Repentance question


bytor2112
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Last night as I was channel surfing I paused on a documentary on "E" about a "porn" actress named Jenna Jameson. I listened to an interview segment with her and was struck with several thoughts. The first thought was that she was very beautiful, very well spoken and conservatively dressed. I wondered what steps she would have to take for repentance and to be recieved in baptism. Her sins are different from another 's who may have been sexual promiscuous, because her acts have been recorded for others to see and she has a star like status because of her films and has apparently built quite a financial empire as a result of her involvment in this type of lifestyle. She would obviously have to divest from any form of this business, yet people would always have access to her films. How would she be received by members of the church? She could never really escape her past. I know the atonement is for everyone, I wonder what would happen in a case like this..... Edited by bytor2112
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you really just said it best

The atonement is for everyone.

Her repentance process would really depend on the choices she has made in her live, the availability of the gospel, etc. Say she was born in the church, then went apostate and built her empire. That would be a near impossible repentance process. I think her repentance process would probably involve letting go of that financial flow she is recieving from the porn industry though. She would have to literally change everything about her life. Talk about tough.

But, as members, we would be responsible for keeping her strong and realizing that she has made mistakes, but we all have. We have all relied upon the atonement at one point in our lives, and if we say we haven't we are fooling ourselves. The truth is we should rely upon it daily, and if we are doing so and living in righteousness, that we would have no problem with accepting her as our sister.

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Should she choose that route and repent, the opinion of the Lord would be the most important. People would still have access to her films, and some in the church would probably judge her and be disgusted with her. Her Heavenly Father and her priesthood leaders, however, we deem her worthy to enter the temple and participate fully in the blessings of the gospel. That is the most important validation.

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I should imagine that the majority of members would receive her well and hopefully ignore her past if she was genuine about her intentions to repent and leave her past behind. I once saw a "clean" documentary about her and was actually surprised how well she presented herself.

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...and he inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile.

Stranger things have happened.

Arthur Killer Kane (Bass player from the '60's New York Punk Band "New York Dolls") entered the waters of baptism. They made a pretty decent rockumentary about it:

As for someone's past always being with them, it opens up some interesting missionary opportunities.

Youtube - David Johansen/Buster Poindexter playing "All is well" in tribute to Arthur

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As I ponder this, I think about all of those who buy or watch pornography and how that has enabled her and others like her to do such damage t o their lives. And also, the damage her films causes to those who are drawn to them.

Forgiveness would be available to all who seek it and go through the process. If we were talking about a bottle of wine instead of a person once a person gave up drinking they would be forgiven and the makers of the wine would not be held accountable would they?

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I agree with all being said, repentance is for everyone because of the Atonement.

It would be an incredible difficult road, it seems to me. She would have to have the courage of Amulek and leave it all behind. And then do whatever it takes to make restitution, it seems to me.

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Forgiveness would be available to all who seek it and go through the process. If we were talking about a bottle of wine instead of a person once a person gave up drinking they would be forgiven and the makers of the wine would not be held accountable would they?

I only meant that if pornography wasn't so widely consumed that perhaps her choice to follow this path in life wouldn't have been so attractive.

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I only meant that if pornography wasn't so widely consumed that perhaps her choice to follow this path in life wouldn't have been so attractive.

Oh I see. I have never thought of it that way.

As I think of it, the consumers for many sinful things make it a lucrative business.

Why does sin have to be so attractive...

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I only meant that if pornography wasn't so widely consumed that perhaps her choice to follow this path in life wouldn't have been so attractive.

True. But then, isn't her "attractiveness" in prostituting her sacred things the root of the problem? I don't see how you can blame the john without blaming the whore.

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It is all about Alma the Younger, Baby!!!

Let's say she does repent. She may not be able to stop the circulation of all of her productions, but she could start to work against the industry and use any "status" to become a role model for young girls in warning them about such a career.

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It isn't describing the activity, it is describing the person. It may be a very distasteful profession, but she is still someone's sister and daughter.

I'm not sure I understand your point. Someone who practices banking is a banker. Someone who practices writing is a writer. Someone who practices whoring is a whore.

Do you think the term "whore" denies a whore's basic humanity -- being someone's daughter and sister? If so, consider: We don't call animals "whores". Only human beings merit that distinction.

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If she were to join the Church, she would not be held accountable for anyone watching her videos. No one would be held accountable for her decision to star in those videos. Complete and total forgiveness would be offered her by the Savior on the condition that she never engaged in those sins again. If she chose to pursue an aggressive campaign against the industry, she would certainly be entitled to and there are many organizations that would welcome that. However, she would also be completely within her rights to quietly disappear from public eye.

Any and all revenues she's received to date would be considered honest and clean money as part of her forgiveness.

The only loose end I see is what does she do with future revenues incurred from royalties and such. I don't know how receiving funds from that industry would affect her standing in the Church, if she could tithe it, etc. Those are probably issues to be worked out with priesthood leaders.

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True. But then, isn't her "attractiveness" in prostituting her sacred things the root of the problem? I don't see how you can blame the john without blaming the whore.

Unholy desires to be sure and one definitely feeds off the other! I am not going to blame anyone, just think it is unfortunate. Um, john? Whore? I guess one might say if the shoe fits wear it.......but, perhaps in a Christ like spirit we could refer to her or them as lost or something else?

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If we call the male offender "john" why not call the female offender "jane"?

Actually, since I have many beloved friends and relatives named John, a better question might be, "If we call the female offended a whore, why don't we call the male offender a whoremonger?" It would be much more fitting, and as a bonus would keep from slandering a noble and dignified name.

Alas, the language is what it is. John is, unfortunately, the term used to describe a whore's customer. But if we started calling whores janes, that would merely pollute and slander another otherwise perfectly respectable and beautiful name. I wouldn't wish that on the Janes of the English-speaking world.

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