Not a member? Sign up now
Apple yanks Christian iPhone/iPad app for opposition to gay marriage
By Peter SmithDecember 1st, 2010, 8:00 pmComments (14)
We usually make fun of Apple's censoriousness, but today, they pulled the "Manhattan Declaration" app, which reprints the Christian manifesto signed last year by 150 Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox leaders, after complaints that the app was anti-gay. The Declaration states that marriage is "a conjugal union of man and woman, ordained by God from the creation, and historically understood by believers and non-believers alike, to be the most basic institution in society." Steve Jobs then took a break from showering in his turtleneck and shut these jokers down.
But honestly, pro-gay-marriage (and anti-using-millenia-old-dogma-as-an-excuse-to-be-a-dick) though we obviously are, Apple's action still seems extreme. The app is a cautiously worded statement, not an overt incitement to hate, really, although you could argue that dressing up this mentality doesn't make it any prettier. Still, when wrong-headed people at least go to the trouble to be relatively polite, it probably does more P.R damage than good to censor them.
Tags
Steve Jobs
Commentarium (14 Comments)
I'm in favor of gay marriage. However, I am also in favor of allowing religions to peaceably believe and practice what ever they damn well please. What next, nixing Jewish apps on the grounds that they deny Christ?
I don't care. I bought an every iPhone so far. Steve and his crew can do whatever they want. I will still buy it. It's superior to everything else out there.
It won't get you laid, Alex. Give it up.
Jobs' turtleneck closet must look like Paul Allen's Hendrix room: sick.
I think the move by Apple is justified. In response to sarel101, just because they're practicing their religion "peaceably" does not make it right. One could argue that those who practiced oppression against Blacks (without being violent) were just peacefully practicing their religion since they used the Bible and it's description of Cain as their justification.
Yes it will, Alex. Call me.
Great, so what are they going to do, get rid of all Apps that they do not think are 'right?' Select a moral ombudsman for Apple. Get rid of all Apps that support diets that are not 100% local, organic, vegan macrobiotic? Forbid any App that might question global warming, climate change? Take down any App that supports a political view that is different than the chosen party? What if Apple decides to adopt an Atheist morality? Forbid any religious e-book? Suppress anything that doesn't meet your standard of right?
How is this even an app? I thought applications were supposed to perform a function of some sort, as opposed to just showing static text. The iphone flashlights are more "appy" than this thing.
You're missing the point if you think what Apple permits and doesn't permit in an app is some sort of moral or political statement. It's a business statement. Apple evidently believes being assoicated with the anti-gay marriage crowd will hurt its business more than being associated with the pro-gay-marriage crowd. Corporations are never about morality; they are about profit.
" profrobert" is right. Since most conservatives can't afford the IPhone because they send all their money to their favorite TV evangelist and spend what's left on ammo for shooting abortion doctors, most are not Apple customers. It was a business decision not a moral one.
And yet nbody seems to care about the rights guaranteed under the First Amendment. By the way, the "millenia-old-dogma-as-an-excuse-to-be-a-dick" came about shortly after Thou shalt not kill, steal, or bear false witness and yet nobody has a problem with those. When did it become okay to ostracize religion while saying that that sort of attitude towards anybody is wrong? Maybe the gay marriage proponents should practive what they preach.
I'm out of luaege here. Too much brain power on display!
CEwq7a tozbndmzfkiw