Pornography: Some things that are increasingly clear

By: American Decency Staff

An article in our local Grand Rapids Press from Sunday was entitled: Users of Internet child porn fuel a ghastly sex trade, and authorities lament lasting damage to victims The article goes on to state “…at any given time, an estimated 50,000 predators are prowling online. …â€Â He [a special agent] said predators also use child pornography to convince children it is OK. In some videos, children appear to “have funâ€Â. Predators also look for vulnerabilities, maybe befriending a busy single mom. “It’s just an insidious, insidious process,â€Â he said. We have chosen to focus in upon this article to once again give warning to parents to protect their children and loved ones from the devastating, degrading impact of pornography. In reading the article, a number of things are made clear.  Here are just a few: ** Children have been violated to make child pornography. ** Images are increasingly depraved, with violence and younger victims. ** The proliferation is a challenge to law enforcement and should be a warning to parents. **Shared images only encourage continued production of child porn — and continued abuse. ** Each time an image is downloaded or shared the child pictured is re-victimized by the image of their sexual abuse being viewed by another person. ** More and more contact – sexual contact – is seen between very small children and adults. ** The anonymity of the Internet makes it hard to find offenders, and allows them to gather in online communities that make them “bolder in their actions.â€Â ** The images may be shared, but usually are kept like a prized baseball card collection. ** Child pornographers go to great lengths to protect their stashes. ** There, on the Internet, photos and videos can live forever. ** Sometimes the images are so disturbing that investigators have to be pulled off cases if they show any sign it is too much. ** Kids are the victims (some are) infants. These are not 17-year-olds who look 25. These are 9-year-olds, 7-year-olds. It’s disgusting and shocking. ** In 89 percent of the cases, the offender is known to the victim, whether it’s a family member, babysitter, coach or friend.  – It’s the people that are supposed to protect the kids. [Taken from Grand Rapids Press, February 27, 2011] http://blog.mlive.com/grpress/news_impact/print.html?entry=/2011/02/users_of_internet_child_porn_f.html Lastly, some one reading this above account may very well be into pornography of one kind or another.   Dear friend:  It is not too late.  Get out of this pattern, this lifestyle.  Many others have asked for God’s help to give them the will to flee this addictive, decaying trash.  You can too. If you’d like to talk with someone about this, please call me on my cell at 231-250-9035. Make that call today.  It is NOT TOO LATE. Other avenues for specialized counseling are: Pure Life Ministries 888-PURELIFE or 859-824-4444 Faithful and True Ministries Phone:  952-746-3880 Here are some very basic, time-tested words of counsel and warning from God’s Word: (1) Don’t place wicked things before your eyes. [Psalm 101:3a] (2) Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.  [Matthew 6:33] (3) Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?  [Romans 6:16] God bless you and help you through this. ================================================= Your support is important to our ability to make a difference. Donate online at: https://secure4.afo.net/ada/donate.php American Decency Association is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. American Decency Association Bill Johnson, President P.O. Box 202 Fremont, MI 49412 ph: 231-924-4050 www.americandecency.org http://www.twitter.com/billwjohnson

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