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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?" soundoff (1,415 Responses)« Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Next »
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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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Why do religious folks feel the need to regulate everything. If you dont want to watch p orn then don't. If you don't like g ay marriage dont get married to a g ay person. If you dont like drinking on sunday then dont. But please leave the rest of us alone.
Their problem is that science is always disproving their myths, so if they can get everyone to believe in their fairy tales, then they can live in peace.
It's all about validation of their sacrafice. If they give something up because they think God will punish them if they don't, but then their neighbor is having all the fun getting to do it and nothing bad seem's to be happening to him, then you need to make something bad happen to him so that you validate your own service. And everytime you shout at someone else to believe the way you do, you are also attempting to boost your own conviction since faith in imaginary things are inherently difficult to maintain in the absence of any evidence.
Why do non-religious people think that others should be forced to sell what they do not want to sell?
Everyday their little religious corner of security shrinks...
Each and every day they go onto forums to plea for acceptance. They peddle their misery of faith and decry that the FREEDOM of our information technology is ruining them and society. It is only them that technology is ruining – not society. Society is made much better without their stupidity.
"Why do non-religious people think that others should be forced to sell what they do not want to sell?"
I didn't realize this was a hotel chain that doesn't want to offer p o r n but are being forced to...Oh, wait, it's not...your'e just a moron...
Think of it this way rATL, it's as if the non-believers were deaf, blind, and intoxicated and had no clue they were stumbling into danger just ahead of them. Christians are there to ensure you don't hurt yourself as well as others.
@HeavenSent: It could just as easily be said the other way around. All of that repression builds up and then explodes.
KS, there are more Christians in this country than repressed explosive atheists. Thank God.
@ Heaven Sent
"Think of it this way rATL, it's as if the non-believers were deaf, blind, and intoxicated "
Ah but we are not deaf, we hear your religious drivel and realize it is so silly and childish.
We are not blind and can read many other forms of thought that dispel your mystic beliefs.
And we are indeed intoxicated with the truth that we have but a single life on this planet and we use to enjoy ourselves and are unafraid of your hell and think your promise of a heaven is a child's fairy tale......we use reason.....it works just fine.
Then remove all Bibles they offend me with all there lies
People need to stop asking questions about religion. Just believe!!
Believe in what is personal to you. Dismiss all religious texts
You peasants should stop worrying about what Prince John does with your money, just pay your damned taxes and stop asking questions!!
And the final word on that "believe it" ... "MAKE US".
The ignorance of that statement is simply mind-boggling. Not only do you believe in something that has presented zero tangible evidence, but on top of this fact, you don't even to care to seek any validation or evidence for your own beliefs. Sadly, you are no more than a sheep.
LOL. First you hijack my handle to write your babble, then you answer your own question. Too funny. Ridiculous too. But, then, I'm picking on you. Start your whining engines.
Believe the priests that molest little children, believe the omans that murder women, believe the evangelists that ask you for your money, believe that we are all aliens and will be taken to space....
Don't question, believe (or is that obey your betters?)
Phony's having her temper tantrum again stealing my handle the way she does.
Note to Heaven-sent:
"Question EVERYTHING."
sanjosemike
HeavenSent siad, "Own the fact that you want to stay ignorant."
.
Interesting that you say this when you choose to ignore the fact that the jews copied and stole stories from a religion established thousands of years before Adam came onto the scene. Anything that challenges or exposes the fraud about the OT is simply the Devil.
just saying, and you have first hand account of this? You were there? Amazing. You must be as old as Noah.
Remember that HevenScent was there to tell you the truth.... and that truth smells.
George and just sayin, all these phony religions were started by the Kenites. Kenite's are offsprings of Cain. Cain was the son of satan. Satan is a liar and therefore, his children and children's children are liars. The offsprings of satan do the same thing as he did. Take's Jesus' truth and spins lies into scriptures. What better way for you to have doubt, then to start all these fake religions having the same themes, different names ... using 95% of Jesus' truth and adding 5% of satan's lies to it. Causes doubt. They won. You folks doubt and have yet to read to comprehend Jesus' truth.
HeavenSent
just saying, and you have first hand account of this? You were there? Amazing. You must be as old as Noah.
.
Ph oney or Real HeavenSent,
No the story of the flo od comes from even an older religion. A religion esta blis hed thousands and thousands and thousands of years before the creation of the OT. Your fa ble came from another religion dear. You see Adam was a bu mb ling id i ot who couldn't read or write and learning how to plant se eds, while the Sumerians were already doc umenting the stories that thousands of years later that the Chosen People stole when they could actually read and write. See the credibility issue we have here????
HeavenSent
George and just sayin, all these phony religions were started by the Kenites. Kenite's are offsprings of Cain. Cain was the son of satan.
>
???? Okay so the Kenites were time travelers that went back into time thousands of years before Adam..interesting. I think we are having a disconnect here. And Cain was also the son of Satan...interesting. You compelte disregard of history prior to the OT is amazing. And again SELF DENIAL
@HS
Cain was the son of Adam. That is in your bible.
Sorry babe but history is what it is. The truth and evidence was already established prior to the Chosen People coming onto the scene. The Chosen People stole fables from a much older older older religion. Unless you can provide something prior to the Sumerians, you have no leg to stand on and are talking complete bs.
Huebert
@HS
Cain was the son of Adam. That is in your bible.
.
When I saw that I was thinking Phoney HeavenSent
Simply put the Chosen People simply lied and made up their God to keep their "people" in line.
@just sayin
D'oh. Yeah your probably right.
So HeavenSent, I await a valid response from you. Your last one is fake or you are not paying attention.
Huebert
@just sayin
D'oh. Yeah your probably right.
-
But I still had to respond because she is a little crazy so YOU NEVER KNOW
If the Kenites came from Cain I guess they were good swimmers as well as being time travelers.
@just sayin
It's really sad, for HS, that people have trouble differentiating between her honest opinion, and someone making fun of her honest opinion.
And of course she slinks away. Blanket statements with no basis and bible quotes with no validity..that s um s up HeavenSent
Hevensent said: "You must be as old a Noah."
sanjosemike responds: It's time to GROW up and stop believing ridiculous fairy tales. No such person existed. Period.
When I can't find p orn on TV,I find that Victoria Osteen chick and turn the volume down
Go for her! You might have a shot!! Her gay husband certainly isn't taking care of business...
I do the same with Rexella Van Impe
Just kidding, by the way
@Joxer the Mighty
–quote-
They are not telling other people what to do. They are asking the hotel management if they will consider removing it from their hotels. Are you saying they shouldn't have the right to free speech?
-end quote-
I'll do what religious dolts do and give you an "IF" situation...
What if these religious people propose that in your home that you are NOT allowed to channel surf to your p-o-r-n channel?
First of all you missed the point. Second of all, I don't have cable or satellite so I don't have a p orn channel.
Practicing one's "freedom" is not a license to enforce your views just because you think it is right.
And where were they enforcing their views? How is a letter to hotel executives enforcing their views?
I guess they should remove the mini bar as well since overpriced alcohol has to be a sin, and toss that pillow mint and the danishes' from the continental breakfast, don't want any temptation in my way when I stay at a hotel. And while were at it, why don't we ban cigerettes and big gulps and corn syrup and toilet paper that feel's good wiping your backside, it need's to be gritty and leave some road rash so you know you aren't enjoying any sinful butt play...
that's the whole reason Gross (a Christian) thinks this is stupid. I also think this is stupid, but believe they have a right to free speech.
Well, sure they have a right to free speech. No one is proposing that the government swoop in and forbid them from writing letters. What people are saying is that this letter was a remarkably bad one, that the idea stinks, etc.
Free speech means freedom from government intrusion into your speech - not freedom from other people criticizing your speech.
I agree that the letter was pretty dum, but half the people on here keep talking about those two "enforcing" their beliefs.
"half the people on here keep talking about those two "enforcing" their beliefs."
I'm guessing here, but it might have something to do with the fact that the religious in this country do try to enforce their religious beliefs with things like personhood amendments or the defense of marriage act or forcing schools to teach intelligent design alongside science, or the injection of religion onto our money and into our national pledge. I know it's a wild stab in the dark but after going through all that along with the skeletons in our past of ban's on interacial marriage, slavery and womens rights, a story like this might make some of us a little upset...
Joxer, isn't that what you are doing? Expressing your belief.
"two "enforcing" their beliefs."
You name the instances that they won't end up trying to enforce this issue. It is a well established routine of "have it my way because my faith and that book tells me". You want to play with society and spin the words and actions that have already happened out in the past? Go ahead – your futile words are no match to the reality that happens in every case.
Look at abortion down in Mississippi. Look at the world and the culture of belief.. you want to keep up the spin? Go to every forum and see if it isn't truth that it is a matter of enforcement.
Debater, I would say because of the fact that our country was founded on God's principles. Instead of whining about it, why don't all you atheists move to a new place of land some where else in the world, claim it as your own and create your mass confusion, chaotic country. Oh, that's right ... other established countries already did that. No land for you. I guess will just have to put up with your foolishness, never to stop being lazy to learn Jesus' wisdom.
Heavenspent
there you going again, claiming the foundations of this country are god and all else should leave...typical christian
The forefathers were smart enough to break away from the stranglehold of religion, and made sure that no one else would have to suffer religions unless they wanted to. The primary principles are those of the ancient athenians.
This is not a christian country you twisted delusional religious puppet
And was it your "christian ethic" that stole all of the land from those who already lived here, denied them the right to have representation, to deny black citizens, female citizens, chinese citizens the right to vote or be represented....of course it was because that is what christians do.
Who invited me? Just because you try to re-write history, doesn't make it true. Pull all the text ever written, change what was there to your nonsense, place all the fake information on the Net, it sill doesn't mean your babble lies will ever be truth. Since, you've never read Jesus' truth, all stones will not be standing when He returns.
"why don't all you atheists move to a new place of land some where else in the world, claim it as your own and create your mass confusion, chaotic country. Oh, that's right ... other established countries already did that. No land for you."
Ahh, so when the whites showed up on the shores this was an empty land ready for habitation? Or should we atheists follow the founders example and start shooting anyone current inhabitants to clear some space for ourselves? You look cold HS, want some blankets? I'm pretty sure theres no small pox on them...
Oh, and the other thing is, this is already MY land so you can go fvck yourself, which i'm sure you already do on a regular basis because I cannot believe anyone else could stand doing it with you...
Heavenspent
My knowledge comes from studying the diaries, and correspondences of the fore-fathers, not some fairy tale book.
I know the processes they used, and what they were based on IN THEIR OWN WORDS...not words someone else wrote in your ancient tome
Your are delusional, and a poor example of the christian you claim yourself to be.
Who invited me? Take you lies somewhere else. All our forefathers believed in God. As for Debater, you have a chip on your shoulders about white folks I see from many of your writings. You need to accept what these folks did for our country and stop picking out a few examples to nitpick. The only one that will get an ulcer over it, is you. The white men and women are many of the Tribes of Israel. Or, did you not know that truth either. They are true Israel.
"The white men and women are many of the Tribes of Israel. Or, did you not know that truth either. They are true Israel."
Ah, I see HS here is a white supremecist, the only ones who push that old lie of white's being God's new chosen people.
I have no problem with white people who recognize they are no different than anyone else in the world. I myself am white of Irish and Welsh heritage. I just happen to find persons like yourself who lie about what some God you imagined wants or likes to be repugnant. It saddens me that such pathetic excuses for humans claim to be superior all while commiting the most heinous acts of cruelty ever imagined by mankind on anyone who does not believe in their non-existant deity. I am relieved that people like HS continue to die off and are not being replaced as the new generation has far more access to facts and science than the old generation did that had to rely on faith and lies.
Jesus was in a skin flick once with Tim Tebow and Kirk Cameron. He was on bottom.
IDK I see Kirk more as the bottom
Replace all Bibles in hotel rooms with Dawkins' "The God Delusion".
Ha! Awesome.
That would require you atheists to donate them. Not likely for that to happen.
+1000. I'll donate to that!!!
In a world ran by republicans, this would become the law instead of just a letter.
I'm pretty sure a world ran by Democrats would eventually outlaw the public practice of religion.
@Joxer the Mighty: gee, you make a world without religion sound like a *bad* thing. No more blind sheep, "holy" wars, inquisitions, witches burning at the stake, etc., etc., etc.
Oh Joxer, The vast majority of Democrats are religious too, they just don't feel that others should be compelled to live according to their personal belief systems.
Yes, the world you described would be terrible. People wouldn't be free to believe what they chose.
Actually, Ed. As a democrat and a Christian, you non-believers are beyond horrific ... in every category imaginable. I can't believe you're allowed to vote.
This is an article about p orn but won't let you post the word p orn? That crrrazzyy!
SO as I was posting, The guy in the picture it too cute to need p orn... he could star *in* p orn!
try const i tution, ( freedom of speech fail because there is a T I T in the Const i t ution)
Our constltution really could have used a pair of t i t 's...
Why don't they just tell their followers not to watch it... no sense in imposing their beliefs on everyone...
They are not imposing their beliefs. They are exercising their right to free speech.
Removing other peoples access to something goes beyond free speech. This is just a media grab by a couple of religious nuts....
They are imposing their beliefs - they're proposing that their beliefs be adopted by hotels, and applied to any guests who stay there (and who may have booked without knowing that they'd be subject to such beliefs), whether the guest shares the beliefs or not.
Now, do they have the free speech right to propose that? Of course. Until federal agents arrest them for writing letters, we don't have a free speech problem here. But in that totally-legal speech they're proposing to impose their beliefs onto others - and while they have the right to propose it, it's a bad idea.
yea but most religions will gladly go from free speach to enforcing their will on the masses doesnt take much of a leap, Its happening.
If you ban that out of hotel rooms, then you need to also have the bible banned from hotel rooms.
Amen!
I find religious books offensive as they propagate class hierarchy, obstruction of freedom of thought, and even torture of women.
+1000
No one is asking that it be banned. They are asking that hotels freely choose not to broadcast certain programs. You can always bring you own computer loaded with anything you want.
The authors of the letter aren't trying to get a law passed that would ban p orn in hotel rooms. They wrote a letter to hotel management outlining why they felt it would be a good idea to remove p orn. If you would like bibles removed from hotel rooms, you too have the right to send a letter to hotel management outlining your case. It's called free speech. It's part of what makes this country great. That said, I doubt either of you will be successful. Businesses typcially are profit driven. My guess is that removal of either p orn and/or bibles would result in a drop in profits. P orn through lost sales; bibles through Christian boycott. BTW: This is a story designed to showcase religious cooperation between christians and muslims - how did so many people misconstrue it as a tale of attempted repression by religious leaders?
I know this is a new concept but here it goes.....IF YOU DONT LIKE IT DONT WATCH IT, CHANGE THE CHANNEL!!!!!!!!
Everyone has the right to do as they please and you have no right to monitor them or try and be their better judgement so knock it off!
Funny, just last night the Christians were howling about not forcing beliefs on others.
Not that it matters here – porn is very profitable for hotels, and in corporations money is the only morality.
Let us pray. Dear god... please save me from your followers.
The letter is not trying to make p orn in hotel rooms illegal, it's just trying to move the hotel chain management to remove it from their hotels. There is nothing wrong with the letter because it is just expressing an opinion. Even if all hotels removed p orn from their tv rental list, people would still have the internet.
That is the point. First they ask for it to be removed from hotels., next they will ask WiFi and 3G networks to remove it.. then internet providers.. They they will demand other types of things be removed that don't conform to their beliefs.. Ask Iran and Saudi Arabia, China etc.
Isn't the Chinese government atheist?
While the government in China officially takes the stance of atheism they have loosened up in more recent years, the majority of Chinese are Christians (around 32%) and a wide range of religions are practiced, Buddhism, Taoism, etc. I have friends/family in China and Taiwan and most of them are Christians.
if you don't want pron, don't order it! these people have NO RIGHT to tell others what to do in the privacy of a rented hotel room.
They are not telling other people what to do. They are asking the hotel management if they will consider removing it from their hotels. Are you saying they shouldn't have the right to free speech?
Does this mean they want the bible out too with all the atrocities printed in there?
There is pretty sick p o r n in the OT... Adam and Eve banging their children. Children Banging each other..and the othe rincesty stories.. disgusting
Fine by me, as long as we can also ban bibles from hotel rooms as well. Even though I realize it's a work of fiction, I find its stories of slavery, child and animal sacrifices, polygamy, etc. extremely offensive.
There's no one stopping you from writing a letter to the hotels to do that...
If you want government out of your private life, why do you want these self appointed religious hacks telling you what you can and cannot do?
I am trying to understand the hypocrisy of the conservative thought process.
"Consevative thought" is an oxymoron.
George, it's all that wisdom they acquired from reading and practicing Jesus' truth. And you? LOL. I was going to ask you want you think you know. But, I know my time will be wasted reading all the responses.
And I suppose Jesus thought he was wasting time talking with the people around him too? Hypocrite.
Hotels are private businesses. They are allowed to sell what they want. That is a conservative view. They may add services, or remove them. What I see are some people who are demanding that hotels sell certain services that they want to use. Forcing hotels to sell something they do not want to sell is just a bazaar concept. Do you want the government to step in and require hotels to sell something they choose not to? Then lets be fair to all. Along with your programing, lets pass a law forcing all hotels to broadcast Shirley Temple movies too.
HeavenTakeHimBack, another dummy handle (LOL). Get a life, will you?