Pornography can be a difficult topic to discuss, no matter which side of the political spectrum one sits on. Perhaps it is your American right to view it, or it’s morally sinful. It can be healthy, if done in moderation, or it can desensitize the watcher. Despite the possible arguments, the Utah House of Representatives has decided that the consumption of porn is a much bigger issue than the nation previously considered, having gone so far as to pass a bill that declares it to be a public health crisis.
According to the text of the bill:
“Pornography is a public health hazard leading to a broad spectrum of individual and public health impacts and societal harms.”
The population of Utah appears to be rallying for an offensive against pornographic forms of media. Utah Coalition Against Pornography’s annual conference saw over 2,700 people in attendance, a sharp uptick from the 1,200 who attended in 2013. Speaking at this year’s conference was Elder Jeffrey Holland, who spoke on the likeness of the viewing of pornography to that of a major health issue.
“Yes, this ought to be seen like a public health crisis; like an infectious, fatal epidemic; like a moral plague on the body politic that is maiming the lives of our citizens. Frankly, until the sirens of a public-health war sound, I fear we will be wholly unsuccessful in this fight against the germ-invasion sweeping across our homeland.”
This is an issue of the highest order according to Elder Holland, similar to some of the worst diseases that the American people have faced in their history. According to local program KSL:
“We do need to see this (pornography) like avian flu, cholera, diphtheria or polio. It needs to be eradicated.”
During his speech, the elder cited an upcoming report by the Barna Group, which found a higher level of acceptance for porn among the youth. According to the report 89% of teens and 95% of young adults would discuss porn with their friends in a neutral or accepting way. It’s a sign of the growing acceptance of pornographic use, even among religious groups, and that we may be seeing more legislation regarding pornography, in an attempt to reign in use, in the near future.
Featured image via Ken Lund, available under a Creative Commons License.
