The true power of lies.
Masturbation
I remember my father being suspect of my long showers as a 13 year old. What else would I be doing besides giving my new favorite toy a complete scrubbing? Don’t get me wrong he was right about my bathing activities, but damn was he a jerk about it. He sat me in his room and told me that people who masturbate develop skin diseases and their penises will fall off. To be honest with you, this scared me to death and his tactic worked for about 3 days until the urge could not be controlled. Guess what? A few months later I did develop a rash “down there”. In retrospect, it was probably a poison ivy infection from building a fort in the woods. So here I am in the most pain imaginable physically and emotionally, (I was thinking my penis was rotting off) and I didn’t say a word to anyone. I could have gotten help but I decided I would hid the this condition because I didn’t want anyone to know. I even thought about suicide. I didn’t want to live without a penis. I felt shame. Well, a week or two goes by and everything returns to normal. What a relief. I could breath again. I later learned that almost everybody does it and it is okay. In fact, there are quite a few medical benefits to masturbation. What did I learn from my fathers Golden Nugget of advice? He couldn’t be trusted. I now have children of that age there is no way I would ever make them feel bad over any of this kind of stuff. I think it is child abuse.
Marijuana
I was told marijuana was the most dangerous substance on the Planet. I was told it would ruin your life. I was in my early 20s and was hanging out with some friends who I was in graduate school with when one looked at me and said, “Hey man, I’m pretty sure you don’t smoke, but we are going out to the balcony and smoke a joint. I don’t want to leave you in here all by yourself and make you feel uncomfortable. You are welcome to join us.” Cult mentality kicked in. I almost ran through the door. The Young People Ask was right. All of the college people are drug addicts. I calmed my self and realized he was just trying to be nice so it wouldn’t be a shock. I did not smoke that day with him. He and the rest of my friends did not try to pressure me at all. I did talk to him about it a few days later and I discussed all of my fathers, WTBS, and Just Say No lies. He just laughed. Now, I did do some pot on and off in my life. I never made it my daily routine. Guess what? A little more trust erodes.
The Truth
I do not have the time or the space to go into this, but I think the more they lie the more people will start to wake up. Think about it.
It worked for you.