Twitter and Pornography?

That's certainly not a one word title, is it?

Pornography. I can't believe I'm even using that word in a title. Pornography?

I may never live this one down.

I confess. I must be a hypocrite. I have a Twitter account. As a writer, I understand I need one. I need a social media presence.

And to this point, I've not had reason to fear or be cautious.

But recently, I had two new followers on Twitter. I always look at a new follower's page to see if this is someone I should respectfully reciprocate the follow. Is this another writer? Is this someone who follows God?

Pornography. Both Twitter pages were pornographic. Outright. No other description exists. The movie Fireproof scrolled through my mind. I refused to scroll ... I blocked them.

I suppose I'm just naïve enough to be the only person who didn't realize Twitter allowed that. And do they allow it? Was this something that simply fell through the cracks? Does Facebook allow this?

Obviously, there are no internet restrictions. I realized that the first time I googled "Whitehouse" and a graphic picture popped up coupled by my McAfee virus protection warning:

"Whoa! Are you sure you want to go there?"

No, I didn't want to go there.

And please know I don't mean to slander Twitter or anyone else. There is much good there. And I'm not comparing them to a spider. I do compare the enemy to a spider.

This is a dilemma that I'm not certain how to handle. I've always written to help others or pass on knowledge that I've learned, the easy or hard way. But this is one of those times where I need knowledge.

So I'm asking.

There is such a difference between seeking the bad and it seeking you. Pop-ups can be blocked on computers. But can you block those kind of followers on Twitter from ever following you? Is there protection available? Can you protect your eyes? Your heart?

I don't know.



But my first thought was ... children are on Twitter. What if these pornographic sites "follow" children ... and the kids look at their site, like I did?

And that may never happen to me again ... I may never get "followed" by something like that again ... but it did happen.

 

*****

As a kid, I'd be so excited to go buy the next issue of Seventeen magazine. I'd run up to that store's magazine shelf to see a picture of Scott Baio or Shaun Cassidy or Andy Gibb ... and glance over, down the rack, to see the enemy glaring right at me. Magazines so distasteful there in full view ... being the tempter. Ready to ensnare. I'd look at the poor fellow standing there, and my young heart would sink for him. He'd clearly been entrapped. I'd get what I came for and get out of there. 

I wish I could say my childhood was without mistakes. Oh, a different set of mistakes. But I wish I had been a Pollyanna. Oh, I was so close. But my mistakes caused me to feel just enough discipline from my heavenly Father to know that I don't want to go down any outright, brazen disobedient road again.

Obedience is the path to take. But we must be on guard.

In this world, we can be following on the path so innocently ... only to discover ourselves entrapped in a web.

The enemy is intentional.

The enemy is there, in the dark, waiting for someone to devour.

God is there, in the light, waiting for someone to reward.

Guard your hearts.

Parents, guard your hearts.

Parents, guard your children's hearts.