Alliance Christian Fellowship, Porn, and Double Standards (PG-13?)

(N.B.: This post discusses issues and uses phrases that aren't appropriate for kids. I usually keep this blog family friendly, but it is hard to address this issue without being blunt.)

After writing my post yesterday, and re-reading the Devout Life's Post I & II on the subject, I walked away from my spiel about Alliance Christian Fellowship's "Porn Weekend Promotion" a little unsatisfied. I know why I have a problem with the billboard, and I think the topic and workshop are an OK idea (I hedge a bit due to the fact I don't really know what they are going to say), and I feel like I didn't give it a good treatment. This is mostly because I didn't explain myself well, which may be due in part to the fact that until today I didn't truly know what was wrong with the billboard. I blame most of the problem on my poor writing skills, but I digress.

Well today, I was standing in line at the store waiting to buy groceries when I realized the double standard that ACF is using. You know how at supermarkets there are check-out lanes labeled "Family Friendly"? You know, aisles with no Cosmo's or Glamour's at eye level for your 10 year old boys? Some stores even go as far as not having candy in those aisles. Some will just cover up the Cosmo with a nice plastic board. Well, who do you think argued for their implementation? It was the protestant evangelicals. It was the same people that fills the pews (or should I say fabric covered seats) of most evangelical protestant churches. It wasn't just the pictures, but the words that they wanted covered. Why? Because words have MEANING, and words have affect and effects. Because, a 9 year old boy or girl could just as easily see women wearing what they do on the covers in the store, but reading:  "100 Great Ways to Please Your Man With What You Have In Your Basket Right Now" is entirely different. Because, although there is nothing per se wrong with sex (when conducted between a married couple) there is a detrimental affect on your child when they read the words: "Have Better Sex TONIGHT!"

So you see when kids, 10 year olds (which is under the age of what even ACF deems appropriate for their workshops, read the PORN WEEKEND billboard they are affected. The effects? Well it is a query into "What is porn? And why is there a weekend about it at a church?" In fact, it looks inviting, it looks interesting, and the billboard seems to be promoting it. Again, my argument isn't that the billboard shouldn't use the word PORN, but that it how it uses it that is harmful and improper. It is a gimmick, and they are utilizing a standard which they don't normally employ: e.g. the Cosmo Argument.


Likewise would it be appropriate to have "ABORTION WEEKEND"; "Abortion and Apple Pie", "Condoms and Cake", or "Peanut Butter and Spermicidal Jelly"? How about promoting a weekend about Alcoholism with: "Keg Party Weekend!"; "Beer and Baseball"; "Shots and Ladders"; and "Tequila makes your clothes fall off"? Or what if the Catholic church did this with "Pedophilia"? There would be outrage. It isn't that these things shouldn't be talked about, but it is how it is promoted. It is the way in which the church is enticing folks to come. It is tacky and it misleads folks. Not that I think people will be tricked into coming, but it misleads those that don't know how to interpret this – Children.

As I said, I wonder what the Pastor would say about my other weekend ideas, or the Cosmo lane at the supermarket. I bet he would have some way around it, but really, ACF is wrong here. They are using a gimmick, they are fitting their church and God into the culture rather than fitting themselves into God. What is really sad, is that at the end of the day I bet this is all about money. I can almost gurantee that the group behind this, XXXChurch.com is charging a pretty penny to come here and so they have to promote in a provocative way to make sure they make money. Because isn't that what PORN is all about, making money? That is the problem with double standards, you end up right back where you start.

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Alliance Christian Fellowship & Porn Gimmicks

Mindy at the Devout Life is blogging again, and she has come out swinging. She has recently highlighted a gimmick by the Alliance Christian Fellowship Protestant Church in Eagle River, Alaska. They apparently have a big billboard up at the exit to Eagle River that looks like this:

Now, I don't have a problem with them having this "weekend." In fact, I applaud them, as does Mindy. What I do take issue with is the childish and tacky promotional effort they have implemented for its advertisement. It comes in the form of a silly billboard for all to see. 

Mindy takes a much more intellectual approach to her dissaproval, I take a much more, well, Joe-approach. My thoughts: "C'mon really?" We get it... shock us, shock us, with your scandalous topic. But don't do it with an ambiguous billboard that looks like that. Honestly, this is the fruits of Protestantism - they fight the culture with culture. It is sort of like fighting drugs with drugs. It might work some of the time, but you usually end up getting the person off of an illegal drug and on to a legal one. Here you are removing one cultural problem: porn, and filling the hole with another: a heretical church belief. 

I agree, the sign is tacky and they shouldn't have it up, but who am I to say that right? I am sure the Pastor there, would say something clever and edgy. Maybe he would say, "you're right, we shouldn't have to have a sign about that porn - but that's exactly why we have it." I almost feel foolish posting about it, because we are giving them exactly what they want - publicity. In fact, I almost see it analogous to the Palin thing... but for one small thing. They are claiming that this is in the name of Christianity. They have no advice on their website about how to talk about what "PORN" is to kids that can read, but don't know what it is. Again, I have no problem with the concept of this "Series." I have a problem with a public sign that looks the way that it does.

It is a gimmick, and something that I have learned is this: Religion and Gimmicks are never a good thing. Politics, products, and anything else - Gimmicks are fine. Do we really want to trick people into the truth? Nope. I dont think we do. But this is exactly what  it is... it is marketing God. I have never been to ACF, but I bet it is very modern. 

I can't believe I have typed as much as I have, and I applaud Mindy for taking this on. I on the other hand simply see this as a gimmick and like I said religious gimmicks don't work. (Update) I shouldn't say they don't work. Clearly it is "working" by getting people to notice this. What it isn't doing is drawing folks into the Sacred of what God is. But then again, Protestantism is exactly that. It is the attempt to make God relevant and modern so that people can make Him applicable to their lives, rather than making their lives relevant and applicable TO HIM.

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Why some people join a Protestant "Parish"...

... is that often times they are more "welcoming" and "friendly." I don't mean the religion, I mean the people. This isn't to say ALL churches either, it is a general statement.

For example, if you go to a BIG Catholic church you probably won't ever be NOTICED as a new member just by attendance. Even if you go to a small one, you "must be a visitor."

For example, we have lived in our new city since August. Of the 12 Sundays which the same Masses are celebrated, we have attended the Mass we now go to (the 9am) at least 6-8 of those times. The parish has about 200 members. We are just starting to get the "are you new?" Even after introducing ourselves to many people. We also can't seem to find the 2 young adult groups or any of the other groups that allegedly exist!

If we were new members of some of the protestant churches that I am familiar with, we would already be on 4 committees, be leading a thursday night small group, and be in charge of children's activities at the quarterly family night.

Again, this isn't true ACROSS the board... but more of a GENERALIZED observation. Why can't smaller Catholic churches foster better "parish life" situations? C'mon Catholics!

Side Note: This isn't to say that some parishes don't have lots of great opportunities. I believe even ours does... somewhere. Unfortunately, it is often just difficult to find. Plus, if something does technically "exist" but is either dormant or seldom used... it is near IMPOSSIBLE to start it up, jumpstart it, or reformat the group.