c. 2007 Beliefnet
(UNDATED) Ron Jeremy, 54, isn’t exactly known as the most faithful Jew on the block. His fame comes from being the most legendary porn star in the adult film industry. He has starred in at least 1,750 porn films _ a world record _ and claims to have slept with more than 4,000 women.
Jeremy says he’s “fairly sure” of the existence of God, and that Jews are more accepting of sexual freedom than people of other faiths.
Recently he participated in a nationwide debate with the anti-porn ministry XXX Church.com, in which he argued that porn and faith both have a place in the world. Currently touting his new memoir, “The Hardest Working Man in Showbiz,” Jeremy recently spoke with Beliefnet about why so many Christians are into porn. Following are excerpts:
Q: Was your family very religious growing up?
A: No. We’re all Jewish. Out of all of us, only my grandmother was religious. My brother and I got bar mitzvahed, but we weren’t that religious. After getting bar mitzvahed, I hardly ever went to temple _ unless I wanted some free coffee and Danish.
Q: So you don’t really practice your faith much today.
A: Not really. Once in a rare while I might go to a synagogue if there’s something going on _ like a friend getting bar mitzvahed. But, as in the case of most of my Jewish friends, we’re very, very proud to be Jewish. We feel the heritage, and we do enjoy some of the holidays, but we’re not really that serious.
Q: Do you believe in God?
A: I think there might have been some amazing creator for a lot of things. I wish I could say I (believe in a creator) 100 percent, but I’m only fairly sure _ only because I also talk to people who are really strong scientists, who find other reasons (for creation).
Q: I’ve read there are a lot of Jews in porn. Is that true?
A: A lot of men in porn are Jewish (but) very few women. There have been many surveys on that. The survey shows that (Jewish women aren’t in porn) because Jews always stress education.
You’d think that a woman going to college and getting a degree would rather use her mind than her body, even though you get paid more for the body. When (Jewish women) go to school and get all these degrees, they want to feel that they’re using them somehow. I think that’s one large reason. Another reason is their dads would kill them.
Q: Do you think Judaism is more accepting of sexual freedom and sexual expression?
A: Absolutely. Jews have always been considered to be the more liberal group when it comes to that. They never do the old, “You’ll burn in hell. Don’t do this, don’t do that.”
Anyone who’s religious usually has a problem with promiscuity. If you’re very religious, no matter what you are _ Jew, Christian, Muslim _ then you have a problem with people being wild and crazy. But if you’re not quite religious, then Jews are more accepting of sexual freedom and extramarital relations than other religions are. That might be why so many Jewish men are in the porn business.
Q: You’ve traveled around college campuses with the Christian anti-porn ministry XXX Church.com debating porn. Tell me about that experience.
A: On “Nightline,” Martin Brashear interviewed the guys in XXX Church and me about our debating each other. They said, “We really, really, really like Ron.” And I said, “I really, really like these guys and I’m glad they’re here. I’m glad they do what they do.”
I think the porn business can be kept in check; I don’t mind the fact that there are those who keep us from going a little bit too crazy. I like what they do.
If they feel that a girl does not belong in porn, (and) they can lead her to the path of righteousness and Jesus Christ, well, so be it. Maybe she didn’t belong in porn in the first place.
Q: What is one of your biggest arguments as you’re debating porn?
A: XXX Church talks about the Internet and all the things that are on there involving kids. When somebody commits a crime on the Internet involving kids, animals, rape or whatever, some will say, “This is the porn business, and we got to defend it.” I’ll say, “No, I’m not. I will prosecute it.” And we have.
In our debates with XXX Church, I explain that I cannot be held accountable for any kind of crap you see on the Internet. Because it’s not part of our world, it’s not under our auspices, and we can’t control it or stop it.
Q: A study a few years ago by Focus on the Family said close to 20 percent of people who consider themselves born-again Christian admit to looking at porn sites. What do you think is the reason for this?
A: They’re horny, and they’re curious, and it’s voyeurism. A lot of religious folks get upset that there’s all this porn on cable and satellite. Well, I hate to break the news to them, but there’s more religious programming on cable, satellite and network.
Hypocrisy is out there. Some of the people who make the most noise often commit the greatest crimes. The Meese Commission, which tried to make the connection that watching porn leads to aberrant sexual behavior, had Father Bruce Ritter (as a member), who got kicked out of the ministry for feeling up little boys at Covenant House in New York.
I love religion. I have no problem with it. But Christians should keep their faces out of some issues, like stem cell research, cloning research, gay rights and abortion. There’s nothing wrong with being religious. Just don’t stick your nose where it doesn’t belong.
Q: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
A: My dad said, “Anything you do, be the best. I don’t care if you’re a shoe shiner; I don’t care if you wash dishes for a living _ be the best at it, and own your own shoe shine concession.” I got into porn and got to be the best known in the business. So, I guess his teachings worked out, in a bizarre way.
KRE/LF END ROSS
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