On the other hand, I fail to understand what is “offensive” about this sale. It’s a piece of used furniture on which sex sometimes occurred. Sex is not in and of itself offensive, and people sell used beds and couches all the time, and sex has occasionally occurred on most of them. Auctioning off the SUV from which the Rev. Haggard lied about his relationship with Mike Jones, lied while looking across the face of his wife, lied in the presence of some of his children, lied into a microphone and camera to his congregation, his city, his nation and hig God–now THAT would be offensive.

Matthew 25

41″Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

44″They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

45″He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

It would seem rather easy for eBay to determine that, as a buyer or a seller, you’d have no intention of bidding on the product. Therefore, your complaint wasn’t based on “consumer activism” – it was an attempt to prevent others from bidding on the product. That was political, since you appear to be unable to cite any practical or material harm other than some self-constructed notion of “common human decency.”

Last I knew, massage tables weren’t considered illegal items, nor necessarily related directly to some sex industry trade. While it is true that Mr. Jones may have engaged in intimate relationships as an occupation, I’m not sure what role massage tables would play in the performance of an intimate act.

“Common human decency” should have, however, compelled Rev. Haggard to practice honesty, rather than continue collecting a salary, performing ministerial duties, and manipulating and misleading his congregation. Since I haven’t seen Mike Jones engaging in attempts to manipulate, engage in cover-up or lie about his previous occupation or relationship with Haggard, I’m quite puzzled about just what was so objectionable.

The actions I took with eBay (and encouraged my ministry supporters to follow) weren’t because poor Mike Jones is a prostitute. It was because his auction crossed the line of common human decency and pricipled business ethics. What’s next? Used condoms from someone who had sex with Anna Nicole?

Not that facts ever deter you, but eBay has stated that the auction was cancelled because of charity violations and had nothing to do with my – or anyone else’s – personal concerns.

As a registered buyer/seller of the eBay community, I had every right to express my concerns. And to encourage likeminded supporters to do likewise. That’s consumer activism; it’s not politics.