The Revelation of the Father - Week 11

1. S E S S I O N 11
Weeds in Moral Formation

2. Weeds in the Field
• “While men were sleeping, his enemy came
and sowed weeds among the wheat” (Matthew
13:25).
• “It is legitimate and even necessary to ask
whether [the socioeconomic system of the
West] is not the work of another ideology of
evil, more subtle and hidden, perhaps, intent
upon exploiting human rights themselves
against man and against the family” (St. John
Paul II, Memory and Identity, p. 11).

3. The Four Types of Formation
Human Formation
The material body is now
subject to decay and death.
Intellectual Formation
Darkened intellect struggles
to perceive the truth.
Pastoral Formation
Relationships are wounded
by tension and domination.
Moral Formation
Weakened will struggles to embrace
its true good.
Formation
of the
Human Person

4. • “Man cannot live without love. He remains a being that
is incomprehensible for himself, his life is senseless, if
love is not revealed to him, if he does not encounter
love, if he does not experience it and make it his own,
if he does not participate intimately in it” (St. John Paul
II, Redemptor Hominis, #10).
• “Self-mastery … is a training in human freedom. The
alternative is clear: either man governs his passions
and finds peace, or he lets himself be dominated by
them and becomes unhappy” (Catechism #2339).
Moral Formation: The Freedom to
Love

5. We must wisely use our freedom if we are to live
in communion with each other.
In our own lifetime, technology is rapidly changing
the way we interact with each other.

6. 25
75
10
0
5 25201510
0
MarketPenetration
30
Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, “Computer and Internet Use in the United States: Population Characteristics,” May 2013, Figure 1.
U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, “Historical Statistics of the United States: Colonial Times to 1970,” Series R 93-105, Series A
288-319. Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2006, Table 1117.
50
35 40 45 50
Years after Introduction
Technology Adoption Rates
Radio
TV
Computer
Internet
Smart
Phone

7. Technology in our Lives
• Ninety-five percent of teens access the internet.
• Approximately 84% of youth use social media.
Almost 2 out of 3 youth check their social media site
daily.
• Approximately 78% of teens have a cell phone –
47% have a smartphone. Approximately 74% of
youth use the phone to access the internet.
• The average youth send 1800 text messages a
month. It is the dominate means of communication.
• Almost 1 out of 4 teens has a tablet computer.
Source: Pew Research, “Teens and Technology 2013,” March 13, 2013.
Pew Research, “Social Media Update 2013,” December 30, 2013.
Pew Research, “Teens, Smartphones & Texting,” March 19, 2012.

8. Technology forms the milieu in which our children
live. They use it without question. They are being
transformed by it.

9. Technology at the Dinner Table
• Approximately seventy percent of 6-10 year olds
bring technology to the table.
• Only five percent of children eat with no distractions.
• One-third of children spend less than 15 minutes
eating dinner.
• Two-thirds would like to spend more time with
parents.
• Seventy-three percent of parents used a mobile
device during the meal.
Source: Brown, R., Cambridge News, “Seven out of ten Cambridge children use technology
at the dinner table but want to spend more time with parents, study finds,” May 28, 2014.
Radesky, J., et al., “Patterns of Mobile Device Use by Caregivers and Children During
Meals in Fast Food Restaurants,” Pediatrics, March 10, 2014.

10. The Reality of Video Games
• Eighty-three percent of youth play
video games: averaging 20.5 hrs/wk.
• Twelve percent meet are addicted.
• Cause and effect relationship between
violent video games and aggressive
behaviour, aggressive cognition,
aggressive affect, physiological
arousal and decreased helping
behaviour.
• Effect is larger than between passive
smoke exposure and lung cancer.
Source: Gentile, D., et al., “Pathological Video Game Use Among
Youths: A Two-Year Longitudinal Study,” Pediatrics, v. 127, No. 2,
February 2011.
(0.2)
0.4
Arousal
Helping
(0.4)
AverageEffectSize
CognitionBehaviour
0.0
0.2
Source: Anderson, C., “An update on the effects of playing
violent video games,” Journal of Adolescence, 27, 2004,
pp. 113-122, Figure 2.

11. Exposurebefore18(%)
Sources: Sabina, C., et al., “The Nature and Dynamics of Internet
Pornography Exposure for Youth,” CyberPsychology & Behavior, v., 11, No.
6, 2008, Table 1.
: Robinson, M., et al, “Cupid’s Poisoned Arrow – Porn-Induced Sexual
Dysfunction: A Growing Problem,” Psychology Today, July 11, 2011.
Boys Girls
0
25
50
75
100
Boys Girls
ViewedforLongthan30Min
(%)
0
20
40
60
80
Boys, the Internet and Pornography
• Over ninety percent of boys and
sixty percent of girls aged 18 have
been exposed to internet
pornography.
• Boys are three times more likely to
seek out pornography to view.
• Viewing pornography releases
dopamine in the brain, which is
implicated in all addictions.
• Dopamine activates the sexual
center in the hypothalamus, which
control erections: pornography is
implicated in erectile dysfunction.
93.2
62.1
69.4
23.2

12. Boys frequently get into behaviors that overtly
impact their relationships.
Girls actually use technology to try to foster their
relationships.

13. Technology and the Social Network
• Technology is an integral part of teen
women’s social networking.
• Teen girls send almost 4000
messages/month.
• Seventy-six percent of women use
Facebook, of those 3 of 4 visit the site at
least daily.
• Teens are more willing to share personal
information on social network sites.
• Median number of friends for all teens is
300. Girls have substantially more.
• Twenty-six percent use Twitter.
• Sixty-four percent of tweets are public.
25
100
Relationship
Status
Interests
0
PercentIncluding
PhotoName
50
75
Source: Nielsen, “New Mobile Obsession – U.S. Teens Tripe Data
Usage,” December 12, 2011.
Pew Research, “Teens, Social Media, and Privacy,” May 21, 2013.
92 91
84
64

14. ChecksSeveralTimes/Day(%)
Sources: Pew Research, “Teens, Social Media, and Privacy,” May 21, 2013.
Sax, L., “Girls on the Edge,” Basic Books, New York, 2010, p. 39 and p. 65.
150
Friends
600
Friends
0
20
40
60
80
150
Friends
600
Friends
UsesFacebookandTwitter(%)
0
15
30
45
60
Becoming a “Micro-celebrity”
• Teens actively manage their account
to gain social standing – i.e. liked.
• “Authenticity is not valued on
Facebook. It’s not about being
authentic. It’s about being cool.”
• “Every young person has become …
a public figure. And so they have
adopted the skills that celebrities
learn in order not to go crazy.”
• “People are using the same
techniques employed on Madison
Avenue to manage their personal
lives.”
65
27
46
13

15. SentNudePictures(%)
Sources: The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned
Pregnancy, “Sex and Tech: Results from a Survey of Teens and Young
Adults,” 2008.
England, P., et al., “Hookup and Forming Romantic Relationships on
Today’s College Campuses,” The Gendered Society Reader, Oxford
University Press, 5th Edition, 2013.
13-19 20-26
0
10
20
30
40
Intercours
e
Oral
Sex
SexualActivityduringHookup
(Percent)
0
10
20
30
40
Playing to the Male Audience
• A large portion of teen and young
women text nude or semi-nude
pictures of themselves.
• Almost half of young women say
that it is common for pictures to be
shared with other people.
• Many women admit to being more
sexually forward through technology
than in “real life.”
• Many woman admit that sexting
makes it more likely to hookup.
• Seventy-six percent of college
students will have at least 1 hookup.
22
36
38
15

16. GirlsAged14-17(%)
Source: Rector, R., “Sexually Active Teenagers are More Likely
to be Depressed and to Attempt Suicide,” The Heritage
Foundations, 2003.
Active Not
0
5
10
15
25
20
Active Not
Attempt Suicide
Depression
A Failed Proposition
• During physical intimacy, the hormone
oxytocin is released.
• Oxytocin neurochemically wires the
brain for trust and intimacy.
• Neurological pathways are
strengthened, making future sexual
activity more likely.
• Destruction of a relationship destroys
feelings of intimacy and trust.
• Sexual activity is associated with
increased levels of depression and
attempted suicide, especially for
women.
25.3
7.7
14.3
5.1

17. The lives of celebrities are not the glamour they
appear to be.
The story of Marilyn Monroe.

18. Marilyn Monroe
• Born June 1, 1926.
• Begins modeling work in 1945.
• Two breakout films in 1950: The Asphalt Jungle and All
About Eve.
• Marries Joe DiMaggio in 1954.
• Films Seven Year Itch in 1954.
• Forms her own production company: $100,000 per film
plus a share of profits; right to reject any script, director or
cinematographer.
• Marries Arthur Miller in 1956.
• Sings Happy Birthday to President Kennedy in 1962.
• Dies August 5, 1962.
Source: De La Hoz, C., “Marilyn Monroe:
The Personal Archives,” Barron’s
Educational Series, 2011.

19. If you are nobody and you want to
become somebody, then you have to
become somebody else.
Marilyn Monroe

20. The Making of a Star
• Studio wants models with light hair: She changes her
brunette hair to golden blond.
• Changes name from Norma Jeane to Marilyn Monroe.
• Corrects overbite and softens her image.
• Does nude shoot that becomes first centerfold for
Playboy.
• Has cartilage removed from her nose to further soften her
appearance.
• Adopts her famous platinum blond hair.
• Becomes one of Top 10 “money making stars” by 1953.
• “Hollywood is a place where they will pay you a thousand
dollars for a kiss and fifty cents for your soul.”
• “With success all around me, I can still fell [a child’s]
frightened eyes looking out of mine.”
Source: De La Hoz, C., “Marilyn
Monroe: The Personal Archives,”
Barron’s Educational Series, 2011.

21. The Death of Marilyn Monroe
• February 1961: Enters Payne Whitney Psychiatric
Clinic. Calls Joe DiMaggio to get her out.
• Becomes ever more dependent upon alcohol and
prescription medications.
• Receives psychiatric care.
• Dismissed from last film, Something’s Got to Give,
for showing up on 12 of 35 production days.
• Offered $10 million for 4 films in Italy.
• August 5, 1962: Her psychiatrist, Ralph Greenson,
finds her dead at her home.
• “Acute barbiturate poisoning” from a “probable
suicide.”
• Marilyn Monroe was 36.
Source: De La Hoz, C., “Marilyn Monroe:
The Personal Archives,” Barron’s
Educational Series, 2011.

22. The Hole in Marilyn Monroe’s Heart
• May have been illegitimate. Never knew her father.
• Mother (Gladys) was mentally unstable.
• Placed in a foster home. Gladys tries to steal her.
• Mother is taken to a mental hospital. Norma Jeane
is declared a “ward of the state.”
• Moves in with Grace McKee but is sent to the Los
Angeles Orphans Home when Grace marries.
• Moves back in with Grace and then is sent to live
with her great aunt, Olive Brunings.
• Sent to live with another aunt, Ana Lower.
• Moves back in with Grace.
• Marries at age 16.
Source: De La Hoz, C., “Marilyn Monroe:
The Personal Archives,” Barron’s
Educational Series, 2011.

23. Many people try to fill a hole in their hearts with
popularity. It didn’t work for Marilyn Monroe. It
won’t work for today’s “micro-celebrities.” Nothing
can replace the love of a father.

24. Next Week
Weeds in Pastoral Formation
Small Group Discussion
Starter Questions
1. How are you going to help others use
technology more discerningly?
2. How can you help the women in your life
understand their true worth?