News Brief

Chabad in Russia is supporting proposed legislation to censor pornographic materials in the country. The Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia, a Chabad umbrella group and the largest Jewish organization in the country, is backing last week’s controversial proposal by two state Duma deputies because of what Chabad says is the negative social impact of pornography’s ready access. “In my view, the circulation of erotic materials in the media open to general use should be restricted,” federation spokesman Baruch Gorin said. Intimate relations and all that is involved in them should not be put for show. It is an opinion shared by all religions. Yet Gorin cautioned against taking any possible restrictions too far. “Relations between man and woman have always been a source of inspiration for artists, writers, musicians,” he said. “And if the prohibitive law is worded in a way allowing double interpretation, it may turn into an instrument of censure and control over art, which is untenable, of course.” Alexander Krutov and Nikolay Leonov proposed the legislation to “restrict mass media opportunities for exploiting consumers’ interest in erotic subjects.”