As you all know, Cat and I took a few weeks vacation to visit my new grand daughter.  On the way we twice drove across Missouri on Rt 44, from St Louis to Joplin.  We counted at least 8 "adult" stores prominantly advertised on bill boards, neon signs, and high rise signs.  What's that about?  Saw none in California, a few in Indiana and Ill. and none in the other blue states we passed through.  Do I smell the odor of hy-pocricy?  Praise the Lord and pass the porn.

Right.. Yeah there are a lot especially oddly in southern Missouri (which is the baptist part :o) I think it's to do with the laws in surrounding states.

The great irony is that they are usually like 200 yards past a big 'JESUS SAVES' sign

It's cool for Christians to look at porn.  Wink, wink.  If caught, bawl and beg for forgiveness, then go back to looking at porn until caught again!  Jimmy Swaggart showed us how!
;)

We don't really have a 'Bible belt' in the UK, but it is noticeable that the dirtiest porn & the cheapest alcohol can be purchased through newsagents run by muslims, whom have some of the strongest religious laws against these forms of 'depravity'. That being said, the only sado-masochists I know went to Catholic boarding schools, but perhaps that's a matter for another thread...

LMAO>. yes when we were a bit younger we always knew that if we went to the Muslim run shops we could always get some dirty mags.. and this was at about 10 years old. ;)

That's because Muslims are enlightened enough to realize that even though their own laws forbid them to indulge, there's no reason they shouldn't deny it to their patrons.  Good on them!  Would that we were all so open-minded!  ;)

As you all know, Cat and I took a few weeks vacation to visit my new grand daughter.  On the way we twice drove across Missouri on Rt 44, from St Louis to Joplin.  We counted at least 8 "adult" stores prominantly advertised on bill boards, neon signs, and high rise signs.  What's that about?  Saw none in California, a few in Indiana and Ill. and none in the other blue states we passed through.  Do I smell the odor of hy-pocricy?  Praise the Lord and pass the porn.


And what exactly is it that's un-Christian about sex, hot-looking naked women, or the appreciation of either?

Well, there's that commandment about "Thou shalt not covet" as well as a few passages in the Bible about lust and looking at women with "lust in your heart" ::) ::) ::)


Heh, if you want to interpret covet strictly speaking, we're all sinners.  ;) 
And if we never looked at each other with lust in our hearts, the human race would die off...  ::)

Plus, Christ never said that stuff.

Porn shops, in the bible belt?  :o  This I got to see!  ;D

That's because Muslims are enlightened enough to realize that even though their own laws forbid them to indulge, there's no reason they shouldn't deny it to their patrons.  Good on them!  Would that we were all so open-minded!   ;)

Might as well sell porn to the infidels, they're all going to hell anyway, right?

We don't really have a 'Bible belt' in the UK, but it is noticeable that the dirtiest porn & the cheapest alcohol can be purchased through newsagents run by muslims, whom have some of the strongest religious laws against these forms of 'depravity'. That being said, the only sado-masochists I know went to Catholic boarding schools, but perhaps that's a matter for another thread...

Naah, as any connoisseur will tell you, the dirtiest porn ain't in the newsagents (run by muslims or any other religion, for that matter)... Just out of interest, though - how do you know they're muslims?  (I only ask, 'cause my local newsagent's hindi)

And what exactly is it that's un-Christian about sex, hot-looking naked women, or the appreciation of either?


From my point of view there is nothing wrong with sex, enjoying and appreciating the human body, or viewing porn.  Fundamentalist, however, TEND to believe that sex is only for procreation and not to be enjoyed (comes from Calvinism), the body is the seed of temptation, and porn is evil.  So it seems a bit incongruous that there  would be so many porn shops in Missouri.  I did observe one or 2 in Oklahoma, Indiana, and Ill., just not as many by a long shot.

We only have two that I know of around here, which is pretty amazing considering I live in California. The fact that Carlos and Cat saw that many in the bible belt cracks me up though. :D

How's this for a TV expose headline:
"WHEN THE BIBLE BELT UNBUCKLES"
:P

I thought Virginia was the Buckle of the bible belt....

Porn all over down there, LOL! Could be because they are the most sexually deprived people due to their own "holier-than-thou-ness".

How's this for a TV expose headline:
"WHEN THE BIBLE BELT UNBUCKLES"
:P

Sounds like a parody to something like "When the carnival is over"... shame JD's on a sabbatical, he'd make hay with that one.  Anyone else want to run with it?

Porn all over down there, LOL! Could be because they are the most sexually deprived people due to their own "holier-than-thou-ness".


Oh I don't know.  I bet a DNA study would find that quite of few of the babies born have more in
common than the town they're born in.  I would bet the there are many who  "sing praises in his
name"  at home, in the office, and down by the fishing hole, as much as in church.  ;D

How's this for a TV expose headline:
"WHEN THE BIBLE BELT UNBUCKLES"
:P


LOL!  Good one...

LOL!  Good one...

Thanks guys, tee hee hee!

Oh I don't know.  I bet a DNA study would find that quite of few of the babies born have more in
common than the town they're born in.  I would bet the there are many who  "sing praises in his
name"  at home, in the office, and down by the fishing hole, as much as in church.   ;D


What are you implying?  Something like this?

A minister, priest and a rabbi went on a country excursion, and dicided to go skinny dipping.  Some women from the town discovered them.  The priest and the minister covered thier privates, while the rabbi covered his face.  When the other two asked him why he replied "in my congregation they know me by my face".

It's so true! I just went on vacation and saw a ton of it!  ;D

I think I remember hearing something about Texas trying to ban "toys".





Cat

I think I remember hearing something about Texas trying to ban "toys".





Cat


My guess is it will never happen.  To many legislator's wive REALLY need them down in Texas, where as I understand it ( ;)) only the ten gallon hats are really big

As you all know, Cat and I took a few weeks vacation to visit my new grand daughter.  On the way we twice drove across Missouri on Rt 44, from St Louis to Joplin.  We counted at least 8 "adult" stores prominantly advertised on bill boards, neon signs, and high rise signs.  What's that about?  Saw none in California, a few in Indiana and Ill. and none in the other blue states we passed through.  Do I smell the odor of hy-pocricy?  Praise the Lord and pass the porn.


DonCarlos,

Despite the acknowledged existence of "red states" and "blue states", the typical "color state" has an electoral split of something like 60/40 in an extreme case.

So there are plenty of voters of either "color" in any state to patronize stip clubs, nookie bars, shake shacks oops I mean gentlemen's clubs in all states.

Throughout the country we are seeing a resurgence and mainstreaming of porn, but of a different type.  Back in the 1970's, known as the "Golden Age of Porn", you'd see hard-core porn movies advertised in local newspapers but that was about it.  Kids sneaking out to the drive-in theatres to see some skin flicks.  Then video came along in the 80's and killed all of that.  (The movies also stopped making any attempt whatsoever to have a plot and became anatomical documentaries.)

But over the past 15 years or so, we've seen an explosion in "book stores" and "gentlemen's clubs" that are legitimizing more than just the voyeurism of the Golden Age.  Now, porn is much more of an audience-participation event, and that's disturbing.

Saw none in California, a few in Indiana and Ill. and none in the other blue states we passed through.  Do I smell the odor of hy-pocricy?  Praise the Lord and pass the porn.


Don Carlos,

If you saw none in the "blue states" then you were not looking.

I grew up in Pennsylvaia and there are PLENTY of adult book stores and strip clubs.

New York City is as blue as they come, and it was one of the "hubs" of the porn film industry.  Note that legendary porn actors such as Ron Jeremy and Sharon Mitchell hailed from the New York City film industry.

And California... the bluest state of all... is the center of the pornographic film industry.  The late John C. Holmes (aka "Detective Johnny Wadd"), the biggest porn star ever, grew up in red Ohio... he did not become a porn star until he moved to blue California and lived there for a couple of years.  The porn eventually led to drug use, involvement in organized crime, and ultimately his death from AIDS.

Porn is everywhere...  It knows no political party...

What are you implying?  Something like this?

A minister, priest and a rabbi went on a country excursion, and dicided to go skinny dipping.  Some women from the town discovered them.  The priest and the minister covered thier privates, while the rabbi covered his face.  When the other two asked him why he replied "in my congregation they know me by my face".



Haw Haw Haw! That's a good one!  I'll have to remember it.
;D ;D ;D

I don't know about Texas, but Alabama did ban "marital aids."  I haven't gone looking for "marital aids" in Alabama, so I don't know if the ban is enforced.

Lyricboy makes a good point that porno is popular nationwide, and that the hubs of porn are in blue states--Greater L.A. and NYC, but those are the hubs of entertainment in general.  DC is not the only one to remark on the prevalence of porn in the "Bible Belt."  My brother-in-law also remarked on the conspicuous presence of hardcore porn throughout the Deep South.  He drove through the southern hinterlands on tour with his band.

Don Carlos,

If you saw none in the "blue states" then you were not looking.

I grew up in Pennsylvaia and there are PLENTY of adult book stores and strip clubs.

New York City is as blue as they come, and it was one of the "hubs" of the porn film industry.  Note that legendary porn actors such as Ron Jeremy and Sharon Mitchell hailed from the New York City film industry.

And California... the bluest state of all... is the center of the pornographic film industry.  The late John C. Holmes (aka "Detective Johnny Wadd"), the biggest porn star ever, grew up in red Ohio... he did not become a porn star until he moved to blue California and lived there for a couple of years.  The porn eventually led to drug use, involvement in organized crime, and ultimately his death from AIDS.

Porn is everywhere...  It knows no political party...


Carlos was saying that we didn't see any along the highway in those states. We both know they exist everywhere but especially in Missouri, they were all along the highway. One even had a big bill board ad about 50 miles before it. If we didn't know any better we would have thought that Missouri was the porn capital of the world.



Cat

Don Carlos,

If you saw none in the "blue states" then you were not looking.

I grew up in Pennsylvaia and there are PLENTY of adult book stores and strip clubs.

New York City is as blue as they come, and it was one of the "hubs" of the porn film industry.  Note that legendary porn actors such as Ron Jeremy and Sharon Mitchell hailed from the New York City film industry.

And California... the bluest state of all... is the center of the pornographic film industry.  The late John C. Holmes (aka "Detective Johnny Wadd"), the biggest porn star ever, grew up in red Ohio... he did not become a porn star until he moved to blue California and lived there for a couple of years.  The porn eventually led to drug use, involvement in organized crime, and ultimately his death from AIDS.

Porn is everywhere...  It knows no political party...


Of course porn exists everywhere in the US.  My point was that in Missouri it was quite blatant and "in your face" along Interstate 44 but less obvious, although not absent, in other, less "religious" states.  One would expect that "secular humanist" states like CA and NY would be more pron to blatant advertisments of porn than religiously conservative states, but that just wasn't the case.

Naah, as any connoisseur will tell you, the dirtiest porn ain't in the newsagents (run by muslims or any other religion, for that matter)... Just out of interest, though - how do you know they're muslims?  (I only ask, 'cause my local newsagent's hindi)

I know they're muslim, 'cos I've asked them. The nearest one to me has a lovely half-American daughter who serves in their shop, I went in there once to buy some TV/TS porn for one of my mates as a joke birthday present, she proceeded to deliberately embarrass me by 'helping' me to select what I needed- I would gladly have let the ground open up & swallow me at that point!

Of newsagents in my area, 4 are run by muslims, 1 by christians. Two of the muslim ones sell hardcore porn, 2 sell none at all; the christian one sells soft porn. The 2 muslim outlets not selling porn are owned by people well known as pillars of the local muslim community, perhaps that's why they don't stock such stuff!

And again, just out of interest, where does sell dirtier porn, other than the Internut? My nearest shop has loads of hardcore mags & DVDs, with bestiality being the only subject that doesn't seem to be covered. Are you talking dedicated sex shops, or have the Womens' Institute started a stall business I don't know about?  ;D

And again, just out of interest, where does sell dirtier porn, other than the Internut? My nearest shop has loads of hardcore mags & DVDs, with bestiality being the only subject that doesn't seem to be covered. Are you talking dedicated sex shops, or have the Womens' Institute started a stall business I don't know about? ;D

However much I'd love to say that it's the off-sales side of of the WI that's selling it, I'm afraid not (unless they've got an undercover sideline)... and over here newsagents aren't allowed to sell anything hard-core - that's the prerogative of the "licensed" sex shops, where you've got to be 18+ to step inside.  Not that I've ever been inside one... oh no. ;)  Apart from jokes for friends' birthday parties, that is (I seem to remember having a huge amount of difficulty finding some flavoured condoms for a friend's 21st a few years ago... we ended up asking a policeman to tell us where the nearest sex shop was - and he radio'd back to base for an answer.  Ah... happy days :D)

Rather spoilt a muslim shop owners arguments against a local sex shop been licensed across the road from them when people pointed out just how many 'top shelf' magazines they sold.  And by all accounts it was a bit more then Fiesta we're talking.

Probably worried about losing sales...

I don't know why everyone's surprised about the hypocritical nature of porn in the deep south/bible belt. Remember, this is the same region that said that there were no race problems and that everyone got along. What you expect anything more?

Tanya

I don't know why everyone's surprised about the hypocritical nature of porn in the deep south/bible belt. Remember, this is the same region that said that there were no race problems and that everyone got along. What you expect anything more?

Tanya


I guess when you put it that way, I'd have to say no.  One would think, though, that they would be less blatant about it.  There is one "sex shop" in the town near us that places inconspicuous ads in the classifieds, and most video rental shops carry porn in addirion to the other fare, but none of this is blatantly displayed on our highways.  I guess Vermonters still don't want to "scare the horses".

What you have to realize DC is that you were most likely driving along roads that are frequently used by cross-country truckers, which I would be willing to bet comprise most of their customer base.  There's one on I-80 in Illinois that you can't drive by without seeing at least 1 semi parked in the lot.  Hey, they gotta have something to do on those lonely trips across the country ;)


I would agree with you if it were only 1 or 2, but there were so many.  All the roads we used were also used by X-country truckers, but there was nothing like that concentration. 

But you do have a point.  Many years ago, on another X-country jaunt, I pulled into a truck stop near a large city - it may have  been Detroit, I don't remember - and a few "girls were going truck to truck knocking on the sleeping cab doors.  Offering thier "services" i guess.  But there were no signs advertising "comfort services" displayed.

However much I'd love to say that it's the off-sales side of of the WI that's selling it, I'm afraid not (unless they've got an undercover sideline)... and over here newsagents aren't allowed to sell anything hard-core - that's the prerogative of the "licensed" sex shops, where you've got to be 18+ to step inside.  Not that I've ever been inside one... oh no. ;)  Apart from jokes for friends' birthday parties, that is (I seem to remember having a huge amount of difficulty finding some flavoured condoms for a friend's 21st a few years ago... we ended up asking a policeman to tell us where the nearest sex shop was - and he radio'd back to base for an answer.  Ah... happy days :D)

I think they've deregulated porn to a certain extent in the UK, one of the first things Labour actually did as promised when they came to power. Whether it's legal or not, I don't know, but certainly the newsagents I'm talking about sell what surely would be classed as hardcore- without going into too much detail, I think 'graphic photos of full penetration' would describe the contents of most of what I've seen on sale. Up until a few years ago, you couldn't buy stuff of that 'strength' anywhere other than dedicated 'sex shops', but I think the law must have been changed, judging by the amount of outlets that now sell this grade of porn.

I think they've deregulated porn to a certain extent in the UK, one of the first things Labour actually did as promised when they came to power. Whether it's legal or not, I don't know, but certainly the newsagents I'm talking about sell what surely would be classed as hardcore- without going into too much detail, I think 'graphic photos of full penetration' would describe the contents of most of what I've seen on sale. Up until a few years ago, you couldn't buy stuff of that 'strength' anywhere other than dedicated 'sex shops', but I think the law must have been changed, judging by the amount of outlets that now sell this grade of porn.


Well that'll save me smuggling it in from abroad then  ;)

Personally, I would rather see porn than violence.




Cat

Heck, you should drive along I-80 in Illinois.  I can think of at least 4 (one "massage parlor" and a few "stores") just between here and my MIL's house...about 120 miles.  And, if memory serves, there are quite a few between where we get on to go into Indiana and the border there as well ;)


Yeah, like I said above, porn is ubicuitous, but seems centered in the bible belt.  That is the contradiction I was trying to point out.  I guess the "holier than thoius" are not so holy after all.

"...that sex is only for procreation and not to be enjoyed (comes from Calvinism)..."


Well that tears it.  I ain't voting for this Calvin dude  :o

You don't have to worry about that, Fuss, he's dead...lack of sex, I think ;D ;D ;D



Don't ya hate when that happens?  ;) :D ;D



Cat

You don't have to worry about that, Fuss, he's dead...lack of sex, I think ;D ;D ;D

Still makes good underpants, though... ;D

Yeah, like I said above, porn is ubicuitous, but seems centered in the bible belt.  That is the contradiction I was trying to point out.  I guess the "holier than thoius" are not so holy after all.


Sorry Don if I am singling you out - I don't mean to be, it is just that your last post here seems to sum up the basic premise of this whole thread... :o

So what we are saying here is that:

a: Missouri has many fundamentalist Christians

b: Missouri has many adult stores in prominent places

and the conclusion everyone has reached from that?

"Fundamentalist Christians must approve of porn"

I don't suppose it has occurred to anyone that no, if they are being true to their faith they DO NOT like porn, and have lobbied and staged protests against it, but have been unable to make headway against the state laws and regulations. Does anyone think that that just might be a possibility? ::)

Sorry Don if I am singling you out - I don't mean to be, it is just that your last post here seems to sum up the basic premise of this whole thread... :o

So what we are saying here is that:

a: Missouri has many fundamentalist Christians

b: Missouri has many adult stores in prominent places

and the conclusion everyone has reached from that?

"Fundamentalist Christians must approve of porn"

I don't suppose it has occurred to anyone that no, if they are being true to their faith they DO NOT like porn, and have lobbied and staged protests against it, but have been unable to make headway against the state laws and regulations. Does anyone think that that just might be a possibility? ::)

Might.  Then again, lots of those people of faith have their faith-loving persona and their porn-loving persona and, though they reside in the same person, never the twain shall meet!
;)

Plus, there's the supply/demand side: if there's lots of porn shops, they must be doing enough business to support that many.  Now, it could be that all those fundamentalist types walk past tut-tutting with their noses held, and the rest of the population spend loads more on porn just to piss 'em off... as conspiracy theories go, it's not one of the better ones :)

Well that tears it.  I ain't voting for this Calvin dude  :o


Me neither.  Would you like to party with a Puritan?  You Aussies are lucky - you got all the convicts, we got all the Puritans  ;)  ;D.  Canadians are usually cool too, I guess its the French influence  ;).

Plus, there's the supply/demand side: if there's lots of porn shops, they must be doing enough business to support that many.  Now, it could be that all those fundamentalist types walk past tut-tutting with their noses held, and the rest of the population spend loads more on porn just to tick 'em off... as conspiracy theories go, it's not one of the better ones :)


Maybe not, but my guess is that the availability creates the demand, and its not all from long distance truckers.

Boy, eight porn shops in Missouri sure proves that all Christains are hypocrites, doesn't it? I suppose if you didn't see any, you would be lamblasting them for being so closed minded and forcing their will on the people. Christ takes another blow for something he doesn't deserve. That silly Jesus, all he ever did was died and suffered to give you joy and eternal life.

Christ takes another blow for something he doesn't deserve. That silly Jesus, all he ever did was died and suffered to give you joy and eternal life.


I didn't see anyone slamming Jesus.  ???  I think you are having what is known as a knee jerk reaction.
We are discussing people and porn not Jesus and porn.

Boy, eight porn shops in Missouri sure proves that all Christains are hypocrites, doesn't it? I suppose if you didn't see any, you would be lamblasting them for being so closed minded and forcing their will on the people. Christ takes another blow for something he doesn't deserve. That silly Jesus, all he ever did was died and suffered to give you joy and eternal life.


No, it doesn't prove that ALL Christians are hypocrites.  It just struck me as incongruous that in a 4 hour drive one would see so many in a religious state.  Nore did I say a word about the lack of porn shops in the other bible belt states we drove through. 

You may believe that Jesus died to give me "joy and eternal life" but I happen not to.  Does that mean that if in oall other ways I live a good life I'm damned?  Fact is, since I believe in neither heavan, hell, or the after life, this is jibberish to me.  As Napoleon B said "religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich".

  As Napoleon B said "religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich".


got that right  ;)

I didn't see anyone slamming Jesus.  ???  I think you are having what is known as a knee jerk reaction.
We are discussing people and porn not Jesus and porn.


I agree. This is why I usually avoid these topics.  :-\\

I thought that I would boot this thread up because I read this today.


http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050308/ap_on_fe_st/show_less_state_1



Any comments?




Cat

Figures it would be a Republican to introduce such censorship.  If they are going to tax sin, why not tax "virtue"?  Why should churches  be tax free?  Shouldn't the state be neutral in terms of these issues?  Besides, why is it that we equate sexuality with sin?

Figures it would be a Republican to introduce such censorship.  If they are going to tax sin, why not tax "virtue"?  Why should churches  be tax free?  Shouldn't the state be neutral in terms of these issues?  Besides, why is it that we equate sexuality with sin?


Anything over a C cup and you get an extra 5% deducted  ;D

Figures it would be a Republican to introduce such censorship.  If they are going to tax sin, why not tax "virtue"?  Why should churches  be tax free?  Shouldn't the state be neutral in terms of these issues?  Besides, why is it that we equate sexuality with sin?


If virtue were taxed, most corporations would pay many times the federal taxes they end up paying now, which is:

http://www.state.me.us/dps/Bhs/images/0percent.gif

;D ;D ;D

If virtue were taxed, most corporations would pay many times the federal taxes they end up paying now, which is:

http://www.state.me.us/dps/Bhs/images/0percent.gif

;D ;D ;D


No, wait, maybe if it were a

corporate

sin tax, that could be a good idea.