# PonderIt

## Friday, November 03, 2006

### Let's Show Cops in Priesthood

I've made the breakthrough. I've discovered the secret to saving the children of the world--or at least the church. The secret? Cops. No, not the people in uniform, the show on TV.
My revelation came a few months ago when I was flipping between the two channels we get on our television. It was late at night and I couldn't sleep. Cops was on. I watched a girl desperately trying to talk her way out of the fix she was in. She was in the passenger seat of her car. Naked. The car has just been pulled over. She gets out of the car, trying to wrap herself in a sheet or something. Her clothes are a wet clump on the floor of the car. She's apparently been swimming with the two boys in the car.
Drugs are found under the seat. She desperately pleads with the officer not to turn them in or "I'll never graduate! Those drugs aren't mine. I have no idea where they came from." She is sobbing. The officer isn't convinced.
This is the only episode of Cops I've seen in years. But I think I'm going to switch the curriculum for our Aaronic Priesthood meetings to include an episode every other week or so.
I looked at this girl on the TV. Her life is in shambles. Just minutes before we see her, she was living what she thought was the good life. Having "fun" with boys who most certainly adored her, or at least the version of her that didn't have any clothes on and let them drive around in her car.
Looking on the wreckage left behind such fun, you'd think that would be a powerful deterrent. I'm sure it all sounds very enticing "in the moment", but the price is so very high down the road.
Cops shows the costs. There is nobody on that show (except the cops) that anybody would want to be like. Hopefully our kids would be smart enough to make the connection.
I'd better go see if the library has any episode on VHS so I can clear the new curriculum with the bishop. I'm sure he'll be thrilled.

#### 3 Comments:

- Maybe not quite appropriate for priesthood meeting, but maybe for a fireside, youth night, or when the kids are just hanging at your house.
  However, the "scared straight" tactic doesn't always work, either. Teens usually have the attitude "That'll never happen to me. I'm too smart."

  By Bookslinger, at 11/04/2006 3:02 PM

- There is yet another factor: the rebel factor. Our culture applauds the rebel to a certain extent and encourages rebellion. Coming of age almost always requires a young person to go through some type of rebellious stage.
  Scared straight has low success rates partially due to this rebel factor. People admire some qualities in the rebellious, although, it seems to defy pure logic. People are not purely logical creatures.
  The rebel factor also encourages thrill-seeking and willful ignorance of risk factors. As bookslinger notes, the "That'll never happen to me" sentiment runs strong in the heady days of young and vibrant hormones.
  Many influences are required to achieve a successful outcome of the youth-to-adult transition. But when it comes to priesthood meeting, the power of the Spirit in teaching is one of the strongest and best. Regular and frequent influence from the Spirit will work better than showing Cops.

  By Reach Upward, at 11/08/2006 8:37 AM

- LOL - my dh always has to watch Cops and that means I watch it too. And I am always saddened and amazed at the stupidity (sp?) of people....

  By Jeannette, at 11/08/2006 9:13 PM

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