I arrived home late Saturday night after driving 4 hours from Houston. During those hours alone on the road I tried to process all I learned at the 3rd Annual Coalition to End Sexual Exploitation Summit, 3rd for them, 1st for me.
I went to the conference because of past experiences with Christians Against Trafficking in Tulsa, OK. I picked up my Tulsa friend at the Houston airport and we spent 3 days together at this summit. Reuniting with her, sharing family stories, laughing and eating was the calm before the storm.
And it was a storm. A storm of information that left me stunned, breathless at times, and very sad at times, very encouraged at other times. It was a three day storm of lectures by the most prominent, highly educated and respected people in the country in the area of sexual exploitation. Those speaking were Dr's., lawyers, survivors, ministers, Priests, Rabbi's, Phd's, young, old, recovering addicts, homosexuals, Christians, atheists, authors, nurses, politicians, founders of organizations, film people, and interested citizens whose heart is breaking for the CHILDREN of America.
As we heard on day 1, lecture 1, "When a maniac is at the door brothers reconcile." The following days revealed the nature of that maniac." The maniac and the foundation for all sexual exploitation is: Pornography. "Dehumanizing a human makes violence against them much more acceptable."
I'm organizing some one liners from my notes.
"Humans have intrinsic worth and the human body is worthy of reverence."
"The only proper attitude toward the human being is love. If we don't get love right we don't get life right."
"There is some good in this world and it is worth fighting for."
"You can change one persons life without making a significant dent in the industry. But that is ONE persons life."
"The ordinances on the local books are enough to put sex businesses out of business." (I have a list!
Usually the city fathers do not WANT to close up the shops because of the money it brings to the city.!)
"McDonald's, Starbucks, Hilton, Hyatt, Intercontinental, Starwood and all airlines except American now filter their Wifi and hardcore porn is no longer streamed at those businesses." (Great success stories.)
"Porn in high fashioned magazines and in the mainstream media have created a culture of acceptance of the unacceptable."
"Snuff films are porn films that end with the killing of a life actress."
"Virtual Reality Porn is the next technology in the industry."
A man can customize a virtual girlfriend: color of eyes, hair, accent, & speech. (She can call him "king of the world" if that's what he wants.)
He then places the "glasses" on his face and his dream woman can look right into his eyes.
He can "touch her" and she will respond. If he purchases a footed-pajama type suit, he can "feel" her touching him.
The Japanese men that invented all this now have "no use for women."
(Hugh Hefner had no idea where his magazine would lead America.)
"If the church does not address porn it will self-destruct."
"There is no time to pray and wait." "Pastor silence does more damage."
"Pornography will soon be mainstream in the church" (Plenty of stats!)
"Porn changes your brain." (Lots of stats, charts, proof!)
"Human trafficking occurs at clubs, bars, massage parlors, strip clubs and nail salons."
"Porn itself is Human Trafficking."
"In Houston, 13 brothels opened in 13 days along Memorial Drive.
"Australia is the rape capital of the world."
"The fact that you may not succeed should not deter you from trying." Martin Luther
"Destroy men and boys and the culture is destroyed."
"Victims go to the Dr. 15 times before the Dr's. ask the right questions."
"We must create a culture of protectors rather than predators."
"There is no such thing as a child prostitute."
"Children's Hospital in Houston receives 60-80 cases of CHILD sexual assault a MONTH in the ER."
"Internet gaming/video games taps into the "reward" system of the brain, impulse control is not developed until the age of 25."
"A menu of age and preference is available to porn users online, 3yo means "tap" here and porn pictures of 3 year old children will pop up. The menu lists children's ages down to infants, all for a price of course."
"It is no accident that older models dress as young school girls in advertisements."
"53% of children online have NO parental supervision." (2 books for young children, "My Body is a Gift From God" and "Good Pictures, Bad Pictures."
"8 year olds exposed to online porn are now addicted."
"Sexting to young teenage girls is interpreted as, he likes me."
Porn is our NATIONAL HEALTH CARE CRISIS. And must be addressed much like seat belts in cars, smoking, and driving while drinking.
AFTER 3 days of continuous information from experts, I AM VERY ENCOURAGED.
There are smart, powerful people in places of influences that are taking on the challenge,
"For the sake of the children." The folks in this fight are young, old, religious, non-religious, highly educated, and highly motivated. They have vowed to stop the maniac in it's tracks. The law and the moral high ground are on their side. I believe this fight will be won in my lifetime.
How??? Well......I buckle up my seat belt every time I get in the car, I do not smoke and I do not drink and drive. A huge movement equal to those cultural movements now recognizes that pornography is a NATIONAL HEALTH CARE ISSUE and that movement is gaining momentum.
This battle will not be won by politicians or Hollywood. It will be fought and won in homes, coffee shops, family gatherings and everywhere conversation about it's seriousness takes place. It will be won as people realize the death Porn brings to individuals, marriages, families, children and the society. It will be won when SHAME is attached to any and everyone that participates in it's filth. It will be won when pornography addiction treatment is common, acceptable and successful. It will be won when decency, respect and reverence for other human beings is a lifestyle. It will be won when the church tackles the issue. It will be won when ALL good people in this country decide that enough is enough.
