This post comes with a warning.  It will come with honesty that I know will embarrass and possibly hurt the three most important people in my life (my wife and two daughters) and could possibly affect my relationship with the church I pastor and even some of you.

First a disclaimer: I am not an Apple user.  Shoot, my office computer is a cast off HP from a local business (but it was free and it works).   I do not have an iPhone (I still use an old Samsung that is terrible to text with) and really have no intention of having buying an iPad (I am cheap and have a thousand other things to spend my money on…besides the fact I am trying to get out of debt).  I am not a Democrat (So now you know who I didn’t vote for and will not again. But let it be known I don’t vote for the party but for the person’s values).   But for just a few moments of your time (and mine) I am going to lay aside all those previous comments for one even greater: Steve Jobs has elevated himself big time in my eyes.   After reading this post from Breakpoint, my opinion of Mr. Jobs just went through the roof (at least on this matter).  Several months ago  Pete Wilson, one of my favorite bloggers, wrote this post. It spoke volumes to me and began some good seed-thought and action on my part.

You see, I stole my first pornographic look when I was somewhere in the 4-6th grade range at a local grocery store in my hometown of West Mifflin, PA.  It was of Tina Louise of Gilligan’s Island fame.  I can’t remember any of it.  After all it has been close to…shall we say 50 years (?) since that fateful day.  Please don’t use me as a poster-child of how early porn exposure doomed me for life.  It was years later in high school that I made the decision to “read” it (since I never looked at the pictures he says with tongue in cheek).  And just like alcohol or tobacco or meth or whatever other addiction you choose,  the seeds germinate and grow. I wish I could say I never looked at porn again but that would be a bold-faced lie. One thing I can say is that I never found it in our house hidden under a mattress or in a closet. If I wanted to see it I had to look for it.  Fast forward a ton of years to today.  Following Pete’s suggestion I investigated Covenant Eyes (CE) and am not ashamed to admit I installed it on my computer.  You can get more sophisticated set-ups at XXXchurch (3X) but for my use CE was sufficient.  I established an accountability relationship with a local Naz pastor who gets reports of every site I visit.  But for anyone who has struggled or still struggles with porn the information that it could be downloaded onto your phone was alarming.  Thankfully, both CE and 3X have downloads that anyone can install on their phones to block unwanted sites.  Now Steve Jobs has gone one better:  Don’t even let it become a problem! Don’t allow it to even become an app!  I, for one, am thankful for his stand. I also applaud his statement to the jerk (‘scuze me… Mr. Tate) who complained about freedom.  Like I stated earlier, I have neither an iPhone nor an iPad but I do feel a whole lot safer now if I do decide to buy one (or win one or am given one as a gift…yeah right!    )

I am sure there is more to all of this and I am also sure someone will (sadly) find a way around Mr. Jobs’ plan.  But for now, Mr. Jobs I salute you!  I thank you!  I don’t know if this was religiously motivated; child-motivated; values-based motivated; and frankly, I don’t care.  But from all of us who struggle…thanks.

Do you have any thoughts you care to share?  Feel free to comment anonymously if you want.  I will grant that privacy on this post.