Church Produces Anti-Pornography Documentaries

The Church has produced several half-hour radio and television documentaries on the plague of pornography and plans to distribute them as widely as possible as free public affairs programs. The programs resulted from the Church’s longstanding concern about the growing availability and impact of pornographic material.

Commenting on pornography and the abuse of modern technology to disseminate it, Elder David B. Haight of the Council of the Twelve said:

“New technologies that can bless our lives in so many positive ways are also being used to spread pornography. … Video recorders now can bring to homes great classics, … but they also bring into some of these same homes lurid portrayals of debauchery that contaminate those who view them.”

It is estimated that pornographic videocassettes are now being rented or sold in more than 22,000 stores throughout the United States alone, Elder Haight said.

“The growing presence of obscenity has been aided by the lowering of media standards for advertising, by relaxed movie ratings, by television soap operas and situation comedies that use their powerful voices to justify, glamorize, and encourage sexual relations outside of marriage,” he pointed out.

The documentaries feature comments on the pornography issue from a clinical psychologist, a former Federal Bureau of Investigation agent, a U.S. attorney, and clergy and other leaders of various denominations, including Elder Haight and Ardeth G. Kapp, general president of the Church’s Young Women organization. The programs will be distributed to commercial television stations, cable TV systems, and radio stations throughout the United States.

“Let our voices be heard in our communities,” said Elder Haight. “If something offends [our] standards of decency, our voices should be heard. Make our elected officials and law enforcement people aware that we support the fair enforcement of laws prohibiting obscenity and regulating indecency.”