As a former Church Service Missionary in the LDS Addiction Recovery Program, specifically the Pornography Support Group know as the PASG (passage) group I am very concerned that this group is desperately in need of an overhaul. The meetings are Gender specific. Yet, in the men's 12 step group meetings there is a culture of shame and self loathing that not allowing these poor men to turn away from Pornography and turn toward a healthy view of their own individual worth as a Sexual Son of God. Created in His image with a mortal body that is a sexual body with feelings, emotions, urges and wants. The mantra that is said almost verbatim in every PASG meeting goes like this: Hello, my name is ____ and I am addicted to Pornography , Masturbation and Lust. I tried to tell my patrons in my class that Lust is not an addiction and that we are not here to discuss mastrubation. We want you to stop looking at porn. The other things are not even mentioned in our 12 step book. I was strongly told that it was not my place to say that and that I was to stick to the script that they gave me. I tried to direct these men to self help books about sexuality and mindfulness available at Deseret Book but again was told that any mention of other books is strictly prohibited. I resigned from my mission and am now working one on one with brethren assigned to me by my Bishop and Stake President. These guys are sincerely looking for deliverance. They long for a healthy sexual relationship with a daughter of God yet they are locked in a script that says if you have a lustful thought or an isolated act of self arousal then they are hopeless. Sigh. I would give your books to them but I have been told to stick to my dead end script. Thank you. I am Michael Fernandez, I hold a bachelors degree in Psychology and have worked with substance abuse counselors and taught Youth Protection to adult youth leaders.
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Michael Thomas FernandezApril 20, 2020
As a former Church Service Missionary in the LDS Addiction Recovery Program, specifically the Pornography Support Group know as the PASG (passage) group I am very concerned that this group is desperately in need of an overhaul. The meetings are Gender specific. Yet, in the men's 12 step group meetings there is a culture of shame and self loathing that not allowing these poor men to turn away from Pornography and turn toward a healthy view of their own individual worth as a Sexual Son of God. Created in His image with a mortal body that is a sexual body with feelings, emotions, urges and wants. The mantra that is said almost verbatim in every PASG meeting goes like this: Hello, my name is ____ and I am addicted to Pornography , Masturbation and Lust. I tried to tell my patrons in my class that Lust is not an addiction and that we are not here to discuss mastrubation. We want you to stop looking at porn. The other things are not even mentioned in our 12 step book. I was strongly told that it was not my place to say that and that I was to stick to the script that they gave me. I tried to direct these men to self help books about sexuality and mindfulness available at Deseret Book but again was told that any mention of other books is strictly prohibited. I resigned from my mission and am now working one on one with brethren assigned to me by my Bishop and Stake President. These guys are sincerely looking for deliverance. They long for a healthy sexual relationship with a daughter of God yet they are locked in a script that says if you have a lustful thought or an isolated act of self arousal then they are hopeless. Sigh. I would give your books to them but I have been told to stick to my dead end script. Thank you. I am Michael Fernandez, I hold a bachelors degree in Psychology and have worked with substance abuse counselors and taught Youth Protection to adult youth leaders.
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