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 Hotels' in-room movie selections should not include porn, according to two religious scholars.
July 12th, 2012
11:03 AM ET
Strange religious bedfellows unite for letter against hotel pornBy Dan Merica, CNN (CNN) – A letter penned by two notable scholars - a Christian and a Muslim - and sent to a number of different hotel industry executives has asked those hotels to remove pornography from their company’s in-room movie selections. Robert P. George, a professor at Princeton University and the past chairman of the conservative National Organization for Marriage, and Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, co-founder of Zaytuna College, a Muslim school, wrote the letter to urge hotels “to do what is right as a matter of conscience.” “We are, respectively, a Christian and a Muslim, but we appeal to you not on the basis of truths revealed in our scriptures but on the basis of a commitment that should be shared by all people of reason and goodwill: a commitment to human dignity and the common good,” reads the letter. The letter marks the joining of two unique men with two distinctly different faiths. Yusuf says they were able to put aside their disagreement on other issues because of their commitment to this cause. “We need to see that those things that are threatening our society today are much graver than anything that may divide us,” he told CNN. CNN's Belief Blog: the faith angles behind the big stories Reaction to the letter from some adult film stars - and even from some advocates for removing porn from hotels - was negative. Craig Gross, a pastor and the founder of XXXchurch.com, says the letter is an empty gesture with no power behind it. “It has got to be one of the dumbest letters I have ever read,” Gross said. “It is like asking the Internet to stop selling porn. It sounds good and all, but it isn’t going to happen.” But the letter’s authors argue that the Internet and hotels are different, with hotel owners directly profiting off the temptation of porn. “We urge you to do away with pornography in your hotels because it is morally wrong to seek to profit from the suffering, degradation, or corruption of others,” states the letter. “You are placing temptation in their path - temptation for the sake of profit. That is unjust. Moreover, the fact that something is chosen freely does not make it right.” Yusuf continued to use this argument in an interview with CNN. “Just because we are able to do something doesn’t mean it is what we should be doing. And just because you can sell these things doesn’t mean it is something you should be selling,” he said. In Gross’ opinion, this logic is a slippery slope. When planes offer access to WiFi, is that placing temptation in the path of those who may view porn on the Web? When hotels offer room service, he asks, are they tempting dieters? Gross has a long history of helping those with porn addictions, and his website is dedicated to getting people help. According to him, removing porn from hotels is a futile endeavor because of the "unfettered availability of porn on the Web. “ According to a 2005 report on the state of the adult entertainment by Adult Video News, a trade journal on the adult-film industry, 55% of hotel movie rentals are porn movie rentals. The average revenue from movie rentals, according to LodgeNet, a company that provides in-room entertainment services, was $16.51 per room per month in 2008. In the third quarter of 2009, LodgeNet brought in $64.8 million. This, however, included more family-friendly options as well. A 2011 report by Robert Mandelbaum at Colliers PKF Hospitality Research found that from 2000 to 2009, movie rental revenue for hotels in general decreased 39%. Even with the reported slip, Gross and other critics acknowledged there is a demand for adult entertainment. “This is supply and demand,” Gross said. “We spin our wheels doing all the wrong things. The issue is not that it is available; the issue is that people buy it.” Prior to this letter, however, some hotels had already pledged to remove pornography from their programming or had removed it. In 2011, Marriott International - a company founded by a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that continues deep Mormon ties - pledged to phase out adult content from all hotel rooms. The move came after groups like Focus on the Family met with Marriott officials to urge them to remove adult movies. The church of porn and football “Adult content will be off the menu for virtually all of our newly built hotels,” read the Marriott statement. “Over the next few years, this will be the policy across our system.” Marriott is not the first hotel group to do this, though. Omni Hotels, a Dallas-based luxury hotel chain, removed all adult films from its in-room systems in 1999. According to other reports, adult-free programming is helping the Omni differentiate itself in the hotel market. Websites like cleanhotels.com look to help porn-free hotels by compiling a list of hotels that do not offer adult entertainment and leading people to them. Cleanhotels.com says it does so because its supporters want to know they are “supporting a facility that cares enough about the wellbeing of its customers not to make harmful pornographic movies available.” The American Hotel & Lodging Association, however, defends the right of hotels to choose what services to offer in their rooms. Follow the CNN Belief Blog on Twitter “In-room offerings such as this are made available based on market demand, are not offered in all hotels, and are subject to the same legal review all hotel operations are subject to,” read a statement from Kathryn Potter, senior vice president of marketing and communications for the association. Ron Jeremy, an adult-film star who has been in over 2,000 porn films, according to the Internet Adult Film Database, sees efforts to remove porn from hotels as attacks on freedom of speech. “What they have to understand is that freedom of speech works for all of us, not just for them,” Jeremy said about those who want to get porn out of hotel rooms. “This is a country that is secular; you have freedom from religion and freedom of religion. Give me a break.” While Jeremy said he is all for making sure kids in hotel rooms can’t get to porn - “I think that is marvelous” - he said he doesn’t see why adults shouldn’t watch “consenting adults have consenting sex.” "If a guy has a hard day at work or is at a convention and wants to sit down in his hotel room and puts on an adult film and plays spank the monkey, why can’t he do that?"
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The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
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Religion has caused the deaths of millions of human beings. Masturbation has never killed anyone.
Watchout for leaks, it can be really slippery, more dangerous than a bananna skin!
You really want to get their panties in a bunch? Toss the bible in the drawer next to the bed.
Maybe these guys should ask everyone else if they want Pron in their rooms before they tell the hotels to remove it.
Religion is fine.
Just don't try to force it on anyone else.
The hotel people could at least list it as something else on the bill so the wife doesn't know.
Now that...they can do.
I'll still be able to bring a "lady of the evening" back to the room and make my own p o r n, right?
lol
So much for the power of God if people cant just decide NOT to turn it on.
Yeah...I thought God was all about free will.
...And free Wifi
These 'Religious Leaders' have the right to their own beliefs but they don't have the right to impose them on me. If I wanted their opinion, I would come to them and ask. In the meantime, they can stay the heck out of my life.
And I'm going to write a letter to the president requesting that all religious people who want to interfere with the rest of us be booted from the planet. Does anyone else want to co-sign?
Oh, I will! I will!
Where can I sign.
PUt it up here. I'll sign it twice.
Right there with you
be glad to!
I'm in, I'll sign it!
It causes great harm to many. So do cigarettes, alcohol, religion..... none will never go away; too much money involved.
It can be made a little bit less accessible to minors and less prominent.
Not that long ago you would have to ask for it or go into the separate room at the video store, show proof of age etc.
Some things do NOT improve as we go forward
Once again, the religionists trying to legislate morality.
In this case it's rather funny because there is inherently the choice to watch it.......... OR NOT.
I believe there are things called "channels"... XD
Things called remotes too.
Easy solution...tell the front desk no adult programing in the room.
Really? The stuff on the tvs in hotels is the soft stuff anyway. Just like whats on the satellite channels. So go ahead, remove it.
In a recent study, the researches had access to de-identified credit card purchases from several of the largest internet porn sites. Alll they had was the location of the purchaser, and the amount.
The 10 states with the most purchased porn (per capita)? All highly religious red states. The number 1 state? Utah.
The data shows the level of repressed s-e-x-u-a-l behaviour. It is always funny to see how repressed these religious idiots really are.
Primewonk, so what you are trying to fly with this post is that no atheist would live in a red state, so of course those credit card purchases had to be Christians. This is what you atheists claim as logic?
When you learn how to put one foot in front of the other, then we'll teach you wisdom.
HeaveSent,
So I guess we blame/scapegoat the minority (Atheists) for all the evil and bad that is done? Christians make up majority in our population but they do not commit majority of the crime or bad things in society? REALITY Christians commit majority of crimes and are the majority in prisons. While you choos eto be blind of the obvious in REALITY you cannot dismiss the evidence.
@HeavenSent
Perhaps you should try some reading comprehension. Prime made no claim like that, merely pointing out a correlation.
I do love this world and everyday it is getting smaller and smaller for the religious to handle their daily lives. That is a sweet thing to see.
Do anyone need p orn? I mean... are you really that unattractive to get a wife? I mean you gotta be if you are standing up for p orn... le wd people... I never thought I'd see the day when people stand up for s mut.
"I LIKE VOMIT AND CRAP, YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO CLEAN THAT UP..."
*applaud every idoit out there who stands for this*
God or no, p orn is a stain that must be removed. Read about some of the ex-p orn stars that did eventually turn to Christ. They tell of the real life on the other side of that camera. You have no idea what many of them go through.
Can you hear that??????????? the world's smallest violin playing for the Knit of God.
@just sayin
You hear that? That's air in just sayin's head... sounds pretty hollow, maybe you should fill it with something other than hot air...
Lord knows it will not be bible verses that fills it. lol
Evidently not bible verses, nor any sort of intelligence will fill that empty and bottomless void of stupidity.
Somebody has their bible in a bind. If you want to worship a false Christ and manufactured God that is your right.
"I mean... are you really that unattractive to get a wife?"
.
HAVE you been to a walmart in your life? lol
Religion will be gone. P-o-r-n and s-e-x will always thrive. That is nature and we are part of it.
Knight
What is wrong with p.orn? It's two, or more consenting adults, having se.x on camera. I fail to see how this "a stain that must be removed."
Funny, I know plenty of people who worked in the adult industry who are happy people and take such cherry picking 'I can find people who were victimized' rather poorly.
Every industry has its bad apples, every industry has people who were hurt and scared by it. If we used those examples as reasons for why something shouldn't exist.. say goodby to the military, or manufacturing, or churches.
Ah yes.. the old 'we can't get our flock to stick to our rules, so we want the option to be completely removed for everyone!' line.
BTW – hate to break it to you, but women watch it too, as well as couples watching it together. It isn't just unmarried males.
Who says they can't get a wife? Some married couples watch it together.
Knit of God,
I also have a close friend who worked in the p o r n industry. She doesn't recall it being like you state. She said there is a minority group of trashy sc u m directors but most stay away from those types. She has since left, married and has a child now. They are quite happy and don't need a manufactured God in their life. She does say it is awkward sometimes when someone recognizes her in public but laughs it off.
Pr0n is a "stain" because the church says it is. And what do you know? They just happen to have the cure for it: eating the flesh and blood of a dead carpenter! And taking your money.
Want hotels without pr0n in them? BUILD YOUR OWN.
I have read some of your comments, I believe you referred to someone as stupid, and throughout, you have judged others. Not an expert, but are those two actions in line with Christ's or the bible's teachings? If not, then you my friend are a hypocrite, and no better than those who you judge
For every 1 person victimized by the adult industry, there are thousands of people who have been victimized by religion (and those are just the ones molested by catholic priests).
The Knight – I agree.
I guess they don't believe in freedom. No surprise, both these groups represent anti freedom under their "God's/Allah's" moral law.
Riddle me this/riddle me that:
Lets take John Doe in 2012 walks into a hosptial and claims he is half human and half something not of the Earth. He claims he can float in the air. He claims he can raise animals from the dead. He claims he can turn rocks into gold. He claims he can hear somebody talking to him from the sky.
Would the man be considered insane or suffering from a "mental condition"
Christ was mentally unstable and delusional....hence his followers mimic him. Only difference between an insane person and Christian/Muslim/Jew is that the insane person is locked up
They should remove all bibles from hotel rooms. That would get rid of a lot of nasty stuff that is in that horrid book.
@Bob
Its kind of like when people chose a murderer to be free over Jesus...
You are doing the same thing, instead of standing up for morality, you stand for degradation of humanity. Good Job 🙂
And the hotel can tell the two people to f off, not their business. God/Allah does not pay the bills.
I do my part and throw away them if I see them in the room. I am pleased to say I am seeing very few bibles anymore. I travel 80% of the time. The Hotels could choose better fiction books to put in their rooms. I have to chuckle when I do see one.
I gave you people free will for a reason. If you are good because other people force you to make good decisions, I will see through your lie. Those who claim to rob other's of the free will I gave them are no friend of mine.
Nothing offends me more than finding that tripe in the drawer in my hotel room. That book is responsible for more violence and degradation than all the pron ever produced.
"You are doing the same thing, instead of standing up for morality, you stand for degradation of humanity. "
So ban pr0n but keep a book that contains brutal violence, murder, s3x, inc3st, genocide, and hatred? LOL. Ohhhhhkay. Back to the tin foil store for you.
It really is a futile attempt.....
“to do what is right as a matter of conscience.”
Well my conscience tells me it is right for me to beat my meat like it owes me money. If you don't want po.rn in your hotel room, don't order it.
"beat my meat like it owes me money", thanks Huebert, I needed a good laugh. I about spit coffee on my monitor.
someone watches the chapelle show....great episode
Hotels should make porn available free of charge. I suspect it would increase business.
They already do. You can find far better stuff than what's offered on hotel TV by using the free wifi to connect to the internet 🙂
Since most hotels have internet connections, removing s/mut from the TV menu is moot.
Besides – does anyone actually pay for p/orn these days?
P.orn= Good
Religion= Bad
And religions are wondering why their numbers are dwindling.
Atheism = spiritual dead heads needing to constantly lust after the flesh.
Theists: Pompous folk who purport to know the likes and dislikes of god
HeavenSent = even-worse-than-typical Christian flinging insults.
HeavenSent = Former Star in Donkey Show
Atheist = whiners who can dish it out, but, can't take it.
sam stone, you'd know what Jesus thought and said too, if you read His truth (the Bible).
Own the fact that you want to stay ignorant.
If you are flesh, you will lust after it. To deny that is simply lying.
HeavenSent= Former Star in Donkey Show
That is not supposed to be pulbic information, how did you know about it?
Heavenspent
You said "sam stone, you'd know what Jesus thought and said too, if you read His truth (the Bible)"
I have read your bible and I know it is full of things that are not true, but one thing is absolutley true.
You have read your bible and have no idea what Jesus thought or said. and the meaning that you believe is there for you has escaped your grasp. You clearly have not learned a thing from "His" teachings....back to the drawing board with you....
Who invited me? Sad to hear you learned nothing. That's typical of a person having their ego in full swing while reading His truth. You butt heads with what He had scribed. Instead of arguing with His truth, try reading what He scribed instead of what you wanted Him to scribe. That's a good start.
Who invited me? It's typical of you atheists that want to dish out and over everyone else on this blog. But, when it's done back to you, you whine. I used to be very humble and patient when blogging with you folks over a year ago. It fell on deaf ears. I then decided to talk your talk and what happens? LOL. You all cry about it.
"I used to be very humble and patient when blogging with you folks over a year ago."
Are you saying you are no longer humble? SIN! SINNNNNNNNN! I hope you've been to confession for your pride.
"It fell on deaf ears."
Kind of like talking to someone who invokes "God" when they run out of facts.
Your dusty tome was written by simple men hundreds of years after your false savior walked the Earth, then translated and twisted to suit the desire for power held by medieval men. For a thousand years we've been shoving it further into dust, and we are hopefully approaching a new renaissance when religion will be discarded in favor of reason.
Painful truth for you. I hope you accept it soon.
Zeke2112, I've always stated from the beginning of coming onto this site to post that I have to bring my ego up even to post. If not, I would never attempt to write on the Net. I am aware that you atheists are head over heals in love with yourselves. Meaning, don't bother to get you to think, never mind think with wisdom under your belt.