Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position.  Some propaganda is obvious such as those used in Nazi Germany to bring Hitler from a political nobody to ruler of the country.  Other propaganda is hidden in plain sight barely noticed for what it is while it works to change the opinions of the population.  Perhaps all propaganda is barely noticeable until looking back and marking the change of opinion and the agents used to make it happen.  That is a whole other discussion, but now we will explore propaganda related to sexual issues.

Today, propaganda is hard at work to change the minds of the masses on the issues of homosexuality and pornography.  Take some time to be an active observer of the messages that are being sent about homosexuality for instance.  News stories are hammering away at the hypothesis that homosexuality is a tendency some folks are born with.  They have no choice so who are you to say it is wrong.  Television shows are featuring gay couples and characters as part of sitcoms.  Weaving homosexuals into TV programs makes them appear more mainstream and ‘normal’.  These shows evoke sympathy and acceptance of this lifestyle choice.

Propaganda to increase acceptance of pornography is active today.  How often do you hear references to internet pornography being dropped as punch line on a sitcom?  I have heard radio talk show hosts talk about internet pornography and how often they use it.  Do you think that articles about first amendment rights and spousal usage of pornography as healthy are propaganda?  There is still a stigma attached to pornography, but I see it slowly being eroded by the propaganda out there.

Whether you agree with me or not regarding propaganda being used to change minds about homosexuality and pornography, can you at least see the general decline or abandonment of values that once ruled?  There has been a breaking away from our moral bedrocks to become more ‘inclusive’ and more ‘tolerant’.  Those who take a stand against an activity that violates their moral and religious beliefs are labeled as haters and intolerant.  This whole issue is best saved for another article.

Breaking from our moral and religious beliefs and accepting the culture’s views does not happen over night.  Little by little our convictions are eroded by the constant propaganda all around us.  Allowing a steady flow of just a small bit of propaganda to our unconscious or unaware minds will plant seeds of doubt and eventually change us.  When we are exposed to something radically different from our convictions continually over time, our convictions can change and we could find ourselves doing and believing something that once was inconceivable.

We must actively look for these sources of propaganda and counteract them personally.  When we see a TV show with gay characters, we should avoid watching it.  If we hear a radio show talking about their favorite pornography websites, we need to change the station.  Don’t allow propaganda to influence your mind.

What do you think?  Is propaganda busily at work to change our minds and attitudes?