The Verdict: Gambling or Sex

Star surprise
Famed X-Files actor David Duchovny shocked America with news that he was the latest celebrity to grace a rehabilitation clinic. But his story has a little twist: Duchovny is an admitted sex-addict. Now the heat is on both Chad Hills and James Dobson of Focus on the Family. Everyone wants to know if they will include sexual addiction alongside online gambling, as another societal evil.

Torment
Without any shadow of doubt, Duchovny's family are suffering from his condition. By deduction, Hills and Dobson should propose the banning of sex - except of course if the lunatic fringe approves specific conditions. Parallels must be drawn between problematic gambling and sex.

Double standards
More pain and misery has been wrought by sex than anything else. The Trojan War is a case in point. Millions too have perished in the name of religion, but it remains hands-off territory. Spencer Bachus and Focus members have made untrue statements regarding gambling. Perhaps if Hills and Dobson determined the specifics of allowable sexual conduct, society might be better off?

Despite plans by the Focus on the Family website, controlling sex is out-of-bounds. With all due respect to their abstinence program and advocation of sex within marriage, people prefer to make their own decisions - not blindly accept Hills and Dobson's prescriptions. The intolerance of Focus is a worrying phenomenon.Internet gamblers do not coerce churchgoers into patronizing online gambling sites - nor should Focus impose their will upon others.

The verdict
Over zealous punitive behavior on either online gambling or sex is worrying. Should voters fear that the Focus group impose their will upon our sex lives? Freedom of expression ensures our right to hear the opinions of others without necessarily having those views forced down our throats.