des Posted January 22, 2005 Share Posted January 22, 2005 Did you know that some fundamentalist are worried that Sponge Bob Squarepaints is encouraging homosexuality? And here I thought it was a silly little cartoon. --des Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seeking Posted January 22, 2005 Share Posted January 22, 2005 Lol, des! I just saw that on the news. I think these people have "spongeaphobia". I remember the Bert and Ernie thing, too. I was in the middle of a fundie church and had my children right along with me. For goodness sakes........these kids never thot anything odd about them nor did I. One of the naysayers, AFA, is always out there ready to pounce. I used to listen to AFR (American Family Radio) I loved the music, but got soooo sick of hearing about what gay people, abortionists, etc. were doing. That is about all I ever heard. So I gave it up. BTW, I saw the guy (ex-gay) that they showed on the news (don't remember his name)on a christian tv channel in a debate/discussion with 2 other gay guys. He got so mouthy that they "lost" his satelite connection. I wonder about that one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
des Posted January 22, 2005 Author Share Posted January 22, 2005 Actually I heard the whole story, though Focus on Family refused to comment on the news.(The comments on their webpage are similar, but include more comments on the so-called "homosexual agenda".) Anyway, as reported on ABC news, several fundamentalist groups opposed this film produced by some organization promoting tolerance. It features several cartoon figures including Squarepaints, Barney, etc. There is singing and so on. I thought the addition of Barney lowers the age group for the video as anyone over about 4 just can't stand him. Anyway, they also mantain a website to encourage tolerance to all. The website has a small reference to sexual preference as one of the groups to be tolerant to. ABC's story showed the website, and the comment, which included other groups. There was also a booklist with the book "Heather has two mommies", among quite a large no. of books. AFA (or something) disliked the webpage and not the film supposedly. Funny thing about this thing. I think tolerance is a very bland term, suggesting not *liking* or *approving* of someone or even *compassion*. But more that there are others that aren't like you and you need to get along. I see the tolerance movement more against hate crimes than promoting real sister/brotherhood. But apparently even though fundies claim they love the sinner and hate the sin, they cannot come to even "tolerate" gays. Michael Medved who identified himself as a conservative Christian said he thought everyone should put a moratorium on complaining about cartoons. "It makes us look silly", he complained. He's right about that! --des Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrotherRog Posted January 22, 2005 Share Posted January 22, 2005 COMMENTARY By Michael Ventre MSNBC contributor Updated: 6:07 p.m. ET Jan. 21, 2005 Since 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. Michael Ventre lives in Los Angeles and is a regular contributor to MSNBC.com. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cynthia Posted January 22, 2005 Share Posted January 22, 2005 Hilarious article! Let's start an online 12-step program :>. Really, I would love to see more articles like this. Ridicule is strong - it can invoke the Embarrassment Factor, a powerful force for change! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Cliff Posted January 24, 2005 Share Posted January 24, 2005 Actually, there are some siniter undertones to Dobson's attack on Spongebob. What he is up in arms over is the "Tolerance Pledge" and the mention of being tolerant of gay people among many other minorities. The thing is, the pledge is not a product of the "We are Family Foundation" -- rather it was produced by Tolerance.org -- which in turn is a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center. The point is, Dobson is not interested in the character of cartoon characters, rather he is attacking the concept of secular tolerance which is a cornerstone of democratic society. Rgrds Chuck Cliff Denmark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seeking Posted January 24, 2005 Share Posted January 24, 2005 Isn't a sponge asexual????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cynthia Posted January 24, 2005 Share Posted January 24, 2005 (edited) Chuck - I agree about the sinister part. That is the primary problem I have with the religious right. Things are not about what they are about. Being more tolerant (see Des's other posts) leaves us unarmed and unprepared. I think that Jon Stewart has used humor and ridicule to wake people up to the sinister under/over(?)tones of this culture war. I thought the article above my previous post was similar. Sometimes people can't/won't discuss things seriously that they can see from a lighter tone. Really, how can anyone have a serious conversation about a cartoon sponge being gay or not. Hilarious. Except when people do. BTW, seeking, asexual reproduction - he could be doing it right now while my kids are watching... Ahhhhhhhhhhh! :> Off to call the sponsors. Cynthia Edited January 24, 2005 by Cynthia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Cliff Posted January 25, 2005 Share Posted January 25, 2005 Cynthia, This is something which is really difficult to speak about. On the one hand, I wouldn't want to injure anyones faith & if they have beliefs which they need to hold on to in order to maintain their faith -- fine with me! But don't ask us to teach in the schools that the Moon is made of Green Cheese On the other hand, the leaders who manipulate them! These people who are ready to provoke economic, military, ecological disasters -- who are ready to lead us into the mouth of Armeggedon and Ragnarok, saying it's okay, if you've accepted Jesus as your personal savior -- it's frigging obscene! It's like you know, when Jesus says, perhaps the Son-of-Man has to go this way, but woe to the man who brings it about. If that is so, how much more so those who wlecome and look forward to the realization of their Apocalyptic brain farts! Whoops, sorry -- I got carried away there, it's been a hard day here at work. BTW, it was Orcinus who alerted me on this angle to the SpongeBob flap http://dneiwert.blogspot.com/ (you have to scroll down -- it doesn't hotlink or whateer it's called) Along with Berg Berkowitz http://www.workingforchange.com/article.cf...fm?itemid=18407 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cynthia Posted January 25, 2005 Share Posted January 25, 2005 Chuck - Sorry if I offended, I have been in "the angry place" for way too long... I completely agree with you, I'm just trying to get a little mental distance for my peace of mind. Believe me, I know it's catastrophic from here - I'm hoping that a more cosmic perspective will get me closer to "this too shall pass". Cynthia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seeking Posted January 26, 2005 Share Posted January 26, 2005 (edited) sorry I deleted this because I put it in the wrong topic. Edited January 26, 2005 by Seeking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AletheiaRivers Posted January 29, 2005 Share Posted January 29, 2005 http://accessibleairwaves.org/2005/01/ucc-...-spongebob.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
des Posted January 29, 2005 Author Share Posted January 29, 2005 (edited) I LOVE that picture of SpongeBob with the Rev. Thomas. I just got an email today that says basically the same thing: "SpongeBob is welcome here." I'll see if I can get him to come to church with me on Sunday. . :-) BTW, Seeker is right that sponges are asexual. The Onion (satire paper) did a hilarious thing about how anemones are being censured right now as they are asexual and are involved in fetish sexual behavior. (Of course, if the Religious Right found out about clownfish, I think that Nemo would have to join their cartoon parade. Clownfish are all born male and when in groups of two will somehow decide which one will become female. Then one will turn into a female. Shocking, huh?) --des Edited January 29, 2005 by des Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
des Posted January 31, 2005 Author Share Posted January 31, 2005 From some blog somewhere, with apologies to Pastor Martin Niemoller: “First they came for Bert and Ernie … and I said nothing because I was not a Muppet. Then they came for Tinky Winky, and I said nothing, because I was not a Teletubby. Then they came for Sponge Bob and Patrick, and I said nothing, because I was not an asexual cartoon sea creature. I’m just wondering who’ll be the next target of the Righteous Conservative Wrath Against Imaginary Creatures…” posted by, --des Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AletheiaRivers Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 I'd vote for Bugs Bunny. He lives alone in a hole, is pretty neat and has a carrot fixation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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