The Abstinence Clearinghouse Blog

By John L. Harmer, Chairman 

In February of 2007 the Lighted Candle Society published a book entitled The Sex Industrial Complex. The most consistent reactions to the book were the negative comments about the title. Many people apparently felt that the title (and hence the message) of the book was simply too strident.  This newsletter is in response to a current demonstration of the accuracy of both the title and the message of The Sex Industrial Complex. The title-The Sex Industrial Complex-was carefully considered and finally selected because the primary message of the book was to warn the uninformed about the financial power, the political influence, and the subtle but devastatingly effective use of the entertainment industry by the producers and distributors of pornography.  A few days ago the Lighted Candle Society received a letter from one of our members, Monica Bierly Woodland,  which began as follows: 

The title-was carefully considered and finally selected because the primary message of the book was to warn the uninformed about the financial power, the political influence, and the subtle but devastatingly effective use of the entertainment industry by the producers and distributors of pornographyA few days ago the Lighted Candle Society received a letter from one of our members, Monica Bierly Woodland,  which began as follows: “As I am usually a big fan, I flew to Chicago to attend a taping of Oprah’s show.  Initially it was very exciting and fun, but once they announced the topic that excitement turned to disappoint and embarrassment.  The topic was, ‘How to Spice up Your Sex Life.’  During this show they had ‘experts and doctors’ prescribing pornography/erotica to improve one’s sex life…The show went from bad to worse as Oprah posited that erotica and pornography could be acceptable and her guests encouraged people to use porn…I definitely wanted her to take a stand, and was shocked she didn’t.”  What “shocked” our correspondent is easily explained.  The Oprah Winfrey show is a privately owned company called Harpo Productions, Inc.  The financial success of that company depends upon the support of their advertisers.  Among those advertisers are several very powerful members of the sex industrial complex.  The topic used for the show was dictated by those advertisers.  The content of the show had one purpose only: to persuade the viewing audience that barnyard and back alley sexual conduct is a sure formula for a happy life. 

What “shocked” our correspondent is easily explained.  The Oprah Winfrey show is a privately owned company called Harpo Productions, Inc.  The financial success of that company depends upon the support of their advertisers.  Among those advertisers are several very powerful members of the sex industrial complex.  The topic used for the show was dictated by those advertisers.  The content of the show had one purpose only: to persuade the viewing audience that barnyard and back alley sexual conduct is a sure formula for a happy life. Among Oprah’s advertisers* who profit from this shameless mentality are Pfizer (maker of Viagra), HBO **, producer and distributor of pornography, McDonalds, the largest single promoter of the rap entertainers whose obscene lyrics and pornographic videos are adulated by the vast majority of teenagers in America today.  Ironically, one of the other advertisers on Oprah (Dove) gave this testimonial:  “We feel that the inspiring content on this site, its warm voice and constant encouragement for users to ‘live their best lives’ align amazingly well with our brand.”  We wonder if the folks at Dove agree with the “sexpert” whose comment on the Oprah show was that “open” marriages (meaning that the partners should feel free to engage in sex with anyone else when and where they wish) are the “happiest” marriages. 

Here you have a text book example of how the power of the sex industrial complex works.  Every day on American television there are programs whose only purpose is to promote the acceptance of shameless immorality.  These messages first appear on network programs as quite subtle, but they soon evolve into open advocacy of lustful unrestrained carnality. 

*(Any who wish to join in the protest of the content of this show can write directly to Oprah at this address:  

Harpo Productions Iinc.

Chicago, IL 60607

You can fax your comments to 312 633-1976.  E mail to http://www.oprah.com 

You could also take the time to inform these advertisers that their support of the sexualization of America cost them your support of their products.  They include:  Allstate, Kodack, Kellogs, Pfizer, Verizon, Target, GM, HBO **, Disney, McDonalds, Dove, Pella, and Philosophy. 

What is the ultimate destiny of a nation that has become dominated by the sex industrial complex?  It will join the other mighty powers of the past on the ash heap of history because they forgot and abandoned the principles that created their greatness.  The Lighted Candle Society has often quoted from America’s founding fathers their constant warning that only a nation of a moral people could hope to live under the form of government provided by our constitution.  The “sexperts” that appeared on the Oprah show would have us believe that no act, no human possibility of degenerate sexual conduct should be suppressed. 

Marriage, more than any other social or legal institution, requires that the partners have undeviating loyalty and fidelity in their relationship.  The message from the Oprah show is that the happiest marriages are those where there are no requirements for commitment, for self restraint, for loyalty to the vows that were exchanged at the marriage alter.   Can anyone suggest that a republic dependent upon the moral values of its citizens for survival can long endure under the influence of such a philosophy?  

The battle against the pornography industry is not just a battle of right vs. wrong, of virtue vs vice, and good vs evil.  It is a battle for the political survival of our Republic.  When the power of the sex industrial complex can dictate to a supposedly moral and dignified person such as Oprah Winfrey that she will condone and advocate the very conduct that our founding fathers warned would destroy our freedom, what individual or institution can resist their power?  As we have often quoted, “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that enough good men do nothing.”

What more can we say? 

     ** HBO is launching a new series called “Tell Me You Love Me” depicting the sex life of several couples and featuring full frontal male nudity.  The company defended the decision by explaining that the polling of their audiences confirmed that the public wants to see this.