PORNOGRAPHY
SELECTED TEACHINGS
Effects of Pornography on Dating,
Marriages, and Families
President Spencer W. Kimball
“We urge, with Peter, ‘... Abstain from fleshly lusts,
which war against the soul.’ (1 Pet. 2:11.) No indecent
exposure or pornography or other aberrations to
defile the mind and spirit” (in Conference Report,
Apr. 1974, 8; or Ensign,May 1974, 7).
“We hope that our parents and leaders will not
tolerate pornography. It is really garbage, but today
is peddled as normal and satisfactory food. Many
writers seem to take delight in polluting the
atmosphere with it. Seemingly, it cannot be stopped
by legislation. There is a link between pornography
and the low, sexual drives and perversions. We live
in a culture which venerates the orgasm, streaking,
trading wives, and similar crazes. How low can
humans plunge! We pray with our Lord that we may
be kept from being in the world. It is sad that decent
people are thrown into a filthy area of mental and
spiritual pollution. We call upon all of our people to
do all in their power to offset this ugly revolution.
“It is ridiculous to imply that pornography has no
effect. There is a definite relationship to crime.
Murder, robbery, rape, prostitution, and
commercialized vice are fed on this immorality.
Sex crime statistics seem to reflect a relationship
between crime and pornography.
“It is utterly without redeeming social value. We
urge our families to protect their children in every
way possible. We live in a permissive world, but we
must make certain we do not become a part of that
permissive world, that degenerate world. We are
shocked at the depths to which many people of this
world go to assert their freedom. We fear that the
trends of permissiveness toward immorality are
destroying the moral fabric of our generation....
“Every form of homosexuality is sin. Pornography is
one of the approaches to that transgression. There
is no halfway” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1974,
7–8; or Ensign,Nov. 1974, 7–8).
“‘Pornography degrades sex and humanity. Sex is an
extremely delicate part of our human relationships.
When you assault that and degrade it, you make it
an animalistic act and it is an assault on our
humanity generally.
“‘As that spreads, it has an over-all effect on our
population. Obscenity is counter to civilization. It
attacks our basic beliefs. It’s an attack on the family
ethic.’ (Larry Parrish, U.S. Assistant Attorney, in
“War on Pornography,” p. 76.)...
“Sins spawned by pornography unfortunately
perpetuate other serious transgressions, including
abortion” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1976, 6; or
Ensign,Nov. 1976, 6).
“We need continually to fortify our homes and
families and defend them against the onslaught of
evils such as divorce, broken families, brutality, and
abuse, especially of wives and children. We need to
constantly guard against immorality, pornography,
and sexual permissiveness that would destroy the
purity of the family members, young and old” (in
Conference Report, Apr. 1979, 5; or Ensign,May
1979, 5).President Ezra Taft Benson
“Virtue is akin to holiness, an attribute of godliness.
A priesthood holder should actively seek for that
which is virtuous and lovely and not that which is
debasing or sordid. Virtue will garnish his thoughts
unceasingly (see D&C 121:45). How can any man
indulge himself in the evils of pornography,
profanity, or vulgarity and consider himself totally
virtuous?” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1986, 60; or
Ensign,Nov. 1986, 46).President Harold B. Lee
“There are insidious forces among us that are
constantly trying to knock at our doors and trying to
lay traps for our young men and women, particularly
those who are unwary and unsophisticated in the
ways of the world. I speak of the battle against liquor
by the drink, gambling, prostitution, pornography,
and our efforts to aid Christian people who desireYou cannot afford in any degree
to become involved with
pornography, whatever its form.
—President Gordon B. Hinckley264