The Wrong Kind Of Profit

I read the following in today's USA Today (on-line).

MARRIOTT BLASTED FOR HOTEL PORN
(Hotel Hotsheet - by Kitty Bean Yancey)

X-rated entertainment is the profit center hotels don't like to talk about. It's big business, making hundreds of millions for hotels and vendors (I've never seen any figures made public, so if you know of numbers, please tell me.)

Anti-porn groups have unsuccessfully tried to stamp out raunchy hotel room entertainment. Wednesday, Morality in Media released a letter from its president, Robert Peters, to Marriott CEO Bill Marriott Jr. Peters writes that he tries not to stay at Marriotts, "despite their quality," because the chain offers porn. "I realize that Marriott is not the only major hotel chain that distributes pay-TV pornography," the letter says. "Marriott is, however, the only major chain whose founder (your father) was honored by Morality in Media for his efforts to fight pornography."

He inadvertently stayed at a Marriott when a relative made a reservation, Peters writes. And he was not happy to see an "Adults Only" movie option, that offered titles such as 100% Sex: Sophomore Sluts and All Sex: XXX Fantasies.

Peters writes that porn contributes to the breakup of marriages and to sexual assaults and that "Morality in Media, among many others, is of the opinion that a criminal prosecution of a 'mainstream' corporation that is in the business of distributing hard-core pornography is long overdue." He urges Marriott to "do the right thing" and remove porn.

I have written about this issue, and the position of Marriott and other chains is that they are giving customers what they demand and no one has to view porn in a hotel room unless he or she chooses to.

So readers, do you think hotels should remove porn options (as Omni hotels did)? Do you think businesses that traffic in pornography should face prosecution?
(end of the article)
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This saddens me greatly because everything I read tells me that porn is beyond out of control in terms of its impact on men (and women) and the destruction of healthy relationships in the context of marriage.

I am quite sure that I have no idea the magnitude of profits derived from this horrific venture. I so hurt for those who believe that making a profit from this is necessary to their bottom line. May they find some other way to do business that does not destroy so many people in the process.

Did I read this correctly - hundreds of millions of dollars?

Saving Grace

I watched this show on Monday night. It was very disturbing.

I can’t figure out if I was offended or authentically confronted with the reality that much of the world is contained in the Holly Hunter character. Probably both…….

I don’t want to judgmental, but I also don’t like any kind of stereo-typical portrayal of what someone thinks followers of Christ are like.

I wish I were a better writer to be able to articulate what I truly feel.

Here is my best stab at it.

Just when I thought this show was over the top in it’s drama, they would throw in a line or two that reeled me back in. I wish I knew more about the writers. They either really get it or they are working very hard at trying to get it. Someone has done their research on dialogue, questions, and conversation topics of people who are asking questions about their faith.

Here’s what I mean by that - God is always pursuing people. Even people who are outwardly opposed to being pursued by God. He is always trying to reach them - get to them - save them, but it always comes down to people having to decide for themselves - do I really believe in God? Do I really need God? Is He for real? If I say yes to God, what does that mean? Can He really, honestly change me? Do I want to really, honestly be changed?

It always comes down to a question of faith.

I want so much to believe that that is the underlying theme of this show - does this Holly Hunter character really have the faith to believe? And if so, what does that mean?

I am curious to know where this series will take us. Yes, there are offensive scenes, content, and language, and there is some “out there” theology, but they are asking some “right” questions, dealing with some very real issues of faith, and I applaud TNT or whomever for bringing that into our homes via cable TV.

I guess we will see where it goes, and I suppose I will watch again not really sure why it has “drawn me in”………

Williamson County Wonder #3

Recently, in the Williamson A.M. section of our newspaper, someone picked the "wonders of the county" and wrote about them. Honestly, I don't remember what #1 or #2 were, but #3 was interesting to me because I drive by it everyday.

(Here's how the newspaper described it)

MOCKINGBIRD HILL HOUSE
For more than a year and a half, Brentwood drivers have watched the progress of one Mockingbird Hill home at Concord and Franklin Roads.

The owners of the 20,000 square-foot, Mediterranean-style home have asked to remain anonymous, but we can tell you a little about the multi-million-dollar home.

It includes six garages and 126 windows, a wine cellar, sauna, home theater, a spacious master suite, a pool house and guest house.

Particularly unique features include a coffee bar in the master suite, a water feature in the master bathroom, a 30-foot-tall round entry foyer, an extensive swimming pool and waterscape, and an observation tower.

In a county of impressive homes, this one stands as a wonder to thousands of motorists who see it each day.
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Here's my top ten things I have to say/ask about this as I read about it:

(please pardon my ignorance which I feel certain I will reveal)

1. How many people will live in the 20,000 sq. feet of space?
2. How many bedrooms?
3. What about the kitchen?
4. Only ONE home theater in 20,000 square feet?
5. Six-car garage? I'm guessing the guest house is bigger than my house!
6. What does "extensive" mean when describing the swimming pool?
7. 126 windows? My home has 12 - (if Karla had her way, we would have close to 120 even in our 2,400 square-foot home!
8. What the heck is a "water feature" in the master bath?
9. Coffee bar in the master bedroom - with 20,000 square-feet, why not a Starbucks!
10. The view must be amazing if they built an observation tower! I hope they like looking at our church since I'm certain it occupies the bulk of their view from their observation tower!

Who knows, maybe they go to my church! If so, please don't be anonymous - invite me over for dinner - I promise not to "gawk"!!! (is that a word?)

Run Fred Run

This is not a political post.

I was minding my own business driving yesterday, when as I stopped at a red light, I looked up to see this bumper sticker on the back of the car in front of me.

I laughed aloud for several minutes.

Whoever thinks these slogans up? Hilarious!

I have no idea why it hit me as so funny, but it did.....

Everyone needs to laugh a little......