Clean Your Portfolio of Pornographic and Other Explicit Material
“Pornography … denies the dignity which God gives each human being. This kind of ‘entertainment’ … blocks the moral and emotional development of those who are lured into its use.” – USCCB Investing Guidelines
Pornography is a rapidly spreading evil in modern society. With the internet, pornography has never been more widely and easily available. Standing against the rising tide of pornography, the Church clearly teaches pornographic material does grave harm to all parties involved.
Catholic investors cannot contribute to the spread of the moral evil that is pornography.
The financial allure of investing in pornography-producing companies is clear. A multi-billion dollar industry, pornography has been growing by leaps and bounds. Some pornographic film companies report double digit growth for many consecutive years. Investing in companies posting that kind of growth can be very tempting for investors.
Selling Dignity Cannot Enrich Humanity
Despite the major financial opportunities pornography offers, Catholic investors must avoid it at all costs. Buying and selling human dignity, even when consensual, is clearly contrary to God’s plan. The harm that is done goes beyond the simple act of creating or viewing this material.
Pornography erodes society by presenting other people as nothing more than objects of sexual gratification.
The entire premise of the pornographic industry is human beings can be stripped of their humanity for another’s pleasure. This mindset can creep into society at large, directly impacting how we treat each other. As pornography spreads, the fabric of society slowly unwinds as the common humanity that binds us together is removed for profit and self-gratification.
Untangling the Web of the Porn Industry: You Need Professional Help
The Catholic ban on pornography extends beyond what most people would consider the “hard core” material in movies and magazines. It includes simply lewd and obscene publications or restaurants, which are commonly called “soft core” and live shows like strip clubs and topless bars. Weeding out all these companies can be extremely difficult for the average investor.
Shockingly, many high-profile American companies are committed to the creation and distribution of pornographic material.
From hotels that offer it to guests to cable companies that distribute it, there is no shortage of companies involved in this moral evil. Most investors simply do not have the time or resources to filter through all the data to uncover exactly what companies they need to avoid. This is where the financial professionals at Summit come in.
We have created filters that screen out the worst of these bad actors, and we engage the managements of other companies that are minimally involved, urging them to terminate their involvement with sexually explicit material.
Our contacts in the morally responsible investing community give us an insight into what is going on in corporate America, allowing us to update our screens and keep our clients’ portfolios clean. While excluding these entities from our portfolios is not, by itself, going to turn the tide, it is a step in the right direction.