The articles on this page are designed to remind us of "the grace of God that brings salvation...teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly righteously, and godly in this present world" (Titus 2:11-12).  They are arranged in alphabetical order.  If you have any questions or comments, you can contact us by e-mail at: defender@defenderoftruth.com.

THE CHRISTIAN AND PORNOGRAPHY

by Wayne S. Walker

     In Jeremiah 8:12 we read of ancient Israel, "Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination?  nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush."  A similar situation is developing today.  We live in a nation that is full of pornography, yet a growing number of people do not blush at it.  Our English word "pornography" comes from two Greek roots--porneia: "illicit sexual intercourse in general"¹ and graphe: "a writing, thing written"²--and is defined as "writings, pictures, etc., intended to arouse sexual desire."³  With this definition, we see that pornography may include movies, television, magazines, even music.

     Today there are over 270 separate slick magazines filled with pictures of boys and young men in sexual poses,⁴ not to mention all the popular "girlie" magazines.  Video casettes and cable television allow people to watch X-rated movies at home.  It is estimated that the U. S. porn industry's annual gross, which was nearly $2 million in 1971,⁵ is currently around $4 billion.⁶  A 1979 survey indicates that the average porn fan is a man, twenty-one or younger, unmarried with a college education, who likes it because it is interesting and different.⁷  [Note: with the availability of computers and the Internet, the situation is much worse today.]

Should We Be Concerned?

     Yes, we should be concerned about pornography.  It promotes values at odds with God's word.  It attacks the family by encouraging marital infidelity and warping children's minds.  It exploits human weaknesses by destroying self-control and presenting a distorted view of life, treating people as objects rather than persons.  It is undeniably linked with crime.⁸  In the decade of 1960-1969, sex related crimes rose nearly 120%, accompanied by a simultaneously skyrocketing increase in pornography.⁹  Pornography presents all that is rotten in life with a sense of glamor, and a society that openly tolerates it cannot long uphold the sanctity and decency of life.

     Most importantly, we should be concerned because pornography is anti-Biblical.  It is lasciviousness (Galatians 5:19), which means "licentiousness, lack of restraint, indecency, wantonness, inclination to sensuality"¹⁰ and includes "filthy words."¹¹  By definition, pornography is designed to excite the physical passions of men and women.  Those who practice and enjoy such shall not inherit the kingdom of God.  It is looking upon women (or men) to lust after them in one's own heart (Matthew 5:28).  Jesus did not specify whether the individual was viewed in person, in a movie, or in a magazine.  Lust brings forth sin which brings forth death (James 1:13-14).  The lusts of the flesh, along with the other things of this world, shall pass away (1 John 2:15-17).  Our obligation is to "Abstain from every form of evil" (1 Thessalonians 5:22; cf. 1 Peter 2:11).

     Parents should especially be concerned.  Do not fool yourself that this will not affect your children.  Pornography stimulates sexual desire.  It is a special danger to young people as it fans the flames of their immature curiosity.  Court studies reveal that much of the anti-social, delinquent, and criminal behavior today is the result of children's exposure to and stimulation by pornography.  The abnormal stimulation creates a demand for illicit expression.  Instead, we must bring our children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4).

How Does It Affect People?

     The point of attack made by pornography is that it affects one's heart or mind.  It blurs his concept of right and wrong.  It produces and perpetuates all kinds of unholy lusts which lead him down the path of sin and death.  The whole intent of sex magazines and paperbacks is to break down moral fiber and destroy character.  Notice the following illustration given by Dennis Abernathy.  It is by no means a pretty picture.

     "A teen boy stops by a drug store for a snack before going home.  As he passes the magazine rack he notices a section of magazines displaying nude and semi-nude women.  He stops and begins to shuffle the sports magazines, but his eyes are concentrated on the pornography.  Passions he hasn't known before begin to stir within his mind.  Curiosity arouses, but he hesitates to reach for any of the alluring magazines.  Something seems to warn him of the evil before him.  For the moment he refuses to go so far as to pick up one of the pieces of trash, but he has become careless.  He has allowed to lodge in his mind pictures which have appealed to lust.

     "This carelessness continues for several days until one afternoon at the same magazine rack the boy gets bolder, bold enough not to care who is looking, bold enough to get one of the magazines in hand and look through it closely.  Eventually, he has scanned the pages of all the nude magazines.  The figures are fixed in his mind.  He thinks about them at school.  He thinks about them on a date as he makes advances to the girl.  He talks about them with his buddies.  He feeds his thought processes on them as every female he sees becomes the object of hidden lust.  He is bolder now having stifled any warning of danger.

     "Boldness leads to habit.  The boy's collection of pornography grows as he manages from various sources to buy the foul print.  He is introduced to all types of sexual experiences.  Through the literature he becomes acquainted with perversion in all its vile forms.  Thoughts are not enough.  He constantly seeks companions to fulfill his lust.  On and on it goes until things happen he never imagined when he first started the downward trail.  His mind is a moral sewer.  His body is a diseased wreck.  His future is dark.  He is a slave to the lust he only played with at first!"¹²

     Of course, this entire process may not happen in every case.  But it does in many.  Those who have studied the effects of pornography agree with this assessment.  J. C. Drummon in Deluge of Filth, wrote: "Each day of the year, several thousand obscene photographs, color slides, books, films, and other items pour into the United States from abroad.  This smut is dangerously easy to obtain.  Any American, child or adult, with a half dollar in his pocket can purchase what is virtually a 'Buyer's Guide' to foreign pornography....This filth comes from Sweden, England, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, and from points in the United States.

     "A recent report on delinquency by a Senate sub-committee states that one out of every five American boys between the ages of ten and seventeen has a court record.  Again and again, the investigation of juvenile robbery, extortion, embezzlement, forgery, rape and murder reveals that those guilty were or had been collectors of obscene pictures and films.  'There is,' the report continues, 'a peculiar resemblance to narcotics addiction in the exposure of juveniles to pornography.  There is the same pattern of progression.'

     "Like the dope addict, the boy or girl who becomes addicted to pornographic filth, with the characteristic desire for knowledge found in those reaching maturity, searches for something which will impart a greater thrill.  The victim, once 'hooked,' may turn to theft, mugging, or worse to secure funds to support his appetite for obscenity.  Girls run away from their homes and become entangled in prostitution."¹³

   In an article "You Can Clean Up Your Newsstands," O. K. Armstrong said: "Let me summarize what seems to be the purpose of such publications:  It is to justify the lewd, the abnormally sexual, the obscene, in such a way as to arouse and appeal to the lowest interest of readers of both sexes and [all] ages.  To accomplish this, these magazines and books consistently and regularly offer articles, pictures, cartoons, jokes, advertising, and other material which do the following:

     "1. Present illicit sexual relations in an attractive manner.  2. Glorify adultery, fornication and prostitution.  3. Present infidelity as the accepted way of life, holding in contempt the marriage relations and sanctity of the home.  4. Suggest ways and means of seduction, drunkenness, theft, sadism, and general disrespect for law and order.  5. Create disrespect for religious ideals and for religious leaders by presenting them in a ribald or obscene manner.

     "Do you, Christian fathers and mothers, know what the newsstands of your community are displaying and selling?  Have you ever inspected the newsstands?  Have you ever stood by as the teenagers pour of of high school and into a drug store nearby to get cold drinks, and watch the magazines and paperbacks they are buying?  Well, you'd better!  For a veritable flood of indecent literature has risen in the last 5 years.  It is vulgar, dirty and obscene.  It is closely connected with the liquor traffic, and encourages delinquency and crime."¹⁴

     In the January, 1960, issue of Mercury, Donald T. Morrison, Jr., argued, "In order for a democratic government to exist, its people must possess a sense of morality....The leaders of world Communism know that if they can remove the sense of decency and morality from the American people, our society will collapse.  To take the place of the cohesive factors of decency and morality will come totalitarian government....In the Communists' own words, it is their goal to 'corrupt the young; get them away from religion, get them interested in sex, make them superficial and destroy their ruggedness."¹⁵

      Dr. Max Levin, in the Medical Digest, observed, "Let us not delude ourselves that pornography is a beneficial outlet for unwholesome sex tendencies.  The smut merchants have no medals coming to them; they are not to be regarded as benefactors, contributing to mental health; on the contrary, they are crippling our youngsters."¹⁶  Admittedly, some of these comments are ten to twenty years old.  But the unfortunate truth is that since that time the situation has not grown any better.  Indeed it has grown worse.  In the face of cries for all legislation against pornography to be abolished in the U. S., something must be done.

What Should We Do?

      Because of claims of first amendment protection by pornographers, action taken by many civic officials has been weak and ineffective.  What can you and I do?  The first step is simple.  Do not buy pornographic magazines or books and do not patronize adult movies.  Furthermore, teach your children the dangers of these things and do not allow them to buy or attend such.  Rather, instill in them proper attitudes long before they reach teenage.  Provide the proper kinds of reading materials for them.  Spend time with them studying the Bible and take them to worship regularly.  By teaching and example make sure that your children do not become consumers of smut.

     The next step is to reach out and have an influence on the environment.  First, if your local drug, grocery, or book store sells smutty magazines, let the manager know how you feel.  Whole retail chains have quit dealing in such materials because someone had the courage to do this.  Then, if nothing is done, you might decide to do your shopping elsewhere.  Also, write the sponsors of suggestive TV programming and tell them your reaction.  This too can have a beneficial effect.

     Recent Supreme Court decisions make it easier for communities to rid themselves of adult movie and literature shops.  Indeed, whole cities and even states have been cleaned up through the courts.¹⁷  But it is now necessary to keep fighting.  There are several non-sectarian legal organizations, like Citizens for Decency through Law, and the National Federation for Decency, which are working on this.  You may want to join one if you are interested.  We can be sure that the porn people will continue their legal efforts!  Therefore, decent people must act as well.  Truly, all that is needed for evil men to triumph is for good men to do nothing.

Footnotes

     1. Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, N.F.C.E. edition, p. 532.

     2. Ibid., p. 121.

     3. Webster's New World Dictionary, Southwestern Company edition, p. 579.

     4. Information by C. H. Keating, Jr., from Moral Majority Report, Nov., 1980, p. 15.

     5. Reported by Bob Tuten in Glad Tidings, Jan. 11, 1971.

     6. Reported by Michael Satchell in Parade, Aug. 19, 1979.

     7. Material in Parade via Viewpoint, July 8, 1979.

     8. Material by Harold Jantz from The Christian Reader, Nov./Dec., 1976, p. 55.

     9. Reported by Tuten.

     10. Compsite definition from Arndt-Gingrich, Thayer, Vine, and Webster.

     11. Thayer, p. 79.

     12. Article in Truth Magazine, Vol. XXIII, No. 22, p. 8 (360).

     13. Quoted by Loren Raines in Love Not the World (Truth Magazine Bookstore), p. 17.

     14. Quoted by Raines.

     15. Quoted by Raines.

     16. Quoted by Tuten.

     17. For examples, see Moral Majority Report, Nov., 1980, p. 13; The Christian Reader, Jan./Feb., 1977, p. 71; Truth Magazine, June 6, 1974, p. 2 (482), and Nov. 6, 1975, p. 6 (806).

     (Taken from Faith and Facts; Vol. 11, No. 2; Apr., 1983; pp. 34-39)

AN EXAMPLE OF VALUES CLARIFICATION

by Wayne S. Walker

Back in 1985, a Trans-World flight from Athens, Greece, to Beirut, Lebanon was hijacked by a group of radical Muslims occurred. This event remained on the minds of many people for quite some time afterwards. The majority of United States citizens, as well as those of all civilized, freedom-loving nations, denounced such an act as cruel, barbaric, inhumane, and unjust. However, are you aware that this despicable and horrendous deed can easily be justified by a process that is currently being taught in most of the public schools of our land? That process is known as "values clarification."

The basic presupposition of this theory is that values are, in and of themselves, are neither right nor wrong, that each individual must decide for himself, based only on the criteria of his own needs and wishes, what is best for him under any given circumstances. This underlying concept is called "ethical relativism" [also known as "situation ethics"]. Although it may not be overtly stated, it is nevertheless embedded in the presentation of values clarification, at least as presently practiced. But is it true? The Beirut hijackers felt that their needs in that particular situation dictated the action that they took. Yet, who will come forward to condone these criminals and defend their decision?

In order to arrive at his values, the student is taught to follow seven steps. The first is to choose freely [without relying on what parents, religion, or any other outside source says]. The Muslim fanatics evidently did ths. They were not forced. Next, one must choose from alternatives. They obviously looked at all the options and concluded that the one they took offered the best hope for gaining their goals. Then, the student is told to consider the consequence of his choice [not necessarily how it affects others but how it affects the student himself]. The consequence of the hijackers' choice was either achieve their objective if they succeeded, or go directly and immediately to paradise if they failed and were killed. They had little motivation to exercise inhibition whatever happened.

The fourth step is to prize one's choice, which was most surely done in this case. Step number five is to affirm publicly the choice. This they accomplished quite satisfactorily via television and other media. Sixth, one should act on the choice, and the hijackers certainly did this by stealing the plane and holding the hostages. Finally, the student is to incorporate the choice into a pattern of life by acting repeatedly on it. A casual look at the news will reveal that this is definitely true with Muslim radicals--in Lebanon, Iran, and all over the Middle East. This is what they had chosen. Therefore, it must be all right for them!

Thus, you can see that the steps of values clarification may be used to arrive at justifying almost any type of behavior an individual might choose--cheating, lying, stealing, fornication, adultery, even murder--if the conditions are right. Many teachers of values clarification may deny this conclusion. However, other proponents openly admit it. The original promoters of values clarification had as their avowed intent to turn our society into a godless, amoral, subjectivist culture [under the guise of teaching "critical thinking"], and they appear to be succeeding. They are after our young people. Parents, be aware of what your children are learning in school and oppose "every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God" (2 Cor. 10:5). (---taken and updated from Guardian of Truth; Dec. 5, 1985; Vol. XXIX, No. 12; pp. 19-20)

RAISING MORAL CHILDREN IN AN IMMORAL WORLD

by Wayne S. Walker

     Through the years, most of us who preach have undoubtedly presented many lessons, which a lot of brethren have surely heard, on the threat of secular humanism or at least on worldliness and immorality in general.  We certainly need to understand how these godless influences have been eating away at the very foundations of our society, especially as they seek to leave their mark on our children through their control of the educational system.  One would assume that the purpose of such lessons is not to scare people, per se, but to make them aware of the dangers that we face, warn them of problems ahead, and encourage them to fight the good fight of the faith.

     However, some people may react to hearing this kind of information with an attitude of discouragement and despair, throwing up their hands and saying, "Well, if the world is as evil as you say it is, then there is nothing we can do about it and, therefore, there is no hope for us."  It is almost as if they have fatalistically resigned themselves to failure in trying to bring up their children with faith in God and a desire to please God.  And that which people believe is impossible to do they will probably make little or no effort to do.

      Yet, as evil as our world is today, and there is no argument from this corner that it is pretty bad, the first century was surely no better than our time and perhaps may even have been somewhat worse in many respects.  But despite the dregs of Roman and Greek culture prevalent in that daya, a woman, with the assistance of her mother, but apparently without the help of her husband, was able to raise a son whose praise was spoken of among all the brethren of his time.  That young man was Timothy, and he grew up in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation to be a faithful Christian and proclaimer of God's word.

     Paul wrote to him, "I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, that without ceasing, I remember you in my prayers night and day, greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy, when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also" (2 Timothy 1:3-5).  This wonderful example shows us that raising moral children in an immoral world is possible.  However, that does not mean that it will be easy.  It is going to take some effort.

It Is Going To Take Teaching

      God understood this fact and so gave commandments to the children of Israel regarding His words to them.  "You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your hourse, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up" (Deuteronomy 6:7).  Have you ever wondered why so few Jews are ever converted?  While Judaism today is not the same as Old Testament Judaism, most faithful Jews still follow some of the Old Testament principles, and one that they do follow is to teach, teach, teach their children what it means to be Jews in such a way that they lose a very small percentage, especially compared to the number of children growing up in homes of Christians who never obey the gospel or soon fall away.  There are undoubtedly many reasons why we are seeing such a "drop out rate," but in a lot of cases (not all), it is most likely because the children were not taught sufficiently.  The aim of parents should be to teach a child in such a way that he truly remembers his Creator in the days of his youth (Ecclesiastes 12:1).  Of course, this will not be accomplished solely by bringing children to two hours of Bible class and two hours of worship a week, and then attending two or three gospel meetings and perhaps a vacation Bible school each year.  That is good, but in addition to it there needs to be daily, constant teaching in the home about God, Christ, the Bible, and other important spiritual matters.

     To illustrate this, remember Timothy.  The faith of Lois and Eunice dwelt in him.  How?  These things did not come by genetic inheritance or mere osmosis, but by teaching he "learned them" so that Paul said, "From childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures" (2 Timothy 3:14-15).  Parents cannot even hope to raise moral children in an immoral world without diligently teaching them God's will.

     To illustrate this principle, consider Abraham. God knew that Abraham would command his children and his household after him to keep the ways of the Lord (Genesis 18:10). How did Abraham do this? Well, he certainly must have taught them. But how did God know that Abraham would continue to do this in the future? You see, Abraham had already established a pattern of reverence for, complete trust in, and obedience to God. When God told him to leave for a new homeland, he did (Genesis 12:1-8). When God told him in his old age that he would have a child, he believed God (Genesis 15:1-6). And all of this occurred even before Abraham had any children. Then, when he did have children, he continued in the same way.

     God told him to take his only son Isaac and offer him as a sacrifice, and Abraham did (Genesis 22:1-12). What kind of an impression must this have made on Isaac when he saw that his father obeyed God implicitly regardless of any personal feeling that he may have had in the matter? Not much is said of Isaac in the Scripture, but what is said seems to indicate that he followed his father's example of faithfulness. And it is for this reason that Abraham is used throughout the New Testament as an example for us (cf. Romans 4:16-24, Hebrews 11:8-19, James 2:21-23). Abraham was a worthy example for his own family and so is a good example for us. It is not enough just to tell our children what to do. They will be the very first to detect any hypocrisy between what we say and what we do. Raising moral children in a moral world also requires that we show them the difference between right and wrong by our example.

     The word "discipline" in our English language literally refers to that which is necessary to make one a disciple. If a parent is faithfully serving Christ, then his goal should be to make disciples of his children (cf. Matthew 28:19). In the New Testament, the word "discipline" is translated from a term that means "the whole training and education of children." It is the word that is rendered "admonition" in Ephesians 6:4, where Paul said, "And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord." Thayer's Lexicon notes that this term relates to the cultivation of mind and morals, and employs for this purpose now commands and admonitions, now reproof and punishment. Thus, everything that parents do in raising their children, including teaching and example, falls under this general category of discipline.

     However, since the term does include reproof and punishment, there are contexts where it seems to be used with the more specific meaning of chastisement, yet still with the positive goal of correcting mistakes, curbing the passions, and increasing virtue. According to Hebrews 12:5-11, God chastens us as His children. We may not always know exactly how He does it, but it is justified on the basis that human fathers chasten their children if they wish to develop in them the peaceable fruits of righteousness. And the Bible has a lot to say about the need for chastisement--correction and punishment--of children. For example, "Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction will drive it far from him" (Proverbs 22:15).

     Also, "The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother" (Proverbs 29:15). These and other such passages are not saying that parents should be beating their children silly and senseless, nor should they be used to justify genuine child abuse. But they do teach that children, being young and immature, will make foolish mistakes, and it is the job of the parents to use chastening, punishment, and correction to teach them the difference between right and wrong. Furthermore, when those children are quite young and most susceptible to this chastening, the thing that they understnad best and is in the majority of instances the most effective is the pain of using the rod of correction. The outright rebellion of youth so characteristic in our society is proof positive that one cannot raise moral children in an immoral world without some form of loving, yet firm, discipline.

     Parents are going to make mistakes. We may miss a golden opportunity at some special point to teach an important lesson to our children and have to make up for it in some other way. We have our own faults and weaknesses, and we may not always act before our children in the way that we expect them to act, even though we may tru. We may fail sometimes at discipline, either being too harsh on one occasion or being a little too soft on another. But in spite of all our mistakes and failures, the glue that can still hold a home together and provide a place of joy and peace where children can find a sense of stability and security now and later on a good basis for establishing their own homes is love. "But above all these things, put on love, which is the bond of perfection" (Colossians 3:14).

     This passage is not necessarily talking about the home but the church. Yet, whatever is true of the need for love in the family of God should be true in our own human families as well. In our homes, as we relate to each other, we need to "put on love, which is the bond of perfection." How can we apply this practically? First, the husbands (and fathers) are told, "Love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for it" (Ephesians 5:25). It has been said that one of the greatest things which a man can do for his children is to love their mother. When children see that their father truly loves their mother, that example alone will teach them untold lessons about commitment, dedication, and faithfulness.

     Next, wives and mothers are to be taught "to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers..." (Titus 2:4-5). Brethren continue to argue about whether it is good, let alone right, for a woman to work outside the home under any circumstances, especially if she has small children. I do not wish here to go into all the pros and cons on that because each family must do what is best for it. But consider this. We assume that God wants men to love their children too, but there is no specific command to do so. Yet here, Paul tells older women to admonish younger women to love their children. Because of her nature, the mother is the emotional center of the home, and her being there for her children is necessary for their emotional development and well-being. How do mothers do this? It is by being "homemakers," or as the King James Version reads, "keepers at home." It may well be that at least one of the reasons for all the problems in the past several generations has been the fact that mom has not been home! "The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world." If we expect to raise moral children in an immoral world, we are going to have to show true love in the home.

     Everyone, except the most rabid humanists and feminists, agree that the home is important. God established it for the good of mankind (Genesis 1:28, 2:24). It is in the home that God intends for two loving parents to raise children who will be capable of taking their proper place in life when they grow up. Of course, children are free-will moral agents, so there are no absolute, iron-clad guarantees. There are other forces and influences in children's lives which can counteract good teaching in the home or even make up for bad teaching in the home in certain circumstances. But God has a plan for the family, and when it is followed we can be assured that He will be pleased with our efforts. And the outcome will doubtlessly have a lot greater chance of being more favorable than rejecting or ignoring God's plan and going our own way. "Correct your son, and he will give you rest; yes, he will give delight to your soul" (Proverbs 29:17).

(Taken from Truth Magazine, Dec. 17, 1998; Vol. XLII, No. 24; pp. 12-14)