Date: 1/10/09

It has halted host of potentials. It has destroyed prospective dreams. It has robbed many of character and stripped myriads of moral discipline.

It is gradually reducing both the youth and adults into what I call moral degradation.

'Porn' they call it normally or 'Porno' is sexual intercourse advertently designed to excite or better still arouse people. They appear in various forms basically books, pictures and films.

In our J.H.S (then J.S.S.) days some obstinate colleagues use to bring pornographic magazines to school.

I recall one of them (a girl) fortunately was caught together with colleagues who wentthrough the magazine. Do you know what transpired the next morning? Take it easy; I will tell you. All of them received strokes of cane at the school assembly. As if not enough, they were compelled to bring their parents to the school. They were even stretched to the brink of dismissal. Can you imagine the shame? I only hope they took a million lessons out of that.

Fans Should pornography have been a human being, it would have been more famous even than a president. It will take you aback if you are told the millions that patronizepornography. Some are students, teachers, doctors, parliamentarians, farmers .Should I continue the list? OK The police, traders (some import pornographic materials), drivers, lawyers, musicians, journalists, even some pastors and you name the rest. Indeed it has many fans more than Barcelona FC or Chealsy FC or Asante Kotoko or all of them conjoined.

No wonder it is propagating at a higher frequency in Ghana and across the whole wide world (www).

Most of these people are successful and revered in society but they just can't say no to pornography. You know what? How can such parents and even mentors who are themselves victims admonish the young and upcoming ones to flee? How will they do it? God help us.

Attention please!

This is a message to you, my dear reader: 'anything that gets your attention gets you.' That which you devote yourself to has the tendency to control and influence you. Suppose you are a committed Christian, you are no more the old person you use to be in the past. Your attention is now on Christ and he directs your path. You put away the 'wild lifestyle' and stuffs like drinking, smoking, violence, pride, anger, unforgiveness and sexual immorality of course. You are no more of yourself. Your life is controlled by “Someone” else and you are obliged to do and undo certain things. In the same way, the unfortunate ones who have given their attention to pornography are controlled by it. The moment the urge comes, it doesn't matter where you are or what you are doing, you will feel uncomfortable without it, succumb and start hunting for it. When you give the devil your attention, he gives you direction.

Now, let me ask this question.Can you imagine you, a whole you (manager, student) under the control of pornography. Listen to the man with authority. I say to this one `Go, ` and he goes; and to another `Come`, and he comes; and I say to my servant, `Do this, ` and he does it.(Matt8:9).That is exactly the way porn treats its respondents. This is because if you are a servant to something, you have no option but to exercise obeisance to it. May God deliver in Jesus name. Your “attention please” must be on positive and progressive things especially things pertaining to your goals in life.

MTN MTN is a telecommunication network in Africa and beyond and their popular slogan is MTN everywhere you go. In fact, they are even going South Africa 2010.This is small advertisement.MTN must tip me ooh! What do you think? Hope you will bear me out when I say “Porn…everywhere you go”. The reality is that, it is spreading as quick and wide like bush fire in the dry season. “Every where you go” in Ghana pornography is not uncommon. Sojourn the length and breadth of our markets especially where video films are sold and you will comprehend what I am talking about. They will tell you the types of films with proliferate patronizing are pornography.

Many desktops and laptops at the hall and hostels of the various tertiary institutions are heavy laden with many gigabytes of “almighty porn”. Somebody should ask them for me if it as an average booster or better still will be of optimum use at future work places.

Almost 'everywhere you go” in our Senior High Schools, some students have them. Some are saying despite the absence of personal computers, they will manage with the magazines and pictures. School authorities, please do something! It is getting out of hand.

I don’t want to talk about Junior High School because during our time, in the olden days (2001), it was no news.Ei, what kind of youth are we seeing these days? Will the aged trust us for a better tomorrow? Will they entrust the future to us with no doubt of corrupting, adulterating and sacrificing our norms, values, principles and moral aptitudes for pandemics like porn? Can you imagine the state our world will be in ten years from now when just a click today puts at your disposal all kinds of nude? Take a deep sigh and think about it.

Believe me or not, some people carry pornography along to church…everywhere you go! They will sing halleluiah, worship, speak in tongues, shake their bodies and at timescry but it is on their phones. Lord have mercy! I personally accessed somebody’s phone in a church I don’t want to mention and it was very sad. If you know someone like that tell them that is sheer hypocrisy and more importantly “Jesus is coming soon.” At various homes too, it is there. It is either under the pillow or in the bag. Nowadays, there are manifold TV channels that telecast solely pornography 24 hours a day. Are you surprised? That is the kind of world we live in. In a conversation about these strange TV channels, a friend in the UK once asked, “when you pray, remember us. The temptation here (London) is too strong to withstand.” But is it only in London? No; every where you go.”

Internet Internet as they say is the new market place. Therefore those who want to make it big tomorrow are seriously making conscious effort to acquaint them with the internet. The time is coming when no profession can function without the computer. The up and coming ones who mistaken a computer mouse for that small animal with a long tail should wake up. Tell them they are far behind: however, it is never late. I once met a girl (about 11years) at one internet café busily typing a letter in her mail. I smiled and said in mind “how lucky you are. Some of us never had this opportunity at your age.” Ten years to come, you don’t need a prophet to tell you she will be a computer guru.

Unfortunately, the internet is not helping a lot of people especially those who misuse it. As they say, “anything good simultaneously has the evil side.” It is very unfortunate such an asset has been a snare to many people in the world. Some stuff on the internet is unpleasant. The internet is programmed in such a way that anything you want whether good or bad, it will give.

Many cannot visit the internet without accessing nude sites. Too bad! I recall I have met a number of very young people watching pornography. In one case, it was a boy and a girl all presumably less than seventeen years. Some friends of mine have realized the same.

Since many children cannot do this at home, the internet is the only alternative. That is why many parents are strict on their children pertaining to the internet. Café managements have a major role to play if they have the interest of the youth and society at heart. I must commend that some are doing very well with their strong warning “watching of pornography is prohibited” pasted everywhere and they solemnly monitor their customers. Please, let me use this medium to plead with the café managements who are not controlling what people access. If you know one, tell them not to be so interested in the money but put the interest of all into consideration. Those who say they don’t care are those who care most. It may affect you indirectly. Bear in mind that when it affects one, it affects all. Let’s quit the “I don’t care attitude.”

Class Test 1. By all standards, sex is a private act. Is it good to expose it to the public? Yes/No 2. Porn leaves bad pictures on the mind. True /False. 3. It drives the youth into premarital sex. True /False. 4. Does your conscience serve you right when you watch? Yes /No 5. Are you quitting? YES!

Effects Every act has a consequence, whether positive or otherwise. In other words, every act is a seed. Whether it rains or shines, you will reap it. The Good Book says as long as the earth endures, seed time and harvest will never seize (Gen 8:22).

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. Gal 6:7

Therefore if you don’t like what you are reaping, check what you are sowing. If you are addicted to pornography, there is a bumper harvest (negative) for you.

Incarceration It has imprisoned its victims and it is still hungry for more. I learnt pornography is as addictive as narcotic drugs. It gets to a stage where stopping it becomes cumbersome. In his book “Lies we believe about sex”Christian Adu Boakye threw light on a survey conducted by Pastor Dollar(USA) on pastors and pornography indicating that a huge number of them(pastors) watched it regularly, even though they knew it is wrong and wished they had stopped. What a prison! Let’s get serious. If you don’t quench that desire, it will multiply in no time. “…desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin … full-grown, gives birth to death.” James 1:15 Remember, sin grows! The serpent (Gen 3) that was not destroyed in the garden of Eden grew and became a dragon (Rev 12)-Archbishop N.Duncan Williams. If you don’t control your appetite today, it will grow to control you tomorrow. Ripple Effects Sexual Sin (SS) It easily incites its respondents into sex. That is the primary reason for pornography; to arouse people into sex. If you get addicted, you end up in sexual immorality. In this 21st century, one person can handle five different sexual relationships and even more. This can grow into prostitution. Most prostitutes started with watching of porn.

Sexual immorality can lead to unwanted pregnancy, which will lead to abortion, which also leads to death or future repercussions like health problems, barrenness and host of marital inconveniences. Young one, can you accommodate all these?

It has led to school drop outs and you know how slumping the economy is these days; no schooling, no money, no food .Only hardship! hardship! hardship!

CONCLUSION

Porn has done much harm to its respondents and many are still vulnerable to its venomous implications. Don't forget about HIV/AIDS. In Ghana alone, about 200 people are infected on daily basis. And it affects the young people most between 15 and 24 years. Are you shocked? In Ghana today, children at very tender age know almost everything about sex. Are we going to have enough strong and able people in our world 20 years to come? According to WHO half of all people infected with HIV worldwide are under 25 years. May your name never appear on that list in the name of JESUS! Say NO to PORN!

GYASI, Okyere Darko okyeregyasi@yahoo.com