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Spongebob Squarepants erodes family values ;)

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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.

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having lived & worked in the usa i can tell you that the USA is Christian country - period. Christianity is a deep part of most people's lives, either directly (through deep personal faith) or culturally (through social mores, prejudices, diet, TV etc.)

Many people, even professional commentators, have not seen the real america. They have only seen the west coast and Northeast.

It was the "real" america who elected GWB - the teeming millions in the Red States, the people called, disparagingly, "flyover people". GWB is an accurate reflection of the Flyover People. You can see the predominantly conservative values of Americans even in such ostensibly offensive or radical shows as South Park (which is fundamentally a right-wing show, with some tolerance thrown in, in my opinion).

We just have to live with each other. if you want to guard against conservative radicalism though, and the USA influence, keep clear of places like the Hillsong (spelling?) church in Sydney.

Fundamentally though (pun), i love americans, even enough to have married one They are generally warm, friendly (although stand-offish) and innovative.

ok it's sunday morning, i have to get back to church now :) God Bless America.

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Originally posted by MetalGuru:

You can see the predominantly conservative values of Americans even in such ostensibly offensive or radical shows as South Park (which is fundamentally a right-wing show, with some tolerance thrown in, in my opinion).

I guess Matt Stone and Trey Parker are just faking the fact they are gay

Seriously, I think southpark is a caricature of an american country town and the mentality of its people. As such it has to run along extremely intolerant lines. Maybe you missed the sarcasm they use. I often figured most americans would miss that sarcams too and feel vindicated by the show.

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i meant my south park remark a little less superficially. That kind of sarcasm, in America, is very well understood. Vicious sarcasm, which it can sometimes be, is the hallmark of a new younger (university) conservative set.. libertarian with a touch of family values. In many respects "the Simpsons" is far less "typically american" then southpark.

This is interesting, mentions the south parkduo:

http://portlandmercury.com/2003-01-30/feature.html

It is well known that at least one of them, perhaps both, are Republicans, though there's nothing wrong with that per se

[ 06. February 2005, 09:37: Message edited by: MetalGuru ]

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I never will understand those freaky 'fundamentalist' christians... on the one hand they say they want to convert everyone on the planet to their religion to 'save their soul' and on the other they say homosexuality is a evil sin that will be punished for eternity in lakes of burning sulfur... um... hmmm... I think theres a segment of the population they wont be able to convert to their religions

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I have a feeling that what people are up against here is change. The institutions that currently hold power, influence and control want to keep it that way, and so dismiss change of any sort as evil, wrong and so forth. Change brings evolution, dynamic systems of thought and greater freedom from the past. If you think about it, having a two party system of government is just another way of keeping change on the back burner.

I just saw the Sponge Bob movie and had a good laugh. It reminded me of the old cartoons of two magpies (birds) that got into various adventures... cant recall their name at the mo..

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Auxin:

I never will understand those freaky 'fundamentalist' christians...

Me either! They don't seem to have any problem spotting "hidden" messages in all sorts of films, tv shows and music yet take the bible completely at face value. I am particularly disturbed at the ones that can't accept the idea of evolution (either for a species or a society) but are perfectly willing to believe that the world is only a few thousand years old.

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quote:

keep clear of places like the Hillsong (spelling?) church in Sydney.

 


Saw a docco on the rise of right wing christian fundamentalism in Aus and this place featured heavily, the "church" is run by an elusive husband and wife team (who spend most of there time living the good life !). The husbands father started the church off but was going broke and getting no-ware. He bought a minister over from the US to help him make money , and show him how to manage the business of religion. The American bought with him a typical American model of fundraising and salvation , lights , music, action. On every seat at this "stadium" church (Hillsong)they actually have Visa/Master card slips for donnations ! :rolleyes: They whip the audiance into a frenzy of god and they all swallow...... They are told that it is their resonsibility to be prosperous and make money , they owe it to god to be well dressed in the latest fashions :rolleyes: it's just all so lame (IMO)! Meanwhile the bronzed owner and his wife enjoy constant luxury vacations in the South Pacific leaving the lesser drones of the congregation to run the business on a voluntry basis :rolleyes:

I realise i go on about this subject but it is important that we all realise what could happen if these people become to entrenched in our society. :mad:

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i have been downloading a lot of ebooks off ares at the moment and one very funny book was "the science of getting rich".

the funniest part in it was along the lines of "god wants you to be rich, if you are rich you can praise him spread his good word blah blah blah blah"(deleted it so dont know exact quote.)

such a crock of shit. do unto others like you would have them do unto you (im not christian but this is a very good piece of advice) yet its cool to screw over others so you can make more money to help your church.

are fundies just stupid or is there more to it? (no family etc and need that emotional backing)

[ 22. February 2005, 00:19: Message edited by: Hagakure ]

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Fundamentalism is a lot like selective hearing

its selective stupidity

i guess they turn off some logic - especially to do with handling contradictions but it seems to me they turn off a lot of empathy - which allows them to do what they do

other than that they can be very intelligent people

and this is the worst bit

they are essentially sociopaths

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MG, I agree with you about SouthPark.

At first I thought that their apparent attacks on left-wing people and views were satirizing the attacks of right wing opponents, or making more specific criticisms, from a leftist perspective, of the ideology of American "liberals" , but I'm afraid it was just wishful thinking.

I'm thinking here of their derogatory attitudes towards anti-Iraq-war activists expressed in "Team America" (though this film also contained some witty and amusing satire of the bad guys).

Still, I'm shocked to hear they're Republicans.

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quote:

Many people, even professional commentators, have not seen the real america. They have only seen the west coast and Northeast.

That's so true, and it's also true that many people in Hollywood and Washington DC have no clue about a "heartland" that many of them detest. South Park is a good example of this, and "Million Dollar Baby" getting the acadamy award, even if it contains the most repulsive stereotypes of "welfare-grabbing white trash".

I'd say the hardcore religious nut percentage is a lot less than 50/50, more like 25-30%, but they're loud enough and active enough and supported by the media enough to influence every single reform attempt in this country.

 

quote:

what do they put in the water over in the USA?

LOL. Having one of the worst education systems in the western world is a pretty good start, though.

And if you brainwash them everyday in the media, you can count on most of the 75% of fundamentaly OK people who aren't relgious nuts to shut up and be good drones.

[ 03. March 2005, 03:46: Message edited by: Talby ]

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another example how stupid dumbfuck christian many americans are;

I used to love the "Marge Simpson character" always saying, now here's a cool wife.

Until I watched some reruns:

In the episode where Homer doesn't want to go to church anymore, Marge says:

"Don't make me choose between you and my lord because you just can't win!"

now that's a perfect example of religious fanaticism. Some imaginary, hallucinated Image, god, is more important than the husband.

Now I think Marge simply sucks and is as dumb as most other ones!

Plus the Simpsons also "humanized" old father Bush, that mean killing humanhater, while putting shit on Clinton when he was still in Power.

Clinton may not have been a great president, but still about ten times more acceptable than the present faschist mob terrorizing the rest of the world.

About southpark:

i have long seen through them and don't like watching it as much anymore.

Yes they are faschist redneck republicans, and cartman is the best example of how they really think, those god-damn hippiehating Bush-Voters!

[ 03. March 2005, 06:55: Message edited by: gomaos ]

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I think you all may have missed the point about south park/team america , they are all over the place with there opinions , not showing there political opinions but generally pissing every one off on all sides. I find it objective and nuteral and best of all NO SACRED COWS :P

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ha ha ahha - "NO scared COWS" good one 2b.

makes me think about the CATTLE MUTILATIONS you so ofthen hear about.

sorry to hijack the topic. Ohhhh well everything is conected in some way anyway.

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doesn't change the fact that they are reps and vote for bush.

Damn hippie-hating faschists they are!

just like that stupid arnold schwarzenegger that nazi

not showing there political opinions but generally pissing every one off on all sides.

I find they show their true opinion almost in every episode. And they're not pissing EVERYONE off.

They've never ever said a word against the Bush government.

Plus look at their "Team America" movie (my kids dragged me into it)

so full of dribbling patriotism it's truely sickening!

[ 03. March 2005, 09:00: Message edited by: gomaos ]

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"Team America" IS the quintesscencial movie of the new mellenium. another way to see it is as making america do the "immpossible sit-up", but its a canadian ass in the face of America's history and values.

No ill respect to anyone of any country, we are all human, i just like to see people get away with poking fun at a sleeping giant...

hmmm

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quote:

doesn't change the fact that they are reps and vote for bush.

These guys are openly gay , how may gays do you think support Bush ?

 

quote:

I find they show their true opinion almost in every episode. And they're not pissing EVERYONE off.

Well find a group that they haven't tried to piss off ? :P

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any one watched media watch durring the last ellection?

http://www.georgewbush.org/

look for the ad's, the radio one is best, with "im geroge w bush, and i approved this message" and ends with "keeping down faggots and coloureds". and see the rock the cashbar ad.

i dont condone this mans actions, just enjoy the laugh his grants me at his shear egotisim and meglomania.

also, micheal moore (fahreinheit 911 & bowling for columbine) and the guy from www.infowars.com shed some light on the bush election. it is never as we get to see it in the good ol' land of oz

[ 03. March 2005, 10:02: Message edited by: Amulte ]

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posted by 2b:

Well find a group that they haven't tried to piss off ?

Originally posted by gomaos:

And they're not pissing EVERYONE off.

They've never ever said a word against the Bush government.

posted by 2b:

These guys are openly gay , how may gays do you think support Bush ?

posted by Torsten:

I guess Matt Stone and Trey Parker are just faking the fact they are gay

posted by trytameanie:

Still, I'm shocked to hear they're Republicans.

posted by Amulte:

i just like to see people get away with poking fun at a sleeping giant...

if we can't get away with that anymore, then we know things are really bad. (Free Speech etc.)

"How good and true any democracy is can only be measured by how this particular society treats 'social outcasts' and 'minority groups' (i.e. gays, drug users and what have you)"

I've forgotten who said that but he (or she) was right...

[ 03. March 2005, 17:31: Message edited by: gomaos ]

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quote:

Origionaly posted by Gomaos:

 

if we can't get away with that anymore, then we know things are really bad.

Right on! :D

[ 03. March 2005, 17:32: Message edited by: Amulte ]

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quote:

posted by 2b:

 

These guys are openly gay , how may gays do you think support Bush ?

 

posted by Torsten:

 

I guess Matt Stone and Trey Parker are just faking the fact they are gay

 


Alas, being a member of a group historically oppressed or demonized by the ruling class doesn't prevent people from adopting the same right-wing ideologies (certainly as they apply to other oppressed groups).

Thatcher was a woman.

Pim Fortune was gay.

Rice and Powell are black.

Bush smoked dope.

The "redneck" right are largely working class.

 

quote:

I find it objective and nuteral

You don't mean objectionable and neutered?

Seriously though, do you really believe there is such a thing as "objective and neutral" satire (or indeed reporting or any other media production)? Is the truth to be found halfway between Labour and Liberal (or Democrat and Republican)? I couldn't imagine that even a small truth would be able to fit.

As much as Team America might have poked fun at the militarist "dicks", the message was that they are needed to protect the country from crazy foreign assholes and left-wing "pussies" that support them without realising their evil nature.

[ 08. March 2005, 12:37: Message edited by: Tryptameanie ]

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