In "Go and Make Disciples", the national plan and strategy for Catholic evangelization in the United States, the U.S. Bishops state in Goal III, that evangelization is "To foster Gospel values in our society, promoting the dignity of the human person, the importance of the family, and the common good of our society, so that our nation may continue to be transformed by the saving power of Jesus Christ". It is in this spirit that I write this column.

To lay some groundwork, I will share some of my past and present cultural experiences. I was born and raised in a very large and cosmopolitan city in Southern California. Although living in such an environment has advantages, it also has many negative aspects.

Since moving to Louisiana nearly five years ago, my wife and I have settled in a small but fast growing community in Calcasieu Parish. Because I have seen first hand the downside of progress, a part of me wishes the community would remain small while the rest of me is glad to see the new and expanded services becoming available.

Next let me say that I do not consider myself a prude. For those folks who have joined me in playing the party game "Scrupples," I am sure they would also agree with my self analysis.

Now I will get to the main reason why this article is being written. Recently while visiting one of the local video rental stores in the neighborhood, I was disappointed, saddened and angry to see that the management has decided to offer pornographic movies for rental. These movies are not segregated to some dark and isolated part of the store but are being displayed in plain view for all to see. I might add that the jacket covers are very seductive. I can only imagine what the movies must be like.

I noticed three teenage boys huddled together in the corner of the store. Each of them had one of these pornographic jacket covers in their hands. I'm sure the comments they were making to each other did not include how these half naked women could make wonderful chocolate chip cookies. I am not naive enough to think that this brief exposure to smut will destroy their moral fibre but it certainly does not promote Gospel values and the dignity of the human person.

I wondered why the management felt it necessary to expand their inventory with this kind of garbage. Are they that desperate for additional profit?

I also wondered how many of the local teenagers would now try and convince one of their legal aged friends to rent one of these movies for them. And how about the small children who will see these graphic pictures. Hopefully they will be with their parents when it happens and it might become a teachable moment.

I have decided to write a personal letter to the management and include my cut up membership card stating that with regret I can no longer support their store because of their decision to rent pornographic videos. I am sure this effort will not put them out of business or convince them to change this misguided business practice. However, as a Catholic Christian I must be willing to live my beliefs and promote Gospel values in my own life. In other words practice what I preach.

In the Catechism of the Catholic Church in paragraph #2354 it states that "pornography consists in removing real or simulated sexual acts for the intimacy of the partners, in order to display them deliberately to third parties. It offends against chastity because it perverts the conjugal act, the intimate giving of spouses to each other. It does grave injury to the dignity of its participants (actors, vendors, the public), since each one becomes an object of base pleasure and illicit profit."

Does the video store that you frequent have the same business practice? Are you willing to make a stand for Gospel values and your Catholic Christian beliefs?

Have you ever asked yourself why there is so much disregard for the dignity of the human person and its endless chase of empty fads and immediate pleasures? I believe it is because so many Christian people choose to remain apathetic rather than courageously putting themselves on the front lines bearing witness to Christ the Savior.

Glenn Harmon © 2002