Let’s ask ourselves if we sometimes see pornography, intentionally or un-intentionally, and dare to be honest that indeed we have seen it. This is human. Either we love to watch it or just see it “accidentally”, since this is a private domain you don’t need to be so worried. Nobody will intervene. If you believe it will cause you to sin, it’s up to you and you can avoid it quickly. But if you want to do it, just do so in your private time and in your private home, not in a meeting. The law on pornography will not punish you just because you love to watch porn videos or look at pictures. The story is different if you make, produce and circulate it. That’s what the law on pornography says.
We must realize what is happening in our society, unless we pretend not to notice. Pornography is everywhere. The problem is, if someone loves pornography as a hobby but preaches against it.
The public was so noisy commenting on what has just happened in the House of Representatives. Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) lawmaker Arifinto was caught red handed viewing pornographic material on his tablet PC during a plenary session. While he denied doing so and said he unintentionally clicked the link of an email that he received, the photographer who took the photos said Arifinto intentionally opened the porn video and pictures from folders on the tablet.
The incident soon became a hot topic in the media, as well as social networking websites with a lot of mocking comments slamming the lawmaker and his party, PKS. The commotion seems to allow the public to vent to their vengeful feelings toward the PKS, which often claims to be the cleanest party, upholding high values of morality, including on corruption and pornography. One of the party executives even said he felt guilty when he had to extend his hand to shake hands with US First Lady Michele Obama, during US President Obama’s visit to Indonesia several months ago.
“Arifinto is a human being. Please understand that,” some say. OK, but remember that Ariel (Peterpan), recently imprisoned for pornography, is a human being too. We appreciated it when eventually Arifinto resigned from the House after he received sanctions from his party. But now let’s stop judging him, because we may not be any better than him.
Everyone is concerned about the rampant amount of pornography in this country, and most of us intend to prevent pornography from running wild in our society and intruding in our families. However, we don’t have to perceive that we are holier than others, and judge others as sinful.
Now the House of Representatives is slapped by this incident, and in the middle of mounting criticism over its plan to renovate the House building. We are worried the new building will become a haven for similar behavior, especially when the building will also have a swimming pool and massage parlor.
A massage parlor may be good for them to relax when they are exhausted from meetings, and we don’t need to be too worried as long as the massagers are “nenek-nenek” (elderly women). But, with a budget of up to Rp 1.3 trillion, do you believe the massage parlor will hire nenek-nenek to provide services?
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Serpong, 12 Apr 2011
Titus J.
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