After attending a stake fireside on pornography put on by family services, and while living in a world where sexual things have become divisive and pervasive, I wanted to write down my thoughts and convictions.
I’m currently a bishop, a father, and the principal of a seminary. Before any of those though I was a boy, a teenager, and a young man with all of the awkwardness I could handle, and all of the strength of emotion that sometimes I thought I might not be able to. Long before all of that though, I was - I am - a child of God. I now recognize that that last truth is more important to all of this than I had supposed.
The procreative power our Heavenly Father has given to each of His children on this earth through birth and maturity is such an incredible trust! Think of it, of all the possible opportunities to partner with the Father in His Creative work, He extends to us the chance to be co-creators of the physical bodies He gives His very children!
Adding powerful detail to the degrees of glory revealed to Paul, the Lord taught Joseph that, “In the celestial glory there are three heavens or degrees; "And in order to obtain the highest, a man must enter into this order of the priesthood [meaning the new and everlasting covenant of marriage]; And if he does not, he cannot obtain it. He may enter into the other, but that is the end of his kingdom; he cannot have an increase” (D&C 131:2-4). Increase means family. The procreative power will only remain in the eternities with those who will be exalted. It is the privilege and even the very essence of Godhood.
It is such a privilege to wield procreative power in a lasting manner that no cheat, liar, or even lazy person will. Only those valiant in the testimony of Jesus (D&C 76:79), those who love not their lives even unto death (Rev. 12:11), those who sacrifice after the manner of the Son of God, those who make and keep sacred covenants. For the rest its use is momentary and, in eternity, fleeting.
Why does such a sacred and godly act have such a sordid reputation here on earth then? The answer lies at least partially in the raging jealousy of the devil and his followers.
When Satan and his followers were cast out of the presence of God for rebellion they came disembodied to this earth (see Abraham 3:26). Forever lacking that essential characteristic of godhood, their rebellion halted their progression and stifled their capacity for joy (see D&C 93:33). Their rage directed at sexuality seeks constantly to make something that is inherently Godly and sacred common and profane. Popular music, movies, shows and styles seek to arouse and exploit sacred God-given emotions for profit. These modern moneychangers need to be driven from this sacred space as forcefully as Jesus did it from the temple in Jerusalem.
Society won't do it - individuals and families must protect the sanctity of sexuality. I got a feel for this need as a college student looking for extra credit in my Psychology of Gender class. Without enough thought to look at the guest or the topic, I chose a date to go hear a speaker on campus. Walking in a little bit late, I looked quickly for a seat in a packed combination of ballrooms. I noticed, in passing first, but then more and more, that the audience was predominantly female. I took my seat and quickly found out why as the speaker began to recount her experience with date rape. The air was heavy with shock as we listened motionless to her detailed account. Then at the end she asked the males in attendance to stand. I remember quickly scanning for the exits and wondering if I was going to have to make a break for it. On the heels of such a story, opinions of males had to be at an all time low. The handful of us in attendance stood up slowly -- then she thanked us for coming. She suggested that in case we felt that this topic didn't have much to do with us that we should remember that 1 in 4 women are sexually assaulted in their lifetime. She asked us to think of four - mother, sister, wife, daughter - which one were we willing to let this happen to? I had 4 sisters at the time. I couldn't imagine. If we wanted to change that culture, she encouraged us to do a few things -- not to laugh next time someone told an objectifying joke, maybe even speak up against it. It would take bravery, but given the weight of what we'd all just heard, it wasn't hard to commit.
I heard once that President Nelson refuses to be entertained by the breaking of the commandments. What a powerful, yet difficult position. It sounds like Nephi to me - praying that the Lord would help shape his response - "Wilt thou make me that I may shake at the appearance of sin?" (2 Nephi 4:31). The media would shape my response to the appearance of sin also. What influences will I permit?
One of the strongest - and even surprising - emotions the Savior displayed during His earthly ministry was His response to the presence of the moneychangers in the temple. Those seeking to make money - to desecrate and make common merchandise of the sacred. "Sex sells," the modern moneychangers say - as they seek to stimulate sacred God-given emotions to move their product and attract viewers. Such is the world people say with a shrug of the shoulders. What about those who have taken upon them the name of Christ in this world though? How are they to act?
Last week we attended the open houses for the Taylorsville and the Layton temples. Neither one had been dedicated yet, that was still to come, but each had a row of people by the entrance to the temple putting white disposable plastic booties over each set of shoes that came by. To be holy means to be different, set apart, sanctified for a specific purpose. Right on the building, etched in stone are the words "Holiness to the Lord," His house is uncommon by nature - even in it's undedicated state - so much so that my shoes need covering before entering. The Lord said to Moses on Sinai - "put off thy shoes from off thy feet for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground (Exodus 3:5). What if we refused to allow the immorality in popular entertainment to be tracked into the sacred temple-topic of sexuality in our hearts and minds? What if the music we allow to play upon our feelings was also similarly guarded. What if we really drove the money-changers out?
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