>>John Bradshaw:
This is It Is Written.
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I'm John Bradshaw.
Thanks for joining me.
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In the early 1800s, an
English woman named Mary Shelley
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had a contest with her
future husband and another man
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to see who could
write the best horror story.
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A few years before,
she had traveled in Germany
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near Frankenstein Castle, which
is near the city of Darmstadt.
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It seems that Mary
was influenced by stories
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about Frankenstein Castle,
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and so she wrote the
story of "Frankenstein."
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In Mary Shelley's
novel, a scientist working
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in a laboratory
creates an 8 feet tall being
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that ends up being
described as a monster.
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It's a story, ultimately,
about science gone wrong.
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A scientist or alchemist
attempts to create something,
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and things don't
work out as intended,
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as he works with the
technology of his day.
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The story was a cautionary tale.
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Technology can come
with unintended consequences.
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And it seems that today,
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society seems to have created
another Frankenstein's monster.
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Technology has given the
world some wonderful things.
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The Industrial Revolution--
that was technology.
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Today, modern medicines
do a great amount of good.
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Modern
transport-- it's incredible.
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Now, you could argue
that there's a downside
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to some of these things,
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but there's also
a gigantic upside.
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Modern technology
has given us computers.
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Today, we're able to
access information anywhere
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in the world from
virtually anywhere in the world,
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any time we like.
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That's good, right?
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You can watch
whatever you want to watch,
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whenever you want to watch it,
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from the privacy of
your own private space.
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That's good, too, right?
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Today you can type
messages in moments,
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send them to anyone anywhere.
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You can post photos to
photo-sharing websites,
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broadcast video of
whatever you're doing,
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wherever you're doing it, to
the whole world, if you want,
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whenever you'd like to do so.
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You no longer need to be a
newspaper publisher to share
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your point of view with
everybody on the entire planet.
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That's good...right?
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Well, we know it
isn't always good.
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And we're coming to
understand more and more that,
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in many cases, it's
actually positively harmful.
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When an Englishman
named Tim Berners-Lee invented
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the World Wide Web early in the
1990s in Geneva, Switzerland,
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it's doubtful that
anyone anywhere realized
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what it would become
only a few short years later.
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And it's probably fair
to say that most people
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who use the internet
and modern technology today
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don't realize what
it really has become.
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There's no
question modern technology
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provides great opportunities.
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It's how you're
able to watch this,
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and I'm glad you're able to.
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Technology is used
to promote good values
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and to share positive messages
and to proclaim the gospel.
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That's good.
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But it seems that when it
comes to modern technology,
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every silver
lining has a dark cloud.
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Today's generation is the
first generation in history
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to be connected to a constant
stream of electronic information
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and entertainment.
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And while that might seem like
a silver lining in many ways,
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that constant
stream of temptation,
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the constant access to
sin, is a very dark cloud.
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Today's young people
have to grow up in a world
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where being liked means
something slightly different
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to what it meant
a generation ago,
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and the pressures
that come along with that
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are impacting the
lives of young people--
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and the lives of
not-so-young people--
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in a very, very real way.
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Society is now wired.
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Or more to the
point, it's wireless.
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Whereas television
decades ago brought the world
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into the living room,
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smartphones bring the
world into your pocket.
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And it's a
different kind of world,
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a world where there
are virtually no controls.
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And what's the constant
connection with the internet
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doing to us as individuals?
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How's it challenging
people of faith who claim
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to be disciples of Jesus Christ?
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And what's it doing to society?
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Websites today offer
you anything you want.
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And a lot of things
that you really don't want.
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It's no secret that there's some
dark content on the internet.
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Unfortunately, it's
eminently accessible,
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even to children.
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I spoke with one young lady,
who shared with me just how easy
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it can be for children to
access the sort of content
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that parents don't
want their children seeing.
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>>Kyla Steinkraus: I
took my family to church,
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um, myself, my
husband, my 12-year-old son,
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and my 7-year-old daughter.
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And I took my
daughter to go to the bathroom,
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and I left my
son in the back row.
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My husband was volunteering
in the audio-visual department,
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which is a back room
that has a glassed-in window,
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um, but he was not directly
with my son at the time.
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And when I came
back a few minutes later,
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after taking my
daughter to the bathroom,
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um, I found my husband with
a tablet and a 10-year-old boy,
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and he was very upset.
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So I asked him what happened,
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and he said that
the 10-year-old boy
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had just shown my son
pornography on his tablet--
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at church.
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>>John: In church?
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>>Kyla: Yes, in church.
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And I was so, so
upset I was shaking.
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It took me a minute to
really, for it to sink in.
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It was definitely a
very negative experience,
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a very saddening experience.
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Your child loses some of
their innocence at that point,
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and it was, it was a
hard thing to go through.
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>>John: So how'd this happen?
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>>Kyla: The
10-year-old boy had the tablet,
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and he came over and sat by
my son and his friend and said,
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"Here, I want to
show you something,"
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and he pulled up the
pornography on his tablet
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and showed it to the boys.
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And to their
credit, both boys said,
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"No, we don't
want to look at this."
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But the 10-year-old then shoved
it in their faces and said,
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"No, I want you to see this."
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My husband, who
was in the A/V, um,
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heard the commotion and
looked through the window
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and saw that
something was happening,
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saw the boys trying
to push the tablet away.
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And so when he came out
and saw what was on the tablet,
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he got very upset
and took it immediately.
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And that's the
point where I came in.
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And I took the
boy aside and said,
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"You're 10, you
know. You're 10 years old.
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How did you
even get pornography?
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Like, what happened?"
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And that's when he told me that
he had an Instagram account,
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and a pornography company
had created a profile page with,
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um, a picture of a
beautiful scantily-clad woman,
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who then went and searched
for this young boy's profile--
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or, well, they
were searching for kids
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and found him and was
posting little comments
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under his pictures.
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And so, as a curious
kid, he clicked on it to see
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what it was, and it took
him directly to pornography,
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unfortunately.
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>>John: I think that's something
many parents don't realize,
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is that there are
predators-- individuals or sites
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or companies, or
whatever they might do--
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that are coming after your kid.
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They don't care who the kid is,
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just as long as they can get
access and then groom the child.
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It's very intentional
what's going on, right?
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>>Kyla: Yes, correct.
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I know an 11-year-old girl
who had an adult child predator
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pretend to be
another 11-year-old boy
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and start chatting with her,
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and over time said that he
wanted to be her boyfriend,
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and then asked her to send
pictures of herself to him,
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and then asked her to send
nude pictures of herself to him,
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which she did.
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>>John: She did, 11 years old?
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>>Kyla: She
did, at 11 years old.
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>>John: Well,
well, let me ask you.
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So this
11-year-old that you know of,
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uh, was she that kind of kid?
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Is she the sort of kid
that a person might say,
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someone who knows her say,
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"Yeah, well, she'd
do something like that"?
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Or, totally out of the blue?
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>>Kyla: No, it was
very out of the blue.
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She was just in
fifth grade, very innocent,
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had never had a
boyfriend before.
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She was very
childish, very young.
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It was totally
shocking and unexpected,
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and, and out of the blue,
and the parents were devastated.
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>>John: I, I, I think
that's a really important point,
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and, uh, forgive me
for asking the way I did--
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"was she that kind of kid?"
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I don't know how
many 11-year-olds
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are that kind of kid,
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but you know there are
some children you might say,
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"Yeah, well, it wouldn't
surprise me if this child
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did something reckless."
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But what you're saying
is this was a model child
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from a model
family without any signs
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that she might do something,
which is quite remarkable.
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It's quite a step
from playing a game to...
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sharing those
kind of photographs.
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How do you think then--and
this means that any parent
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must realize that, that
their family is at risk,
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under similar circumstance.
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How did that
child get from A to B?
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How did that process take place?
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>>Kyla: Well, I, you know, I
hear it a lot where parents are.
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They, you know, they
give their kids a smartphone,
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but they say, "Well,
my kids are good kids."
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Uh, "My kids
would never do that."
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Um, they'll, "They
would never try to do that,"
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or "They wouldn't be interested
in that kind of thing."
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But the thing is, is
that it's not that their kid
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is going out looking
for that kind of stuff.
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That stuff is looking
for their kid, and is,
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those companies,
those child predators
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are hunting these kids.
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>>John: So this 11-year-old
child shared pictures
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that no parent wants an
11-year-old child sharing.
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What happens to those pictures?
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>>Kyla: The
parents did call the FBI,
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and it was an
adult child predator
00:10:01.66\00:10:05.80
who had targeted their daughter.
00:10:05.83\00:10:08.10
But they were unable
to recover the pictures,
00:10:08.14\00:10:11.54
so the pictures are now
part of the child pornography.
00:10:11.57\00:10:15.38
They get shared among pedophiles
and predators online...forever.
00:10:15.41\00:10:22.38
>>John: And that's not
something that any parent
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wants to go through.
00:10:25.79\00:10:27.16
>>Kyla: No.
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>>John: Or have
their child go through.
00:10:28.12\00:10:29.46
>>Kyla: Yeah.
00:10:29.49\00:10:30.46
>>John: So, Kyla,
let me ask you this.
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Parents are watching
this, and they're thinking,
00:10:32.53\00:10:34.03
"Oh my goodness."
00:10:34.10\00:10:35.50
What should
parents who are concerned,
00:10:35.53\00:10:37.73
what should they do?
00:10:37.77\00:10:38.80
What can they do right
now to address the situation
00:10:38.83\00:10:42.80
in their own
experience, like right now?
00:10:42.84\00:10:44.64
>>Kyla: I think the
number one most important thing
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that they could do right
now is take away the smartphone.
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It really gives your kid
unfettered access to everything.
00:10:50.98\00:10:57.09
And gives predators
unfettered access to your child.
00:10:57.12\00:11:01.16
And it's not the
coolest thing to do;
00:11:01.19\00:11:03.32
it's not the
easiest thing to do.
00:11:03.36\00:11:05.63
But to me, my
child's-- your child's safety
00:11:05.66\00:11:09.66
and your child's soul is
the most important thing.
00:11:09.70\00:11:14.30
>>John: Kyla, thanks so
much. I appreciate this a lot.
00:11:14.34\00:11:17.77
We'll be back with
more in just a moment.
00:11:17.81\00:11:19.47
¤[Music]¤
00:11:19.51\00:11:26.85
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>>John Bradshaw: Thanks for
joining me on It Is Written.
00:11:58.55\00:12:00.95
I'm John Bradshaw.
00:12:00.98\00:12:02.88
It's a new age.
00:12:02.92\00:12:04.02
Modern technology has
changed the way that we do life.
00:12:04.05\00:12:07.39
Now, you've seen people
sitting together in a group,
00:12:07.42\00:12:09.62
but everybody has
their heads...down.
00:12:09.66\00:12:12.39
They're gazing at their devices.
00:12:12.43\00:12:14.40
Now, is that harmful?
00:12:14.46\00:12:16.73
Well, no, not necessarily.
00:12:16.77\00:12:18.07
But the
potential for harm is huge.
00:12:18.10\00:12:21.74
And that
potential is being realized.
00:12:21.77\00:12:23.97
Now, in a moment we're going
to talk about social media--
00:12:24.01\00:12:26.31
Facebook and Instagram
and Snapchat and Twitter
00:12:26.34\00:12:28.44
and so forth.
00:12:28.48\00:12:29.41
They are huge today.
00:12:29.44\00:12:32.18
But there's a fundamental issue
00:12:32.21\00:12:33.45
that we're going
to discuss first.
00:12:33.48\00:12:35.52
The internet has really brought
with it the death of privacy.
00:12:36.18\00:12:40.22
Now, privacy is a human right,
00:12:40.26\00:12:42.59
recognized as such
by the United Nations.
00:12:42.62\00:12:45.06
Now, you might think you're
carrying a smartphone with you
00:12:45.09\00:12:47.20
when what you're actually
carrying with you is a...
00:12:47.23\00:12:50.47
tracking device.
00:12:50.50\00:12:52.00
You see, unless
you've taken action,
00:12:52.03\00:12:53.54
your smartphone
tracks your movements.
00:12:53.57\00:12:56.27
It keeps a record of
everywhere you've been
00:12:56.30\00:12:59.01
and of most things that
you've thought or written.
00:12:59.04\00:13:02.68
Your laptop or your smartphone
almost certainly contains
00:13:02.71\00:13:05.98
information that you
don't want other people seeing.
00:13:06.01\00:13:09.95
Take a look at your search
history and then ask yourself
00:13:09.98\00:13:12.89
how you'd feel if simply your
search history was made public--
00:13:12.92\00:13:16.99
and not because you've
necessarily done anything
00:13:17.03\00:13:18.96
illegal or immoral.
00:13:18.99\00:13:20.56
Your devices contain an enormous
amount of sensitive information
00:13:20.60\00:13:23.67
about you, maybe
health information
00:13:23.70\00:13:25.43
or other personal or
interpersonal information.
00:13:25.47\00:13:29.30
What you post online,
00:13:29.34\00:13:30.84
whether that be a photo
or a comment or an opinion,
00:13:30.87\00:13:33.84
becomes part of a permanent
electronic record of your life.
00:13:33.88\00:13:38.45
Kids--or adults, for
that matter--who post photos
00:13:38.48\00:13:41.18
or conversations online
ought to be asking themselves
00:13:41.22\00:13:44.02
if what they are posting is
what they would want a teacher
00:13:44.05\00:13:47.62
or a grandmother to see.
00:13:47.66\00:13:49.89
It's, it's a must
to think that way.
00:13:49.92\00:13:51.83
You see, even if you think that
you've got nothing to hide--
00:13:51.86\00:13:54.40
which may well be true--
00:13:54.46\00:13:56.16
you've certainly got
something to protect.
00:13:56.20\00:13:59.27
Devices are often now
a gateway to accounts,
00:13:59.30\00:14:02.87
emails, personal information.
00:14:02.90\00:14:05.74
Essentially, they're a gateway
00:14:05.77\00:14:07.64
to a running
history of your life.
00:14:07.68\00:14:10.71
And you don't want people
getting their hands on that.
00:14:10.75\00:14:13.85
I talked with Michael Dinkins,
an internet security expert
00:14:14.88\00:14:19.59
at UTC, the University
of Tennessee at Chattanooga,
00:14:19.62\00:14:23.19
and he shared with
me some ways that people
00:14:23.22\00:14:25.09
can protect themselves online.
00:14:25.13\00:14:27.40
>>Michael Dinkins: Well,
first thing, in my opinion,
00:14:28.50\00:14:30.23
is to become aware of
what the "threat-scape" is.
00:14:30.27\00:14:33.54
Uh, they need to understand
fully what, what is the attack,
00:14:33.57\00:14:37.37
uh, and what's coming at them.
00:14:37.41\00:14:38.94
You need to use
strong passwords.
00:14:38.97\00:14:40.98
You need to, uh,
upgrade your systems,
00:14:41.01\00:14:43.24
make sure it has the
latest operating system patches,
00:14:43.28\00:14:45.75
latest search security patches.
00:14:45.78\00:14:47.75
You should have
different account names
00:14:47.78\00:14:50.39
and different account passwords
for every site that you go to.
00:14:50.42\00:14:53.42
You have screen
time for children, uh,
00:14:53.46\00:14:56.19
that should be monitored, uh,
because they can go anywhere.
00:14:56.22\00:15:00.20
They need to understand
that once you put something
00:15:00.23\00:15:03.23
on a social networking site or
even in a private drive space,
00:15:03.26\00:15:07.54
once it's out
there, it's out there,
00:15:07.57\00:15:08.80
and it's out
there probably forever.
00:15:08.84\00:15:11.37
Take advantage of any
convenience that you want to,
00:15:11.41\00:15:14.51
but understand that whenever
you embrace convenience,
00:15:14.54\00:15:17.21
somebody else
knows about it, you know.
00:15:17.25\00:15:20.25
So, uh, you've just got to
find that balance on how...
00:15:20.28\00:15:25.35
invisible you want
to be on the internet.
00:15:25.39\00:15:28.12
>>John: It comes as a terrible
surprise to a lot of people
00:15:29.12\00:15:31.26
to learn that their email
service gives third parties
00:15:31.29\00:15:34.23
the right to read their
email, which is entirely legal
00:15:34.30\00:15:37.77
because you
checked off on fine print,
00:15:37.80\00:15:40.14
which made it
legal for that to happen.
00:15:40.17\00:15:43.30
People give away a lot
about themselves online.
00:15:43.34\00:15:46.14
Now, again, only you can
decide how much is too much.
00:15:46.17\00:15:50.38
But research from Cambridge
University has said that
00:15:50.41\00:15:52.91
after you "like"
just 10 Facebook pages,
00:15:52.95\00:15:56.72
advertisers can get to know
you as well as a colleague does.
00:15:56.75\00:16:00.66
After 70 "likes," someone with
that information can know you
00:16:00.69\00:16:04.23
about as well as
a close friend does.
00:16:04.26\00:16:06.56
And after 150 "likes"?
00:16:06.59\00:16:09.00
You've essentially given
up as much about yourself
00:16:09.03\00:16:12.00
as your parents know.
00:16:12.03\00:16:14.60
Advertisers once thought
that consumers would become
00:16:14.64\00:16:16.97
desensitized to
this lack of privacy,
00:16:17.01\00:16:19.37
but studies show
that the opposite
00:16:19.41\00:16:22.01
appears to be happening.
00:16:22.04\00:16:23.85
So what about social
media and the effect it's having
00:16:23.88\00:16:26.85
on your life and on society?
00:16:26.88\00:16:28.85
And what does the Bible
say that speaks to this?
00:16:28.88\00:16:32.45
I'll be right back.
00:16:32.49\00:16:33.49
¤[Music]¤
00:16:33.52\00:16:41.83
>>John: Thank
you for remembering
00:16:42.50\00:16:43.53
that It Is Written exists
00:16:43.57\00:16:45.20
because of the kindness
of people just like you.
00:16:45.23\00:16:47.94
To support this international
life-changing ministry,
00:16:47.97\00:16:51.11
please call us
now at 800-253-3000.
00:16:51.14\00:16:55.48
You can send your
tax-deductible gift
00:16:55.51\00:16:56.88
to the address on your screen,
00:16:56.91\00:16:58.35
or you can visit us
online at itiswritten.com.
00:16:58.38\00:17:02.02
Thank you for your prayers
and for your financial support.
00:17:02.05\00:17:04.79
Our number
again is 800-253-3000.
00:17:04.82\00:17:09.26
Or you can visit us
online at itiswritten.com.
00:17:09.29\00:17:12.36
>>John: Thursday,
August the 5th, 2010,
00:17:13.16\00:17:16.30
was not a happy day for 33 men
00:17:16.33\00:17:20.14
when a collapse
in a mine in Chile
00:17:20.17\00:17:23.10
buried them 2,300
feet below ground.
00:17:23.14\00:17:28.14
No matter how much
they tried to escape,
00:17:28.18\00:17:30.51
there was no way out.
00:17:30.55\00:17:32.41
Rescue would have
to come from above.
00:17:32.45\00:17:36.85
On the outskirts
of the San José Mine,
00:17:36.89\00:17:39.42
over 2 1/2
thousand people gathered,
00:17:39.45\00:17:42.82
and with each failed rescue
attempt, despair increased.
00:17:42.86\00:17:47.86
Families gathered
together to pray for a miracle.
00:17:47.93\00:17:52.97
From the Atacama Desert
comes a story of tragedy,
00:17:53.00\00:17:56.44
a story of uncertainty,
yet a story of courage,
00:17:56.47\00:18:00.24
hope, and ultimately,
a story of salvation.
00:18:00.28\00:18:04.18
Wait on the Lord, and
the miracle will come.
00:18:04.21\00:18:08.12
"Trapped."
00:18:08.52\00:18:09.88
Watch now on It Is Written TV.
00:18:09.92\00:18:12.55
>>John Bradshaw:
Thanks for joining me today
00:18:13.52\00:18:14.96
on It Is Written.
00:18:14.99\00:18:16.22
The world has changed.
00:18:16.26\00:18:17.79
Technology has rewritten
the rules of engagement.
00:18:17.83\00:18:20.96
Young people, especially,
are being forced to grow up
00:18:21.00\00:18:23.37
in a world that is
radically different
00:18:23.40\00:18:25.03
from the world their parents
or grandparents grew up in.
00:18:25.07\00:18:28.50
Temptation looks different today
than it did in days gone by.
00:18:28.54\00:18:31.97
Temptation now hunts for you--
00:18:32.01\00:18:34.41
and your
children or grandchildren.
00:18:34.44\00:18:36.41
And it comes in more
attractive ways than it used to.
00:18:36.44\00:18:39.35
And that's by design.
00:18:39.38\00:18:42.52
Social media sites were
created by very bright people,
00:18:42.55\00:18:46.19
whose intent was to get
you to use their product
00:18:46.22\00:18:49.06
as much as possible.
00:18:49.09\00:18:50.79
In other words, they
want to get you hooked.
00:18:50.83\00:18:55.00
It's interesting
that in recent times,
00:18:55.03\00:18:57.17
some of the people who
took part in developing
00:18:57.20\00:18:59.63
social media
services like Facebook
00:18:59.67\00:19:02.00
have expressed regret
over what they created.
00:19:02.04\00:19:05.47
Facebook's founding
president has criticized the way
00:19:06.14\00:19:09.11
that the company
"[exploits] a vulnerability
00:19:09.14\00:19:11.78
in human psychology"
by creating what he called
00:19:11.81\00:19:14.35
a "social-validation
feedback loop."
00:19:14.38\00:19:17.69
Another said he
believed that social media was
00:19:17.72\00:19:20.16
"eroding the core
foundations of how people behave
00:19:20.19\00:19:23.39
by and between each other."
00:19:23.43\00:19:25.33
That same man said that
he doesn't allow his children
00:19:25.36\00:19:28.53
to use social media
00:19:28.56\00:19:29.93
because of the way it
deliberately hooks people
00:19:29.96\00:19:32.47
to spend more and more time
on those sites and to divulge
00:19:32.50\00:19:37.77
more and more personal
information about themselves.
00:19:37.81\00:19:41.08
He said, "You don't realize it,
but you are being programmed,"
00:19:41.11\00:19:45.15
saying that people
have to decide how much
00:19:45.18\00:19:47.12
of their
intellectual independence
00:19:47.15\00:19:49.32
they are prepared to give up.
00:19:49.35\00:19:51.75
A former Google executive said,
00:19:51.79\00:19:53.32
"Our minds can be hijacked.
00:19:53.36\00:19:55.59
Our choices are not as
free as we think they are."
00:19:55.62\00:19:59.96
And the
technology obviously works.
00:20:00.40\00:20:02.80
One piece of research said
that the average millennial
00:20:02.83\00:20:05.60
checks their phone...
00:20:05.63\00:20:07.97
157 times a day.
00:20:08.00\00:20:11.27
A former Facebook executive
said that social media sites
00:20:11.31\00:20:13.81
are "exploiting a vulnerability
in human psychology."
00:20:13.84\00:20:19.05
And maybe here's the rub.
00:20:19.08\00:20:21.12
One of the co-creators
of the "like" button said,
00:20:21.15\00:20:24.55
"If we're not vigilant...
computers and mobile devices
00:20:24.59\00:20:28.36
will guide our
attention poorly."
00:20:28.39\00:20:31.36
Think about that.
00:20:31.39\00:20:32.49
The "like" button was
created to exploit our desire
00:20:32.53\00:20:35.53
to be affirmed or liked.
00:20:35.56\00:20:37.87
You can easily see how it
can lead a person to do or say
00:20:37.90\00:20:40.80
or post things that later
they might seriously regret.
00:20:40.84\00:20:44.84
You know, people
have been killed,
00:20:44.87\00:20:46.68
people have died doing
crazy things in an attempt
00:20:46.71\00:20:50.38
to make content that
they hoped would go viral.
00:20:50.41\00:20:54.65
They wanted to be
seen and noticed and liked.
00:20:54.68\00:21:00.52
Now, think of the
spiritual ramifications of this.
00:21:00.56\00:21:04.76
You've likely heard people say,
00:21:04.79\00:21:06.16
"I go online.
00:21:06.19\00:21:07.23
I go to Facebook or
YouTube for just a few minutes.
00:21:07.30\00:21:10.27
I just waste time
scrolling through comments
00:21:10.30\00:21:13.47
and clicking on links."
00:21:13.50\00:21:15.24
You might have
said that yourself.
00:21:15.27\00:21:17.17
What is seen as a form
of entertainment really is
00:21:17.21\00:21:20.11
nothing less than an addiction
for a whole lot of people.
00:21:20.14\00:21:24.55
Now, there's another
purpose of social media.
00:21:24.58\00:21:26.75
One, they want to get
you hooked to use their site.
00:21:26.78\00:21:28.78
Secondly-- think about this--
00:21:28.82\00:21:30.75
Facebook, for example, isn't
selling you social networking.
00:21:30.79\00:21:33.66
They're giving
that to you for free.
00:21:33.69\00:21:35.69
What they're
selling is information--
00:21:35.72\00:21:38.06
your
information-- to other people.
00:21:38.09\00:21:40.70
And how are they
getting that information?
00:21:40.73\00:21:42.96
You're giving it to them.
00:21:43.00\00:21:44.63
Now, again, you might
not have a problem with this.
00:21:44.67\00:21:46.57
It surely isn't illegal.
00:21:46.60\00:21:48.40
But it tells you how careful
you have to be to make sure
00:21:48.44\00:21:50.71
that you're not
sharing more about yourself
00:21:50.74\00:21:53.38
than is appropriate, things
that are not dangerous to share.
00:21:53.41\00:21:58.11
So now, let's look at
a few biblical principles
00:21:58.15\00:22:00.72
to help guide us
with modern technology.
00:22:00.75\00:22:04.15
One, you want to live like
you've got nothing to hide.
00:22:04.19\00:22:07.59
To do that, you want
to have nothing to hide.
00:22:07.62\00:22:10.46
The internet has a way of
sucking people into doing things
00:22:10.49\00:22:13.36
that they might
not otherwise do,
00:22:13.40\00:22:15.16
and saying things they
might not otherwise say.
00:22:15.20\00:22:17.63
So here are some
Bible verses to keep in mind
00:22:17.67\00:22:20.00
that can help you with this.
00:22:20.04\00:22:21.40
Psalm 51, verse 10,
David's prayer, he prayed,
00:22:21.44\00:22:24.67
"Create in me a
clean heart, O God;
00:22:24.71\00:22:26.81
and renew a right
spirit within me."
00:22:26.84\00:22:30.18
Second Corinthians 5, verse 17:
00:22:30.21\00:22:32.21
"Therefore if any man be in
Christ, he is a new creature:
00:22:32.25\00:22:35.78
old things are passed away;
00:22:35.82\00:22:37.65
behold, all
things are become new."
00:22:37.69\00:22:40.49
So you want to be
fully given to Christ.
00:22:40.52\00:22:42.79
There's a lot of
garbage on the internet,
00:22:42.82\00:22:44.83
in the media, in society.
00:22:44.86\00:22:46.93
Only the power
of God in your life
00:22:46.96\00:22:49.53
is going to keep you from that.
00:22:49.56\00:22:51.73
That's all.
00:22:51.77\00:22:52.70
There's a lot of
tawdry stuff online.
00:22:52.73\00:22:54.97
Even reputable
websites leave little or nothing
00:22:55.00\00:22:58.21
to the imagination these days.
00:22:58.24\00:22:59.84
There's very little
that's hidden anymore.
00:22:59.87\00:23:02.11
And that's a
challenge for believers.
00:23:02.14\00:23:04.28
So remember what Paul wrote
00:23:04.31\00:23:05.85
in Philippians
chapter 4 and verse 8:
00:23:05.88\00:23:08.38
"Finally, brethren, whatever
is true, whatever is honorable,
00:23:08.42\00:23:12.49
whatever is
right, whatever is pure,
00:23:12.52\00:23:14.86
whatever is lovely,
whatever is of good [report],
00:23:14.89\00:23:17.73
if there is any excellence and
if anything worthy of praise,
00:23:17.76\00:23:21.43
dwell on these things."
00:23:21.46\00:23:24.33
God says there are some things
00:23:24.37\00:23:25.77
that shouldn't
even be on your mind.
00:23:25.80\00:23:28.37
There's no doubt modern
technology has made it easier
00:23:28.40\00:23:31.47
than ever before
to encounter sin,
00:23:31.51\00:23:34.11
and harder than ever
to keep away from it.
00:23:34.14\00:23:37.25
Technology has made it
easier than ever to access sin
00:23:37.28\00:23:40.98
and to access it privately.
00:23:41.02\00:23:43.18
It's easier than ever to
encounter meanness and hate.
00:23:43.22\00:23:46.45
The internet is full of it.
00:23:46.49\00:23:47.92
It's easier than ever
to be victimized by others,
00:23:47.96\00:23:50.53
even by people
that you don't know.
00:23:50.56\00:23:52.66
What we need is the
power of God to keep us away
00:23:52.69\00:23:55.73
from where we shouldn't be and
to keep us where we should be.
00:23:55.76\00:23:58.57
It's essential that
you know Jesus as a friend,
00:23:58.60\00:24:02.04
so that you are
validated by Him,
00:24:02.07\00:24:04.44
and you don't feel the need to
be validated by others online,
00:24:04.47\00:24:07.81
chasing "likes" instead
of pursuing the love of God.
00:24:07.84\00:24:12.65
It's essential we're able
to keep our lives in balance.
00:24:12.68\00:24:15.22
Of course, you can have
healthy relationships online,
00:24:15.25\00:24:17.65
healthy interests online.
00:24:17.69\00:24:19.59
But it's easy to
become unhealthy.
00:24:19.62\00:24:22.59
God is able to keep you where
you need to be and want to be.
00:24:22.62\00:24:27.50
We need the ability
to say what we should
00:24:27.50\00:24:30.57
and not to say
what we shouldn't.
00:24:30.60\00:24:32.67
A lot of people have
made their lives complicated
00:24:32.70\00:24:34.60
by forgetting Proverbs 13,
verse 3 when they go online.
00:24:34.64\00:24:37.27
"He who guards his
mouth preserves his life,
00:24:37.31\00:24:40.94
but he who opens wide his
lips shall have destruction."
00:24:40.98\00:24:45.38
If Solomon was
writing that today,
00:24:45.41\00:24:47.38
he might have said something
about guarding the keyboard.
00:24:47.42\00:24:50.59
And we need something that
the Bible calls "temperance."
00:24:50.62\00:24:54.02
Galatians 5:22 and 23 says this:
00:24:54.06\00:24:57.23
"But the fruit of the Spirit is
love, joy, peace, longsuffering,
00:24:57.26\00:25:01.30
gentleness,
goodness, faith, meekness,
00:25:01.33\00:25:03.80
temperance: against
such there is no law."
00:25:03.83\00:25:08.97
That word "temperance,"
00:25:09.00\00:25:10.14
that's what we
would call self-control.
00:25:10.17\00:25:13.24
I saw a definition
of that, which said,
00:25:13.27\00:25:16.81
"The virtue of one who masters
his or her desires and passions,
00:25:16.85\00:25:22.75
especially sensual appetites."
00:25:22.78\00:25:26.39
You see, what we need is
surrender to the Holy Spirit.
00:25:26.42\00:25:30.56
As the times change,
temptations change with them,
00:25:30.59\00:25:34.00
or at least temptation is
brought to us in different ways.
00:25:34.03\00:25:37.63
Revelation 14:12
speaks about the "saints,
00:25:37.67\00:25:40.47
who keep the commandments
of God and the faith of Jesus."
00:25:40.50\00:25:44.87
Technology has not
made that unattainable.
00:25:44.91\00:25:49.24
But it should make us
realize that we need God;
00:25:49.28\00:25:52.25
we need the Holy Spirit in
our lives more than ever before.
00:25:52.28\00:25:57.09
If you're struggling
with this, God can help you.
00:25:57.12\00:25:59.55
And He will.
00:25:59.59\00:26:00.66
Ask God to be your
strength; tell Him He must.
00:26:00.69\00:26:04.56
Ask God to deliver you.
00:26:04.59\00:26:06.26
And watch God work
00:26:06.29\00:26:07.96
and experience
God's power in your life.
00:26:08.00\00:26:12.57
>>Announcer: To receive your
free DVD copy of this program,
00:26:13.77\00:26:16.40
call us now at 800-253-3000.
00:26:16.44\00:26:20.18
"The Dangers of Technology"
DVD also includes bonus material
00:26:20.21\00:26:23.75
from internet security
expert Michael Dinkins,
00:26:23.78\00:26:26.51
which will help keep you
and your family safe online.
00:26:26.55\00:26:30.29
Don't miss "The
Dangers of Technology."
00:26:30.32\00:26:32.52
It's yours free when
you call 800-253-3000.
00:26:32.55\00:26:36.49
You can write to the
address on your screen
00:26:36.52\00:26:38.36
or visit iiwoffer.com.
00:26:38.39\00:26:41.36
>>John Bradshaw:
Let's pray together now.
00:26:44.13\00:26:45.90
Our Father in heaven, we
know that modern technology
00:26:45.93\00:26:48.84
brings temptation to
us like never before.
00:26:48.87\00:26:51.14
¤[Soft music]¤
00:26:51.17\00:26:52.14
And look at us.
00:26:52.17\00:26:53.17
We're just poor, weak people
00:26:53.21\00:26:55.68
in need of Your
help and Your strength.
00:26:55.71\00:26:58.61
So thank You that You
have pledged not to leave us
00:26:58.65\00:27:01.72
and not to forsake us.
00:27:01.75\00:27:03.15
We need Your
assistance; we need Your power
00:27:03.18\00:27:05.59
in this very real
battle against sin,
00:27:05.62\00:27:08.19
as presented to us
in this modern age.
00:27:08.22\00:27:11.49
Lord, I pray, protect
us online and offline.
00:27:11.53\00:27:14.96
Give us wisdom, self-control
as we live our online lives.
00:27:15.00\00:27:21.64
And I pray, Lord, that our
primary pursuit would be Jesus.
00:27:21.67\00:27:26.24
Teach us to love Your approval
00:27:26.27\00:27:29.68
more than the
approval of others.
00:27:29.71\00:27:31.61
And keep us where we ought
to be, even when our weakened,
00:27:31.65\00:27:34.32
fallen hearts want to
lead us in another way.
00:27:34.35\00:27:37.59
Give us Your Spirit,
that we are born again,
00:27:37.62\00:27:40.52
and keep us in the center
of Your will now and ever.
00:27:40.56\00:27:42.92
We pray in Jesus' name.
00:27:42.96\00:27:46.26
Amen.
00:27:46.29\00:27:47.46
Thanks so much for joining me.
00:27:47.50\00:27:48.90
I'm looking forward to
seeing you again next time.
00:27:48.93\00:27:51.10
Until then, remember:
00:27:51.13\00:27:52.80
"It is written, 'Man
shall not live by bread alone,
00:27:52.83\00:27:56.71
but by every word that proceeds
from the mouth of God.'"
00:27:56.74\00:28:02.48
¤[Theme music]¤
00:28:02.51\00:28:08.85