Most of you have heard by now that the FTC (federal trade commission) uncovered that the film, recording and video game industries regularly target children younger than 17 for their violent media.

The FTC revealed the following % of media targeting children < 17 years old (based on the samples selected for their study):

• 70% of 118 video games with mature ratings for violence
• 80% of 44 R-rated violent movies
• 100% of 55 songs with explicit content labels

The various industries repeatedly put the "ball" back in the parents' court when we state media industries need to change the way they market. "As an industry, we do not market violence; we market artists. When material is explicit, we clearly label it for parents and guardians to make informed buying decisions for their kids," states Hilary Rosen, president of the Recording Industry Association of America. "As an industry, we are not in the business of dictating content to our artists."

Well, I certainly am not one for censorship, but what ever happened to standards of decency. When Elvis first rocked his pelvis on TV, networks would not broadcast his gyrations because of societal standards. Now we laugh at such "prudes." If you, Hilary Rosen, told artists they would not get a contract if they put explicit lyrics in their songs, they would change their lyrics.

On the otherhand, if we parents held up the value of purity as high as we hold up safety, then our children would not buy the smut. Think about it. How much time and energy do we spend on child safety. How many lectures do we give on "don't touch the stove, don't run with scissors in your hands, chew your food slowly." We get our children swimming lessons, bike helmets, immunizations, and car seats. We put up our poisons, lock up grandpas pills, and sell our noxious plants. We are set on safety and we do a good job instilling this value in our children.

BUT, do we tell our toddlers, "hey Johnny save your kisses for your wife"? Do you tell your school-aged child "save those privates for your husband"?

"Mommy's body is for daddy and daddy's is for mommy"? Do you mommies take out your sons, at all ages, on dates and talk about how to treat a girl like a lady? Do you daddies take out your daughters, of all ages, and talk to them about how a young man should treat her. Do you value purity?

Turn off the TV when it is violent and explicit and say, " we don't watch that because it is wrong." Alternatively, when a couple kisses out of wedlock say, "they should save their kisses for their husbands or wives." Reference your values back to God who always values purity of heart, mind, body, and soul.

You may be saying "how prude, how unrealistic." Do you realize purity worked previously because it was valued? Value it as a family and in a generation, society will value it as a standard.

Teach this value because it works. Teach this value because we have only one direction to go. Teach this value because you have everything to lose.