Religious leaders concerned about growth of pornography
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Elder Henry B. Eyring of the Quorum of the Twelve said he was "humbled by what more needed to be done" while participating in a panel discussion on the problem of pornography during a summit in the nation's capital recently.
Concerned about the growth of pornography, particularly on the Internet, more than 130 religious leaders from a variety of denominations, met Nov. 20-21 to discuss solutions to the problem. The summit was titled "Empowering Cultural Change" and was sponsored by the Religious Alliance Against Pornography. The coalition includes not only the Church, but also mainline and evangelical Protestants, Roman Catholics, Southern Baptists, The Church of God in Christ, the Salvation Army, the Assemblies of God and others.Elder Eyring hailed the diversity of the coalition, but called for greater cooperation with non-Christian denominations on the issue.
LaMar Sleight, director of the Church's Government Relations Office and president of the Oakton Virginia Stake, serves on the alliance's board of directors and also served as the chairman of the conference.
Young Women Gen. Pres. Jannette Hales Beckham attended the conference as well and participated in discussions among women leaders from participating denominations. Other members representing the Church at the conference included: Dolina Smith, Canadians for Decency; Richard Lindsay; and Sharma Sleight.
"If cultural attitudes toward pornography are to change, they must change first in faith communities where there is a common commitment for human dignity and against exploitation," said Pres. Sleight.
According to Pres. Sleight, the conference goals were: 1) to develop a deep understanding of societal problems that result from pornography; 2) to provide an expanded forum for collective action; 3) to offer resources that meet the pressing need for serious, continuing educational efforts, primarily within faith groups but also for the broader culture.
