JESUS LOVES PORN STARS: The controversy continues for the XXX Church

Just a few weeks ago I watched a short segment on ABC's Nightline in which correspondent Martin Bashir visited a pornography convention in Las Vegas. His intent was to interview Craig Gross and J.R. Mahon, two very controversial young men who founded the XXX Church as a means to combat pornography and offer hope to any lost souls foundering within the industry. I'd read about these two men on several occasions and was shocked to learn that their ministry has been attacked repeatedly in the press, and most often by other Christians who think they've gone too far in trying to take the Gospel to the fringes of society.

Their approach is unorthodox, to be sure, and the bulk of the criticism they receive is aimed at the New Testament they distribute. They print the book's cover in bright yellow and magenta, and the cover illustration is a graphic of what appears to be a 1970s-era portrait of a male porn star, with the title emblazoned beneath: "Jesus Loves Porn Stars," which plays off the notion that Christ hates sin, but loves the sinner. But that's about as extreme as it gets, and their approach to dealing with the pornography industry, as well as trying to get people to stop viewing online porn, is simply to confront them with some practical facts. Pornography, they say, doesn't deal with real relationships. It degrades women and represents all the worst things about male fantasies in that it doesn't require a man to have a real relationship with a real woman. Without a real relationship, they say, you won't learn to respect one another and that will prevent you from creating a true and loving relationship, as God intended.

They don't spend a lot of time preaching to anyone, and their approach is very non-confrontational. They simply hand out their colorful Bibles at their events (which are extremely popular everywhere they go), talk briefly about their mission, and let people know that Christ is ready for a relationship with them whenever they're ready. From what I gathered after watching the Nightline piece, they're two very intelligent and committed young men who love God and want to share the Good News. Their doctrine is surprisingly sound, even more so than some of our so-called "Religious Leaders," men who so frequently can't seem to open their mouths on television without letting slip some terribly judgmental comment about those they don't agree with.

What's particularly interesting is that Craig Gross frequently get booked at colleges and other venues to debate the dangers of pornography with porn star Ron Jeremy, who's filmed over 1,800 porn films in his long career. Gross and Mahon haven't managed to sway Ron from his career choice, but their friendship with him is genuine, and Jeremy appears to truly respect them even though he clearly doesn't agree with their worldview. However, the simple fact that he respects their earnest approach seems to indicate that they've had an effect on him. The most telling moment in the Nightline piece came when Bashir, who had Gross and Jeremy together at the porn convention, asked Gross if he thought Ron Jeremy was going to hell for making those 1,800 porn films. It was just the sort of loaded question that media types usually ask, and yet it's a fair test of a Christian's understanding of Christ's message.

Jeremy laughed, folded his arms, and waited for a response. Gross's answer, however, surprised both Jeremy and Bashir. After a short and thoughtful pause, Gross basically replied, "Well, for starters you can disregard those 1,800 porn films, because they certainly won't keep him out of heaven. In the end, I don't know where Ron will end up because he still has choices to make down the road, choices that could lead him toward God."

It was a simple but impressive response, and a beautiful moment as well. Gross clearly understands the concept of Grace, and he also clearly understands that he has no right to judge Ron Jeremy. Why? Because he has no idea where Ron Jeremy's heart will be at his life's end. Gross understands that we're all on spiritual journeys and our futures are filled with many choices. Based upon his response, it seems pretty clear that Gross is praying for Ron Jeremy's soul and hopes that the porn star eventually makes the right choice. For that he should have the support of fellow Christians, not their scorn.