The Information Battle

We're losing the information battle.  For some reason it seems that some Christians individually and churches collectively find the subject of sex to be taboo, though Scripture does not share this hesitance.  Of course decorum requires that we speak in audience and age appropriate terms, but perhaps our desire for decorum has silenced us all together.  The trouble is that the culture around us shares no such qualms about who the audience is or how old they are.  This tips the battlefield of information delivery unfavorably to the advantage of the culture.  Add to this that the goal of the culture is not just to inform but to entertain and enslave, and we have a real problem on our hands.  A parent's silence or measly "Don't have sex until you get married" is no competition for slick advertisements, exciting movies, powerful search engines, glossy magazines, unavoidable billboards, impossibly tiny clothing options, explicit song lyrics, teen romance novels, and a myriad of very attractive virtual women or men who are willing to respond to every click of your mouse.
And make no mistake.  The culture is enjoying great "success" in their campaign to inform, entertain and enslave.  The insidious influence is felt everywhere, including the church.  Here, for example, is an article from World Magazine showing some of the effects of pornography in the church.  When the church and Christian parents fail to address these issues, simple ignorance is not the outcome.  The curious person will find the answer they're looking for from a source that is less than objective or innocent in conveying their "information."  This article is from Tim Challies on how Google is becoming the go to source not just for researching school assignments, but also for young people curious about sex and their changing anatomy.  (And in case there was any doubt, mom and dad, giving your kids/youth unmonitored, unfiltered access to internet enabled devices is like handing them a fistful of lit sparklers next to a gas leak.)
What to do?  Well, in writing on this subject before, I've said that a blog post certainly can't contain all of the answers, but here are a few thoughts.  Parents, as noted in that earlier post, we must teach our children about sex.  While I have already briefly talked in very basic terms with my 8 and 10 year old, the time is about here for "the talk" with my 10 year old.  Dad's, it's time to man-up and sit down with your son and help them transition into manhood - God's version, not the world's.  Steve Zollos has done Christian parents a great service by writing Time for the Talk to provide help and guidance in walking our sons through this crucial period of life.  I don't know of a similar resource for girls, but moms would do well to read this book as well and transfer some of the principles over to helping their daughters.  (I know I'm assuming a lot about 2 parent homes, but there's help in this material for single parents as well.)  We must engage in open conversations with our children on the wonderful gift of sex between a husband and a wife and warn about the perversions that abound.  Don't let your embarrassment or fear keep your mouth shut.  Our sexually perverse culture will not make the same mistake. 
Sadly, however, some of the parents who need to do the teaching have become ensnared by the very propaganda machine of culture that we want our children to avoid.  Here is where the church needs to be doing a better job.  We need Christ-focused teaching from the pulpit, over lunch, and in counseling that will enable men and women to put their enslaving sin to death.  We cannot pretend that the staggering statistics regarding the prevalence of pornography addiction in the church aren't accurate in our church.  We need to make sure men and women understand that the shame is in continuing their sin in the dark; not in repenting and confessing in the light of the gospel of Christ.  We need godly examples of husbands and wives who have loved each other well to whom we can point our children.  We need to be bold.  We need to not give up this battleground to the world.  Why are so many people glad to glory in their shame in the light of day, but so many Christians are hesitant to proclaim the truth of Christ in the light?  May it not be so among us.  The truth of God's Word is more than enough to win the battle even against the worlds' flashy inform, entertain, enslave campaign.  Will we be bold enough to speak that truth?