Our Clean & Safe Media Pledge

Today at church we had a great lesson on the dangers of pornography that encroach and surround our lives and what we can do to help avoid and prepare ourselves for the future. We live in a dark time in our world but at the same time we can receive alot of light and use it to do good if we allow good things to flow into our homes.

What a better way to safeguard our homes by making a pledge and at church we received a copy of one that was taken from here.

I love things like this because it goes right along with some of the family systems I have already put in place. I've been inspired to have a decision journal for each child and this pledge goes right along with what I wanted to do with them.

We were given 4 things to help our families:

1.) Discuss the important nature of a man and a woman and the importance of a marriage found here. Of course this needs to be age appropriate but make sure its taught in way that is pleasing and correct.

2.) At Family Home Evening read through the Pornography pamphlet that the church has created for all families to have in their homes and discuss and ask their feelings on it.

3.) Set Family guidelines like the pledge above.

4.) Emulate the relationship that you have with your spouse. Take care of eachother and show affection so that your children see it and know that you love eachother. I been learning alot about the "Physical Touch" love language and if I don't use it properly my children will go find it somewhere else.

The discussion was critical and I've been in alot of meetings within the last 2 years about this subject and just hits a core with me about how important as a mother and wife how much I need to "safeguard" my home!

Back in May 2008 I attended a meeting where Jill Manning was speaking and she has written a book about Pornography and I went back to my notes from that meeting and here is what I found:

Recommended Sheri Dew's book "Saying It how it is"
Suggestions for teaching truths about our bodies:
1.) Model appreciation and respect for our own body
2.) Teach anatomically correct names for body parts - Parent's Guide Book is a good reference for this section. Use the right respectful language
3.) Bear testimony about the body and why pornography use is in congruent with our beliefs
4.) Help children identify when the body is being portrayed in deceptive or profane ways

If you get into an uncomfortable situation with a picture with your child you might want to consider saying, "Let's look away and show privacy to that woman as we would your mother or another woman that you respect."

Our homes are a dedicated and safe place for our children and be fiercely determined to not allow any such thing to enter in.

Talk with your children about internet use before getting on the computer and then go through the home and "clean out"

Prepare their minds and hearts:
1.) Ask Heavenly Father how my home and family may be safeguarded
2.) Install filters and parental controls on the Internet
3.) As a family, create and implement an plan (The link above "Our Clean & Safe Media Pledge and then list:
a. time of day to use
b. what to do when uncomfortable
c. Internet safety Plans/contracts

Teach sexuality to your children. Pornography is Satan's sex education. Its primary source of sex education. Trent and I need to be the first source for this important information to our children not someone else.

Take a look at this:

PORNOGRAPHY vs. GOSPEL
lust a core theme - love a central commandment
harmful and degrading - nurturing and respectful
sexual relations between any combo of people - sexual relations reserved husband/wife
involves using someone else - involves loving someone else
fosters disconnection & isolation - fosters connection & unity
offends the spirit - honors and invites the spirit
involves deception - rooted in honesty
publicly displayed - guarded with privacy
humans are carnal & animalistic - humans are children of God

1.) Start discussion early
2.) Teach about the harms of pornography and how it hinders our ability to be intimate
3.) Help youth understand what they could do to prepare themselves for marital intimacy. Learn how to be a good friend, take care of the body, work on resolving emotional issues or habits that affect ones ability to love and serve others.