Porn > Bibles

[Elijya]

Sex shop turned Bible store for sale
Customers didn't support change

By Roger Alford
Associated Press



PUTNEY, Ky. -- An Eastern Kentucky man who transformed his adult entertainment shop into a Christian bookstore after a religious awakening has stretched a cable across his gravel drive and put his property up for sale.

"There just was not enough business to keep it open," said Michael Braithwaite, who gave up a more lucrative trade in sex toys and pornographic magazines after his baptism three years ago.



"We'd go three or four days and maybe make $4 or $5. You can't keep a store open like that."

Until the property sells, Braithwaite said, he will be at the store only on Thursdays in case a customer shows up. Most of the shelves at Mike's Place are bare, and remaining books are being sold at a fraction of their list prices.

The Rev. Joe Howard, pastor of Putney Missionary Baptist Church, said the community is disappointed.

"I wish things had been different," Howard said. "I hate that. It's a shame."

Braithwaite burned his $10,000 inventory of sexy unmentionables and restocked the small store on a Harlan County hillside with Bibles, Christian books and church supplies.

Churchgoing neighbors had done everything they could to close Braithwaite's store when it was known as Love World and painted bright red.

The sheriff charged him with obscenity, a misdemeanor that could have sent him to jail. The charge was dropped after his religious -- and business -- conversion.

In Harlan County, which is rife with churches, Braithwaite expected a Christian bookstore to be lucrative. But some people couldn't overcome the fact that he once dealt in porn, he said.

Harlan businessman Jim Creech said there is not a huge demand for products sold by Christian bookstores. Creech and his wife, Mary, operated The Bible Bookstore in Harlan for two years before it folded.

"We kept putting money into it, but it didn't pay off," Creech said.

The difficulty is that larger churches order supplies directly from publishers, he said.

Braithwaite said since people won't come to his store, he plans to take his goods to the people, selling Christian supplies at flea markets in the region.

After weeks on the market, the store has had no takers. Braithwaite is asking $45,000.

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050701/NEWS0104/507010426/1008/NEWS01

 

[user123456789]

Why not make the store half and half?

 

[Cyclops]

What an idiot. He and his faith would have been better off if he kept the sex shop and donated some of his earnings to good causes.

 

[Trainwreck2100]

But what did he do with all the porn?

 

[Cyclops]

It says in the article that he burned it. Ten thousand bucks worth. Like I said, an idiot.

 

[Trainwreck2100]

It says in the article that he burned it. Ten thousand bucks worth. Like I said, an idiot.

 

[JewishHobbit]

In Harlan County, which is rife with churches, Braithwaite expected a Christian bookstore to be lucrative. But some people couldn't overcome the fact that he once dealt in porn, he said.

This makes me sad as a christian. Christianity is about forgivness and if they couldn't forgive him for his past, then what good are they? Unforgiving Christians are so annoying.

 

[E. Bison]

This makes me sad as a christian. Christianity is about forgivness and if they couldn't forgive him for his past, then what good are they? Unforgiving Christians are so annoying.

He should have just stuck with the porn store BUT only sold products to married couples instead. I believe that this would have been acceptable. I believe the sanctity of pornography should only be allowed between and man and a woman.

 

[JewishHobbit]

I don't think a person should be lusting over another person unless it's his or her spouse to begin with. They watch porn, they're lusting after the guy/girl in the video. So no thanks.

 

[E. Bison]

Well what if the porn is the couple themselves? Is that still considered obscene? I wonder...anyways, yeah, since Jesus made it clear that adultery in the heart is just as serious as adultery in the bed I guess that would be true. What about the butt secks?

 

[blind_fury]

I don't think a person should be lusting over another person unless it's his or her spouse to begin with. They watch porn, they're lusting after the guy/girl in the video. So no thanks.

What if you never want to get married or have kids? Do you just cut your genitals off?

 

[E. Bison]

What if you never want to get married or have kids? Do you just cut your genitals off?

What does that have to do with porn?

 

[JewishHobbit]

Well what if the porn is the couple themselves? Is that still considered obscene? I wonder...anyways, yeah, since Jesus made it clear that adultery in the heart is just as serious as adultery in the bed I guess that would be true. What about the butt secks?

Hmm, I don't really think sex videos of the married couple themselves would be wrong, but I could be wrong. Never really thought about it. And I don't personally have anything against Anal, provided it's between a husband and wife. If someone would point it out in the bible where it's wrong, then I'd change my mind, but until then have at it.

What if you never want to get married or have kids? Do you just cut your genitals off?

If you're really bored you can... but I wouldn't recommend it. However it's always good to look on the bright side of things. When you tell the girl you don't want to marry her after years of her waiting... you can just shrug off the kick that she strategically places between your legs

 

[blind_fury]

What does that have to do with porn?

JewishHobbit said you shouldn't lust for another person unless you're married to them.

 

[JewishHobbit]

JewishHobbit said you shouldn't lust for another person unless you're married to them.

And?

 

[Odin's Lapdog]

I don't understand, was he losing money as having the store as a sex shop, or was he losing money as having it as a bible store?

or both


ps

what the hell do you buy from a bible store????

 

[E. Bison]

He was losing money because the local Christian community couldn't get over the fact that the newly converted ex-porn shop owner USED TO sell porn in the same store he now sells Bible literature. I think that's very hypocritical. I don't think this community is being encouraging and supportive of this guys HUGE change in life. Especially by the fact that he destroyed all of his pornographic products which costed thousands of dollars.

 

[JewishHobbit]

He became a christian and change the porn shop to a christian bible book store. He couldn't get enough money from it to keep it open so it closed.

Bible book stores can sell bibles, christian cd's of all types, robes, puppets, framed pictures, trinkets, books of all types, toys, etc. In one of the malls nearby my house there's a large christian book store called Barean and it's one of hte biggest money makers the mall hass. It's as big as some of the major end department stores.

 

[JewishHobbit]

He was losing money because the local Christian community couldn't get over the fact that the newly converted ex-porn shop owner USED TO sell porn in the same store he now sells Bible literature. I think that's very hypocritical. I don't think this community is being encouraging and supportive of this guys HUGE change in life. Especially by the fact that he destroyed all of his pornographic products which costed thousands of dollars.

Yup, I agree. They're being unforgiving christians and very hypocritical.

 

[zanos]

dumbass

 

[blind_fury]

And?

Lust is for all adults not just married couples.

Also: premarital sex >>>>> maritial sex

 

[blind_fury]

Yup, I agree. They're being unforgiving christians and very hypocritical.

It's not about unforgiveness. Would you eat in a resturaunt that used to a rat infested ****ehouse?

 

[E. Bison]

By Christian standards marriage and lust is only met for married couples, not for any outside form of fornication that is unlawful by Bible standards.

 

[Odin's Lapdog]

He was losing money because the local Christian community couldn't get over the fact that the newly converted ex-porn shop owner USED TO sell porn in the same store he now sells Bible literature. I think that's very hypocritical. I don't think this community is being encouraging and supportive of this guys HUGE change in life. Especially by the fact that he destroyed all of his pornographic products which costed thousands of dollars.

but this is the same community that kept food on his table by purchasing the goods from his store?

 

[E. Bison]

but this is the same community that kept food on his table by purchasing the goods from his store?