CASTIMONIA

Sexual Purity Support & Recovery Group

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Exposing Adult Entertainment Industry PR Tactics: A Heads Up for Parents

by Kristen Jenson

Porn is harmful, can cause an uncontrollable addiction, loss of employment, and may destroy a child’s ability to enjoy future loving, long-term relationships.

Study after study shows this is true. But you might not think so if you believe the media. That’s because the PR machine of the porn industry is hard at work.

Recently I and my team attended the Utah Coalition Against Pornography’s annual conference. Keynote speaker Dr. Donald L. Hilton, Jr., MD, a neurosurgeon and expert on pornography addiction, described four ways the porn industry is working to make over its bad image.

Porn Industry Tactics You Need to Know About

Tactic # 1: Pay for junk science that “proves” porn is good or at least not harmful. Companies with lots of money can hire PhD’s to conduct “studies” whose results conveniently help promote the corporations’ products and are used as ammunition against their critics. (Years ago the dairy industry got caught doing this when they touted a “study” which said that eating dairy helped people lose weight. They got sued and had to retract.)

For example, people are waking up to the fact that using pornography can become an addiction, so the porn industry comes out with a “study” that says that porn is not addictive—there are just people out there with “high sex needs” who use it. According to Dr. Hilton, the press publicizes these junk science studies and ignores other valid studies that show how pornography damages brains, lives and relationships.

Tactic #2: Make up a nicer word. In the academic world, pornography is now “visual sexual stimulation”—a much nicer, sanitized euphemism that helps to cosmetically improve the dark underworld image of porn–the one associated with sex trafficking, prostitution, addiction and child abuse.

Tactic # 3: Sue the psychologist! According to Hilton, some clients in California are encouraged to report their psychologist if they are diagnosed and then treated for a porn addiction—a condition that isn’t recognized in the psychologist’s bible, the DSM, as an actual addiction. WHAT???

Tactic # 4: Watch it so you don’t need it! The porn industry wants us to believe that watching porn provides a “safety valve” for people with “high sex needs” so they don’t go out and commit rape on innocent victims. As long as potential perpetrators are satiated by watching porn, we’re all a lot safer, they reason.

Hmmmm….let’s extend this logic to the real world. As long as your kids simply watch commercials portraying tempting visuals of hamburgers, fries, and sodas, they won’t actually want to eat the potentially harmful fast food. That works, right?

I don’t think so. It’s a well-known fact that virtually all sexual predators have a history of porn use. Co-author Dr. Gail Poyner of Good Pictures Bad Pictures counseled sex addicts in prison and never met one that wasn’t also heavily involved in pornography. The infamous serial killer Ted Bundy admitted in a final interview that pornography was a huge contributing factor to perpetrating his violent sexual fantasies, something he had in common with other serial killers.

And there’s this troubling news from the UK:

A new report in the United Kingdom revealed a startling trend of young boys being charged with rape or other sexual crimes, with authorities claiming online pornography is leading to the increase.

So what’s the takeaway?

Your kids will “hear” these and many more pro-porn arguments as they grow up. Begin young to teach your kids the truth about pornography. Teach them your values before popular culture teaches them something completely false. For example, older children can understand:

  1. Not everything we hear or read in the media is true. Scientific studies must be designed and interpreted with great care, and some studies that get reported in the press are poorly done or purposefully misinterpreted.
  2. Pornography is harmful to the brain and psyche no matter what you call it.
  3. Pornography can become an actual physical and chemical addiction.
  4. Viewing pornography can lead to acting out physically in inappropriate ways. In other words, watching porn can instigate people to commit crimes.

Have you noticed “pro-porn” news stories or media? How do you push back against these influences on your kids?

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Set Free Summit – April 4 – 7, 2016 – Greensboro, NC

http://setfreesummit.org/

Set Free Conference

 

 

About the Set Free Summit

Pornography is pervasive in our culture—in TV shows and movies, on your neighbor’s magazine cover on the airplane, and especially on the Internet. Even Christian men and women can get caught up in this addictive behavior, and yet most church leaders don’t have a clue about how to broach the subject at all, let alone break free.

On April 4-7, 2016, Josh McDowell Ministry and Covenant Eyes are hosting the Set Free Summit, a global summit to equip church leaders with the facts and emotional realities of porn’s impact on families, the church, and culture at large. This event, held in Greensboro, NC, will feature the presentation of a brand new study by the Barna Group, as well as three full days of information presented by Christian leaders from across the country.

Fast Facts About the Event

  • April 4-7, 2016
  • 1,000 tickets available
  • Features all-new research about pornography across various denominations from the Barna Group
  • Nearly 30 speakers scheduled to give 23 talks

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CASTIMONIA Book – Revised Edition

https://www.createspace.com/5554305

I am humbled to announce the “official” publishing of our ministry’s resource book:

CASTIMONIA

THUMBNAIL_IMAGE

Authored by Servants of Christ
Edition: First Edition (Revised)

I want to thank everyone that sent feedback to the Castimonia Literature Committee (or me) on the First Edition of the book, or the “First 50” copies.  Bill W. of Alcoholics Anonymous had the privilege of having the “First 40” of the Big Book of AA reviewed and thus Castimonia was fortunate enough to have the “First 50” reviewed.  All feedback was appreciated and changes were made to the original First Edition in order to better help men who struggle with Sexual Purity.

Castimonia is Latin for “moral purity” something every man should strive for.

Castimonia is a Christ-centered 12-Step Support and Recovery program for sexual impurity or sexual addiction with the goal to achieve a Biblically-based sexual purity. We share our experience, strength, and hope with each other so that we may achieve sexual purity and help others overcome sexual impurity or compulsive sexual behaviors.

This book is used for working the 12-step Castimonia program and should be used with the guidance of a Sponsor only.  The revised first edition includes text on a proper sexual purity recovery program, a thorough working of the 12 Steps, stories from men in the group, and a work book for working the 12-Steps.

Many thanks to Alcoholics Anonymous and Sex Addicts Anonymous for paving the way in the 12-Step world as well as the countless men in recovery and the therapists that have helped facilitate God’s healing of their wounds.  Most importantly, thank you to the patient spouses who have put up with our issues long enough to make this ministry and book possible.

Original Publication Date: August 22, 2015
Revised Edition Publication Date: January 20, 2016

ISBN/EAN13: 151531023X / 978-1515310235
Page Count: 454
Binding Type: US Trade Paper
Trim Size: 6″ x 9″
Language: English
Color: Black and White
Related Categories: Self-Help / Twelve-Step Programs

The book can be purchased at any Castimonia meeting  or via the Create Space store. 

If you are a man struggling with Sexual Purity and would like to purchase a copy of the book for the same amount as sold at Castimonia meetings ($20) please contact the publisher, Armaturam, LLC for a discount rate: Jorge@Armaturam.org

https://www.createspace.com/5554305

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Key Questions: Now That I’ve Started My Purity Journey, What’s Next?

Posted: 28 Mar 2014 03:00 AM PDT

HOW DO I LIVE NOW?

Alternate Title:  SEXUAL PURITY 201

I’m assuming that you’ve already taken some first steps.  To me, this is an intermediate blog.  It’s primarily for those who are working on their sexual purity journey.  You are engaged in the basics.

How do I know I’m engaged in the basics?

  • You’re sharing your sins, secrets and struggles with others
  • You’re building a support team
  • You’re building a purity strategy
  • You’re in the battle fighting, struggling and wrestling (you’ve not given up)

It’s hard to take the next steps if you haven’t taken the first steps.
It’s hard to take the next steps if you’re still hiding.
It’s hard to take the next steps if you are throwing in the towel.

SEXUAL PURITY 201
Alright, let’s look at some deeper lessons.  I think these tips will help push your sexual purity journey into the deeper places God wants you to be.

1.  Always move toward truth. – We can’t lie and go with God.  We can’t hide, cover up, minimize, deflect, and color our actions and be righteous.  We need to accurately reflect our sins, struggles, and victories to others.   Moving toward the truth means we take the next steps.  We answer our wife’s questions.  We tell the truth to our accountability partner and to our group.  We allow light into the dark closets of our heart.

2.  Behind the wounds are lies, find them. –  My counselor challenged me with this.  I’ve been testing this theory for the last 4 years and found it to be true.  Anytime I have pain or wounds, I have believed something wrong about myself, God, or another person.

3.  Deep healing comes in patches. – Of course, healing is a process.  Of course, God can instantly heal our hurts.  But I’ve found that I have to work on a patch before the next patch opens up.  Some call it “layers of the onion”.  We will find new areas of our life and past that we need to surrender to God and seek Him for healing.  Every patch that gets touched by God is one more place you’ll be able to reflect God’s glory.

4.  Tune in to your emotions. – We guys generally run away from our emotions.  We push them away and think that someone’s a “sissy” if they talk about their emotions.  Not in 201 class.  The student of sexual purity is learning how to identify what’s in his heart.  He’s learning to talk about his feelings and express them in a healthy way.  If you’re building a good support system (friends, support group, counselors, ministers, spouse) those will be good places to develop your emotional muscles.

** Bonus Insight ** My counselor reminded me that porn and masturbation has a numbing effect on our emotions.  When porn is gone and we’re no longer medicating, we’re able to feel more.  The highs are higher and the lows are also lower.

5.  Healthy sexuality is the larger goal. – The main goal is not stopping our bad behaviors – the affair, masturbation, chatrooms, or Internet porn.  It’s bigger than that.  God wants us to move toward having a healthy sexuality.  There are many of us (myself included) that never had health to begin with.  Now we have a chance to experience the true fulfillment in our sexuality that God intended.  We are getting a taste of the Garden of Eden.  True intimacy with God and with our spouse.  Exercising our capacity to value, respect, and love others.  Serving others instead of consuming.

6.  Figure out who God really is. – I was surprised how messed up my understanding of God was.  He was like my earthly father – distant, angry, and loved me conditionally.  He was a God that had to be appeased.  I had to work to earn His attention and love.  I thought I had to be a “good boy” in order to have good things happen to me.  Wrong.  Our sexual purity journey is a spiritual journey.  God not only wants you to stop looking at porn and ogling women, He wants you to know who He is and how deep his love, grace, and mercy is.  Personally, the book of Psalms is the place where I’ve found God most during these last four years of my recovery.

Jeff Fisher helps guys with their purity journeys through:

  • Online / Phone Support Groups
  • Accountability Coaching 
  • Personal Coaching 
  • Speaking at Conferences

www.puritycoaching.com
jeff@puritycoaching.com

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Star Wars: Redemption – VIDEO (Part 3)

This is the finale of the previous two Anakin Skywalker movies, Star Wars: The Fall and Star Wars: Tribulation.  One of the most fundamental items to understand about the Star Wars Saga is that it is not just a battle between rebels and an empire, it is all about the redemption of one man, Anakin Skywalker. 

The Star Wars Saga was probably one of the best film series ever created and had an amazing recovery theme.  Below is a short summary of the overall movie from Wikipedia:

Star Wars is an American epic space opera franchise centered on a film series created by George Lucas. It depicts the adventures of various characters “a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away”, mostly involving, but not limited to, the rise and fall of Anakin Skywalker.

In this final part of the Star Wars Redemption Trilogy, we see Darth Vader continue to struggle with the fact that he has a son and the Emperor (the addiction) wants to cause harm to his son after years of tormenting Darth Vader.  Many of us in recovery have felt the Holy Spirit speak to us about our children and the effects that our addiction had on them.  For Darth Vader, it is just the same.  A struggle continues inside of Darth Vader.  He knows he has lost a lot to the Dark Side, his first master, Qui-Gon Jinn murdered by a Sith, his mother, Schmi Skywalker murdered by evil Sand People, and even his wife, Padmé Amedala who dies from a broken heart after Anakin chooses the Dark Side.  Now there is a possibility of losing his son Luke to the Dark Side, aka the unhealthy lifestyle.  Will he draw the line and say this problem ends with him, or will he allow the addiction to continue and pass on to his son?  Can someone so vile and evil be redeemed or is he destined to live a life of anger and rage?

One of the things I explain to my daughters is that my own personal story is a lot like Anakin Skywalker’s.  A lot of bad stuff happened to me when I was a child that formed me into an unhealthy individual that made a lot of bad choices.  For 30 years, I was involved in unhealthy behaviors.  But like Anakin, I was redeemed from my past with the help of the “Son” Jesus Christ and now do good for the Lord.  My small children seem to understand this and have compassion on Darth Vader rather than fear him.  Maybe we should all have compassion on those that have fallen into the pit.  After all, if I, “Darth Vader” can be redeemed than anyone can.  I hope you enjoy watching this video as much as I enjoyed creating it.  As always, take what you like and leave the rest.

 

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