Hemidakota Posted August 10, 2009 Report Share Posted August 10, 2009 Hello all...I've been wanting to join this forum for a while and for a specific reason. First off, I was born into a good Mormon family, and it still is good. I got baptized at 8, got arronic priesthood at 12, and now I am 16...I want to go on a mission, I can't picture what my life would become if I didn't, but I have a problem...I've gotten addicted to...porn. It started out with a small temptation and led to this...Last night I even masturbated to it...I've tried to stop many times, and I was sober for months but then summer vacation came...A time of boredom and loneliness. I've done it again. A few times this summer. Not daily, maybe ever other 2 weeks, but it's becoming more frequent. This is a serious problem I want to get through. Can I go on a mission at age 19 if I repent? Please give me some advice...Thanks.Yes...go see your Bishop. There is only two sins that cannot be repentant, 1] Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, 2] and murder when you receive the fullness of the Priesthood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mahone Posted August 10, 2009 Report Share Posted August 10, 2009 Statistically 1 out of 2 people in the mission field are addicted to porn. 1 out of 3 pastors are. Its becoming more even for women.Do you mind if I ask where you got these statistics? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harveyf Posted August 11, 2009 Report Share Posted August 11, 2009 I work in the Church's PASG program. I am very interested in statistics. these are the ones I know of that are credible. 40% of men addicted to porn will lose their spouse. the average age of exposure to internet porn is age 11. 100% of teens will be exposed to porn by age 18. 25% of all of the church's addiction recovery programs is for pornography addiction. At a conference in SLC a former mtc president said that 50% of all in the mtc have "had more than a casual exposure to porn." that is shocking to me, these are the ones that made it on a mission. Female addiction is on the rise, to be sure this addiction really sucks, I work in the program because I am a recovering addict. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puf_the_majic_dragon Posted August 11, 2009 Report Share Posted August 11, 2009 I work in the Church's PASG program. I am very interested in statistics. these are the ones I know of that are credible. 40% of men addicted to porn will lose their spouse. the average age of exposure to internet porn is age 11. 100% of teens will be exposed to porn by age 18. 25% of all of the church's addiction recovery programs is for pornography addiction. At a conference in SLC a former mtc president said that 50% of all in the mtc have "had more than a casual exposure to porn." that is shocking to me, these are the ones that made it on a mission. Female addiction is on the rise, to be surethis addiction really sucks, I work in the program because I am a recovering addict.The 50% of missionaries stat is actually quite encouraging. It tells me A: that at least half of our missionaries have had SOME kind of exposure to reality (vs those that grow up completely sheltered and unaware of anything) and B: that repentance works.Maybe I'm just an optimist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mahone Posted August 11, 2009 Report Share Posted August 11, 2009 I work in the Church's PASG program. I am very interested in statistics. these are the ones I know of that are credible. 40% of men addicted to porn will lose their spouse. the average age of exposure to internet porn is age 11. 100% of teens will be exposed to porn by age 18. 25% of all of the church's addiction recovery programs is for pornography addiction. At a conference in SLC a former mtc president said that 50% of all in the mtc have "had more than a casual exposure to porn." that is shocking to me, these are the ones that made it on a mission. That is interesting - I wonder what the MTC president meant by "more than casual exposure". He didn't go as far as to say they were addict to porn at some point. I think most people have been exposed to real pornography at some point (not just casual stuff that you might see on the top shelf of a newsagents). For myself for instance, I have been exposed as part of a previous job and the potential for seeing it in at some point in my current job is also fairly large. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harveyf Posted August 12, 2009 Report Share Posted August 12, 2009 This was at a porn conference put on by meridian magazine, and unfortunatly he did not elaborate on the subject, just that this was such a huge problem, he had to deal with. The elite of Gods forces were plauged with this problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puf_the_majic_dragon Posted August 12, 2009 Report Share Posted August 12, 2009 This was at a porn conference put on by meridian magazine, and unfortunatly he did not elaborate on the subject, just that this was such a huge problem, he had to deal with. The elite of Gods forces were plauged with this problem.I'm not entirely sure I'd call a bunch of 19 year olds the "elite" of God's forces. They're the shock troops, not the calvary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rameumptom Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 · Hidden Hidden Yeah, and they aren't the CALVARY, either.... Link to comment
rameumptom Posted August 13, 2009 Report Share Posted August 13, 2009 Yeah, and they aren't the CAVALRY, either.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RegretfulGuy Posted August 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2009 Well, I think I'm chickening out of telling the Bishop...Any ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kawazu Posted August 13, 2009 Report Share Posted August 13, 2009 Well, I think I'm chickening out of telling the Bishop...Any ideas?Hi,Do you have his e-mail address? Start there. That's probably less embarrassing than bringing it up, in person.Cheers,Kawazu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanh Posted August 13, 2009 Report Share Posted August 13, 2009 Regretfulguy, I'm really glad you are following up on this and seeking advice. I'm not sure there is any real way around it. As far as I understand, the Bishop is the go-to-guy.I know exactly what you are feeling. It's been a long time, but I can still remember when I was 16, and was about to be baptized, I needed to confess a few things that happened prior to joining the church. I was absolutely terrified. Things that helped me get past that:- an understanding that satan was using fear as a tool to try to keep me trapped.- analyzing and breaking down the specific factors that were making me fearful. I think you have identified at least some of these aspects. Which bothers you the most? Why? Are your fears well placed, or figments of imagination. - I had to face what I wanted more - to be right with my Heavenly Father, or be right with 'man'. HF already knew my sins, and all I needed to do was go through the correct repentence process. Or, I could take the route that seemed easier at the moment (but which would cause far more problems in the long-term), and hope to continue to hide my flaws from any and all 'men'.In reference to pornography, President Hinkley said:"Plead with the Lord out of the depths of your soul that He will remove from you the addiction which enslaves you. And may you have the courage to seek the loving guidance of your bishop and, if necessary, the counsel of caring professionals” (Liahona and Ensign, Nov. 2004, 62).Some reading assignments for you:My Battle with Pornography - Liahona July 2007Danger Ahead! Avoiding Pornography’s TrapThe thought of confessing to the bishop made me cringe. I felt it would be better to tell the bishop about the problem when it was in the past. But I finally realized it wasn’t ever going to be in the past if I did not confess. If God already knew my struggles and I felt comfortable talking about them in prayer, why not talk face to face with God’s servant? Once I finally decided to confess, I felt a reassuring peace that it was the right thing to do.Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “To Be Free of Heavy Burdens,” Liahona and Ensign, Nov. 2002, 87.Seek out your bishop. He will show you how to repent and will help you do it. As you pray and act, you will be led to others who will support you. Repentance is a process of cleansing. It is difficult, but it has an end, a glorious end with peace and refreshing forgiveness and the miracle of a new beginning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hemidakota Posted August 14, 2009 Report Share Posted August 14, 2009 Well, I think I'm chickening out of telling the Bishop...Any ideas?Fast and prayer but give the ward Exec Sec a call for appointment. The Lord will be with you. You need to take this first step. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lporter Posted November 18, 2010 Report Share Posted November 18, 2010 I was told recently in a priesthood meeting that the bishop has a 'declared confidentiality rule'...'he will keep all conversations confidential unless you are requesting extra mediation' or something along those lines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pam Posted November 18, 2010 Report Share Posted November 18, 2010 Since this thread is over a year old, I am closing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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