The Love of Many Shall Wax Cold (Internet Addiction and Pornography)

Matthew 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound the love of many shall wax cold.

15 years ago I read this scripture much differently than I do now. Our current culture which is partially now online gives much more insight and meaning to the scripture above. There are probably a few meanings to this scripture but every time I read this sign of what is to happen before the Savior's return I think of both internet addiction and pornography.



Internet and Social Media Addiction
Inability to interact
I talked to a cousin who told me that she had 3 mission presidents return to their stake recently. They held a fireside for the future missionaries in the area. In my faith missionaries can leave their homes at the age of 18 and 19 for a period of 18 months to 2 years in order to preach the gospel. One of the main things that they told them is that they have seen a great change in the missionaries that are now going out. They said that it is very difficult for the new missionaries to look people in the eyes. Many have forgotten, or perhaps were never taught how to properly interact with people physically.

Growing up on social media
These young people have had phones most of their teenage life or more and whenever a social situation turns awkward they are used to getting out their phone and distracting themselves in effort to counter the awkwardness instead of address it. These missionaries have now also grown up on social media. Literally. Part of their childhood has been in a place where their interactions with people are not physical. When you remove the physical person from the interaction it is much easier to be critical and not have to face the consequences of seeing the emotional response of your mean words. The person is removed.

Much more susceptible to negative influence
The world is also a bigger place when you are online. In the past our children didn't interact with hundreds or thousands of people a day. We now are absorbing the thoughts of thousands and millions of people daily. We become linked by both the good ideas and the flawed ones. It reminds me of when the Savior warns his disciples of the "leaven of the Pharisees" (Mark 8:15). Leaven is a small ingredient mixed into the dough of bread and influences the entire loaf. Leaven is a term in the scriptures used for both good and bad. Sometimes we believe that ideas are right when we believe enough "smart" people believe them. This is why advertisers spend millions of dollars using attractive or impressive looking people to sell their products.

We also are easily influenced by other people's use of terms. It is unfortunately true that when you call something bad "good" then people will believe it is good. "Women's rights" for example to advocate pornography, "pro-choice" to advocate abortion. No one wants to say that they are opposed to "Women's rights" or "Pro-Choice" but these flowery words hide the real meanings behind them. "For woe unto them that shall call good evil and evil good." (Isaiah 5:20, 2 Nephi 15:20) These ideas or leaven can warp our own personal ideas if we let them and then become our lens that we see the world through and we interpret things according to this lens that influences the rest of our thoughts and decisions.

We have stopped loving to the degree that we are meant to. Real "Love" as used in the scriptures is actually a word that means self-sacrifice, charity, putting the lords will or others before oneself but online we see it to mean very much the opposite. The term "love" is completely and utterly self serving. Our love has gone cold.

Pornography Kills Love
Which leads us to Pornography. This is an ugly word that we hate to bring up but it is rapidly changing the world and people around us at an alarming rate. It is scientifically proven that the use of pornography actually "kills" a persons ability to "Love" and physically modifies brain chemistry. If you have not heard this or this is a new idea to you take a stroll around the sight "Fight the New Drug" and you will find all the facts there. This is not new information. This has been confirmed by numerous and well founded studies that a person who views pornography loses their ability to love other people specifically their spouses and their children. Isn't it ironic and doesn't it make the opening scripture much more shocking and prophetic that "The love of many shall wax cold."

Because iniquity shall abound
The internet opened to the public in 1993. Since then the use of pornography has sky rocketed at a monstrous rate. A darkness that we have never known is already deeply taken root among us and is tightening its grip even more. Pornography is getting worse on many levels. In the scripture above it states "because iniquity shall abound" I take that to mean because every person will have access to this great evil and that it will be accepted by many then "the love of many shall wax cold".

I don't have an agenda for writing this post other than to express how amazed I am that this seems to be an exact fulfillment of this prophecy. Something that even just 15 years ago we would have never imagined. As a mom I feel like everyday is combat. I'm constantly batting off messages that I don't want my little ones to be exposed to. Everyday I'm sending my young boys off to battle hoping their armor holds or protects them. I'm so grateful for the scriptures. I really feel like I get guidance from them even if only part of it is to know that Heavenly Father is mindful of these times that are at hand. That he knew years and years ago or eons before that this moment would come in history and that he somehow has us covered. The plan for the atonement was drawn up at the very beginning of our recorded spiritual history. Somehow we will make it through this. Somehow as gloomy as this darkness seems we will come out of it okay if we hold to the rod. I firmly believe that hope is a choice and in this dark and gloomy world. I choose hope.

Here is a clip of a conference talk of Boyd K Packer an apostle in the LDS faith. It is a story or parable about how things have changed over the years and influence are reaching into our home that we have never before encountered.