Pornography and Movie Gallery’s closing: some reflections

By: American Decency Staff

Movie Gallery is  going out of business.  Movie Gallery was at one time the second largest video outlet chain in North America. At one time, video retailer Movie Gallery boasted thousands of outlets around the United States, becoming North America's #2 video retail chain (4,700 stores at its peak) after buying out competitor Hollywood Video in 2005. But after closing more than 2,400 stores over the last three years and continued losses in 2009, the company has announced it plans to shut down its 1,900 remaining stores.Why is this noteworthy to ADA?  In the past we have called for boycotts of Movie Gallery due to their practice of so-called “adultâ€Â backrooms in some of their video outlets renting pornographic films. Movie Gallery also had the tendency to open stores in smaller communities and drive out existing video businesses.  Movie Gallery moved into our community back in 2003.  They pushed and shoved against Grand Video (which had a small number of stores in West Michigan and had pledged not to rent XXX-rated videos).  Ultimately Movie Gallery won out and bought out Grand Video.  Initially Movie Gallery did rent some hardcore pornography here, but with pressure they did pull that level of pornography from their inventory at least here locally, yet continued to rent other concerning videos such as Girls Gone Wild which were displayed at eye-level of children. In 2004, a number of us picketed Movie Gallery.  We urged people to boycott Movie Gallery.   Movie Gallery did get rid of some of their X-rated back rooms.  However, we were never satisfied with the rental of trash in our local communities.  We circulated a boycott petition here and beyond. However Movie Gallery, I believe, is going out of business not so much because of good people boycotting Movie Gallery and their “adult roomâ€Â pornography but because of Netflix. See:  http://www.dailyfinance.com/story/hollywood-video-game-crazy-movie-gallery-store-chains-to-close/19473286/ I wish it were otherwise.  In other words, I wish that there was such a broad resistance nationwide to pornography, and, on the positive side,  a consumer demand for wholesome, decent movies that Movie Gallery would have turned away from that which was degrading, erotic and dishonoring to God and that they would have begun to thrive as a business.  That’s not what happened. I say this to say that the following:  Movie Gallery, video outlets are only one venue of pornography.  There are many others. Year after year television gets more acidic and disgusting.  Leading corporate advertisers place their advertising dollars behind such infantile and erotic programming because there are millions of viewers watching trash.  Case in point: Family Guy and American Dad. Another case in point: The repeated advertising support of Yum Brands (particularly Taco Bell, KFC, Pizza Hut but also A&W and Long John Silvers) despite years of hearing from our supporters and the supporters of other ministries like AFA, PTC, etc. There is a market for trash and there will always be entrepreneurs willing to peddle it because they don’t care about the impact of what they bring into American homes, but only about their pocketbooks. Here are some things that I have learned along the way in this battle against pornography. I have been convinced for a long time that the Bible is Truth. The Bible tells us: (1) that in the later day there will be spiritual, moral breakdown (II Timothy 3:17). (2) that there will be great testing and trials (I Peter 1:7,8), (3) that broad is the way that leads to destruction and narrow is the way that leads to eternal life (Matthew 7:13), that (4) this world is not our home – we are pilgrims in a foreign land (Hebrews 11:13), that (5) we are to be change agents; the salt and light of the world (Matthew 6:13-16); that (6) we are called to walk by faith – to be faithful (Hebrews 11). (7) we are called to pursue holiness without which no man shall see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14 and I Peter 1:15, 16), that we aren’t to be conformed to this world but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:1,2), and that (8) we are teach our children diligently when we walk, sit down, work, play, etc. of what God has done , of His being, plan for our lives, His eternal plan (Deuteronomy 6) Lastly,  God is using heartaches, heartbreaks, urgencies, discouragements, closed doors, open doors, births, sicknesses, failures, sin, ruin, hardship to make us more like Him and prepare those who have ears to hear and eyes to see that He IS GOD.  He is building a place in Heaven for His people.  Yet while we are here on this earth, may we fight the fight of faith as agents of change to a fallen world. For further reflection: Quotes from Boiling Point by George Barna: “A distinguishing taste of authentic Christians is their distaste for evil.â€Â “Several million Americans are striving to be live consistently with their spiritual values by putting pressure on corporate America through economic boycotts.  (The high profile effortsare those against corporations that distribute, produce or otherwise support pornography or abortion; but millions of people are boycotting organizations that produce, distribute or promote a variety of immoral media products or corporate policies.â€Â George Barna War and Peace with a Holy God. (If man is not made for God, why is he only happy in God? If a man is made for God, why is so opposed to God? Blaise Pascal) Allowing God’s Holiness to touch our lives. Order your copy of "The Holiness of God" by Dr. R.C. Sproul. See:  https://secure4.afo.net/ada/store2/ Your support is important to our ability to make a difference: donate online at: https://secure4.afo.net/ada/donate.php American Decency Association Bill Johnson, President P.O. Box 202 Fremont, MI 49412 ph: 231-924-4050 www.americandecency.org http://www.twitter.com/billwjohnson

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