Penthouses magazine’s Guccione: an entrepreneur of sleaze

By: American Decency Staff

Penthouse magazine's Guccione dies at age 79 I got involved in the anti-pornography cause back in 1985.   That’s when I became familiar with the name of Robert Guccione, the man behind Penthouse. A couple of us went around to the area “mom and popâ€Â stores, gasoline stations, convenience stores checking to see if they were selling pornography and urging store owners/managers to withdraw from selling such filth.   Penthouse was one of those magazines that was frequently inventoried at such stores where ownership determined to sell such trash. I recall seeing Bob Guccione interviewed on a talk show debating Brad Curl, former head of Morality in Media.   Guccione was so sleazy – arrogantly and foolishly defending some of the most gross forms of pornography imaginable on national television. We made great strides back in the 80s starting in our local community(s) and beyond to push back pornography.  But that was then. Never could I have ever imagined that pornography would explode as it has.  Though I always recognized that it was only a few individuals who would actively stand up and oppose pornography in local stores and gas stations, I never anticipated the advent of the Internet and how much more difficult it would become to keep the lid on pornography. Guccione was a big time pornographer who was willing to be a public figure and affiliate his face and name with sleaze.  Money and accumulating wealth and affiliated status was his goal.  He accomplished all of that for a season.  But as the article below shows, it didn’t buy him happiness and personal peace. He was not a man that left a legacy of love and faithfulness behind him to his family. http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/39770106/ns/today-entertainment/ Now, with the Internet, persons don’t have to sneak around and hide their pornography magazines under the front seat of the car or in the back shed.  They can slither around on the Internet. Pornography also slithers. It slithers into the cracks of human weakness and frailty.  Few in his day knew it any better than Mr. Guccione.  Satan uses it powerfully in an unsuspecting first timer, and, then, of course, beyond. Speaking as one who allowed pornography to slither into my life as a young man, I know personally of its power to desensitize, captivate, degrade and destroy.   I know what’s at stake.  If one doesn’t oppose pornography in their individual lives, it will destroy. By the grace of God and with the power of His Word behind me and more and more within me, I won the victory long ago.  I am so very grateful to God and His mercy, pardon and love. Mr. Guccione will have a lot to answer for on the other side.  On this side, I sorrow for those who were “teammatesâ€Â with Guccione in the business of profiting off from human weakness and spiritual deadness for they are helping to perpetuate the dirty lies of pornography and bring many to destruction via unfaithfulness, adultery, pre-marital sex, homosexuality, bisexuality and many, many other perversions that these unfortunate souls go to great lengths to exhibit before untold numbers of unnamed lives poised for destruction. ====================================================== Our friends at Morality in Media (MIM) and Concerned Women for America (CWA) are bringing awareness to White Ribbon Against Pornography (WRAP) Week and have made available some helpful resources to help you educate others to this concern. Check out the links below: MIM: “Morality in Media provides many resources for WRAP at its www.moralityinmedia.org website (WRAP Campaign page). You can also call 212-870-3210, and we will send information in the U.S. mail.â€Â CWA: “To make your voice heard during Wrap Week, see the new CWA Wrap Week Fact Card available here. Making a white ribbon with a safety pin and attaching it to the card is a great way to make people aware and give them something they can wear for WRAP Week. Also, for those struggling with a porn addiction, there are free resources at www.PornHarms.com, www.purelifeministries.org and www.regenerationministries.org. Also, check out www.GirlsAgainstPorn.com. We urge churches to spread information about helpful resources to address this serious issue affecting many families.â€Â =================================== Thanks for standing with us: Donate online: https://secure4.afo.net/ada/donate.php American Decency Association P.O. Box 202 Fremont MI 49412 American Decency Association is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. ———————— A classic resource available as short supply lasts: “The Holiness of Godâ€Â by R.C. Sproul. To order your free copy, email bjohnson@americandecency.org Many of you took advantage of our offer regarding the book “The Pursuit of Holinessâ€Â by Jerry Bridges. This is what Jerry Bridges has to say about this book offer “Every Christian who is serious about his or her growth needs to read ‘The Holiness of God.’ I profited greatly from this book.â€Â American Decency Association Bill Johnson, President P.O. Box 202 Fremont, MI 49412 ph: 231-924-4050 https://americandecency.org/ http://www.twitter.com/billwjohnson

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