A Bible In Every Ford, Porn At The Marriott, & A New Top Ten
April 12th, 2008 | by Daniel DiRito |If the American Family Association had their way, I suspect they would require a Bible in the glove box of every car and nonstop airing of The 700 Club in all hotels. Yes, the loons that boycotted Ford for being gay friendly have now decided to tackle the scourge of hotel porn. The AFA wants Marriott International to stop offering adult content movies to their guests and they are seeking a meeting with company officials to make their case (and view a few examples).
Several conservative groups, including the American Family Association, are asking Marriott International Inc. to stop giving hotel guests the option of ordering pay-per-view movies with strong sexual content.
AFA, based in Tupelo, said 47 “pro-family leaders” have signed a letter asking chain’s chief executive, J.W. Marriott Jr., for a meeting to discuss their concerns.
Marriott was told that stopping “porn movies” would be in keeping with the corporation’s position of “promoting the well-being of children and families,” AFA said in a news release.
AFA announced last month that it was ending a two-year boycott of Ford Motor Co., saying the company had met most of its demands, which included ending donations to groups that support same-sex marriage.
Ford said in a statement that its principles haven’t changed, but that it has reduced overall advertising and charitable spending in recent years because of losses in North America. Ford lost $2.7 billion in 2007.
Among those participating in the letter to Marriott, according to AFA, are James Dobson, chairman of Focus on the Family; Tony Perkins, president of Family Research Council; Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission; Bishop Harry Jackson, chairman of High Impact Leadership Council; and Robert Peters, president of Morality in Media.
Now I’m no religious expert but isn’t it the individual’s responsibility to resist temptation? Since these movies aren’t mandatory and they can only be viewed if one elects to see them and agrees to pay the fee, I’m at a loss to understand how this impacts the well-being of families? If daddy or mommy have a predisposition to watch porn or to engage in adulterous affairs, I doubt they need to run to a hotel to achieve either. Further, there’s no reason to believe that the effort to force Marriott to cease offering porn will strengthen or save a single marriage.
I’ve long argued that these religious fanatics are constantly looking for rules and regulations because they simply haven’t the will to resist their own wanton desires. Rather than look within for answers, they run around demanding the world erect barriers to save them from themselves…and that’s a tall order. Truth be told, the newspapers are filled with examples of the lengths to which people will go to fulfill their misguided motivations.
It will take a lot more than a Bible in every Ford, a ban on hotel porn, or a constitutional amendment prohibiting same-sex unions to save the institution of marriage. Last time I checked, divorce rates have been increasing for years. Pardon my snark, but those numbers primarily reflect the failure of holier than thou hetero marriages. Homos have long been on the outside looking in…and from my perspective…the grass isn’t all that green on the other side of the fence.
As usual, stories of this nature always seem to inspire my sarcastic side. With that in mind, I’ve created a new top ten list. The following are the top ten reasons hotel chains must not stop offering movies with adult content to their guests.
Number Ten:
How would we ever catch governors in the act of destroying their political careers?
Number Nine:
The innuendo behind “Feel the Hyatt touch” would be totally inappropriate.
Number Eight:
Sexual intrigue sells…Watergate scandals are so passé.
Number Seven:
It could potentially encourage a closeted minister to arrange clandestine hotel meetings with a male prostitute.
Number Six:
Corporate America couldn’t afford to hire traveling salesman if the perks were suddenly eliminated.
Number Five:
Motel Six would have to change its slogan to, “You must leave the light on”.
Number Four:
Hotel chains can’t afford to alter all of their door hangers to include wholesome explanations like “Do Not Disturb - Prayer In Progress”.
Number Three:
What would evangelical adulterers use to ready themselves for their extra-marital trysts?
Number Two:
It could spell the end for that popular Las Vegas ad campaign…the one that states, “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas”.
Number One:
It’s better than allowing polygamous religious lunatics to build marriage beds in their temples.
Cross-posted at Thought Theater
4 Responses to “A Bible In Every Ford, Porn At The Marriott, & A New Top Ten”
By steve on Apr 12, 2008 | Reply
Heh… You oughta be wondering who leaves their kids alone at a hotel room where they could purchase porn.
Probably a parent getting some next door…
By Charles Radliff on Apr 12, 2008 | Reply
Yes, it was difficult to cut through the sarcasm (Mr. Steve seems to have the same sarcastic bent). Allow the AFA to justify their existence. I don’t see where they are hurting you. They seem to be aware of the destructive aspects of pornography, and are battling it as they know how. I’m putting a link to an excellent article on pornography, which you might find interesting.
http://www.truthortradition.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=150&mode=nested&order=0&thold=0#null
By Chris Radulich on Apr 12, 2008 | Reply
Every real study of pornography has said that it has no harmfull effect. Though lately with the internet there has been a problem with addiction. About the same as with alcohol, gambling, and smoking.
As for your article, charles, it was just more religious claptrap.
By Daniel DiRito on Apr 13, 2008 | Reply
Charles,
Should you have an interest, I wrote an in-depth piece on the subject of pornography some time back. The link follows:
Icebergs & Identities: What Lies Beneath?
Regards,
Daniel