boxer

No you are clueless. Step 1: "Admit that you, of yourself, are powerless to overcome your addictions and that your life has become unmanageable." That is a total utter complete lie. You are not powerless and it is not an addiction and if your life was really that unmanageable due to your actions-you'd stop immediately. You are choosing a path which has negative consequences-however the reason you are choosing the path is because the desire, the momentary pleasure you get from choosing to do this, outweighs the negative consequences. Until a person chooses to have a different vision for their life, until a person chooses to recognize that the behavior they are doing leads nowhere good they will continue to choose this path. The first step is based on a complete lie. Of course you have all the power to choose a different path-there is no such thing as an "addiction"-it's a myth, a facade. There is nothing wrong with your brain, there is such thing as the "disease" of addiction. It's all a choice. And it's not about "willpower". It's about changing your will-changing what you desire most. The Church makes this huge complicated program b/c it bought into the lie of the 12-step program that has no data to actually back up any "success" rate b/c it feels good rather than it being the truth. Pornography is sin, why do people do it-b/c they enjoy it, b/c they desire the sin, it's pretty dang simple and it's pretty dang simple to get rid of. Change the desires of the heart and the behavior will change. You don't need a stupid 12-step program to help you-you just need a change of heart. That change of heart is the exact same thing that happened to Alma-it's called conversion! Don't mean to be rude, but before you spout off you should look into what you think you know b/c you don't have a clue.

--------------- Sure, many of the devout and faithful may go their whole lives without succumbing to the temptation of theft. But I'm not buying that slipping up in that very specific area negates the amount of work they've done to improve themselves morally and spiritually. It means they have more work to do, sure, but I wouldn't presume to question the relationship that such a person has with his/her diety. ------------- Sure, many of the devout and faithful may go their whole lives without succumbing to the temptation of adultery. But I'm not buying that slipping up in that very specific area negates the amount of work they've done to improve themselves morally and spiritually. It means they have more work to do, sure, but I wouldn't presume to question the relationship that such a person has with his/her diety. ------------- Sure, many of the devout and faithful may go their whole lives without succumbing to the temptation of committing violence against someone. But I'm not buying that slipping up in that very specific area negates the amount of work they've done to improve themselves morally and spiritually. It means they have more work to do, sure, but I wouldn't presume to question the relationship that such a person has with his/her diety. ------------- Fixed it for ya! No one "slips up" when it comes to theft, when it comes to adultery or violence, but somehow magically people "slip up" with pornography-that's a load of bull. It's a deliberate willful act. Just because you have a frame of mind (and your frame of mind is not uncommon), that it's basically a minor indiscretion doesn't mean it actually is a minor indiscretion. Using the term "slip up", is just a way to lie to oneself and make it seem as if the person who committed the "slip up" was a robot with no free will, no choice, no ability to make different choices-it absolves the individual of personal responsibility and it a way for individuals to socially cover the sins of others. It allows oneself to feel "compassionate", when it's really nothing of the sort. The truth is hard and a lot of people spend their whole lives running from the truth. The truth when it comes to pornography, homosexuality, theft, adultery or any other vice/sin/wickedness isn't b/c of a "mistake" or a "slip-up", it's because the person who commits it-likes it. Which is why you see the line of attack most vigorously with homosexuals that they were "born that way"-it's the best way to convince others that what you really like is "beyond your control" and therefore no one has a right to "judge" and the only thing that should be done is to "love" (which really means don't you dare say one word about how you dislike my choices). Homosexuals have sold most of the Christian world one big lie and of course if one is "born that way" then to "deny" one the "right" to be "who God created me as" is the ultimate hate.

I was specifically speaking about pornography (but it can apply to other similarly wicked behavior, which is given a pass in today's society). Pornography is one of the greatest evils and scourges to sweep the earth. It devalues that which is sacred, it makes men and women just flesh to be used rather than Sons and Daughters of God, it indulges the mind in fantasies which were never real and can never be real. It teaches youth horrible thought patterns about relationships, sexual intimacy and about controlling themselves. Through pornography comes such incredible wickedness and evil. No, it is a horrific sin, and no convert to Christ, no man who understands what it means to be a Saint would EVER indulge in it. It's a great shame that so many men in the Church do so-and b/c so many do if the Church really hammered on it droves of men would not be going to the temple, sacrament etc. A man who indulges in porn. in the Church will not have the Priesthood . . .oh he might have it in name but he can't possibly have a true bead on being able to use His Priesthood b/c his mind will be so polluted with evilness and the promptings of wicked spirits. Anyone who says it is an "addiction" has absolutely no clue as to what it really is, b/c it's not an "addiction", it is simply a manifestation of the desires of an untrained heart (for those who start when young) and a manifestation of a wicked evil heart for an adult who does not get rid of it. It pollutes the mind, it draws in evil, wicked spirits around a person which infects their entire soul, it is a cancer and a rot that will lead to hell. ----- High likelihood this Stacy guy looks at pornography in some fashion.

To further elaborate: There are CLEAR standards which are outlined in the scriptures of what constitutes a decent individual. Do not steal, Do not cheat, do not commit adultery, etc. etc. etc. Christ laid out even further restrictions for which we should all strive for. Do not be angry with your brother, do not judge unrighteously, do not look after strange flesh and lust after it. Your problem @Godlessis that the world is so wicked today that no one wants to admit they are a wicked, fallen, sinful individual and that we are all just "good people" who "make mistakes". Yet " And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. " There is a lot of wisdom in what Christ is saying. Mortality is a constant struggle, a constant battle against the natural man. No, I don't buy into your vapid, hedonistic argument that to call sin sin, to call wicked wickedness, to call evil evilness is to mean what you said. Your argument is just a lie from Satan, a way to deceive others into thinking there is no need for change, no need for constant evaluation of your own life. And to which I'm very grateful for one who atoned for my sins as I continually make the climb to refine myself. But you do you . . .I'm surprised so many "saints" are taken in by the arguments of one who openly proclaims they are "godless". But it is the last days . . .when good is called evil and evil called good.

Is that what I said? Thank you for the prototypical strawman argument.

Way to miss the point yourself. I never said you "pretend", I said you change yourself. But good job missing the boat.

They aren't spinning it. Homosexuality in everyway except in deed is accepted in the Church. It is now an acceptable way to think, feel and believe . . . just not act. It can only be an acceptable way to think, feel, believe for a short time period before it will be an acceptable way to act. Just as day follows night it will eventually be an acceptable way to act-unless it no longer becomes an acceptable way to think, feel and believe.

Except the actual rates of recovery using ARP programs is pretty dismal-might as well flip a coin and you'd have just as good a chance. https://luxury.rehabs.com/12-step-programs/aa-success-rates/ https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/03/the-surprising-failures-of-12-steps/284616/ ARP programs are total complete bunk-sure they may help some people, just like a placebo helps some people too! Starting off saying the typical line is so weak. Just like all things in life we each have certain desires and for whatever reason the person who is "addicted" whether to porn, drugs, homosexuality, etc. they are choosing that lifestyle b/c they enjoy it. When they figure out how to change what they desire then the "addiction" will magically disappear. It's unfortunate that the Church bought into the 12 step program-but I guess it makes people feel good instead of acknowledging the obvious; we are wicked, sinful fallen creature who must put off the natural man to change. The natural man is carnal, desires things of this world more than the things of God. The natural man desires things like pornography, homosexuality, etc. Put off the natural man and become converted to Christ and those "addictions" will fall away. Men look at pornography b/c they aren't converted to Christ-period. It's easy to give wickedness a pass b/c no one likes to say "mean" things today. It's easier for people to lie to themselves, get up bear a quick testimony and say "I believe in Christ, I'm converted"-except their hearts are faaar from Him-than it is to admit to oneself, I thought I was a disciple of Christ, but I'm really not.

There is a good youtube video that breaks down this debate and far from Trump being the aggressor-Clinton was actually the one through her body language was being extremely aggressive towards Trump. She didn't obey the unspoken rules of personal space; several times she pointedly walked directly into Trumps stage space to challenge him. This was totally intentionally . . .and of course afterwards she plays the woman card.

No I wouldn't raise a stink and neither would you.

I don't look at people based on skin color-that's something only racists do. Only 500 people out of a total population of 300+ million get the "privilege" of being a CEO of a Fortune 500 company. I don't think it is anything remotely representative of anything-I just think there are 500 people who freaking kicked the butt of all the other people who wanted to be CEOs. Maybe you should read their individual stories rather than look at their skin color.

@2ndRateMind Since you are fixed on race and minority groups, you do realize that in the United States white babies are now the minority? https://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2016/07/01/484325664/babies-of-color-are-now-the-majority-census-says In another 20-30 years, whites will be in the minority. I wonder (since you are so fixated on race) if you will be so willing to fight for social justice on behalf of whites in 30 years?

I'm always open to learning-teach me . . .oh you want $85 . . .nah I'll pass. But thank you oh great one for offering.

Nah, better yet, since you are really judgmental-why don't you teach me oh great master. Please, I yearn to bask in the light of your enhanced light and knowledge. It is so bright I must shield my eyes from one so great as you.

So it's a privilege to be a CEO-it's something that is gifted to you. It has nothing to do with competence, just with it being given to you?