Parents, Are You Monitoring What Your Children Look at Online?

Parents, Are You Monitoring What Your Children Look at Online?
Written by Joseph T. Lee

In today’s society, parents are buying their children smart phones. I have seen kids as young as 8 years old with their own smart phone. The mindset behind this is to allow them contact with their parents in the event of any incident that occurs at school. Unfortunately, kids being kids are exploring the internet, and many times with no parental control.

On any smart phone, the user may download apps like Google Chrome or any web browser, just like what can be downloaded on any computer. Google will allow the user to type in any combination of words to find pornography and then the user may select images at the top of the screen and then see any image that has words similar to what was typed in. Sometimes these images are very, very graphic. Anyone can type in an acronym and select image and see the vilest images from graphic websites. The worst part of all is that your children may be viewing these graphic images.

Once these images are seen, then they cannot be unseen. There are many school children addicted to pornography (porn) as young as 11 years old.

According to Summit Pediatrics website, “On average, children now experience porn for the first time at age 11. Teenage boys are the most susceptible to the suggestive messages. However, at this young age, all children are vulnerable to addictive nature of these graphic images. That’s why it’s important to have conversations with your children early. It’s also crucial for parents to recognize the warning signs that their child might be viewing porn on a daily basis. Below are four signs that your child might need help.”

These are the four warning signs according to Summit Pediatrics in Draper, Utah:

1. Isolation, Disinterest in Friends and Activities.

2. Depression or Sudden Changes in Mood.

3. Increased Secrecy.

4. Sexual Explicit Language and Drawings.

If your child is experiencing any of these warning signs, you should seek psychological counseling from a Christian counseling center as soon as possible or talk to their pediatrician for guidance. A specialized therapist will be able to help you and your child.

Pornography can be very addictive and may start out as looking at ladies nightgowns and then click on one picture that excites them which leads to another and another. Before long, they will continue to explore to find a photo that excites them even more until they have viewed hundreds and hundreds of images and have become addicted to porn.

As adults, addictions are hard to break but children are very vulnerable and addictions could potentially last a lifetime. These addictions can lead to exploration of their own sexuality including masturbation, sexual encounters with other children, and potentially unwanted encounters of other kids such as improper touching or an unwanted sexual advance.

Giving your child a smart phone with no parental controls is like giving them a loaded handgun to play with, in that smart phones can cause damage psychologically. Pornography addiction can last a lifetime and can damage relationships including marriage.

People who are addicted can hide their addictions very well. Pornography can cause married couples to end their marriage in divorce.

Every time the man or woman looks at another male or female with lust in their eyes or hearts has broken the 10th Commandment, “Thou shalt not covet.” According to the Reporter Times, “Covet means to want something that belongs to someone else. A person who covets may be led to break almost all the other commandments.” If the person looking at pornography masturbates to the images, they have physically committed adultery not just in their hearts but physically by proxy. This means they have broken the 7th Commandment, “Thou shalt not commit adultery.”

Looking at pornography and becoming addicted can lead one to worship it. Porn has become an idol to the one who is addicted. This person most likely has broken the 1st Commandment, “You shall have no other God’s before me.” It is also possible that this person has broken the 2nd Commandment as well, “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven images.” Any one who worships anything other than God has broken these commandments, which God originally gave the Israelites, His chosen people. As Christians, we are to abide by these Ten Commandments because those are God’s laws for us as well.

For those who are adults and are addicted to pornography, when you view porn, you have lusted after someone who is not your spouse. If you have masturbated to the image, you have committed adultery by proxy and have denied your spouse, thus cheated outside the marriage. Those who have not married, but still exhibit the same behavior, you have committed fornication by proxy which is a sin against God as well as your own body.

Addiction is a form of slavery. One can be a slave to pornography and ultimately a slave to masturbation. These addictions can be as strong as addictions to cocaine or meth.

If you are a Christian, there is nothing that pleases Satan more that to attempt to cause a separation between you and God. Don’t let Satan have victory over your life. Immediately confess that you are a porn addict, ask forgiveness, and repent, meaning stop looking at it. If you cannot stop, then you will need outside intervention through Christian counseling.

There is also an organization that is located In Lynchburg, Virginia called Proven Ministries. Their web address is www.ProvenMen.org. This non-profit organization deals exclusively with overcoming pornography addiction. Their mission statement is as follows: “We have a passion to see men being set free from their sin and passionately pursuing Jesus in a personal relationship with Him. We desire to see this transformation and growth to happen within the walls of the local church! It’s all about men experiencing the power of the Gospel within their lives and struggles!”

Proven Ministries will also work with women, wives and families. Our ministry endorses Proven Ministries. If you are addicted and want to change, I would highly recommend that you reach out to them for help or a local Christian Counseling Agency who will use the Bible for guidance and encouragement.

References:

Summit Pediatrics, Draper, Utah

The Reporter Times

Proven Ministries

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