colin dellow's bln

Michael Leahy. Porn Nation. Campus Crusade for Christ. I've just struck the fear of God into those students who attended Leahy's "Porn Nation" lecture, which was quietly sponsored by the Campus Crusade for Christ.

The days leading up to the lecture seem promising. Posters are everywhere, saying: "Porn Nation. Love It? Hate It? Both? Casual Pastime or Catastrophic Passion?" Gosh, seems like it's going to be a debate of social morals. If not a full-on formal debate, at least some dialogue.

So why did we get a diatribe? And why am I not surprised?

What is Porn Nation? It is the personal story of one Michael Leahy, self-confessed sex addict. Former sex addict, actually. You see, Mike had it all. He had an education, a high-paying job, a good-looking wife and two great sons you just know were destined to be All-Americans. But then Pornography got to him. Just like Pornography got to many others whose stories are glossed over in brief video clip anecdotes. It seems like Pornography can get to anyone, regardless of social status. Just ask Pornography Expert #1, with a Ph.D. Or Pornography Expert #2, with an M.S. Or Pornography Expert #3, an Author. Or Michael Leahy, Former Sex Addict (wait... aren't you the guy presenting? You included video clips of yourself?) Or hell, ask Pornography Experts #4, #5 and #6, all reformed sex addicts. Wait a minute. . .I thought this was about Pornography, how did these Sex Addicts get into the mix?

Doesn't matter - 60 painful minutes of awkward presenting later and we're just discovering how Mike's affair with the office bimbo has destroyed his marriage. His brother-in-law has him on the phone. This is a man whom Mike has never spoken to on the phone before. And this man says two words to Mike, two words which change his life forever.

At this point, the house lights come on. And Michael says, "Gosh, Guys. I want to share those two life changing words with you. I really do. But you know, it's going to get a little bit spiritual in here. And I don't want to be the deceptive sleazer who forces the spiritual message down anyone's throat, so gosh, have a couple minutes to get the hell out if you're Atheist, Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu or Sikh." Just kidding - he didn't enumerate the religions (although he later makes you painfully aware that he knows of them). He did play a four-minute countdown clock to give Non-Adherents of the One True God time to leave, though.

When the clock runs out, Mike welcomes us all back. Those two words? "Find God." We learn that it's best to find God now. He'll wait for us. We can go try out the other religions, we can ignore him, but eventually, we'll fall back on the One True God of the Universe. This is word-for-word. Pornography Experts 1 through 6 (yep - even the Ph.D.- and M.S.-toting experts) all appear on the screen, much happier, talking about how God has helped them get through their difficulties. Is that a crucifix I spy on Pornography Expert #5's necklace? It is!

The lights come up. The show is over. Some chap whose name I didn't catch stands up and says, "Gosh guys, thanks for coming. As you might have known, this event was sponsored by the Campus Crusade for Christ, and w--" The oxygen in the room momentarily depletes as 90% of the audience has an "Aha!" moment. "we'd like to invite you to an event we're having tomorrow called Pure Freedom, where you can learn not to masturbate or have sex until you're married and trying to conceive."

Michael Leahy, there is only one word to describe you, and it is short, ironic and deliciously apt.

Michael Leahy, you are a wanker.

Your promotional material is deliberately deceptive and abuses the very human impulses your lecture sought to "educate" us about. Your 15 years of addiction taught you that, more than anything else, sex sells. Hypocritically, you're fighting porn with... porn. You, who said, "Porn is the battle. Freedom is the reward."

Wanker.

(tags: campus crusade for christ, porn nation, michael leahy)