After the doctor was finished I was more confused about pornography than before.
So here is my shot of simplifying pornography and the sexual response.
PLAN OF SALVATION
This is the simplest "Plan of Salvation" I could find. For a brief overview review this LDS.org document Plan of salvation Overview.
Boyd Packer summarizes the role of "Power of creation" also known as "Sexual Relations" - in the Plan of Salvation:
“There was provided in our bodies—and this is sacred—a power of creation, a light, so to speak, that has power to kindle other lights. It is a sacred and significant power. This power is good. You who are teenagers, like every other son and daughter of Adam and Eve, have this power within you. The power of creation, or may we say procreation, is not just an incidental part of the plan—it is essential to it. Without [the sexual response] the plan could not proceed. The misuse of [the sexual response] may disrupt the plan...As this power develops within you it will prompt you in the search for a companion and empower you to love and to hold [her].." (The Sacred Power of Procreation, Lesson 24 Aaronic Priesthood Manual)
Okay, I think I got it-
1) There is a Plan of Salvation.
2) As part of that plan "...God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife" (The Family: A Proclamation to the World.)
3) Sexual relations are essential to that plan.
4) Satan's goal is to disrupt the use of sexual relations.
Therefore,
There is an "Eternal Purpose of Sex".
(Teaching About Procreation and Chastity, Family Home Evening Resource Book)
Sexual relations is one of the few "things" the righteous will take with them. - into the Celestial Kingdom . Joseph Smith taught that by means of the new and everlasting covenant of marriage, righteous partners can continue to increase and have children in the celestial glory. (D&C 131: 1-4)
So, when Satan influences you or I to misuse "sexual relations" here on earth, it will eliminate our ability to appropriately use "sexual relations" in the Celestial Kingdom.
THERE IS ONLY ONE "SEXUAL RESPONSE"
That sexual response (on earth) consists of a series of hormones and neurotransmitters. See: God's Love Chemicals.
There is not a unique or special hormone or neurotransmitter triggered only by viewing pornography. The same hormones and neurotransmitters which are trigger by viewing porn, are triggered by your sexual relations with your spouse.
The sexual response can be re-taught to be triggered by anything... believe me in years of working with deviant sexual responses I've seen the sexual response be triggered by unbelievable gross, pathetic, evil etc etc. stimuli. - So disgusting I wouldn't even write it.
SATAN'S GOAL IS TO DISRUPT
GOD'S PLAN OF SALVATION
by hijacking the "sexual response" to occur outside of "the bounds" God has set.
One way Satan disrupts the Plan of Salvation is by having a person learn to trigger their sexual response to something/somebody other than their lawfully wedded spouse eg. same-gender partner, children etc. etc. To learn more about Satan's tactics see: Satan Exposed.
The same "sexual response" that "Porn experts" and "Brethren" talk about that
binds (enslaves, addicts you) to pornography (or any other perversion)
... has the capacity to bind you to your spouse. -
Learn about God's Glue in: God's Love Chemicals
TREATMENT SUCCESS IS MEASURED BY
The GOAL of sex-specific treatment is NOT to Stop someone's sexual response! That would have eternal implications. Treatment success for pornography addiction occurs when the sexual arousal and interest is returned to your lawfully wedded spouse-"within the bounds the Lord has set."
There you go... that's as simple as I can make it.
CHALLENGE
Anything that entices a person to express the emotions and drives related to sexual response outside the marriage covenant is an attempt of Satan perverting the sacred physical endowment of sexual relations.
Identify and talk to your partner about four things Satan uses to disrupt sexual relations in The Plan of Salvation.
dr rick
dr rick blog index
First, he is an expert and the time constraint left many unanswered questions. Second, the questions asked show the misunderstanding of the problem. Third, as with all addiction, there is a cause - shame, depression, anxiety, etc. and the addiction is a coping response. Using the coping response, even if used with your spouse is not a healthy behavior and can be destructive. It is a complex issue, and over-simplification brings further misunderstanding. I agree that it is Satan's tool to destroy, no doubt. But that knowledge hardly helps people recognize when a problem exists, how to prevent it, how to help someone in their addiction, and how to help those affected by the addiction - all of which were topics of the presentation. We need more discussion - not less. It wasn't "just another 5th Sunday lesson about porn".
ReplyDeleteGood insight thanks.
DeleteI find this response just a little clinical... It's not a complex issue... it's like drugs.. don't do drugs, or anything that will hurt you... If you do drugs you will be hurt. The solution is not to do drugs. If you think you are an addict, then take yourself off drugs. Same with porn, spending, gambling.. any destructive behavior.. It's a tool of destruction. Simply put, why would you want to destroy yourself? Don't tell me because it's so hard not to... Get some sunshine, breath some fresh air.. walk.. be in the light..
ReplyDeleteHerr Doktor, there are many responses to porn, alcoholism, drug addiction, etc. Alcoholism/drug addiction leads to sexual problems as some of us know. BUT there are many different kinds of PORN, and all are no good. Kind of hard today to talk about that stuff because it matters not where you go, something sexual is there in a advertisement, the way some people dress, being a man, I mean some of the women dress or should I say undress? Well, some men also with their pants down to their knees! Guess I am old now and do not understand why someone would walk around holding the family jewels and their pants down to their knees.
ReplyDelete