Censorship, which promotes good, virtuous character and condemns perversive thoughts, words, and conduct is good and desperately needed in our nation. There is a strong movement in our nation to ban all censorship. Laws are being removed, or ignored, which once made it illegal to sell pornography on records, in movies and in books. Laws, which prohibited homosexuals from living anywhere they wanted and holding any job they desired, are being repealed. The killing of unborn babies has been legalized and vocally defended. The morality of this nation is deteriorating and censorship is not the cause, but a lack of censorship is!

The Tampa Tribune printed an article written by a staff writer. This article was published on the front page of the July 23, 1990 issue. The article was about the opposition to various kinds of obscene, polluting activities in the state of Florida, such as: 2 Live Crew's album entitled, "As Nasty As They Wanna Be"; T-back bathing suits; pornography which hides under the word "art"; etc. The reporter quoted far more from those who censored the censors than those who rebuked the contaminators of morals. Some of the pictures used at the top of the article were obscene. It is disgraceful that the newspaper would print pictures of women who have no clothing covering that part of the anatomy upon which one sits. The news on television often reports, with pictures and words, stories about adult book stories, prostitution, nude-bar establishments, etc.

Those, who abhor censorship, claim that they have the right to say whatever they want to because the First Amendment gives them the right. The First Amendment gives Americans the right to freedom of speech, but this freedom is not unlimited! For example, one does not have the right to lie. We still have laws which prohibit lying under oath and misrepresenting products and services. It is a great abuse of the First Amendment to say it gives the vile and vulgar-mouthed person the right to spew forth his profanity anywhere he chooses and we must remove ourselves and our children from the sound of his words! A person has the right to express an opposing view, but let him do it with intelligent words which reveal his good, logical arguments. Filthy language is never uplifting, but always downgrading. Freedoms, which are abused and misused, will be taken away!

In the newspaper article, a faculty member at the University of South Florida's sociology department, said, "We don't have any idea if (pornography) has any impact on behavior." Isn't that statement amazing! People spend billions of dollars on pornography and this professor of sociology doesn't know if it influences one's behavior. If people aren't affected by it, why look as it? Surely we must acknowledge that what we think has a tremendous influence on our behavior! It is what is in the "heart," or mind, that determines what we say and do. (Read Proverbs 23:7; Matthew 13:34-37; 15:1820.) Those, who advertise their products, know that it is important to get their message into your mind. Pornography encourages violent sexual acts, such as: rape, child molestation; incest; etc.

The reporter quoted a faculty member at the University of Florida speaking about the First Amendment as a platform, "If you take the platform away, we're no better than a police state." It is not true, that one who objects to using the First Amendment as a right to justify the publishing of pornography is advocating the abolishing of the First Amendment. I am not a Communist or a defender of it! I love America and her freedoms. It is not those, who speak out against every form of moral pollution who are a threat to this nation, but those who want to engage openly, and freely, in sinful activities without being censored for it!

Many want the freedom to fill their minds and lives with wicked thoughts, words and deeds. They want to say, and do, whatever they please, but they don't realize that they are enslaved to sin. Jesus said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Everyone one that committeth sin is the bond servant of sin" (Jn. 8:34). Real freedom is found in Christ for there we must live apart from sin (Jn. 8:31, 32). Real freedom is freedom from: a defiled conscience; enslaving habits (smoking, drinking alcohol, cursing, gambling, drugs, etc.); ignorance; an uncontrolled temper; shame; penalty of sin; hopelessness; Satan's captivity; etc.

When man rebels against God's laws and makes his own, which give him the legal right to fulfill his evil desires by doing that which is "right in his own eyes," society will suffer greatly! Wickedness perverts one's character by causing one to be: selfish; uncaring about others; insensitive; dishonest; cruel; full of wrath; lacking in mercy, kindness, and love; unjust; without natural affection for one's family; full of pride so that it causes him to think that he does not have to give account to anyone for the way he behaves; etc.

Will you stand up for what is morally good or be cowardly silent? If the silent majority doesn't speak up soon, it will be too late to oppose perversion! Edmund Burke said, "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."

Guardian of Truth XXXIV: 21, p. 653
November 1, 1990