about it, even now, when he makes a reference that I don’t understand—but truth is, I’m pretty grateful that I was kept away from a lot of stuff that I’m viewing now and can’t imagine my younger self watching.
I’m okay being called sheltered.
So, naturally, you’d expect me to be on the side of the argument with the thousands of people that are now busy signing petitions to ban the new film “Beauty and the Beast” because of an openly gay moment between two male characters. I haven’t seen the movie yet, so I’m not going to judge how raunchy or racy the scene was–and frankly, it might make me uncomfortable to watch, not for the fact the characters are gay–but for the fact that I’m a prude. Seriously, ask anyone. I totally am.
But I’m not signing the petition.
You know why? Because it doesn’t matter to our kids. Watching two men kiss will not brainwash them to choose a different sexuality. Watching two men kiss will not poison their minds to think less of the relationship their parents have or their future relationships for that matter. It won’t make them commit crime or degrade future significant others. A kiss won’t make them hate their bodies or objectify the bodies of others.
But something else will. I guarantee it.
There’s a bigger issue in society that no one signs a petition for or writes blogs about or smothers social media with, and that’s because it’s not a “sexy” trend. But it’s poisoning our kids left and right. And more than two men kissing, it is creating a desensitized generation.
And that’s pornography.
I’m not just talking about the X-rated videos and images that are blatantly pornographic.
I’m talking about the fact that every movie I see nowadays it feels like it has at least one scene with a topless woman in it. I’m talking about commercials for lubricant or Viagra that cross so many lines I’ve lost track–and the sex scenes in every new release movie, music video, and even theater plays of our generation that explicitly show sex, promiscuous women, rape, strippers, sexually abusive relationships, prostitution….need I even go on? It is romanticized, glamorized, airbrushed, and lauded. It is shown so frequently and in so many ways that it has become our normal.
As a society we are helping romanticize the violation of our daughters. And we are egging our sons on to take part.
That’s on us.
There is no petition. There is no public outcry. Little by little, piece by piece, we’ve grown accustomed to it. We don’t cringe anymore or even look away. Instead, we buy tickets to the front row.
And then we wonder why our daughters feel the need to have sex in order to feel loved. We scratch our heads why women are so insecure about their bodies–and even young men for that matter. We shrug off the notion that marriages are falling apart because of this.
But there is no petition.
When I was doing research work for a thesis paper at my university I decided on the topic of pornography in western culture and the impacts it has on our generation. I went in knowing the basics and already feeling passionate about how I’ve seen it destroy lives in my personal circle. But nothing prepared me for everything else. The people I met–the stories I heard–the support groups I attended to listen to stories and to actually speak to someone who sat on the other side of metal bars, telling me his crimes all began when he became addicted to pornography.
I’m not saying that everyone who views pornography will become a murderer or even a detriment to society for that matter. But everyone WILL be affected. A psychiatrist out of Boise, ID I spoke to about the effects of pornography showed me various CT scans while I was doing my thesis research. Some scans were those of a heroin addict, some scans were those of pornography addicts. He asked me to categorize them without knowing which was which. Needless to say, I didn’t do well at his little quiz. They were hard to tell apart. Consistently viewing pornography literally changes the brain’s chemistry. Do the research.
But there’s no petition.
Whether it’s through how we view relationships or how we view women, or how we treat our marriage or the other relationships in our lives. With the images, the advertisements, and the preaching of society in this generation–none of us will walk away unscathed. We’re all part of the fire.
And that gets me angry.
It gets me angry for my little girl who has to see it, no matter how hard we try to keep it out, and who has to be a victim of it by how men or society as a whole will view her or treat her or expect her to be as she grows up.
It gets me angry for the little boys who who will be indoctrinated from a young age to think its normal–or worse yet, to become part of the problem.
But I don’t see a petition. Instead I see people uprising over two men kissing because it will CORRUPT our kids. I see Disney under the microscope with their so-called “gay” agenda, while all the while we rent “Fifty Shades Darker” as we watch it casually with a glass of wine and say it’s good entertainment.
It gets me angry. And it should get you angry too.
For as long as I can I’ll shield my little girl’s eyes from all the things that makes this world dark. I’ll try my best to show her light and love and goodness. I’ll shower her with Trolls and It’s a Small World and Charlie Brown and remind her that she’s beautiful for no other reason than because she’s smart and happy and caring and good.
So you can have your “Fifty Shades Darker” and “Magic Mike” and “Wedding Crashers” and “Showgirls”–and all the filth that slips past the petition marker.
We’ll be over here with a bucket of popcorn singing with the dancing teacups.
“Without a clear moral vision, we devolve into moral relativism, and from there, into oblivion.”
― Ben Shapiro, Porn Generation: How Social Liberalism Is Corrupting Our Future
Links to research:
http://www.apa.org/monitor/2014/04/pornography.aspx
**Note: Due to some very helpful corrections, a couple of edits have been made to the article. Thank you to all who comment–I appreciate it!
These Mountains We Climb 
I will sign the petition to get rid of porn! Thank you for your blog. Let’s keep standing up against the filth!
Praise the Lord that in the midst of all the darkness that surrounds – John 1:5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
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make a petition … go to change.org and make one … complaining is one thing, but you must do something about it rather than wait for *someone else* otherwise it’s empty words …. change. org … make a petition ….
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Why is it either or…I know with all of my heart both are wrong. the LEFT always do this. Instead of staying on topic…they say, “well what about this or that. Both are not helping our children or grandchildren. I will sigh BOTH. I don’;t get your one or the other. You need to read up on Saul Alinsky..if u have not already. He was big on creating victims and switching the subject. I get your deep concern. I have it as u do for porn. But, to either or it is so wrong. in my world. Thank you for a great point on porn. But, u can not separate. Well, u did and can. But, I am NOT with you.
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I totally agree with Veronica on this one. Why is indoctrinating gay behavior OK, and porn not? At every turn these days we’re inundated with having to view gay behavior which is NOT a natural thing. It’s not that I hold any anger or animosity towards those that are gay, hell, one of my best friends is gay and we have a great friendship. My question to those that believe my thinking is neanderthal is, if being gay is natural, if all gay women were placed on an island and told to procreate, how could they continue their “species?” Therefore, it’s not natural, period! Both need to stop!
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I completely agree with Veronica. You said it perfectly. This is a great piece on pornography, and absolutely true. But that DOES NOT diminish the fact that the addition of a gay agenda into a Disney children’s movie, making a character gay that was not otherwise gay just so they can spread this agenda and be popular with that culture, is completely inappropriate. Sexuality is private and it is the right of every parent to teach their own children in their own home when and what they choose.
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I agree with your point about not separating these two issues as one is okay and one is not. Homosexuality and pornography, as well as living together without marriage, are all part of a broader “sexual liberation” agenda that is part of the deteriorating morals that people often speak of. And that agenda has also cut quite a cross-section through media of all forms, even in some children’s entertainment.
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Kayla I don’t disagree with you. I also point out that boys and men are not the only ones who’s values become corrupted in such a way that they become aggressors. A slap on the butt, or “come hither” behavior actions of a woman, can also offend a man. Some are not flattered, and don’t need the toes up our pant cuffs while sitting at lunch or in a business situation. Let’s strive for a society where love accompanies intimacy.
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While I agree that pornography is a poison in our society, I have a hard time that you don’t see equal indoctrination in movies that include gay moments. It normalizes the idea, just like over sexualized maganizes, tv shows, movies, etc normalize pornography. To me, there is little difference. Indoctrination and normalization whether it be porn or homosexuality, frustrate me to no end as a parent.
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Your kid is going to think other men are attractive or there not the most this will do will normalize it so that when he feels those feelings he will talk to you instead of being a statistic that you will bury in the ground. Your sons and daughters are not going to become gay by watching people kiss. Just as much as they will not become indefinitely heterosexual by being raised by a heterosexual couple. That’s not how it works.
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How does it work?
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How does it work?
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I couldn’t agree more. And for those who are wondering how it works, you are literally born that way. When did you choose to become straight?
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Thank u ConcernedParent..with u all the way..
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Agreed! There is no difference in my opinion. If we wanted stop pornography we would have need to start long ago when the first movies were showing the first kisses! Now we are heading down the same slippery path with gay and lesbian agenda! Sad that you can’t see that!
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As a parent and a human being, you should teach your children to love and not hate. Your child shouldn’t see that love between 2 people is gross or disgusting because the couple is the same gender. And if one of your children tells you they’re gay or lesbian they should feel comfortable that you will still love them and accept them. The world is full of problems, but homosexuality isn’t and shouldn’t be one of them.
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My comment was for Concerned Parent, I don’t know if it was connected or not or just a regular comment.
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Better than a petition. https://governorblog.utah.gov/2016/04/governor-signs-anti-pornography-bills-declaring-public-health-crisis/
As for Beauty and the Beast, I’m surprised in all your pornography research, you aren’t willing to acknowledge it starts with small things… I am not afraid if the tiny moments in the movie, I know it will ripple, it will grow. I respect your opinion as yours, please respect those who are taking a stand against this IN A CHILD’S MOVIE (I’m not buying front row seats for my children to see sex and violence as you suggest…there’s a rating for a reason.)
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You can’t buy front row seats. You just buy tickets and sit in the front row.
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You can at the theaters with assigned seating. 💁🏻
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Lol. Good point!
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Sarah, plenty of movie theaters have a touch screen to pick your row and seat number that is then printed on your ticket. But more importantly, you’re missing the metaphor.
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Depends on the theater. Some do have it to where you select your seats on the screen at purchase time. I personally would not pick the front row but techniquely one can haha
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Actually, you can and must where I live. We have reserved seating at all of our theaters. We can’t just buy a ticket, walk in and choose a seat. Our seats must be picked at ticket purchase. Prior to the completion of the sale.
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This isn’t a childs movie, the cartoon was.
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Unfortunately they (MPAA) use a board of parents to look at and rate movies. From the parents I’ve seen today (the kids raising kids), no wonder pg-13 movies drop the F- bomb. It used to be if it was drugs, sex, nudity, language, gore, and a few others, it was rated R. Now, there’s “F***” in pg- 13 movies but “at least we made smoking cigarettes a rated R thing” they might say… I’m in my late 20’s. I don’t trust most of people under 35. I have the mindset and views of the WW2 generation. I whole-heartedly believe people like “Hippies” and their “free love” brought about were we are at today in America (If I’ve offended you [good], just google “hippie”; see why I am more appalled. I found words like: “rejection of conventional values”, “liberal counterculture”, “movement that rejected the moral customs of mainstream American life. The movement originated on college campuses”). I have 5 kids. I’m shocked to show my kids movies I grew up on and catch adult jokes in them. I never caught them as a kid because the jokes were “over my head.” But the fact that Disney put them in there is a letdown to say the least.
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I agree with you about the filth that permeates all entertainment and am considered a prude by many also. BUT it all starts somewhere. I remember vividly telling my teenage daughter, right after watching “Titanic” and being very uncomfortable with several scenes, that the sad truth was that the envelope had just been opened for more sexually in PG 13 movies. And look where we are now. I won’t be watching the new Beauty and the Beast but will continue to have my grandchildren enjoy the original without the push for them to accept homosexuality as normal and acceptable. Thank you for your blog that brings to light the seriousness of these issues.
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I agree with you 100% about the negative effects of porn on our society. However, I feel you are missing the point about why there is a wanted ban on Beauty and the Beast because of the gay moment. We all know that the world is messed up, and we expect to see stuff like that. The issue is that it is Disney that is pushing the agenda. Sure, you can always find enuendos through their movies, but for them to out right show it, is not expected nor wanted by the viewer. Disney, for the most part, we expect for family friendly viewing, and many have felt that they crossed a line. If any other company released a version of this movie and did that, I can guarantee that there would be no outrage. It is only because it is Disney that there is.
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I don’t know that there would be any more outrage if another company did what Disney is doing. First of all, there has been outrage with Disney’s film. Second, do you actually have any evidence that another studio would be meet with more opposition?
I’m also curious to know how many outraged boycotters there are who have actually seen the alleged gay scenes. From what I’ve been able to gather, the outrage stems from a statement from the director and conjecture based on it; someone who actually saw the movie, on the other hand, said there’s hardly a difference between the scenes in question and the analogous ones in the original. I’ll try to find the link and post it here in minute.
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She said if another company created it there would be no outrage, not more outrage.
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Totally agree about the ills of pornography and that standing up against it is socially taboo. However, you might want to fact check your teen pregnancy rates. They are at historic lows.
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Thanhs, no doubt, to abortion , which would not be a better trade for unwanted teen pregnancy.
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Just because girls are not becoming mommies, does not mean they aren’t sexually active at an earlier time due to the evils of porn in everyday advertising and programming.
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The teen pregnancy rates are at historic lows most likely because the abortion rates are at historic highs.
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The abortion rate has actually been on a steady decline since 1990.
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That might have to do with the higer rates of abortions…don’t ya think
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I agree with your words and was so glad to hear them. What I don’t agree with is the images you chose to add to your post. You talk about how horrible it is that pornography is everywhere, yet you chose to include sexually suggestive ads in your post. As a wife of a pornography addict, I can guarantee at least one of those images would be considered soft porn for my husband and would be extremely triggering for him. Please think about removing those images so all can read your message.
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Exactly. You say they are everywhere, so we don’t need to see examples of what you’re talking about.
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None not one inapropriate image on the page. Most advertising is based on data of what we search for and read. I ended up with T-Mobile ads… Algorithms choose and send adverts without website blog owner knowing the details.
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My guess is that the author had no control over the ads that were placed on the page, but I could be wrong.
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I don’t see any such images on this page
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The only image veugely sexual is a woman’s face with makeup being offered by like 6 different hands. All the rest, boy watching a tv, tea cups dancing, and teens hiking…
Oh and a TMobile one that was pointed at me because the advertising algorithms know I have T Moble so maybe you had a different one there.
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I’m not accusing the author of anything, but is it possible that you didn’t see anything because you saw a revision of the original post? The people mentioning something about inappropriate images posted comments on the 10th, and you didn’t comment until a day later. Just sayin’–more than one possible explanation.
Personally, I saw zero ads because I use AdBlock. It does a good job of blocking inappropriate ads like the ones that might have been seen on this post.
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What image could you possibly be talking about?
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… You ARE aware that most ads via social media are produced by your computer’s history/cookies? The ones shown for me are advertising Lucky Charms and a Blogging Website….
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The ads I have are for home organization products. The blog author does not choose or control the ads (nor even know what ads you see) as they are based on search data stored as cookies on your personal computer and/or your social media search history/content. If the ads you see contain ‘soft porn’, consider what has been searched on YOUR computer or social media account(s) to lead the ad generator algorithm to choose that ad for you. The ad I see perfectly reflects what I do elsewhere online, so…
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I find it a bit odd that you reference fighthenewdrug.org in your sources while still saying nobody is talking about porn, including the types of “soft porn” you describe. Fight the new drug is doing a great deal to educate and bring awareness to the damaging effects of pornography in all its forms, including asking people to sign an anti- porn pledge and become a fighter.
There are other organizations working against porn as well. I found several anti – porn petitions in one quick Google search this morning.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m on your side. I hate porn with a passion. It destroyed my first marriage and landed my ex in jail. It damaged my children’s relationships. It’s evil and dangerous.
I’m with you, but please, instead of claiming nobody is talking about it, turn people to those resources which can help. Inspire them to go beyond getting angry to get involved.
#pornkillslove #fightthenewdrug
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This article has problems. First of all, the teenage pregnancy rates are NOT through the roof – they’ve been on a steady decline. Second – you mention boys casually, but goes on and on about “protecting” his little girl. That’s some dangerous white patriarchal nonsense and furthers this narrative that little white girls need protection from the menfolk, when in actuality it’s white men who are the most damaging to women in terms of legislation, and violence against women. Don’t use girls and women as your soapbox for protection against the harms of pornography, listen to women who have been telling you what is harmful to us and work alongside women. My last issue is the false equivalency – Beauty and the Beast is a children’s movie, it’s rated PG. Wedding Crashers, Magic Mike, 50 Shades, and Showgirls – all R-rated movies. I don’t understand why comparing a PG movie to an R-rated movie that isn’t intended for children’s eyes to begin with is a comparison that happens in this piece since your stance is ‘protect the children from the pornography!!”
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Isn’t the author of this article a female? Don’t just blame males for the white patriarchy, both sexes are complacent.
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This is so on point, thank you for speaking out. There is an ad on your blog for Burger King that is quite sexual, just thought I’d let you know.
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Again, let me say, the advertisements on 90% of sites are chosen by an “algorithms” based on our topic history from searches, story’s read, email content, etc… And this algorithm chooses topically related advertising just for you.
I got T-Mobile where you had Burger king etc….
The writer did not choose any of the adverts. All her images were proper and pertanint.
Teens hiking
Dancing tea cups and candle
Woman (just her face) being offered makeup options by like 6 hands.
The rest was chooses differently for each of us.
(no I’m not an advertiser but I am an IT Pro who knows how they do this)
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Kayla originally inserted some rather sexual images into the body of the blog. These were not adverts, as everyone is claiming. She made a mistake. She fixed it. Well done.
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The ads we see are reflected from our own browsers. Not necessarily what you see will be what I see on any blog we both are looking at. Meaning that we both can be looking at the very same thing and will see totally different ads.
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WOW! What perfect words. My thoughts exactly, but I only kept them in my head and did not transfer them to paper. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I wish and hope more people thought the same. God bless.
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Thank you for your comments. This is a very worrisome topic and I appreciate how you discuss it. I also have not seen the Beauty and the Beast movie, but I read a post by someone who had seen it early and from what I recall there isn’t even a gay kiss in the movie. It’s longing looks and obvious (to adults) overtures. I agree that a short scene of a homosexual nature won’t “turn” our kids gay if they have a strong basis of heterosexual relationships in their everyday home lives. And even if it did, shouldn’t we love them anyway? Thanks again for your thoughts.
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You aren’t the first to say these things and there have been petitions???
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There are petitions to boycott pornography. I signed this one specifically about 50 Shades. https://www.lifesitenews.com/petitions/50-shades-boycott
LifeSiteNews.com has a lot of information concerning lots of moral values and their efforts to protect them. Just because there is one petition against a scene in one movie does not mean we have neglected other moral values.
(P.S. I do not work for lifesite, I just like the stance they take on protecting many of the same values I have.)
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I agree that pornography is harmful, but this is such a weird article.
1. The issues aren’t mutually exclusive. You can acknowledge that both are bad. Honestly, almost none of this post has anything to do with the Beauty and the Beast movie. In fact, you not caring about a “kiss” (if that’s even what it is) could be a demonstration of what you claim to abhor – the eventual desensitization of society due to media.
2. There have been petitions. This isn’t anything new you are saying, and people are fighting against the “new drug.”
3. Teenage pregnancies are not even close to “through the roof” – in fact, the newest generation of kids has fewer teen pregnancies than the past four generations. The rate is declining. Now, I don’t know about the rate or age they have sex, but you act like teen pregnancies are trending upwards.
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This article seems to ignore the rating system, as was previously mentioned, and also neglects to mention that all of the movies listed, with the exception of Titanic, have been widely panned. It seems to suggest that Fifty Shades or Showgirls are common viewing experiences that are widely seen and enjoyed, and I’m afraid facts don’t back that up. Both Fifty Shades movies have lost money and have been widely criticized for the abusive relationship they depict. Comparing Beauty and the Beast or most PG movies to R rated strip shows is a little forcing the data.
The article also seems to be ignoring artistic intent of movies. Showgirls, while not a great movie, and again, widely criticized, is about shameless commercialism and how dreams are crushed in pursuit of money and power. The way that story is told is through a Las Vegas stripper. There are other cleaner movies that have similar messages, and you could watch those instead, but I really don’t see an argument that the movie shouldn’t have been made because of the subject matter. Strippers are real people with real stories, and that’s what movies try to convey. It could have been done better certainly, but turning our eyes from the denizens of society doesn’t make them go away.
I guess if you view movies as nothing but sound and time filler then I could see why you wouldn’t want sex as your daily background. I don’t listen to porn soundtracks when I want background music. For me the question has to be asked: why is this sex(y) scene here? Is it because skin sells? Is it because they needed 5 more minutes to hit the run time they promised? Is it because it’s what the story needs? Often it’s one of the first two, but usually there’s at least some purpose in sex(y) scenes. I think it’s an important consideration before we call for the damnation of all movie sex.
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A movie I won’t see because it’s one more part of the entire revolution calculated to turn young minds away from God. Part of the porn/lust/fantasy addiction agenda that I do not want to support.
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It’s sad that even the ad in the article for a Burger King sandwich is a sexual innuendo! Our society is in trouble.
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I agree with you about the pornographic imagery and I agree that, like you said, it’s on us. You’re right. It has become normalized. We let companies do little things here and there, thinking it was “no big deal” until they figured out that they could do whatever they wanted because nobody will stand up to them. And now we have a big problem. But that is exactly the problem with the gay scene in Beauty and the Beast, or any other movie/show/ad, etc. Hollywood is trying to normalize this behavior/lifestyle, and little by little we are letting them do it. Many people say that the scene in this movie was no big deal – only adults will notice it. Wrong. Kids notice much more than we give them credit for. By “ignoring” it or brushing it off like it’s no big deal, we’re letting them push their agenda forward. They think that nobody will stand in their way. Well, like the pornography problem, there are problems and will be bigger problems in the future if nobody stands up to say enough is enough.
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Your article is spot on. Where is the collective outrage over the plague that is destroying our society one family at a time? It’s nowhere, and it’s so sad.
One question for you though: where did you find out that there is a gay kiss in the movie? Two different articles I’ve read say there is a brief moment where two males are dancing together and that’s it.
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There is no “gay kiss” in B&tB. I wish you would edit this to reflect that. I’m staunchly anti-pornography, but also staunchly anti-misinformation. I also agree that it was a poor choice to include the Esquire cover photo in particular in this post. You have some good information here, but I would not share the post with my husband out of respect for his pornography addiction recovery effort, and that defeats the purpose.
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Yep. There’s no kiss between 2 men. The only kiss in the movie is Belle and the Prince. (Source: I have seen the movie.)
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She didn’t choose the advertisement…. Based on our histories and random stuff in an algorithm the system chose.
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I said nothing about advertisements. Amazingly, it says “advertisement” above the ads, but not above the images embedded in the blog post. Crazy, I know. The author originally placed actual images IN her post (not ads) that were not in the best taste. She replaced at least one image after approving comments questioning them. Very appreciated revision. My ads are for Special K cereal and mortgages… I know what algorithms are. The post still references a non-existent “gay kiss,” but I guess we can’t ask for all the truth all the time, especially not in this political age. Exaggerations and false accusations win votes. Oops, I mean clicks.
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There’s is a large movement called “Porn kills Love.” You can buy t-shirts to wear, you can forward information on social media, etc. Another one occurred with Snapchat where enough people protested Snapchat’s desire to add porn , that Snapchat listened. There are many movements… you just need to look for them. I used to see many movies and knew all the celebs but I have pulled myself away from that world. Your husband can do that as well.
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All feel good actions, but like #this or #that it won’t do much. We need to be actively educating our children families etc…. Truth, Morality, right and wrong!
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I’m sure you’ve got a billion people who’ve already told you that teen pregnancy rates are at the absolute lowest they’ve been since the 1950s, but it bares repeating:
Teen pregnancy rates are at the absolute lowest they’ve been since the 1950s.
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And yet teen STD rates are as high as ever. Your argument does not correlate with an increased moral base among teens, as you seem to imply.
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And what is not being shared as well is if it’s the initial becomming pregnant or carrying the baby to term with how stats are done nowadays. Abortion rates for example, are through the roof, at an all time high, which would match what you’ve shared about the std rates being high. Let’s, see, teens also use the new morning after pill higher than any other group. Perhaps if the abortion is done before being 4 months pregnant, the teen is not counted in these stats as having been pregnant. Something to consider when sharing that teen pregnancy is at an all time low…Yet abortion and stds are at an all time high…
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That’s why actual sex education (not abstinence only) is so important.
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There is no correlation between comprehensive sex education and a decrease in STDs.
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If it’s down, teen pregnancy isn’t down because of pornography, but because of contraception.
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I applaud your bringing up this topic. It bothers me alot too, and your right, no one hardly talks about it. Sometimes church groups, etc may address it as a problem, but it is a bigger problem in our society than the gay things that are put into movies now. There is so much of this debasing of women and girls in our society and I am disgusted when I hear how people watch certain shows and movies and dress certain ways, because it is damaging, just like you said. I would gladly sign petitions against these kind of things.
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I disagree. Yes, pornography is insidious and a huge problem. However, pornography is only a symptom of the dogmas of progressive nihilism – the very same dogmas that drive movie producers to introduce homosexual moments into children’s films. Pornography isn’t a bigger problem, it is the same problem.
The key isn’t banning pornography or movies with stupid “moments” dreamed up by a Hollywood elite that wouldn’t know morality from a toenail. The key is to fight the dogmas that stem from postmodernist nihilism. These dogmas whisper every day that none of these moral dilemmas matter since morality is a mere construct, usually attributed to outdated social mores.
We cannot take a stand against one form of immorality while ignoring the other. Truth must be spoken at every turn, not half truths or concessions to truth. Evil must be pointed out for what it is, named, and rejected.
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I think you make some good points here. It’s not just pornography, but a whole array of stuff that are part of a bigger problem. Your last paragraph is very much something to follow, as well.
You mentioned Nihilism. I have been seeing elements of Marxism in much of our culture, which I believe include the “sexual liberation” agenda that has been growing for the last half-century or more.
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Marx got his ideas from Hegel and was a humanist who thought that history was only a continual transformation of nature and human nature, where there is no standard on which to judge moral behavior. So yes, Marx was a nihilist. His ideas, unfortunately, are very seductive, feeding the basest needs of humans, including human sexuality.
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Amen to this!!! You have absolutely nailed the core issue of this whole situation! And I also don’t like how the media try to distract main issues with another distraction that is also immoral such as in this situation. They are so good at doing this! They’ve done this so often, when people were trying to find out what happened with Benghazi, then the media kept dishing out the trash with Mitt Romney and Bane company etc. When we’re trying to see what’s going on with the email scandal with Hilary Clinton or what’s happening with Iran and Isreal, etc they always try to distract our attention etc. They are excellent manipulators at how to redirect their audience & have their audience focus on what they want them to focus on.
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Excellent article! Thank you for your call to action! I couldn’t agree more!
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I’ve switched to watching Asian tv dramas for this exact reason. I get all the romance and great story-telling but with no smut. Now, their movies… you’re on your own, but China, Korea and Taiwan and mostly Japan keep their TV dramas smut free and I love it. I don’t even watch american tv anymore.
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Agreed. Heroin, not heroine…
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I absolutely agree, as a society and as a nation we should be more outraged about the pervasive pornography and sub-pornography influences tainting and shredding the moral fabric of our nation.
I once wrote a blog post on a similar topic. You might be interested: http://americanmoralfoundation.blogspot.com/2015/03/fifty-shades-of-crap.html
On the discussion of the scene in the beauty and beast movie, I have been enraged by a trend I have noticed in children’s movies. Nearly all the big “children’s” movies seem to include various subtle elements that parents seem to view as innocent. In my view, whether it is intentional or not, there is a sort of grooming taking place in these movies that seems aimed at breaking down barriers about body privacy and opening their minds to topics that are preludes to sexualization. It’s a great lead-in to pornography as they get older.
I have taken notes on about ten or so children’s movies that my family and I have watched over the past few years. Nearly every one has some of these elements, such as implied nakedness (e.g. we don’t see it, but we know their clothes are off), choices of movie content that aims in some way at a private body part or area (e.g. a mouse finding its way out of a human-shaped object at the point where the genitals would be–I think that was a Stewart Little movie), and subtle hints at cross-gender elements.
One movie may be inconsequential in its effects on children, but what can we say about a stream of such movies, especially when children often watch them over and over.
Also, here’s another link to add at the bottom of the article, for research:
http://endsexualexploitation.org/
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Quite frankly, I believe that this article is subtly promoting homosexuality, or at least downplaying the seriousness of it deliberately. It’s encouraging readers to not worry about their children being exposed to the glorifying of homosexuality, and tries to distract from the seriousness of it by saying, “Hey, pornography is really bad, and that is what you should worry about, so it’s okay to go and watch an indoctrination movie on homosexuality, because pornography is worse.” The more I think about it, I’m sure that this article meant more to downplay homosexual indoctrination than it is trying to speak out about pornography. It doesn’t make sense to just say, “It’s fine to take my children to watch a movie promoting homosexuality because I think pornography is destructive.” It doesn’t add up or even make sense or even connect when you think about it. Yes, this article is definitely promoting homosexuality, but trying to use pornography as a distraction. It’s a wicked article. It’s intent is subtle, but when you really think about it, it is inarguably encouraging people to watch the movie with the attitude that it is not a big deal. It is craftily done, but it is actually a promotion of evil concepts. The author should be ashamed.
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With u…It is a typical Left ..Saul Alinsky game…give them another victim to distract from the other topic…Author has valid points..But, leaves me suspicious.
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Chelle Atwater: While I am opposed to homosexuality and pornography and all the forms of sexual deviance that seem to be gaining momentum, I want to enter a defense here for the author.
You speak as if you can really conclude that the author is using a devious trick to promote the referenced movie. I am willing, and even feel compelled, to give her the benefit of the doubt. I think she does abhor pornography and it is very possible that she has been deceived by all the pro-gay rhetoric into believing it’s about allowing people to “love whom they want.” I think there are a number of conservatives who are buying that lie.
On the other hand, even one who innocently or unknowingly promotes an unholy cause is still promoting an unholy cause. The distinction is motive. Rather than being evil, the author likely has genuine motives of doing something good.
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I could not find how to edit my remarks. So re-posting my last post with edited version…
You made very valid and valuable points. However, I feel this is what the left does. They switch the subject and take your thoughts to another issue. BOTH are equally damaging to out children and grandchildren. To separate one from the other is, well I will be kind and say wrong. If u would have stated that, more of your reader could validate your points. However, what u did was distract from your point. Not your goal, I am sure. I 10000%b agree with you on the topic, porn is so terrible worry and hurting so many. But, Disney playing with our children and grandchildren’s minds is equal if not more. What Disney is trying to do, indoctrinate out little ones. The goal of George Sores and his followers is to get to the younger minds. They already have gotten to the college age and, u my friend r helping him. The colleges have even told the students that pedophilia is normal. U hear that? I pray you will rethink your article. You made valid points but, to pin one against the other is wrong, in my world.
Also, many years ago, I was a counselor for pregnant teenagers. Today it is so heart warming to see the statistics are way down. I think u might have to recheck your statistics on how high it is. I think u missed that mark….said in kindness. ;0)
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You said, “I’m not worried about Beauty and the Beast’s “gay agenda.” Did u want to rethink that?
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This article is so stupid
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There are a lot of very ignorant remarks and insinuations made by an incredibly sheltered and confused person for sure. (speaking of the author)
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“so stupid” because…?
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After posting this question, I noticed your user ID and realized that you probably wouldn’t even understand this article. I can’t even use your name in my post address you.
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I agree with your message and am glad that you’re promoting it! Pornography and sexuality is a major problem in media today and becoming too mainstream.
However, your comments that there’s no petitions or movements against pornography are wrong and show that you’ve done little research about it. For example, here’s a recent movement gaining steam:
http://savefiltering.nationbuilder.com
There are several companies that have tried offering filtered movies, to help us avoid pornography in our homes, but unfortunately they continue to get shutdown due to lawsuits from major movie companies. A current legal battle is going on right now between Vidangel vs Disney, Warner Bros, & Fox. Many of us have contributed to help Vidangel fight this legal battle, because we want an option to watch movies free of pornography and sexuality. This is only one example of a current movement that you can get involved with to help fight this problem you have presented.
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http://educateempowerkids.org
is a great site for the campaign against pornography.
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Is it not more appropriate to consider why so many are equating pornography and sex with “love”?
While I can understand how intimacy in various forms can be a valid ‘expression’ of love, it seems more troubling that the various forms may be confused with being ‘sources’ of love. With that in mind, it may be erroneous to believe that an absence or removal from these forms will correct the mis conceptions about what it means to love and be loved.
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Well written! I completely agree with your view on pornography, but just so you know there ARE actually petitions and movements to bring down porn. Check out NCOSE (Nation Center on Sexual Exploitation), Porn Harms and Fight the New Drug to name a few. They are always fighting against porn and NCOSE is well known for putting out petitions and ways to get involved. I’m fighting this battle with you and while I think that what Disney has done with that movie is just as destructive as pornography, you are right on to consider pornography a much more widespread problem.
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thepulsiphyer, agree with your points. But, u might want to remember how porn started..it was a l little here and a little there…not so much completely porn….just enough..then it started to grow. This is what Disney is doing. You watch….it is coming my friend.
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As with many of the other posters here, I agree that pornography is a huge problem in our society and the world at large. However, I also agree that it starts with small assaults on our beliefs and senses. If watching a movie like Beauty and the Beast desensitizes our children (and us) to make homosexuality normal, it is the first step. I come from a very religious background (I’m LDS), and to me this is part of “evil called good and good called evil” that is rapidly eroding our country (and the world). I believe it will continue, but I don’t have to be a party to it. I refuse to stand by and say “Oh well, there’s a little of that in everything now. What can we do?”
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Pornography isn’t the primary reason for teen pregnancy, a lack of sexual education is.
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Absolutely agree. Making sex education almost non existent and a “dirty secret” thing to do leads to teen pregnancy.
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insaniaksin: do you really believe that? The primary reason for teen pregnancy is teens having sex! So you are apparently speaking of the second stage of preventing pregnancy during sex.
Many of us with a more conservative mindset prefer to teach our children to avoid sex until they are married. So sex education isn’t so much an issue as values. Certainly absolute ignorance about it isn’t of much use these days, so there needs to be a balance of appropriate levels of sex education and instilling good moral values.
In our world, we have turned sex into a mere plaything. It’s time we put sex back in its proper place.
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People that agree with this article I’m very worried for, ESPECIALLY if they claim to be believers. Just b/c the issues you brought up are valid, doesn’t make this movie issue not valid
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As others who have actually seen the movie have said, there is no moment where two men kiss in the movie. I am a Christ follower, and I am saddened that Christians are viewing homosexuality as the worst sin. Instead of loving people who desperately need to see the Love of Christ, we ban and we boycott, telling them that they aren’t worthy of grace. But do we ban and boycott movies with divorce? What about movies with overweight gluttons? Do we support the NFL- where much of the salaries go to sinful living, unwed partners, and idolatry? No. We don’t. I’m guessing most people know others who have been divorced, or who are gluttons, or who love expensive idols. In fact, there are probably people like that in your church. Maybe you’re even one of them. It’s easier to target gay people because it’s easier for you to keep your distance from them, cut off your empathy towards these sorts of sinners. But we all have sinned and have fallen short. Final thought: if Jesus were alive today, would he hang out at bars, or churches?
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I understand what you’re saying but you’re painting with a pretty broad brush. Who said we don’t love homosexuals or that they’re not worthy of grace? Calling sin what it is, is not the same as condemning someone. The reason that the sin of homosexuality gets so much attention as opposed to others is because it had been forced by its proponents into the public arena AND made a matter of Federal Law that affects the religious freedoms of many Americans. When is the last time you saw an ‘Adultrer Pride’ parade? When is the last time that any other form of relationship outside of one man marrying one woman has had the full force of government endorsement and literally threaten those with sincerely held beliefs against it with fines and jail if they do not bend the knee and violate their own conscience to cater to it?
Who would Jesus hang out with? He would probably go first to his church and fellowship with his true followers , comfort those with wounded spirits and chastise the hypocrites. Then he would go into the society and look for the lonely and lost and reach out to them.
What he would not do is go see a movie that not only condones, supports and advocates for a specific sin that is against HIS moral law, but proudly advertises it!
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With the current state of so many of the “churches” today, one thinks that Jesus might well be more comfortable in a bar!!!
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Your argument is poorly thought out. B&B is not a true story. This is not portraying true events or real people. This is a movie pushing an agenda, one that is about encouraging and normalizing a sexual disorder, which, if indulged, is a sinful activity. I would never boycott someone who has homosexuality, but I would boycott something that encourages or normalizes that particular behavior. Christ NEVER encouraged sinful behavior nor supported anything that did. He had compassion on sinful people, but was deeply critical of cultural beliefs that caused people to become sinful. Are you seriously saying that Christ would give money to a movie that normalized something that he considered sinful?
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You might enjoy Clearplay. If you buy one of their DVD players, they filter explicit content. You decide the settings–there are different sections for language, violence, anf sexuality.
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I remember watching shows as a kid and just loving the friendships and visual effects. It wasn’t until I was much older that I actually understood the jokes being told. They are family movies. Also as far as beauty and the beast is concerned, from what I can remember, when they kiss it is more as a friendship than a romantic thing. Remember they are french and that is common practice there. Just about every movie out there has jokes that the older generation understands more than our kids. I want them to know the magic and wonder that I had as I was growing up. I know that most tv shows and commercials out there that are popular are actually throwing the idea that everybody has sex you should too. The fact that casual sex is common practice on most tv shows is appalling. So yeah if you don’t shield your children from the popular shows they can pick up on it and believe that is what you do when dating. Everyone does it on TV so I guess that I should too. Plus all of their friends will have seen it too. Most of the time it doesn’t even need to be there or shown. It has no real effect on what is going on or the plot it was just thrown in there to fill more time. So yes I agree with her pornography is a bigger problem in this case than the whole two guys kissing in a Disney film. If you really have a problem with it then, just like anything else you don’t agree with, don’t watch it. You can boycott it yourself and explain to others in a respectful way why you didn’t go see it. These people are just doing their jobs and trying to make a living putting this out there. Maybe if enough people start to think for themselves and not watch something they think is inappropriate instead of following the peer pressure of people telling you to watch something. You have a brain and an your own opinion and you can follow your own conscience. You can only control you and what you do and guess what for other people it is the same way. We can only control what we want to show our children and teach them how to behave. Yes society throws things out there all the time and we can’t control it all of the time but if you do your job as a parent they will know what you believe is appropriate. Maybe if enough people start to take control over their own lives and what they feel is right then maybe it will get better.
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All nice comments, but completely missing the point. This so-called ‘Gay’ plot device is not part of the story. Period. The director, by his own admission, inserted his agenda of choice into a children’s story. I dare say he only admitted this because this agenda became known, and then doubled down when the word was out.
Then well-meaning people speak of targeting and cutting people off because of their lifestyle; when the truth is, a person’s choice to not accept normalization of homosexuality is not targeting, but THEIR choice.
Final thought: Jesus is alive today, and wherever He hangs out, He would call out ALL sin. Period. .
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While you are absolutely correct regarding pornography, the casual attitudes toward and acceptance of pornography that have become so prevalent and commonplace in every aspect of media have been accomplished by introducing it bit by bit, starting off small and then as quickly as possible bringing us to the point we’re at now. This is exactly how homosexuality is becoming and will continue to become considered acceptable and normal if we do not protest now and if we do not act now.
And while much more action needs to be taken with regards to the fight against pornography, a willingness to overlook or downplay this latest infiltration just because there’s already a much bigger problem is just as short-sighted as those who did the same when the first hints of pornography were being introduced into mainstream media. Like focusing on a flooded basement while letting a new leak in the main pipe go untended. We should work concurrently to stop the leak and clean up the basement!
I appreciate your article and agree with you that too many people have been too complacent for too long, and “we” have only ourselves to blame. One could wish/dream/hope/pray that the issue of this movie would act as a “reveille” — a call to arms that will enlist more in the quest/fight for a return to protecting the innocence of our children and a more enlightened and moral society.
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Something tells me that the people renting and seeing “Fifty Shades Darker” are not the same people who are upset about this scene in “Beauty and the Beast.” But the author of this article seems to libk those upset about the Disney scene as the same people peddling filth in our society. I very much doubt that’s the case. I would go as far as suggesting that it’s actually those in our society who do embrace the filth that are pushing our society to celebrate this “groundbreaking” move by Disney – not the other way around. With that all said, I don’t disagree that porn and low standards are negatively affecting much of our society. I’m just not sure that the author’s argument provides any sort of support to the Disney scene in question.
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If anyone does not believe that:
A. There is and has been a ‘Gay Agenda’
And/Or
B. That subtle (sometimes overt) ‘advertising’ does not influence the psyche
Then click the link below and read. This is not about ‘Homophobia’ or hatred of any person or group. It’s about having a foundation of moral beliefs on which a society is founded. Not that any of us adheres perfectly to any moral code. Yet if/when we violate the code, we call it what it is. We don’t move the goal post and have society conform to our behavior.
http://www.massresistance.org/docs/issues/gay_strategies/after_the_ball.html
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Endsexualexploitation.org constantly has petitions to sign and sends out a newsletter on who has made policies for or against porn and what their responses to public outcry have been.
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To “We all sin and fall short” — you have made excellent points as a Christian. It’s no small thing that I call you a Christian, I do not do so lightly, and most of the “Christians” I’ve met/interacted with, are anything BUT… in exactly the ways you’ve pointed out.
To you last question, though, I’m going to go with ‘neither’ as my answer. I think He would hang out in slums, orphanages, and hospitals… but that’s just me. I’m thinking He wouldn’t bother with churches b/c the people there are either true believers/good to go or they are true hypocrites/hard-hearted and unmovable. Either way, they don’t ‘need’ Him to personally minister. Bars… maybe. I still think it would be a case of preaching/ministering to a brick wall. Some might be, but many would simply not be ready… yet. The utterly broken… the truly humbled… the destitute… the sick… the lonely — that’s where I think I would find Him. That’s where I would look, anyway.
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Reblogged this on Pensees.
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