SpongeBob video causes a ruckus

strandinthewind · #1 01-21-2005, 10:09 AM

Christians issue gay warning on SpongeBob video
Conservative groups criticize maker's 'tolerance pledge'

LOS ANGELES, California (Reuters) -- Conservative Christian groups accuse the makers of a video starring SpongeBob SquarePants, Barney and a host of other cartoon characters of promoting homosexuality to children.

The wacky square yellow SpongeBob is one of the stars of a music video due to be sent to 61,000 U.S. schools in March. The makers -- the nonprofit We Are Family Foundation -- say the video is designed to encourage tolerance and diversity.

But at least two Christian activist groups say the innocent cartoon characters are being exploited to promote the acceptance of homosexuality.

"A short step beneath the surface reveals that one of the differences being celebrated is homosexuality," wrote Ed Vitagliano in an article for the American Family Association.

The video is a remake of the 1979 hit song "We Are Family" using the voices and images of SpongeBob, Barney, Winnie the Pooh, Bob the Builder, the Rugrats and other TV cartoon characters. It was made by a foundation set up by songwriter Nile Rodgers after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, in an effort to promote healing.

Christian groups however have taken exception to the tolerance pledge on the foundation's Web site, which asks people to respect the sexual identity of others along with their abilities, beliefs, culture and race.

"Their inclusion of the reference to 'sexual identity" within their 'tolerance pledge' is not only unnecessary, but it crosses a moral line," James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, said in a statement released Thursday.

Rodgers said he was astounded by the attack.

"That is so myopic and harsh," he told Reuters. "You have really got to look hard to find anything in this that is offensive to anyone. The last thing I am going to do is taint these characters."

Dobson was quoted by the New York Times on Thursday as having singled out the wildly popular SpongeBob during remarks about the video at dinner this week in Washington, D.C.

SpongeBob, who lives in a pineapple under the sea, was "outed" by the U.S. media in 2002 after reports that the TV show and its merchandise are popular with gays. His creator, Stephen Hillenburg, said at the time that though SpongeBob was an oddball, he thought of all the characters in the show as asexual.

It is not the first time that children's TV favorites have come under the critical spotlight of the Christian right. In 1999, the Rev. Jerry Falwell described Tinky Winky, the purse-toting purple Teletubbie, as a gay role model.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/TV/0...eut/index.html

strandinthewind · #2 01-21-2005, 10:11 AM

a$$holes

Note: I realize not all Christians are this way or even support these butheads

strandinthewind · #3 01-21-2005, 10:13 AM

"[B]It is not the first time that children's TV favorites have come under the critical spotlight of the Christian right. In 1999, the Rev. Jerry Falwell described Tinky Winky, the purse-toting purple Teletubbie, as a gay role model."

Ohhhhh Tinky Winky - I think Fallwell was pissed because the name reminded him of his private parts

JACKA$$

GateandGarden · #4 01-21-2005, 10:19 AM

I keep wondering what else James Dobson could possibly do to offend me more. I can't get over the ridiculous stuff that man says.

gldstwmn · #5 01-21-2005, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GateandGarden

I keep wondering what else James Dobson could possibly do to offend me more. I can't over the ridiculous stuff that man says.

Dobson is a loon.

GateandGarden · #6 01-21-2005, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

Dobson is a loon.

SuzeQuze · #7 01-21-2005, 12:55 PM

How come they never say anything about Robin? Everyone knows he IS gay.

Livia · #8 01-21-2005, 10:19 AM

They were talking about this on the radio this morning and saying, "Since when did 'I Love Jesus' also mean 'I Hate Gays?" And that Jesus would probably have accepted and loved homosexuals.

DrummerDeanna · #9 01-21-2005, 10:22 AM

Seriously - this is getting out of hand....

it's a f**king cartoon character....some people really seem to miss the whole point of "christian love"

wondergirl9847 · #10 01-21-2005, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Livia

They were talking about this on the radio this morning and saying, "Since when did 'I Love Jesus' also mean 'I Hate Gays?" And that Jesus would probably have accepted and loved homosexuals.

Of course He does. Child molesters, murderers, terrorists, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, blacks, whites, Asians, stupid people, Harvard grads, dogs, elephants......

This is sooooooo stupid, I can't even come up with a comment but...PPFFTT.

ontheEdgeof17 · #11 01-21-2005, 11:43 AM

I don't care anymore either way.

This stuff doesn't bother me anymore.

DrummerDeanna · #12 01-21-2005, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ontheEdgeof17

I don't care anymore either way.

This stuff doesn't bother me anymore.

I just find in amusing - though I just saw the story on MSNBC - and that kind of irked me because the more attention you give these yahoo's the more they'll pull Sh** like this...

Johnny Stew · #13 01-21-2005, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ontheEdgeof17

I don't care anymore either way.

This stuff doesn't bother me anymore.

Ignorance bothers me. How anyone would want to go through life knowing only half (or even less) the story is beyond me. But, as long as they don't make it MY problem by trying to shove their ignorance down my throat, they can think (or not think) whatever they want.

At any rate, I'm beginning to suspect that the extremist Christians and the extreme Right-Wingers are seeing the writing on the wall... their days are numbered and they're panicking. They're grasping at straws, and desperately trying to keep their woefully and laughably outdated views, relevant.

The rest of the world, and even other Christians and Conservatives, have progressed, but these extremists are afraid of change, and they cling desperately to beliefs that linger from the days when the Pilgrims pushed their way into this country.

So... laugh and be merry, my friends. If we weren't making progress and if we weren't winning the good fight, then they wouldn't be so ridiculously desperate.

Now, I'm off to eat dinner... greasy pepperoni pizza! MMMM!
Gimme pizza over a cookie any day!

SuzeQuze · #14 01-21-2005, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

"[B]It is not the first time that children's TV favorites have come under the critical spotlight of the Christian right. In 1999, the Rev. Jerry Falwell described Tinky Winky, the purse-toting purple Teletubbie, as a gay role model."

Ohhhhh Tinky Winky - I think Fallwell was pissed because the name reminded him of his private parts

JACKA$$

Yeah, he thought the character was "Tiny Winky".

seeker007nmss · #15 01-21-2005, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

"[B]It is not the first time that children's TV favorites have come under the critical spotlight of the Christian right. In 1999, the Rev. Jerry Falwell described Tinky Winky, the purse-toting purple Teletubbie, as a gay role model."

Ohhhhh Tinky Winky - I think Fallwell was pissed because the name reminded him of his private parts

JACKA$$

Are these the same guys who went after Ernie and Bert on Sesame Street awhile back? (We all know they are gay PUPPETS since they live together.)