posted on January 21, 2005 08:57:09 AM new
Just one of example of the "sky is falling" tactics from the religious conservatives
By David D. Kirkpatrick
New York Times News Service
Published January 21, 2005
WASHINGTON -- On the heels of electoral victories to bar same-sex marriage, some influential conservative Christian groups are turning their attention to a new target: the cartoon character SpongeBob SquarePants.
"Does anybody here know SpongeBob?" James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, asked the guests Tuesday night at a black-tie dinner for members of Congress and political allies to celebrate the election results.
In many circles, SpongeBob needs no introduction. He is popular among children and grown-ups as well who watch him cavorting under the sea on the Nickelodeon cartoon program that bears his name. In addition, he has become a well-known camp figure among gay men, perhaps because he holds hands with his animated sidekick Patrick and likes to watch the imaginary television show "The Adventures of Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy."
Now, Dobson said, SpongeBob's creators have enlisted him in a "pro-homosexual video" in which he appears alongside other children's television characters such as Barney, Blue from "Blue's Clues," Clifford the Big Red Dog and Jimmy Neutron, among many others.
The makers of the video, he said, plan to mail it to thousands of elementary schools this spring to promote a "tolerance pledge" that includes tolerance for differences of "sexual identity." He urged his allies to stand together to stop it as part of a "spiritual battle" for the country.
The video's creator, Nile Rodgers, who wrote the disco hit "We Are Family," says Dobson's objection stemmed from a misunderstanding. Rodgers said he founded the We Are Family Foundation after the Sept. 11 attacks to create a music video featuring 100 well-known cartoon characters--of many species--dancing to his song to teach children about multiculturalism.
The video has appeared on Nickelodeon and other television networks, and nothing in it or its accompanying materials refers to sexual identity. The "tolerance pledge," which was borrowed from the Southern Poverty Law Center, is not mentioned on the video and is available only on the group's Web site.
Rodgers suggested that Dobson and the American Family Association, the conservative Christian group that first sounded the alarm, might have been confused because of an unrelated Web site belonging to another group called We Are Family. That site is owned by a Charleston, S.C., group aimed at supporting gay youths.
"The fact that some people may be upset with other people's lifestyles, that is OK," Rodgers said. "We are just talking about respect."
Mark Barondeso, general counsel for the We Are Family Foundation, suggested that anyone who says the video promotes homosexuality "needs to visit their doctor and get their medication increased."
On Wednesday, however, Paul Batura, assistant to Dobson at Focus on the Family, said the group stood by its charges, even as it acknowledged that the "tolerance pledge" was available only on the We Are Family Web site and not in material sent to the schools.
"We see the video as an insidious means by which the organization is manipulating and potentially brainwashing kids," he said. "It is a classic bait and switch."
Absolute faith has been shown, consistently, to breed intolerance. And intolerance, history teaches us, again and again, begets violence.
---------------------------------- "Give it up for George W. Bush, the best friend international jihad ever had."
posted on January 21, 2005 10:07:06 AM new
This has got to be one of my favorites... right up with years back in the days of the moral majority burning books and records when they included Snow White & the Seven Dwarves because she lived with 7 men out of wedlock.
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on January 21, 2005 12:11:03 PM new
"We see the video as an insidious means by which the organization is manipulating and potentially brainwashing kids,"
I couldn't have said it better myself. Spongebob is stupid, but kids DO watch it.
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Replay Media - The best source for board games, card games and miniatures on the web! http://www.replaymedia.com
posted on January 21, 2005 01:29:14 PM new
Never have seen the show, but which kids show isn't stupid to adults.
Absolute faith has been shown, consistently, to breed intolerance. And intolerance, history teaches us, again and again, begets violence.
---------------------------------- "Give it up for George W. Bush, the best friend international jihad ever had."
posted on January 21, 2005 02:18:20 PM new
"but which kids show isn't stupid to adults."
I've seen plenty of kids shows with my 4 year old neice. When Spongebob comes on she wants to turn the channel 'cause that's a dumb show'.
This review brought to you by 4-year-olds against Spongebob.
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Replay Media - The best source for board games, card games and miniatures on the web! http://www.replaymedia.com
posted on January 21, 2005 04:46:00 PM new
Here is another opinion about the religious conservatives fight.....
COMMENTARY
By Michael Ventre
MSNBC contributor
Updated: 6:07 p.m. ET Jan. 21, 2005Since I am a compassionate and tolerant person, I hate to generalize about any particular group. Because people are so wonderfully diverse, proudly independent and gloriously unique, any racial, ethnic or religious pigeonholing would be deeply insulting, not to mention inaccurate.
So when I hear the word “Christian” these days, I don’t assume good or bad. All sorts of people fall within that category. In my humble opinion, Jesus Christ was an important and influential figure in world history, and I respect that. Because he was a symbol of love and understanding, the term “What Would Jesus Do?” resonates powerfully. If we all acted as Jesus would, I believe the world would be at peace, and love would wash over all of God’s children.
But of course, not all Christians are alike. Many, if not most, Christians understand the true message of Jesus. But there is a frightening number of so-called Christians who can be best described as creepy, rigid, arrogant, cruel, know-it-all, pompous, obnoxious and treacherous — better known by the acronym C.R.A.C.K.P.O.T.
These CRACKPOT Christians are nothing new. Throughout history there have been dangerous fools of all persuasions who have perverted religious text for their own selfish purposes. What they like to do, in essence, is force-feed their twisted beliefs on others while hiding behind a respectable label, thereby conning folks into thinking that their mean-spirited behavior is really born out of kindness and generosity.
But the CRACKPOT Christians may have gone too far. Now they’re messing with SpongeBob.
SpongeBob SquarePants is a hugely popular cartoon character. He lives inside a pineapple underneath the sea. The CRACKPOT Christians, however, would like you to believe that he really lives in a loft in Greenwich Village above an antiques store with his longtime companion.
The CRACKPOT Christians want to warn Americans that a music video being sent to 61,000 U.S. schools in March featuring SpongeBob and promoting a message of tolerance is really a surreptitious attempt to turn straights into gays. Specifically, they’re upset by a “tolerance pledge” on the website of the nonprofit We Are Family Foundation, the producer of the video, that asks people to respect the sexual identity of others along with their abilities, beliefs, culture and race.
I’ve only caught bits and pieces of SpongeBob, but I never noticed any Bette Midler playing in the background. Nor have I seen SpongeBob shopping for china at Williams Sonoma, or French-kissing another male sponge. He does, however, hold hands with his sidekick Patrick and enjoys watching the imaginary TV show, “The Adventures of Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy,” so I can see why the CRACKPOT Christians might get their knickers in a knot believing that the moral foundation of our nation’s schoolchildren is in grave peril because a couple of cartoon characters touched each other.
But why stop at SpongeBob? I’m sure the CRACKPOT Christians are, at this very moment, gathered somewhere in a secret location, scrutinizing old clips of Tom and Jerry to detect any signs of mutual arousal. I know the CRACKPOT Christians are all over the rumor that whenever Scooby-Doo humps a leg, it’s always a man’s leg. And have you noticed that Ed, Edd N Eddy hug each other quite a bit? I guarantee you the CRACKPOT Christians have noticed.
The now-infamous SpongeBob video — or as it is more commonly known now among CRACKPOT Christians, “The Insidious Perpetuation of the Undersea Gay Agenda By Animated Phylum Porifera” — also features such notable characters as Barney, Winnie the Pooh, Bob the Builder, the Rugrats and others. By their participation, I have to assume they are targets as well. The CRACKPOT Christians will ask, “Why is it we never see Barney with a girlfriend?” Or “Is Winnie’s preoccupation with honey just a smokescreen?” And “Exactly what type of ‘tools’ is Bob the Builder busy with these days?”
This situation might be funny if it wasn’t so insane.
Yet rather than dump on the CRACKPOT Christians for placing their heads in an anatomically impossible position, I feel a little sorry for them. By turning SpongeBob into a controversy, they’re destroying the miniscule amount of credibility they might have had in the eyes of real Christians and others. These CRACKPOT Christians have succeeded in doing something I thought would be impossible:
They’re giving Jesus Christ a bad name.
For a lot of people, this might be unforgivable. But I’m more compassionate than most. I would like to help the CRACKPOT Christians redeem themselves. After all, they’re human, or at least they started out that way. Guiding these CRACKPOT Christians along the path of righteousness will be a Herculean task, but as the Bible tells us, miracles do happen. How can I preach tolerance and then turn my back on those who need it most?
The first step for the CRACKPOT Christians is to accept that they have a problem. I know programs exist that can reprogram the insufferably preachy and transform them back into normal people like the rest of us. They have to get the message that taking the Good Book, living by the parts they agree with and disregarding the parts they don’t, is a learned behavior and can be cured. They need to be taught that looking for secret messages where none exist is an urge that should be resisted.
Maybe they could use an instructional video.
Absolute faith has been shown, consistently, to breed intolerance. And intolerance, history teaches us, again and again, begets violence.
---------------------------------- "Give it up for George W. Bush, the best friend international jihad ever had."
posted on January 21, 2005 05:24:07 PM new
The word for cartoon in spanish is "caricatura", literally: caricature. If anybody's a caricature here, it's Dobson. Spongebob is a hilarious show. Dobson is a loony crackpot. What gets me is how many adults, apparently with sponges for brains, actually listen to the man.
____________________________________________
Dick Cheney: "I have not suggested there's a connection between Iraq and 9/11..."
posted on January 21, 2005 05:40:58 PM new
Any decent parent would just tell their child to not pay attention to any pledge like that and move on... no big deal...
posted on January 21, 2005 07:49:44 PM new
I bet these religious groups check under their beds every night to make sure there's no monster hiding there!
I mean, if a cartoon sponge can scare them.......
posted on January 21, 2005 08:37:50 PM new
The Crackpot Christians must be smoking that Bible belt dope again. Nice to see how they are targeting a cartoon character as the source that is of all that is immoral in society.
Next they will say Barney the dinosaur is child molester.
Ernie and Bert better watch out. The Crackpot Christians will be coming after them next. Aren't they the original gay cartoon characters?
Once the Crackpot Christians take care of kids programing they will start implementing gospel programing on all the major networks. Say good-bye to daytime soaps and "Desperate Housewives"
Absolute faith has been shown, consistently, to breed intolerance. And intolerance, history teaches us, again and again, begets violence.
----------------------------------
"Give it up for George W. Bush, the best friend international jihad ever had."
[ edited by logansdad on Jan 21, 2005 08:58 PM ]
posted on January 22, 2005 05:31:02 AM new
Scare? There the libs go again throwing around that word, wonder if they really know the meaning?
I don't think so...
How about just looking out for their child's up bringing... bad enough all the single mothers of this country ruining children... now the gays want some "pledge" from them to? That is a crock...
Only pledge a child needs is the Pledge Allegience... with one nation under GOD...
posted on January 22, 2005 08:46:09 AM new
He's a cartoon for Christ's sake. The religious conservatives are grasping at straws. While they are supposed to be spreading love and the word of God, they are using God's word to spread hate and intolerance. WWJS?
Cheryl
"No drug, not even alcohol, causes the fundamental ills of society. If we're looking for the source of our troubles, we shouldn't test people for drugs, we should test them for stupidity, ignorance, greed and love of power." ~ P.J. O'Rourke
[ edited by CBlev65252 on Jan 22, 2005 08:46 AM ]
posted on January 22, 2005 09:06:47 AM new
Cheryl,
I know it is a cartoon. The religious conservatives are only going to bring more harm to their cause if they keep of this kinda of fight. People are going to see through their agenda.
Absolute faith has been shown, consistently, to breed intolerance. And intolerance, history teaches us, again and again, begets violence.
---------------------------------- "Give it up for George W. Bush, the best friend international jihad ever had."
posted on January 22, 2005 09:28:56 AM new
logansdad starts out with "just one example of the 'sky is falling' tactics from the religious conservatives".
BUT as usual the hysteria is not at all the REAL nor FULL story.
I watched Dobson being interviewed on Fox last night...and he says they're NOT telling what his concern was. His concern was that parents are not being made aware of what all is involved in this 'pledge' their children are asked to sign.
Here's the teachers guide and what the children will be taught AFTER watching this 'innocent' vedio. Yea...innocent if you want to support the gay agenda and have your children be taught that gay sex is normal....and there's something wrong with normal man/woman sex.
I'm glad he spoke up about it. He supports families....and while he's taking a lot of very misguided heat right now....at least parents with values will be made aware of just how the liberals try and work their own agenda into our very young childrens minds.
----
taken from townhall.com
The big deal about SpongeBob
So the blog world is abuzz with the attack on SpongeBob by religious conservatives. Even many conservative bloggers are sneering that Dobson needs to find a new cause. But blogger Bill Cork is dead on when he writes that it's not Dobson that's fallen off his rocker.... It's the MSM that continually tries to paint religious conservatives as nuts.
Bottom line: Religious conservatives are not calling SpongeBob gay. They are attacking a video (remake of the song "We Are Family" that features cartoon characters) that liberals are trying to shove into schools to promote "tolerance" and "diversity." Take a look at the website and you'll find that (according to Cork):
"The song itself is about multiculturalism and diversity. But some things on the WAFF webpage go further, including a Tolerance Pledge which says, "I pledge to have respect for people whose abilities, beliefs, culture, race, sexual identity or other characteristics are different from my own."
There is a Teacher's Guide on the webpage, Writing for Change: Raising Awareness of Difference, Power, & Discrimination. One section is entitled, Uncovering Attitudes About Sexual Orientation. Its objectives: "Introduce the concepts of homophobia and compulsory heterosexuality. Analyze and discuss the effects these forces exert in students' lives."
Then take a look at their definitions (listed in the "Writing for Change" lesson plan):
"Homophobia: Thoughts, feelings, or actions based on fear, dislike, judgment, or hatred of gay men and lesbians/of those who love and sexually desire those of the same sex. Homophobia has roots in sexism and can include prejudice, discrimination, harassment, and acts of violence.
Compulsory heterosexuality: Thee assumption that women are "naturally" or innately drawn sexually and emotionally toward men, and men toward women; the view that heterosexuality is the "norm" for all sexual relationships. The institutionalization of heterosexuality in all aspects of society includes the idealization of heterosexual orientation, romance, and marriage. Compulsory heterosexuality leads to the notion of women as inherently "weak," and the institutionalized inequality of power: power of men to control women's sexuality, labor, childbirth and childrearing, physical movement, safety, creativity, and access to knowledge. It can also include legal and social discrimination against homosexuals and the invisibility of or intolerance toward lesbian and gay existence."
Dangerous stuff. Instead of sneering at religious conservatives, perhaps we should start yelling at the MSM for continuing to tell the story wrong. How about writing a letter to the editor of the NYTimes, Boston Herald, LATimes, or any other MSM news outlet that has totally misrepresented this story?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Four More Years....YES!!!
posted on January 22, 2005 09:46:59 AM new
""""Compulsory heterosexuality: Thee assumption that women are "naturally" or innately drawn sexually and emotionally toward men, and men toward women; the view that heterosexuality is the "norm" for all sexual relationships. The institutionalization of heterosexuality in all aspects of society includes the idealization of heterosexual orientation, romance, and marriage. Compulsory heterosexuality leads to the notion of women as inherently "weak," and the institutionalized inequality of power: power of men to control women's sexuality, labor, childbirth and childrearing, physical movement, safety, creativity, and access to knowledge. It can also include legal and social discrimination against homosexuals and the invisibility of or intolerance toward lesbian and gay existence." """""
posted on January 22, 2005 10:06:13 AM new
davebraun
You are so right on that one! We just had a man in this area lose his home to theft and fire because he's gay. They took the time to not only clean out his home of valuable antiques and art work, they spray painted threatening anti-gay words on the walls of his home before they set it on fire. He lost everything he owns just because he's gay. The religious conservatives have done nothing but spread that intolerance. No one deserves that! It's just another form of segregation. Hate begets violence just like it did during the civil rights movement. We're going backward instead of forward.
Truthfully, how many of you hear about a violent robbery and think to yourself that it was probably a black that committed it? Or have heard about a child rape and thought to yourself "had to be a gay"? If you're being honest, probably a great number of you have. It's a learned behavior.
Cheryl
"No drug, not even alcohol, causes the fundamental ills of society. If we're looking for the source of our troubles, we shouldn't test people for drugs, we should test them for stupidity, ignorance, greed and love of power." ~ P.J. O'Rourke
posted on January 22, 2005 10:22:01 AM newat least parents with values will be made aware of just how the liberals try and work their own agenda into our very young childrens minds.
More of the "We have to protect our children" preaching from the right. Linda wake up, children are not as dumb as you make them out to be. Why don't you ask the children what they want.
Looks like all those "parents with values" are to busy to teach their own children values. They are too busy with their own careers and working two jobs, that they are forced to let their children learn values from a cartoon shown and then have problems with the "values" their children are being taught. How many of the righties have said the schools need to teach better values to their children?
I would like to know why the right has a problem with the values of discrimination and hatred. Jesus never preached these "values".
Linda will never know what it is like to be discriminated against even if it bites her in the a**, but yet she is the first to claim "walk in the shoes of others" so you know how the other side feels.
I guess this is the value of being a religious bigot.
Now who is promoting their own agenda. Those damn religious activists.
Absolute faith has been shown, consistently, to breed intolerance. And intolerance, history teaches us, again and again, begets violence.
---------------------------------- "Give it up for George W. Bush, the best friend international jihad ever had."
posted on January 22, 2005 10:37:18 AM new
Yes, logansdad. I understand your values are mixed up, imo. Do what you wish as an adult...but when all these liberal 'mind-think' is being programmed into our young people...like man/woman sex is not the 'norm'....I'll continue laughting and doing my best to help inform parents to the truth of what's really going on with their children. Then they can make their own decisions.
But I detest the liberal manner of indocrinating our young. Don't let the parents know....no parental consent necessary. BS. Just like the liberals think children don't need parental consent to get abortions. They fight so they can't get an aspirin from a teacher....but it's okay to not inform parents of other more important aspects of their childrens life. No....the liberal way is sneeky. Very sneeky. And I'm glad this will soon be exposed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Four More Years....YES!!!
posted on January 22, 2005 10:59:22 AM new
....I'll continue laughting and doing my best to help inform parents to the truth of what's really going on with their children
So now you want to parent other people's children. Is your son not enough for you to take care of anymore? Don't you mean you will continue to preach your values of right and wrong onto other people's children.
If you don't like what is being taught in a particular school you can always take your child to a different school or home school them.
Linda if you know what is best for children why don't you start your own children's television show. You can be the next "Mr. Rogers". This way you can preach your values of hate and discrimination to others all in the name of God.
Absolute faith has been shown, consistently, to breed intolerance. And intolerance, history teaches us, again and again, begets violence.
---------------------------------- "Give it up for George W. Bush, the best friend international jihad ever had."
posted on January 22, 2005 11:04:17 AM new
"You can be the next "Mr. Rogers". This way you can preach your values of hate and discrimination to others all in the name of God."
You just called Mr. Rogers a hatemonger and you expect anyone here to take you seriously after that?
posted on January 22, 2005 11:35:55 AM new
Let me ask you a serious question logansdad. According to your user name you have a child. What did you let him/her watch on TV? What values do you teach him/her. I am not talking about Religious ones just moral ones.
posted on January 22, 2005 11:36:16 AM new
Yes, logansdad. I understand that your agenda and you personally, would prefer that parents not be aware of what is being taught to their children.
More parents need to get involved in their childrens school...know what is being taught to them. Object when they disagree....you have a problem with informed parents? Of course you do....it doesn't meet with your personal gay agenda.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Four More Years....YES!!!
posted on January 22, 2005 12:06:16 PM new
Welcome aboard unclebrian...nice of you to join the discussion.
No, I did not call Mr. Rogers a hatemonger. Please re-read what I posted. I suggested Linda get her own children's show so she can peddle her views to all the other children of the world.
Now please why don't you tell us your original screen name.
Absolute faith has been shown, consistently, to breed intolerance. And intolerance, history teaches us, again and again, begets violence.
---------------------------------- "Give it up for George W. Bush, the best friend international jihad ever had."
posted on January 22, 2005 12:08:27 PM new
Libra, I teach my children to be good, to respect other people even though they may be different from you. That is the basic core value that I teach my children.
Absolute faith has been shown, consistently, to breed intolerance. And intolerance, history teaches us, again and again, begets violence.
---------------------------------- "Give it up for George W. Bush, the best friend international jihad ever had."
posted on January 22, 2005 12:20:17 PM newObject when they disagree....you have a problem with informed parents?
Parents do need to be informed, that I do not disagree with. However you always have you understand school districts are not catering to the needs of your child. They have to teach to numerous children and therefore have the best interests of all the children in that school district in mind. If you happen have a problem with the what the school district is teaching your child, then it is up to you as a parent to teach your child what you want your child to learn, not to be spreading your views onto other parents.
However what is your problem with the Square Bob video promoting tolerance. If the video said children should not make fun of fat people, people with glasses, or people of European/Muslim nationality, would you have a problem with it?
I would guess not, but because it mentions sexuality you think it is the gay agenda that is being pushed on your child. Tolerance incorporates a lot issues not just sexuality. A lack of tolerance leads to violence and hate. I suppose you want your child growing up to be a bully. Or would you prefer your child being the subject of attacks by bullies simply because he or she is different.
Absolute faith has been shown, consistently, to breed intolerance. And intolerance, history teaches us, again and again, begets violence.
---------------------------------- "Give it up for George W. Bush, the best friend international jihad ever had."
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