Friday, June 10, 2005

Porn Star at Bush/Republican Dinner

According to World Net Daily, a porn star who unsuccessfully ran for California governor will be among the guests who will dine with President Bush at an upcoming fund-raiser. The National Republican Congressional Committee is hosting a dinner June 14, and among those in attendance will be the "actress" Mary Carey, and her boss, Mark Kulkis of "Kick *** Pictures."

"I'm hoping to run as lieutenant governor of California next year," Carey said. "Since Arnold [Schwarzenegger] is a Republican, I thought this dinner would be a great networking opportunity for me."

Carey lost to Schwarzenegger in the 2003 California recall election. Her campaign photo has her draped in an American flag while seemingly nude beneath. Her platform included: taxing breast enhancements, making [dancing at strip clubs] tax deductible, recruiting porn stars as "ambassadors of good will," and putting Web cams up in every room of the governor's mansion.

Just last weekend, Carey, whose real name is Mary Ellen Cook (named after the Walton character), was among five people arrested at a new strip club in a suburb of Tacoma, Wash for simulating live sexual acts.

Carey professes to be a born-again Christian. She says she went to a Lutheran church with her grandmother until she was twelve. "I read the Bible and pray every night," Carey told WorldNetDaily in an exclusive interview. She always wanted to be an "actress" in the pornography business and does not consider what she does on screen as overtly sinful. "I probably have less sex with those guys than any college girl [typically has]. It doesn't make me less moral," she said. "I'm sure a lot of Christians have had sex before marriage. God reads my heart. I'm a good person. ... I think I have more morals than the politicians in office. I don't rob, steal, hurt, or lie – a lot of politicians do that."

When asked about Bible verses condemning adultery, she responded, "Bill Clinton committed adultery. [Doing] adult movies is acting, portraying a role. It's not Mary Ellen Cook, the real me." She maintains pornographic movies don't harm anyone, and are beneficial in a way, providing safe harobrs for the "lonely" public.

She may be right that sin is sin in the eyes of God - all sin is repugnant to our Holy God, right down to our waxing/waning love for Him, our ill will towards others and other "acceptable" sins that we engage in every single day.

The difference is that this lady's sin is VERY public (even more so now). It is not as if your sins or mine were caught on tape and sold to the masses in video stores and the internet. If so, sin that has become public must be dealt with publicly (confession, consequences). To gloss over her "career choice" is to condone it as acceptable practice. To invite her to a presidential dinner is an overt act of acceptance and gives legitimacy to the entire pornography business while eliminating the national scorn that it deserves at the highest level.

"I'm honored to be invited to this event," said Kulkis, who heads Kick *** Pictures. "Republicans bill themselves as the pro-business party. Well, you won't find a group of people more pro-business than pornographer. We contributed over $10 billion to the national economy last year."Kulkis is currently an honorary chairman on the NRCC's Business Advisory Council, a roundtable of millionaire business entrepreneurs who advocate a robust "pro-business agenda."

WHAT IS GOING ON HERE???

I know Bush is a very popular man. It has become almost anathema to speak against his decisions in the church. Hear me now - He is not infallible. He proclaims that he is a believer but he is making a grave mistake here. Of course, Bush is our commander-in-chief, not our theologian-in-chief so he can not be held to any higher standard on matters of faith and practice than we are. But he should also be rebuked just like any of us would be if we invited the same lady to a public function in our name! Where is Bush's church in all this?

Paul wrote to the licentious Corinthians who had little problems with bringing sex into their faith. He wrote this in the sixth chapter of his second letter:

14 For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?
15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial ? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?
16 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people."
17 "Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you."

This could come back to hurt Bush among his evangelical voters. This comes off in this way: he courts the "religious right" for our votes and big business for their money. Of course, the liberals probably won't say anything because to do so would necessitate a stance against pornography and "free speech." They won't go down that road - for that would only help us out.

Paul also wrote to the Ephesians and told them in chapter four:

17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.
18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.
19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.
20 You, however, did not come to know Christ that way.
A few verses later (5:1ff), Paul gives advice that our President would do well to consider:
1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children
2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people.
4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.
5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person--such a man is an idolater--has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient.
7 Therefore do not be partners with them.
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light
9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth)
10 and find out what pleases the Lord.
11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.
12 For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.
13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible,
14 for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."
15 Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise,
16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.
17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.
It has become very popular to say "God Bless America" in this age.

I think the question that must be asked is this: "Can God bless America without compromising His holiness?"


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I respect W. I think he's a genuinely godly man who loves the Lord. However, he suffers from what many are plagued by today, politics. There doesn't really seem to be any political advantage to this thing so I don't know what went through his head, but he has yet again compromised what he claims to be is at the foundation of his life for political reasons. I remember the cringe I got when he said, "Islam is peace." I'm not an anti-Muslim and I certainly don't agree that all Arab people are terrorists. However, Islam is what it is. Yes, there are many Muslims who aren't interested in jihad and the destruction of the infidels, but the tenets of the faith are what they are. Bush said what he said because that's what a President of a diverse nation should say, but it's absolutely not true. I was talking with Mr. Hight, our high school history teacher (and my new boss in the history dept.) about the fact that, unlike the early days of our country, not everyone has the opportunity to be president. I can't say to my kids, "You could be president someday." They don't have the pedigree, wealth, influence, & connections that it takes to ascend (or descend) to the highest office in the land. He replied, "I wouldn't want them to be President." That is true, being President, or any other high political official, almost requires a compromise of our faith. I admire those who are steadfastly standing for Christ while "serving" in political office, but it is definitely a challenge. Not to excuse it, but we must expect certain "sellouts" by those in public office, including our President. Of course, let's carry it all the way out, what would be the reaction if he said something like, "Everyone has the right to choose their own faith, but only those who choose Christ will live eternally in heaven." I think it would hit the fan quickly, yet that is the truth of what he is supposed to believe about faith.

Jeff A. Spry said...

We should keep in mind here that this is a dinner where contributors pay to be--Bush did not invite these people personally to be there.