God holds the parents accountable for disregarding His command to separate themselves and their families from these unholy influences. While we must live in the world, we are not to be of the world. We are forbidden to conform to its practices and fashions. The friendship of the ungodly is more dangerous than their enmity. It misleads and destroys thousands who might, by proper and holy example, be led to become children of God. The minds of the young are thus made familiar with irreligion, vanity, ungodliness, pride, and immorality; and the heart not shielded by divine grace, gradually becomes corrupted. Almost imperceptibly, the youth learn to love the tainted atmosphere surrounding the ungodly. Evil angels gather about them, and they lose their relish for that which is pure, refined, and ennobling.{2BC 1001.4}

Gud holder forældre ansvarlige for at vanrøgte Hans bud, at holde dem selv og deres familier fra disse uhellige påvirkninger. Selvom vi må leve i verden, skal vi ikke være af verden. Vi er blevet forbudt at tilpasse os dets skikke og moder. Venskab med ugudelige er farligere end deres fjendskab. Det vildleder og ødelægger tusinder som, ved rigtigt og helligt eksempel, kunne ledes til at blive Guds børn. De unges sind gøres fortrolig med ureligiøsitet, tomhed, ugudelighed, stolthed og umoralitet; og hjertet, der ikke afskærmes af den guddommelige nåde, bliver mere og mere fordærvet. De unge lærer næsten umærkbart at elske den fordærvede atmosfære der omgiver den ugudelige. Onde engle samles sig omkring dem, og de mister deres smag for det der er rent, forfinet og forædlet.