It feels good and a little frightening. more later ..............

Hey Thinkin' Man!!

Mazal Stove on reaching the 90 day goal. We are all so very proud of you! And look at your record!! WOWIE!!

I look forward to reading your story more, like the rest of us. Just remember, that YH is gonna try to throw all sorts of things your way to stop you from posting those inspiring notes. He's done it to me too many times, I say a "more later..." and then never get to it cuz of new things that come up. So try better than me, maybe it'll help me get on the stick with my own teaser trailers...

M A Z E L T O V ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

How “I” I got to 90 days 90 days - part 1

1) It’s not “I” it’s “WE!” just by being part of the GYE family is a tremendous help. Posting regularly is a great way of being accountable to GYE and myself.

2) At the beginning of the 90 days I installed K9 on my work PC., the password is held by a frum friend.  It’s the only PC with a filter in the office, and although I do have access to the other pc’s, using someone else’s pc would look strange, (in my work environment), and looking at forbidden sites very difficult to do in practice. 

3) I got rid of my internet connection at home long ago.

4) Most of my falls were  proceeded by allowing myself to be aroused gradually until a fire burned within me that I could not control.

5) The lack of control normally began with “bad thoughts” caused by looking at girls on the street or at simchas particularly where frum attractive ladies are gathered.

6) Or often by thinking about the one lady who is permitted for me to think about and look at – my wife. Except when I day dreamed about her, (with the yh telling me she is permitted to me) she was unavailable which just added oil to the fire burning inside me. Just what the yh was trying to do. Once aroused I began lower my guard, look where I should not look, until I finally had a fall.

7) So what changed? I tried to control my thoughts and imagination particularly thinking about my wife at the wrong time.

8) I will give more detail in a later post, but basically we all control ourselves and we CHOOSE what we do - our מחשבה דבור ומעשה thoughts, speech and a actions. No one falls without allowing himself to think the wrong things and then make the decision to choose to fall!

9) It all starts with those initial thoughts – just one look can start a fall exactly like the alcoholic taking the first drink.

To be continued in my next  post

So far sounds great. Already a few tips i think im gonna start working on right now! thanks!

Just to show how blind so many Yidden are there is a poll on Arutz Sheva

What should be the Jewish view of the Internet?

1. It should be avoided.
2. Full access to everyone.
3. Limited access, only for good

61.2% voted  Full access to everyone!!!!

Are there so many dumb Jews out there? They certainly need to hear Rabbi Yosef Veiner!

Its simple. There are so many jews out there that are allowing their urges to speak instead of using their minds!! and thats if they have one in the first place!

Then there was the Calvin & Hobbes Sunday Comic where Calvin tries one day to live a life of virtue, being good, cleaning his room, doing homework, volunteering to help in the house. Then he comes to his "senses" and runs away for the satisfaction of hitting a girl on the back of her head with a snowball. Hobbes responds with a great line: "Virtue needs more cheap thrills."

That's a real adage for our times. The open internet is filled with cheap thrills, the rush of excitement and even the fear of getting caught. It's an easy and FUN escape from responsibility.

It is up to US to FEEL MORE the THRILL of being clean, of being sober. We can not afford to become complacent, cuz with every passing billboard the media is vying for our attention, and they are very good at making us curious to see the next new movie trailer, etc.

I think that the REAL THRILL has to be a growing involvement with REAL LIFE, REAL PEOPLE, REAL TORAH LEARNING AND D'VEYKUS HASHEM. As we move thru the Sur Mei'rah, we have to over-emphasize the ASSEI TOV, build up the GOOD FEELINGS about ourselves to fill the empty void where the "cheap thrills" used to be. As DC puts it, thinking about and acting upon "How can I be of service to the universe?"

Virtue alone can't be it's own reward. Not in this day and age. It doesn't hold a candle. A Life of Kedusha with Torah, Chesed, and walking with Hashem is the key.

:)Nice Steve - Now I understand what Rabbi Yosef Veiner was talking about. I have been involved with the web since the early 90's and thought the dangers were well known it appears this is not the case.

Too many Rabbonim appear to either be afraid of the subject or refuse to admit to its existence.

How can we at GYE help?

Think good! I see your thinking good!! :D :D :D :D :D How can we help?? Well check out the threads on this subject!! There are many ways. Look around youll see them.

I will.

Does anyone have an example of a letter to send to Rabbonim in Hebrew??

When it comes to letters the 3 main people to get a hold of are; guard. kedusha. shemirateinayim.

Dont know if there is a hebrew one but theyll knopw forsure.

A quick observation:

A few years ago, a company run by frum people named IDT started advertising about offering UNLIMITED, UNFILTERED Internet, mass market advertisement on NY radio stations. I remember thinking there is only one reason why anyone would want unlimited internet service, and wondering how a frum company can offer that, even to non-jews, knowing that so many jews would buy it too.

Now I'm not judging, just observing. IDT was very big, and was on top, but after that has been going way downhill over the last 2 years. It's a company that is lucky to still be alive.

Hakodesh Baruch Hu can take his time metering out His justice. We know He is very patient waiting for our teshuvah. BH thanx to GYE and all of you I have been zoche to a lot of Sur Mei Rah, ulai it will be part of a complete tshuva, and help me to be zoche b'din. BH I finally have a path which has helped me more in shemiras eiynayim and hirhoorim in the last 4 months than in the previous 40 years!! I never would have dreamed this level of avoidance was possible, even tho i know I have a LOOOONG way to go.

Just a few thoughts back at 'cha, Thinker

How can we help? Firstly and most importantly, by growing, and becoming healthier people.

By helping others (can be here, or outside).

Your idea of a letter is great, too!

TG. Just wanted to make sure your still thinking good!! :D :D :D