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What We Screen For and Why

By Mark Minnella

Thu, Jul. 31 2008 10:53 PM MST

What we screen for and why

It is important to us that you know what our free public screening service is screening for. If the companies that you have submitted for screening returned positive results, you can be confident that those companies are not involved in any of the following.

Abortion – Companies that manufacture, license or market abortifacients or emergency contraceptives (i.e. The morning after pill) or offer elective abortions. We also screen for companies that are involved either directly or through proxy arrangements, in research involving human embryonic stem cells and/or fetal tissue.

The bible teaches that man was created in the image of God and that all human life is sacred. Therefore, we believe that as Christians, we cannot condone the willful destruction of human life in any form. We also cannot support research that involves the intentional destruction of human life.

Tobacco – Companies that produce, process or sell tobacco products as wholesale products (This does not include retail outlets such as convenient stores or pharmacies) and companies who manufacture materials (excluding tobacco) that is intended primarily for use in tobacco products.

While we understand that many Christians use tobacco and that using tobacco in itself is not necessarily a sin, the fact remains that tobacco companies are mass producing and promoting an unnecessary product that is known to cause extreme damage to the body and even kill. In addition, chemicals such as nicotine have been added to make it difficult for people to stop smoking. We believe that the body is a temple for the Holy Spirit and that as Christians we are responsible for maintaining it. Therefore, we can not endorse companies who intentionally destroy Gods creations for profit.

Gambling – Companies that own or operate casinos, race tracks or other establishments were gaming is permitted such as gaming parlors. Companies that host of operate online gaming services or manufacture gaming equipment for use in gaming operations such as casino and lottery operations.

We do not mean to imply that gambling in itself is a sin. However, we do feel that gambling establishments glamorize materialism and create misleading expectations of wealth without limiting their patrons’ losses. We believe that their advertisements are misleading and this can easily lead to the drawing in and victimization those who are not aware of the full dangers of excessive gambling. For this reason we choose not condone these companies with the money that God has given us to be stewards over.

Alcohol – Companies who manufacture, market, sell alcohol under their brand name (even if they are not the manufacturers) and companies who distribute alcohol (not including retail outlets).

Like tobacco and gambling, we do not believe that Alcohol in itself is a sin. The bible teaches moderation in this aspect. However, alcohol is a substance that has enslaved many people and has a greater potential for abuse then most other legal substances that are easily attainable. Due to this, and the fact that alcohol producing companies promote their products by glamorizing immoral behavior and anti-Christian lifestyles, we choose not to support these companies.

Adult entertainment – Companies who produce, distribute, publish, sell or operate products of an adult nature including the following;

· Motion pictures that have received a rating of NC-17 or have not been rated by the MPAA,

· TV shows that have received a TV-MA rating from the FCC’s TV Parental Guidelines Monitoring Board

· Sexually explicit video or audio through satellite, cable or rental programs

· Sexually explicit internet downloads (including podcasts)

· Sexually explicit magazines

· Phone sex operations

· Clubs providing live adult entertainment

· Hosting of websites of an adult nature

Because the bible warns us many times against sexual immorality and giving in to the temptations of the flesh we cannot condone or support companies who profit from or advertise materials or operations that treat sex irresponsibly.

Immoral lifestyles – Companies who provide domestic benefits to unmarried couples (regardless of genders) or offer diversity training which includes sexual orientation. We also screen for companies included on the Citizen Action Now, Focus on the Family, and American Family Association boycott lists.

We believe that the biblical definition of marriage is one man and one woman and that the bible condemns any sexual relations outside of this definition of marriage. For this reason, we cannot support companies who advance immoral lifestyles by providing domestic benefits to unmarried couples or who attempt to further public acceptance of these actions.