By REY FLORES
There’s a little story I probably have shared in this column at least once or twice, but because I love the lesson I learned by it, I will share it once more.
When I visited with the Sisters of Life in New York City about five years ago, one of the sisters asked me how I liked the city so far. I told her that it was as big, noisy, and dirty as any big city is expected to be. I did also share that I was somewhat shocked by some of the barely there immodest fashions some women were wearing in public.
She told me, “Rey, you are allowed that first look because you weren’t expecting to see a woman so immodestly dressed. But after that, you are aware of it and responsible to remain vigilant of your eyes and thoughts.” Boom!
Sister was right; sometimes we aren’t expecting such sights to enter our field of vision, but once we have identified what or who they are, then we must act and behave accordingly.
This past week, Covenant Eyes, the Internet company founded well over a decade ago to help families filter out pornography, sent out a quick two-question email survey.
The two questions were:
“Do you believe the church should help its people better understand Internet temptation, including pornography?” and “What specific resources could the church provide to help its people confront Internet temptation?”
My answer to that first question was: “Absolutely yes!” The answer to the second question was: “Have the priests address this head-on from the pulpit.”
While parish ministries addressing social and spiritual concerns are a great part of an active and thriving parish, nothing hits home as hard as when our pastor, our earthly shepherd, addresses it directly at Sunday Mass.
I cannot recall the last time I heard a priest talking about the dangers of pornography during his homily. The only thing I have seen in the parishes I’ve attended in the last five or so years relating to pornography were the Covenant Eyes promo fliers in a church vestibule somewhere on the east coast.
According to some data and statistics compiled by Covenant Eyes, only seven percent of churches have a ministry helping those who struggle with pornography. Only seven percent!
Imagine how many of the men and boys, and perhaps even some women, sitting all around us during Sunday Mass may be fighting against the temptation of pornography every day?
Covenant Eyes Internet and accountability plans and software have become that much more important, and urgent to install on all your technology at home, work, and school and even in our parishes. The bigger, faster, and more powerful our access to technology has become, the more stealthy pornography has gotten.
More data research from ShesSomebodysDaughter.com tells us that the pornography problem is massive, mainstream, and a soul-killer. Here are just a few facts from this website: Seven out of every ten men in America of adult age view pornography. Fifty-six percent of divorces involve one of the spouses addicted to pornography. And one out of every six women in America struggles with an online porno addiction.
Where are all the good men, I ask? No wonder young people struggle more and more with each generation in finding a decent suitable future spouse. It is in large part because our young people are under serious attack by the porn industry.
Did you know that while much of the pornography is “free” — and I use the term loosely because sin is never free — Americans in 2004 were spending over three million dollars a day on their porno addictions? I’d hate to even imagine what those numbers would look like today.
No matter how many billions of dollars are either invested in producing porn or how much consumers are wasting on it, the truly shocking number concerns the souls lost in eternal damnation because of porn.
Today I am sickened by the fact that thanks to one of my dad’s hidden Hustler magazines, I was first exposed to this scourge at the tender age of seven. Admittedly, I struggled with pornography for most of my teens and twenties, and while the temptation arises occasionally, I immediately shut down my computer and say a Memorare.
I am, however, grateful that I did not grow up with the Internet because today’s boys are probably discovering online porn at even younger ages as lazy parents simply give more access to technology to their kids to get them out of their hair.
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church (n. 2354):
“Pornography consists in removing real or simulated sexual acts from the intimacy of the partners, to display them deliberately to third parties. It offends against chastity because it perverts the conjugal act, the intimate giving of spouses to each other. It does grave injury to the dignity of its participants (actors, vendors, the public), since each one becomes an object of base pleasure and illicit profit for others. It immerses all who are involved in the illusion of a fantasy world. It is a grave offense. Civil authorities should prevent the production and distribution of pornographic materials.”
This specific column is not necessarily an endorsement for any product or a replacement for good Christian parenting, but Covenant Eyes may help filter out some of those demons who want to devour our children’s souls, as well as our own.
Visit CovenantEyes.com for more information.
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(Rey Flores is a Catholic writer and speaker. Contact Rey at reyfloresusa@gmail.com.)
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