Show sr r FACE IT AMERICA SIN IS STILL SIN Ai Are t chastity I. i chastity modesty faithfulness and d virtue going out of style That's what those seeking to make a fast buck by pandering to human weakness or those seeking to bring America to its knees by weakening national character would ld like Americans to believe since widespread acceptance acceptance ac ac- of the suppose supposedly Illy inevitable would make their job easier Indeed as one looks at America today there can b bl be no denying that moral standards are crumbling lg that we we are very definitely c confronted d by a spiritual crisis Yes a spiritual crisis What else on onn you call it when America ImP imports a movie dO ao raw it has been heen banned bv by many many- the supposedly sUI jaded countries of lr E Europe Elre e t when supposedly lPt Os- Os edly serl serious us stage stale plays feature more nudity than burlesque e shows ever eve did Or when there is a spate of movies dealing blatantly with adultery incest l a and homosexuality making homosexuality making it clear that Hollywood c considers ers practically no po s subject beyond the bounds of good taste or good morals What else is it but but- buta a crisis when mail mall order o pornography alone becomes in the estimation estimation estimation esti esti- mation of the US U.S. Post Office I Department ent a million a year business Or when when an an 75 76 per ter cent of the dollar volume of all smut is sold directly to juveniles mire very part got of of our population most vulnerable to its morally corrosive efi ff Remember this as yo you ponder ponde President resident avld Q a. td admonition Friday at the opening session of the Annual Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ o of tatter day Saints The world ne needs ds more godliness and less godlessness more mores more s self discipline lf l e less self self- indulgence Indeed it does That isn't what the merchants of immorality immor immor- would have av Americans believe of course ourse Instead they portray lax personal standards commandment as smart and sophisticated What they dont don't tell you is that in 30 years rape cases have increased per cent across the nation in 25 years the percentage of rapists rapists rapists rap rap- under uT 20 has doubled in 20 years the percentage of unwed mothers has tripled and that the venereal disease rate has also tripled Where is the smartness and sophistication sophistication- let alone joy and happiness happiness In in such disease and degradation Or Ort If t they do acknowledge such unhappy facts they they insist theres there's no connection with Americas America's spiritual crisis Just II te y telling that to FBI Director J. J j dl's ver who reports that sex mad magazines mal are arc creating criminals faster than jails can an be built Try telling it to psychiatrist A. A M. M Orn- Orn steen who declares Obscene material is an Important contributing factor in juvenile delinquency de de- lin I Or try putting the issue to the test of sense To fo deny that bad books books or or movies I. I or cause cause bad actions is to deny that good books cause good actions If that were so we might Plight as well tear down the thes s schools Since no nation can be stronger than the mural moral al fib fiber r of its citizens ens responsible Americans Americans Amer Amer- had better speak up for decency As one entertainment industry executive recently observed many people complain about the kinds of programs they see see but but seldom are complaints issue issued directly to the TV stations or movie companies compa Since nothing not can stop filth faster than silence at the cash register shun sh merchants who peddle it and tell your Ili to do likewise Where laws are weak support stronger ones AI As Edmund Burke ha has bag been heen quoted as assaying assaying saying All AU that Is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing Deseret News |