LDS Freedom Forum

Here are some things to think about.

If one were sitting in a temple session and the officiator were to command all porn users to vanish, how many would be left in their seats?

Why was man given such a strong urge for satisfaction? Do women possess this same urge, but are not talking? Or do they have more control over their desires? Are men weak or just wanting to hold on to evil tendencies?

Years ago, while attending church singles dances (31 and over), I was told by a couple of women that a lot of the guys that came just wanted one thing. That's not to say that some women don't go for the same reason, but I think there are more women truly looking for a straight arrow seeking to live God's laws. They want security, love, companionship and loyalty. That's not a lot to ask. Afterall, by and large, isn't it this same woman we men want throughout all eternity?

Who knows, men might have more than one wife in the eternities. We're told that we will have the same desires and everything on the other side because of the restoration.

Alma 41:3, 10-15
3 And it is requisite with the justice of God that men should be judged according to their works; and if their works were good in this life, and the desires of their hearts were good, that they should also, at the last day, be restored unto that which is good.
10 Do not suppose, because it has been spoken concerning restoration, that ye shall be restored from sin to happiness. Behold, I say unto you, wickedness never was happiness.
11 And now, my son, all men that are in a state of nature, or I would say, in a carnal state, are in the gall of bitterness and in the bonds of iniquity; they are without God in the world, and they have gone contrary to the nature of God; therefore, they are in a state contrary to the nature of happiness.
12 And now behold, is the meaning of the word restoration to take a thing of a natural state and place it in an unnatural state, or to place it in a state opposite to its nature?
13 O, my son, this is not the case; but the meaning of the word restoration is to bring back again evil for evil, or carnal for carnal, or devilish for devilish—good for that which is good; righteous for that which is righteous; just for that which is just; merciful for that which is merciful.
14 Therefore, my son, see that you are merciful unto your brethren; deal justly, judge righteously, and do good continually; and if ye do all these things then shall ye receive your reward; yea, ye shall have mercy restored unto you again; ye shall have justice restored unto you again; ye shall have a righteous judgment restored unto you again; and ye shall have good rewarded unto you again.
15 For that which ye do send out shall return unto you again, and be restored; therefore, the word restoration more fully condemneth the sinner, and justifieth him not at all.

Why was man given such a strong urge for satisfaction? Do women possess this same urge, but are not talking? Or do they have more control over their desires? Are men weak or just wanting to hold on to evil tendencies?

If your wife gives you a grey tie for a present there may be a reason: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... s-men.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"Grey ties are flying off the shelves as wives take inspiration from X-rated bondage novel to dress up their men"

There is a documentary I have seen that demonstrates how this USED to work. Women and men were shown a travel movie and asked to rate it (while monitors measured EVERY physical reaction). Then they were shown a porn movie. Men rated the pleasure they were getting highly and the monitors agreed. Most of the women rated it less-than-positive but the monitors showed they too were enjoying it. My take on it is that older women come from a generation that said porn was horrid and should be avoided. Younger women are watching porn now as well since they society is giving more and more acceptance to it. However, on my facebook a young woman was attacking Santorum for wanting to ban all pornography. She said that for her it was a fun passtime activity while she claimed many men lived for it -- and this would lose Santorum votes. I think what she said was telling. Women are looking at porn for the same reasons as men, but they do not spend as much time watching it and, from my understanding, they prefer romantic sex scenes with couples (male and female or female and female).

sadie_Mormon wrote:While living in AZ I met many LDS - a few of which were millionaires. One I can say is a dear friend and investment partner of mine. Knowing how they conduct business I can say none of them can be honestly answering the "Are you honest in your dealings with your fellowmen?" question. I'm in no position to judge them of course, but I have first hand experience of a lifetime Temple worthy Priesthood holder conning me out of thousands of dollars. He was a lawyer go figure.

I remember going to meet a vendor with my investment partner and the person we met was a young attractive girl. He was flirting to the point of where I was very uncomfortable. Uncomfortable enough to say something to him later in the car. His wife told me of a time when she witnessed him flirting agressively with the young female staff at the gym. This friend is a very good looking man (as is him wife) and have been married for 25 years. Seeing him in action makes me wonder at times if he's ever acting on the urge to be intimate with another women. If so then how is he answering the question "Do you live the law of chastity?"

It's because I do not put myself in the position of judge and jury as to why I remain friends with those I might think are likely not living rightously.

I've seen the good, the bad, and the ugly. All you can do is focus on your life and how you choose to lead it. If we get consumed with how everyone else is living it we'll make ourselfs nuts and in the process hinder our own progress forward.

Interesting post, sadie. My question is do you live in the same ward with some of these people you mention, and if so, when they are presented to the ward with a new calling, do you raise your hand in assent or dissent?

I agree with others that we should most certainly not stand around pointing fingers and judging others. Nevertheless, if we know for a fact that another member has done wrong, we are required to dissent during a sustaining vote on a calling before the ward. If we know someone is an adulterer, swindler, etc., and we assent to their calling, we are essentially assenting to corruption within the church.

And it goes for higher callings, as well. As a church we have largely abrogated common consent, but it remains still our responsibility. There was once a time when members rejected certain men for high position for any number of reasons. If a man is put for a vote and we know for a fact he is peddling porn, alcohol, drugs, etc., then we are entitled to dissent on those grounds.

gruden2.0 wrote:

sadie_Mormon wrote:While living in AZ I met many LDS - a few of which were millionaires. One I can say is a dear friend and investment partner of mine. Knowing how they conduct business I can say none of them can be honestly answering the "Are you honest in your dealings with your fellowmen?" question. I'm in no position to judge them of course, but I have first hand experience of a lifetime Temple worthy Priesthood holder conning me out of thousands of dollars. He was a lawyer go figure.

I remember going to meet a vendor with my investment partner and the person we met was a young attractive girl. He was flirting to the point of where I was very uncomfortable. Uncomfortable enough to say something to him later in the car. His wife told me of a time when she witnessed him flirting agressively with the young female staff at the gym. This friend is a very good looking man (as is him wife) and have been married for 25 years. Seeing him in action makes me wonder at times if he's ever acting on the urge to be intimate with another women. If so then how is he answering the question "Do you live the law of chastity?"

It's because I do not put myself in the position of judge and jury as to why I remain friends with those I might think are likely not living rightously.

I've seen the good, the bad, and the ugly. All you can do is focus on your life and how you choose to lead it. If we get consumed with how everyone else is living it we'll make ourselfs nuts and in the process hinder our own progress forward.

Interesting post, sadie. My question is do you live in the same ward with some of these people you mention, and if so, when they are presented to the ward with a new calling, do you raise your hand in assent or dissent?

I agree with others that we should most certainly not stand around pointing fingers and judging others. Nevertheless, if we know for a fact that another member has done wrong, we are required to dissent during a sustaining vote on a calling before the ward. If we know someone is an adulterer, swindler, etc., and we assent to their calling, we are essentially assenting to corruption within the church.

And it goes for higher callings, as well. As a church we have largely abrogated common consent, but it remains still our responsibility. There was once a time when members rejected certain men for high position for any number of reasons. If a man is put for a vote and we know for a fact he is peddling porn, alcohol, drugs, etc., then we are entitled to dissent on those grounds.

I actually had just moved to another ward just next door when I hired him. So no I wasn't in his ward at the time he scammed me.I did however discuss it with my Bishop in the new ward as it happened while I was there. He asked me how my legal representation was working out, and that is why I filled him in with what had recently happen. What he did after that I have no idea. I said my peace and so I trust the Bishop would do whatever it is that would be right. I never brought it up again.

Fiannan, And yet I have 3 friends who have told me in the last year how unhappy they are because their HUSBANDS are content to go a month or more without sex and the WIVES want it much more often. But their husbands prefer porn and masturbation. Stop putting all of the unrighteous behavior on women and blaming them. People who use porn are CHOOSING it of their own free will. They and they alone are responsible for that choice, be the men or women.

Nan wrote:Fiannan, And yet I have 3 friends who have told me in the last year how unhappy they are because their HUSBANDS are content to go a month or more without sex and the WIVES want it much more often. But their husbands prefer porn and masturbation. Stop putting all of the unrighteous behavior on women and blaming them. People who use porn are CHOOSING it of their own free will. They and they alone are responsible for that choice, be the men or women.

In fairness I have posted in the past that one of the reasons for Japan's low birthrate has been linked to men losing interest in real sex due to their obsession with porn. Ironic since porn has actually been linked to increased birthrates due to people getting more interested in sex. However, I think that the people (mostly men as, like I said before, women see porn in a recreational sense while men often go off the deep end -- for instance, twice as many men look at porn at work than women which to me sounds very dangerous) who do let it dominate their lives might lose interest in the real thing. Sort of like the Twilight thing where it was reported that many young women were breaking up with their boyfriends since they wanted someone like the dead guy who was presented as the ideal man; many men might find his wife less appealing than the women he sees in porn who, in his mind, have no inhibitions and want sex all the time. Personally, maybe the best wake-up call for such men might be a documentary following a few real-life porn stars. However, show what their lives are really like. Yes, these women get up in the morning grumpy with their hair messed up, bad breath, and they too do the same things as regular women -- gripe at their kids (if they have any) to get ready for school, sometimes are sick, etc. And as for the work I did actually see one British documentary that covered a high-end studio in San Franando where most porn is made. The studio looked like a modern office complex -- that is how much money it generates. The actors and actresses sit around a table, read the scripts, have interruptions during filming by the director that looked hilarious and highly awkward, and you know what? As my mom used to say about movies, if you could see them made it would spoil the fantasy.