Conservative Christians say SpongeBob promotes homosexuality

a1aara · Post by **a1aara** » January 21, 2005 6:18 am

Christians issue gay warning on SpongeBob video
Conservative groups criticize maker's 'tolerance pledge'
Thursday, January 20, 2005 Posted: 8:19 PM EST (0119 GMT)

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.

Sidew13 · Post by **Sidew13** » January 21, 2005 7:01 am

I admit it
I watch spongebob. But come on and watch the show and tell me what YOU think (not that there's anything wrong with that)

nycparrothead · Post by **nycparrothead** » January 21, 2005 7:03 am

He's a sponge who wears pants! They're just starting to figure this out...

semitruths · Post by **semitruths** » January 21, 2005 7:03 am

Actaully the thought that 'spongebob' is gay has been around for a couple years ....... (not that there's anything wrong with that)

Jahfin · Post by **Jahfin** » January 21, 2005 9:28 am

Next thing you know they'll be linking SpongeBob with Tinky Winky and Bert and Ernie. And Ren and Stimpy and...

a1aara · Post by **a1aara** » January 21, 2005 9:37 am

I think James Dobson is the problem.

phtnt · Post by **phtnt** » January 21, 2005 9:41 am

Jahfin wrote:Next thing you know they'll be linking SpongeBob with Tinky Winky and Bert and Ernie. And Ren and Stimpy and...

Stimpy's gay?

Bocanut · Post by **Bocanut** » January 21, 2005 9:42 am

Why is it one feels the needs to always say "not that there's anything wrong with that"? I don't know how many times I've seen that in posts.

Have we become so PC that we have to pacify everyone?

rednekkPH · Post by **rednekkPH** » January 21, 2005 9:43 am

Bocanut wrote:Why is it one feels the needs to always say "not that there's anything wrong with that"? I don't know how many times I've seen that in posts.

Have we become so PC that we have to pacify everyone?

It's not PC - its pop culture. It's a line from Seinfeld.

semitruths · Post by **semitruths** » January 21, 2005 9:44 am

Bocanut wrote:Why is it one feels the needs to always say "not that there's anything wrong with that"? I don't know how many times I've seen that in posts.

Have we become so PC that we have to pacify everyone?

(psssstt .... it's tongue-in-cheek

)

semitruths · Post by **semitruths** » January 21, 2005 9:45 am

Jahfin wrote:Next thing you know they'll be linking SpongeBob with Tinky Winky and Bert and Ernie. And Ren and Stimpy and...

Say it ain't so about Bert and Ernie!!!!!!!!!!

dean_siu · Post by **dean_siu** » January 21, 2005 10:47 am

I hear that SpongeBob has the hots for the purple Teletubby!!!!

nycparrothead · Post by **nycparrothead** » January 21, 2005 10:54 am

rednekkPH wrote:
Bocanut wrote:Why is it one feels the needs to always say "not that there's anything wrong with that"? I don't know how many times I've seen that in posts.

Have we become so PC that we have to pacify everyone?
It's not PC - its pop culture. It's a line from Seinfeld.

yep.. A line from Seinfeld... (Not that there's anything wrong with that)

land_shark3 · Post by **land_shark3** » January 21, 2005 10:54 am

Well he does hold hands... with other cartoon characters.

buffettbride · Post by **buffettbride** » January 21, 2005 10:55 am

It took conservative Christians this long to figure at that Sponge Bob was gay?

This too shall pass. Once they figured out that Teletubbies were completely harmless, they laid off of Tinky Winkie too. There are many, many blatantly homosexual references in children's television (Can you say Scooby Doo?). They'll get over it. They always will.

rednekkPH · Post by **rednekkPH** » January 21, 2005 10:55 am

Is there an echo in here?

jollymon345 · Post by **jollymon345** » January 21, 2005 10:57 am

buffettbride wrote:It took conservative Christians this long to figure at that Sponge Bob was gay?

This too shall pass. Once they figured out that Teletubbies were completely harmless, they laid off of Tinky Winkie too. There are many, many blatantly homosexual references in children's television (Can you say Scooby Doo?). They'll get over it. They always will.

Hush your mouth! Scooby Doo is not gay. He is a very masculine dog. Now Shaggy he was gay!

rednekkPH · Post by **rednekkPH** » January 21, 2005 10:58 am

Lemme get this straight (pun intended): A cartoon sponge is evil, but Father Chester D. Molestor is A-OK?

I just don't get it...

buffettbride · Post by **buffettbride** » January 21, 2005 10:58 am

jollymon345 wrote:
buffettbride wrote:It took conservative Christians this long to figure at that Sponge Bob was gay?

This too shall pass. Once they figured out that Teletubbies were completely harmless, they laid off of Tinky Winkie too. There are many, many blatantly homosexual references in children's television (Can you say Scooby Doo?). They'll get over it. They always will.
Hush your mouth! Scooby Doo is not gay. He is a very masculine dog. Now Shaggy he was gay!

That's not what I meant. Scooby and Shaggy were just stoners. It's Velma and Daphne with the problem. And Fred too. What kind of man wears a scarf tied around his neck?

nycparrothead · Post by **nycparrothead** » January 21, 2005 10:59 am

rednekkPH wrote:Is there an echo in here?

Is there an echo in here?

(har har har..

)