2. How Can the Risks be Minimized?

As I said earlier, just knowing the risks can go a long way in helping to deter many of them.  It's also a good starting point to take proactive steps towards minimizing them.

Here are several recommendations.

Abstinence

In all honesty, nothing is going to eliminate the dangers of the Internet 100%, short of abstaining from using it all together.

I have talked to men who have found it simply too much of a temptation that they finally pulled the plug.  One man dropped his Internet access, another sold his modem.  One mother physically cut the phone line from her daughter's wall outlet.  The pull was just too strong, and I applaud the actions each of these people took to take a definitive step to keep themselves and their families pure.  

For some people this approach may seem too stringent.  But Jesus said:

"If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out." (Mark 9:43, NIV)

By comparison, cutting off your Internet connection is no big deal!  It's not a sign of weakness for someone to acknowledge that they have a weakness and then take action to keep it from destroying them.  

Having said that, I also don't think the majority of people have to pull the plug.  I know several people who have used the Internet for years, are not tempted in any way, and can count on one hand the number of objectionable sites they've accidentally stumbled onto. 

But it's important to know that anytime you go on the Internet, there will be an element of risk.  Nothing will eliminate 100% of the dangers on the Internet short of abstinence.

For those who do plan to be on the Internet and want to be as safe as possible, keep reading!