MEDIA WATCH | SUNTORY HOLDINGS LIMITED

Honor and Decency Demand You Not Fund A&E’s Religious Hate Campaign

“Religious intolerance does not mean one cannot express his own beliefs. It does mean that seeking to undermine or attack the religious faith and beliefs of another has always been a short road to trouble.” [The Way to Happiness – by L. Ron Hubbard, precept 18, “Respect The Religious Beliefs of Others”]

June 13, 2018

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Suntory Holdings Limited

Dear Mr. Saji:

This letter is in connection with your advertising support of A&E networks which is currently promoting religious hate through their Leah Remini series.

I loved the Beatles. Still do. Their music vanguarded major changes in the industry starting in the early 1960s and has stood the test of time. And in early interviews, they acknowledged their American influences—Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Elvis and many, many others.

Then, well into their fame, John Lennon, brilliant though he was, commented in an interview that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus Christ. And all kinds of trouble began. Teens and their parents in the Bible Belt were burning Beatles records and the ensuing media storm was severe. In his defense, Mr. Lennon might not have intended any harm or disrespect, but perhaps he might have rethought that statement about Jesus Christ!

And then on December 8, 1980, John Lennon was murdered by Mark Chapman. Were these two incidents, many years apart, somehow related? We have no way of knowing. I just know they both occurred.

“Religious intolerance does not mean one cannot express his own beliefs. It does mean that seeking to undermine or attack the religious faith and beliefs of another has always been a short road to trouble.” These words from the booklet The Way to Happiness by L. Ron Hubbard, precept 18, “Respect The Religious Beliefs of Others.”

Here is a list of some of the current members of the “Short Road to Trouble” Club.

A&E—ran a series with Leah Remini attacking Scientology which caused children to be bullied at their schools and families to be harassed.

Disney—ABC TV group (owners of A&E) has, with the cancellation of “Rosanne” (based on an anti-religious and racist tweet) potentially lost millions in advertisement revenue, not to mention the flack to those advertisers by association.

NBC’s “The Rise” was cancelled because of anti-Catholic subject matter.

I could go on and on naming other members of this “club,” but really, you should consider shows that attack religions to be enemies of hardworking CEOs. Why? Because who would want to associate or do business with such bigotry.

Sincerely,

Caralyn Percy
Los Angeles, Calif.