AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - A 2006 calendar showing scantily clad women from the Detroit Pistons dance team has drawn criticism from a Christian group.

The calendar shows members of the Pistons dance team Automation in swimsuits.

Last month, the American Decency Association started an e-mail campaign to Pistons’ officials, saying the calendar is inappropriate for a team supported by families, women and young children.

“To me, this is a form of prostitution,” said Barbara Rotary of Pontiac, who said she saw the calendar while Christmas shopping and alerted the group. “The Pistons are profiting from using women’s bodies this way.”

The association is based in Fremont, about 40 miles north of Grand Rapids.

Detroit president Tom Wilson said the calendar is artistic and tasteful and contains images anyone could see on the beach.

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“We’ve had far more positive comments than negative,” Wilson told The Detroit News. “The girls look beautiful. They don’t look sleazy or cheap.”

The calendar shows the dancers posing around Michigan. The team gave away most of the 8,000 calendars at a December game, while others are on sale for $13 in team stores. Buyers must be at least 18 years old. Profits go to charity.