Dear Ron,
    Enclosed is an article I just finished. It's vitally important for Christians to take on the evil that's on the internet! PLEASE get it into the newsletter (it might save a child!)
 

GET OFF THE INTERNET: LET'S GO FOR A BURGER

    Many in the liberal press today claim to be "protecting" our children against the supposed evil perpetrated against them by McDonald's and other fast-food chains. But what the liberals in this country won't do is attack the real enemy of our children; which is the child porn readily available on the internet. In researching this article, it took mere seconds to find sites offering pictures of "teen sex", "high school sex", "nude children", "incest", etc., etc. But easy access to grotesque pictures for your lap-top or home PC was just the "tip of the iceberg."
    First and foremost let's discuss internet chat rooms. Many children return from school and the first thing they do will be to get on the internet. They will get in chat-rooms and and discuss various topics (many times adult topics) with complete strangers. They will strike up conversations and many times maintain these "internet friendships" for extended periods of time. Unfortunately, these "internet friends" often turn out to be adult peodophiles. Anyone can enter a chat room and "join" a conversation and many peodophiles know the "lingo" children and teens use with each other and use that same type of language. This gives a false sense of security and can many times lead to tragedy.
    Secondly, it's not just chat rooms where predators prowl on the internet. There is also the less publicized phenemenon of "Egroups." These are groups where peodophiles can share stories or photographs of child abuse in almost total secrecy. There are two types of "Egroups" : closed and open. To join a closed Egroup you must be invited in, to join an open Egroup you have to ask to join. The talented men and women serving the FBI brought the Egroup phenomenon into the public awareness with their spectacular "Candyman" bust.
    So the obvious question is what's a Christian parent to do? There are concrete steps that you can take to protect your children. First of all, keep your home computer in a "public" place in the house. That way you can keep an "eye" on which web-sites your child is visiting and who they're talking to. Secondly, you need to become aware of some of the "lingo" used by young people on the internet. (Don't worry if you don't any-just ask them-they'll feel so "cool" telling you.) Thirdly, talk, talk, talk!!! Discuss all of the dangers out there on the internet. Finally, we all tell children "don't talk to strangers." Well the same goes for giving out personal information on the internet. Many peodophiles will ask for a child's home address, phone number, where they go to school, and where they socialize with their friends. It is absolutely critical that parents educate their children on not giving out their personal in formation. If we, as devout Christians are proactive in fighting the darkness which pervades the internet, then we will be able to say to our children: ""Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of your life shall be many." (Proverbs Chapter 4: Verse 10-KJV)
     So turn off the computer, grab your children, and go for a burger!

God Bless,
Dr. John Giotis