Posted on 07/16/2004 10:02:11 AM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
When he became a Christian in 1996, three-time convicted felon John Reneer promised God he'd "never again lay a hand on another person." On Oct. 29, he kept that promise in the face of confrontation.Reneer, who now works to close sexually oriented businesses, was protesting outside Pure Pleasure Megacenter, 3299 Fern Valley Road, when an employee of the business began spraying him with a water hose. Reneer kept his cool.
"With God's help, I'm learning to turn the other cheek," said the 57-year-old who has served time for armed robbery, first-degree sodomy and murder.
"I can look behind me and about all I see is a trail of misery."
But Reneer now devotes his time and energy to helping others, most notably rape victims.
Reneer is the founder of War-Line (War Against Rape-Let It Never End), a Louisville Web-based company that exposes people who exhibit sexually violent or aggressive behavior, and businesses that promote pornography.
Reneer's protests often include video taping customers as they enter sexually oriented businesses. Then pictures of patrons are posted on the Internet.
War-Line, which formed last summer, is an international organization that boasts a membership of several hundred.
Reneer's desire to fight pornography is a 180-degree turn.
Before he was 18, he tried to get his hands on Playboy and other magazines that contain pictures of nude women. Then, at age of 21, following a stint in prison for armed robbery, the Owensboro, Ky., native's appetite for sexually deviant magazines and movies became an all-consuming passion.
"Porn made me callous toward women," Reneer said. "Porn turns women into objects-it depersonalizes them."
But it does more than that. Reneer, speaking from experience, said pornography makes some men violent.
"When I go into an adult bookstore, I'm at risk. When I come out, you're at risk."
And Reneer lived that scenario with his every step, finally landing in prison for his third time on a conviction of first-degree sodomy. His violent act against a woman who owed him money for drugs netted him a sentence of double life and 31 years.
Reneer began to exert his will on other prisoners. While it was not a guarantee that he would not be attacked, Reneer's violent attitude kept others at bay and opened doors for him to resume his career-selling drugs.
Through it all, though, Reneer knew in his heart that he needed change.In the mid-1990s, a man came to the prison and began to talk to Reneer about Jesus. It was no overnight conversion, but over time Reneer began to remember some of the teaching about Christ he had heard over the years. Finally he bowed his head and began his life with Christ.
Then something miraculous occurred. Against all logic came a decision by the court-Reneer was paroled.
"I should never have gotten out of prison," he said. "Nobody-me especially-thought I would ever get out. But God had other plans."
Shortly after his release, Reneer was driving along Poplar Level Road and Indian Trail and was grieved in spirit because of the abundance of businesses that exploit women and entrap men. It was a blatant reminder of his violent and abusive past.
"I prayed: 'God, this is so disrespectful to You. I don't want anyone to get hurt, but I wish You would just pull them down.'"
Reneer knew that with his past anything he tried to do for God against pornography would be an uphill battle, but it was worse than he thought.
He soon learned the reason many adult bookstores thrive in big cities. Women are afraid to get involved and men, "if they aren't Christian, just don't care."
Still, Reneer began a one-man battle that has grown into a notable force within Louisville. This past summer, he took what little money he had-about $140-and began War-Line.The Web site, www.War-Line.com, is a resource for women who have been raped or abused. It also is a home for the faces of men Reneer photographs as they enter area adult bookstores.
"I use the site to 'encourage' men," Reneer said.
By posting their pictures on the Web, Reneer exposes patrons of adult bookstores. And that is having an effect on business because "men don't want their wives and children to see that side of them."
One bookstore in the 8200 block of Popular Level Road is across the street from a McDonald's Restaurant. Reneer says the bookstore, CAM I, is operating in violation of sexually-oriented business codes and zoning regulations. He was told by the owner that business was down $10,000, nearly 40 percent, because of War-Line protests during the first weeks of October.
Calls to Ronnie Allen, the owner of the bookstore, were not returned.On the first night the protest was moved to the Pure Pleasure Mega Center on Fern Valley Road, one employee turned violent with death threats (but settled for a water hose), and the bookstore's manager threatened a lawsuit.
On the following day, four semi-trailers were positioned back-to-back to impede Reneer's efforts to take additional pictures of patrons. The bookstore installed a sprinkler system around the property to keep protestors at bay. Co-owners Don Kleinhans and his son own several adult bookstores throughout the south.
Reneer vows to continue the fight until all outlets for Louisville-area pornography are closed. He said Pure Pleasure, like many area adult bookstores that have opened recently, are operating despite city ordinances that forbid their opening. Bookstore owners claim the ordinances are unconstitutional and remain open while the issue is decided in court.
"If everything we do, every effort, keeps just one woman or child from being sexually assaulted-we've been successful," Reneer said.
There's hope for the men, too. Reneer said that with counseling men are able to overcome their desire for pornography.
"Treatment is really effective if someone wants to change his behavior," he said. "I'm still in treatment, and I know it works."
Still, Reneer gives God all the credit for his changed life and desire to help others."
"I try to do everything with the understanding that God is looking over my shoulder," he said. "It keeps me directed."
An Armed Robber turning violent and it's all Playboy's fault! Without porn this monster would have been a cuddly teddy bear.
Typical "Crusader". He wasn't able to successfully control his own evil streak, and he thinks everyone has the same streak.
This is the biggest load of bull. Its like the lib argument that guns make the killer.
Some of Ted Bundy's last words were to the effect of, "If you want to prevent more people like me, outlaw pornography."
I'm going to paint with a somewhat finer brush on this one.
I couldn't care less what consenting adults watch and do. My problem is with "rape porn" and "child porn". These types of movies pander to people with violent, dangerous and, harmfull fantasies.
He's baaaaack.
And as we all know, we should always pay a lot of attention to what Ted said.
Maybe we should have outlawed murder and rape then we would have prevented more people like Ted. Oh wait a minute,,,we did that. Nevermind.
I happen to agree with you there. If someone wants to watch porn, go ahead, however I agree with you on Child and rape, that has to be stopped.
Yeah -- we're at risk because you're a convicted felon who obviously has no self-control.
The more civilized among us can look at pictures of nekkid women & still - somehow - control ourselves.
Just ask Clarence Thomas.
Well, not all men who look at porn are criminals, but almost 100% of men in prison for sex crimes do have porn.
I think what he was trying to say was that pornography played a part in inducing his crimes against women. The man was an evil person, no doubt. But one has to ponder whether or not his contrition is a true statement of what the pornography industry is partially, at least, responsible for....
Translation: My attitudes aren't my fault and anything wrong with me was caused by someone else.
How about the Victoria's Secret posters at the mall? Women should picket the place. And I don't mean just stereotypical church ladies in sensible shoes, buns and granny glasses. All women (and men) who have had it with the wanton assaults on the dignity and lives of women and girls.
Root cause is always found in the home. Blaming a magazine, or a video, is a easy cop out. I suspect if you delve into this guy's upbringing, you'll find the real cause of his screwed up life.
It ain't Playboy, it ain't Hustler, it ain't "Girls Gone Wild".
You can't make this stuff up folks.
...and the Calvin Klein, et al posters.....
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