(Source: FamilyShare; By: Aaron Anderson)
Editor’s note: This is a very open and honest letter from a father to a son about pornography. The father writing the letter is a therapist and the Director of The Marriage and Family Clinic in Denver, CO. He makes the assumption that in this day and age, young men will eventually, even if inadvertently, be exposed to porn. He prepares his son for the feelings he might have, and explains how porn does not reflect the healthy, loving sexual experiences a husband and wife can share.
We felt this was appropriate for a missionary blog because this is an important issue for every preparing missionary (and their parents) to be aware of. Missionaries will also need to counsel investigators who think looking at porn is normal and OK, and this article has some important points that might be helpful in that discussion.
Dear Son,
You have your own smart phone, and you have access to the family computer, too. I realize you know how to use these devices more than I do. I also realize that if you want to know anything, it’s not hard for you just to Google it and find thousands of websites that will tell you about anything you want. But there are just some things that Google can’t tell you; like whether Stephanie in your second period really likes you or not. It also can’t tell you whether you should try out for the soccer team or the swim team.
Another thing that Google can’t tell you about is pornography. I realize in this information age that you have probably already seen pornography (or at least have had friends show you). I also realize that, despite my best efforts, I can’t shelter you from the Internet. And no matter how hard you try not to, you’ll probably come across pornography, anyway.
So instead of pretending that you may not see pornography I’m going to talk to you more about when you see pornography…
