We just had a combined meeting in our ward, in which a local police officer involved in finding and prosecuting child pornographers. It was shocking to find out the ages of children involved in sending inappropriate photos and videos to strangers online. A 9-year old boy, an 8-year old girl, an 11-year old, as well as the usual 15 and 16 year olds. All were "recruited" through apps on their cell phones. Pornography often is a jumping off place for child-pornography, which then can lead to rape and serial murder.
I dared to ask why teenagers need smart phones, and people became upset. A teacher told me that if she asks her high school students to put their phones away, she gets angry phone calls from parents, who feel they should be able to call their student at any time, even during class. If that's so, then why not allow only flip phones or non-smart phones? Along with cyberbullying, sexting, and other problems, this kind of pornography recruitment would grind to a halt if smart phones were not allowed in school. Or if parents simply didn't buy their kids smart phones. I don't understand why parents fight laws that would protect their children from the most horrible fate imaginable. There is also the fallacy of the need to preserve teens' privacy. Children need parents to be aware of everything going on in their lives. That's why they have parents. Ask Carrol O'Connor and others whose children have been harmed or even died before their parents knew what was happening.
We need to quit getting our parenting values from the world, and get them from the Lord. Not to be judgmental, but kids are worth parents thinking through what they are doing, admitting their mistakes, and becoming the advocates for their children's safety, not their freedom.
Bruce F.November 5, 2017
AMEN! I would love to hear this address from the General Conference pulpit!
Deb SNovember 3, 2017
While I do agree wholeheartedly with your comments about parenting, the other comments about girls based on the forum you attended don't really fit with the overall message of the article. " Who loves a girl more than her family? Who will risk more for a woman than her family? Who will support her more?" - empowering girls from diverse cultural and economic backgrounds is far more complex than assigning them all a generic 'turn to your family' solution. Surely you realise that a good percentage of girls do not have a family or culture that values them (e.g. girls who are sold by their parents into slavery or sex trafficking). In the global context of empowering and helping girls - there is definitely a need for programs and funding to help those who don't come from families who help them.
Tori BlackNovember 3, 2017
Amen, Nicholson! The answers to societies ills are found in strong families with adults who know how to be parents, not pals, and certainly not the half-wits portrayed on Disney channel poison.
Comments | Return to Story
ViolaNovember 5, 2017
We just had a combined meeting in our ward, in which a local police officer involved in finding and prosecuting child pornographers. It was shocking to find out the ages of children involved in sending inappropriate photos and videos to strangers online. A 9-year old boy, an 8-year old girl, an 11-year old, as well as the usual 15 and 16 year olds. All were "recruited" through apps on their cell phones. Pornography often is a jumping off place for child-pornography, which then can lead to rape and serial murder. I dared to ask why teenagers need smart phones, and people became upset. A teacher told me that if she asks her high school students to put their phones away, she gets angry phone calls from parents, who feel they should be able to call their student at any time, even during class. If that's so, then why not allow only flip phones or non-smart phones? Along with cyberbullying, sexting, and other problems, this kind of pornography recruitment would grind to a halt if smart phones were not allowed in school. Or if parents simply didn't buy their kids smart phones. I don't understand why parents fight laws that would protect their children from the most horrible fate imaginable. There is also the fallacy of the need to preserve teens' privacy. Children need parents to be aware of everything going on in their lives. That's why they have parents. Ask Carrol O'Connor and others whose children have been harmed or even died before their parents knew what was happening. We need to quit getting our parenting values from the world, and get them from the Lord. Not to be judgmental, but kids are worth parents thinking through what they are doing, admitting their mistakes, and becoming the advocates for their children's safety, not their freedom.
Bruce F.November 5, 2017
AMEN! I would love to hear this address from the General Conference pulpit!
Deb SNovember 3, 2017
While I do agree wholeheartedly with your comments about parenting, the other comments about girls based on the forum you attended don't really fit with the overall message of the article. " Who loves a girl more than her family? Who will risk more for a woman than her family? Who will support her more?" - empowering girls from diverse cultural and economic backgrounds is far more complex than assigning them all a generic 'turn to your family' solution. Surely you realise that a good percentage of girls do not have a family or culture that values them (e.g. girls who are sold by their parents into slavery or sex trafficking). In the global context of empowering and helping girls - there is definitely a need for programs and funding to help those who don't come from families who help them.
Tori BlackNovember 3, 2017
Amen, Nicholson! The answers to societies ills are found in strong families with adults who know how to be parents, not pals, and certainly not the half-wits portrayed on Disney channel poison.
ADD A COMMENT