Dobson vs. SpongeBob

[NYBamaFan]

That's not the video, but the tolerance pledge.
The tolerance pledge is not in the video.
The tolerance pledge is not in any of the supporting materials that accompany the video.

You may be right. I was accepting what I read in the article without confirming with another source - a mistake that I rarely make. Do you know this for a fact? I find no other articles on the video distribution...

 

[jthomas666]

You may be right. I was accepting what I read in the article without confirming with another source - a mistake that I rarely make. Do you know this for a fact? I find no other articles on the video distribution...

Actually, all of that information is in the same article . . . I just took the time to read the whole thing.

The video's creator, Nile Rodgers, who wrote the disco hit "We Are Family," said Mr. Dobson's objection stemmed from a misunderstanding. Mr. Rodgers said he founded the We Are Family Foundation after the Sept. 11 attacks to create a music video to teach children about multiculturalism. The video has appeared on television networks, and nothing in it or its accompanying materials refers to sexual identity. The pledge, borrowed from the Southern Poverty Law Center, is not mentioned on the video and is available only on the group's Web site. [emphasis added]

Mr. Rodgers suggested that Dr. 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," which supports gay youth.

"The fact that some people may be upset with each other peoples' lifestyles, that is O.K.," Mr. Rodgers said. "We are just talking about respect."

 

[TexasTide]

Freedom should mean: Mind your own d@mn business....something the social cons have no intention of doing.

Exactly. And I think this is Dobson's point. Mind your own business. It's not the business of teachers and entertainers with agendas to teach my kids about multiculturalism and/or homosexuality. If they weren't constanty trying to shove their agendas down our throats we wouldn't know who Dobson was. Interesting how liberals think they can be completely involved in our business but we have no right to even have an opinion about it.

I think we've been down this road before (perhaps it was blackumbrella). If you're going to get in our business we'll get in your's. We're not going just going to sit back and let you push things on us or our kids. I don't understand why you think it's a one way street. Why do you think you can constantly dictate and preach to us and our kids, but we have no right to return the favor or even have an adverse opinion?

 

[NYBamaFan]

666,

Thanks - don't know how I missed that. Must have been too steamed to notice...

 

[Piglet]

My guess is, the video is the same old feel-good pabulum, and Dobson just made an idiot of himself. Which is too bad, 'cause his intentions are probably good.

Are these the people who tried to get the Harry Potter books banned? Someone please get the bargepoles out of their butts and focus on something important.

 

[It's On A Slab]

My guess is, the video is the same old feel-good pabulum, and Dobson just made an idiot of himself. Which is too bad, 'cause his intentions are probably good.

Are these the people who tried to get the Harry Potter books banned? Someone please get the bargepoles out of their butts and focus on something important.

It's the way these shakedown artists make their money. Raise all kinds of Hades about inocuous pop fixtures such as Harry Potter, Sponge Bob, etc.

In my day, they were labeled the rock group KISS as "Knights In Satan's Service". Our pastor at the time took that ball and ran with it......and only made more fans out of the three-chord rock gods.

The same type of fear-monkeys brought us the "backward-mask" scare, where they tried to read Satanic messages out of rock-and-roll messages played backwards.

Hey, for only $19.95 you can receive my new video on the demonic forces in Kellogg's Corn Flakes. Visa/MC accepted.

 

[ValuJet]

...

 

[Displaced Bama Fan]

Exactly. And I think this is Dobson's point. Mind your own business. It's not the business of teachers and entertainers with agendas to teach my kids about multiculturalism and/or homosexuality. If they weren't constanty trying to shove their agendas down our throats we wouldn't know who Dobson was. Interesting how liberals think they can be completely involved in our business but we have no right to even have an opinion about it.

I think we've been down this road before (perhaps it was blackumbrella). If you're going to get in our business we'll get in your's. We're not going just going to sit back and let you push things on us or our kids. I don't understand why you think it's a one way street. Why do you think you can constantly dictate and preach to us and our kids, but we have no right to return the favor or even have an adverse opinion?

Well said!

 

[Displaced Bama Fan]

Good to know there's a healthy balance on shakedown artistry:

Jesse Jackson, himself a renowned man of the cloth, has been known to engage in the practice. Instead of preying on little old ladies' social security checks, he goes after corporate America. Even the good ol' boys at NASCAR reportedly have succumbed to his demands. And it must have been a lot of dough because Jesse has appaentlyh let them off the hook...for now. And there still aren't many faces of color in the sport.

Yep - amazing of the power of extorted cash.

Fortunately, Wall Street finally got wise to him and refused to give $100,000 or whatever he asks for this go around.

 

[jthomas666]

Exactly. And I think this is Dobson's point. Mind your own business. It's not the business of teachers and entertainers with agendas to teach my kids about multiculturalism and/or homosexuality. If they weren't constanty trying to shove their agendas down our throats we wouldn't know who Dobson was. Interesting how liberals think they can be completely involved in our business but we have no right to even have an opinion about it.

Everything in the article suggests that Dobson's objection was to what he perceived as promoting homosexuality. There is nothing that indicates he had a problem with multiculturalism.

I think we've been down this road before (perhaps it was blackumbrella). If you're going to get in our business we'll get in your's. We're not going just going to sit back and let you push things on us or our kids. I don't understand why you think it's a one way street. Why do you think you can constantly dictate and preach to us and our kids, but we have no right to return the favor or even have an adverse opinion?

The adverse opinion isn't so much the issue as his misinterpretation of the video's intent.

 

[It's On A Slab]

Good to know there's a healthy balance on shakedown artistry:

Jesse Jackson, himself a renowned man of the cloth, has been known to engage in the practice. Instead of preying on little old ladies' social security checks, he goes after corporate America. Even the good ol' boys at NASCAR reportedly have succumbed to his demands. And it must have been a lot of dough because Jesse has appaentlyh let them off the hook...for now. And there still aren't many faces of color in the sport.

Yep - amazing of the power of extorted cash.

No argument there.

Jesse is a con-artist, but that doesn't excuse the Bob Tilton's, Bob Jones's, Pat Robertson's and James Dobson's of this world.

 

[ValuJet]

...

 

[bamabake]

you could probably work a 'respect for other people' unit into social studies somewhere.

I do wonder though why can't schools simply concentrate on reading, writing, arithmetic, and social studies. No, they've got to throw all this other junk in on top of it and then complain they aren't getting enough money.


It is parents job to teach kids social issues. That is what churches are for. Not schools.

 

[bamabake]

And your evidence for this is . . . ?
So we have a video that

• Explicitly promotes multiculturalism
• Does not refer to sexual identity
• Does not have any supporting material concerning sexual identity

And it's all about acceptance of homosexuality? Because the group's web site has a link their web site to a pledge that advocates tolerance for different sexual identities?

That's completely ignoring the legal ramifications of using characters from Arthur, Barney, Bear in the Big Blue House, Between the Lions, Blue's Clues, Bob the Builder, The Book of Pooh, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Dora the Explorer, Jimmy Neutron, JoJo's Circus, Kim Possible, Lilo & Stitch: The Series, Madeline, The Magic School Bus, The Muppet Show, The Proud Family, Rugrats, Sesame Street, SpongeBob SquarePants, and Zoom, among others, in a pro-homosexual piece.

That is, as they say, a bit of a reach.

So we have a video that
Explicitly promotes multiculturalism
Does not refer to sexual identity
Does not have any supporting material concerning sexual identity
And it's all about acceptance of homosexuality? Because the group's web site has a link their web site to a pledge that advocates tolerance for different sexual identities?


Muticulturalism is a waste of time, particularly in schools. We should promote American culture which is distint. There is no value in googling over other cultures. The movies are bad enough. I watched The Last Samuri and thought I was gonna puke.
I also dont think that kids should be brainwashed into this pap about tolerance for sexual identities. Rather parents should teach them the truth. As it is now we have to teach them that catch phrases like that really mean sexual deviants.

 

[bamabake]

No argument there.

Jesse is a con-artist, but that doesn't excuse the Bob Tilton's, Bob Jones's, Pat Robertson's and James Dobson's of this world.

It really is pitiful that you generalize like this. I have had to appologize a time or two on this very forum for using my broad brush. Bob Tilton stands alone in the men you listed above. You insult the character of some of Americas best men in your list.

 

[Bamalaw92]

Funny. I always thought Spongebob was overtly heterosexual. I mean come on! He is a "sponge" living in "bikini bottom" and is friends with a "squirrel" and is annoyed by "Mr. Crabs". :biggrin:

 

[jthomas666]

Muticulturalism is a waste of time, particularly in schools. We should promote American culture which is distint. There is no value in googling over other cultures. The movies are bad enough. I watched The Last Samuri and thought I was gonna puke.

Gorgeous cinematography, well-choreographed battle scenes, great work in the supporting roles, but I never bought Tom Cruise's character for a moment. Should have been called Dances with Samurai, though.

Movie criticism aside, multiculturalism does not mean that you do not promote American culture; it means that you should understand other cultures, and understand that they just might have some ideas that are of value.

I went to a Catholic elementary school. One year in our religion class, we spent a few weeks studying Jewish culture, leading up to us having our own Passover dinner. It gave me an idea of what it means to be Jewish, and when I actually met some Jewish people in college, I was able to better appreciate their beliefs, and it made me a better friend. It did not mean that I was suddenly overwhelmed with the urge to convert to Judaism.

That is the idea behind multiculturalism. I've no doubt that in many cases it has degenerated into America-bashing, just as in some cases higher education degenerated into Auburn and Knoxville.

I also dont think that kids should be brainwashed into this pap about tolerance for sexual identities. Rather parents should teach them the truth. As it is now we have to teach them that catch phrases like that really mean sexual deviants.

Setting aside that we have different ideas of what the truth is, Dobson attacked the video claiming that it promoted homosexuality, when it doesn't.

As for the evil, insidious tolerance pledge, what is so freaking bad about tolerance? What is wrong with saying "I don't think homosexuality is right, but as long as you keep it between you and your partner, we're fine"?

 

[NYBamaFan]

I agree that the video is harmless but have a problem with this:

As for the evil, insidious tolerance pledge, what is so freaking bad about tolerance? What is wrong with saying "I don't think homosexuality is right, but as long as you keep it between you and your partner, we're fine"?

I have been taught, throughout my life, that to condone something that you know to be wrong is just as bad as commiting that act yourself. You call it tolerance, most religious people see that as an act condoning homosexual behavior. We are not supposed to just turn our head when we see evil, are we?

 

[blackumbrella]

I agree that the video is harmless but have a problem with this: I have been taught, throughout my life, that to condone something that you know to be wrong is just as bad as commiting that act yourself. You call it tolerance, most religious people see that as an act condoning homosexual behavior. We are not supposed to just turn our head when we see evil, are we?

evil is a strong word to use here. you're suggesting we be careful with what we condone. should we not be even more careful with what we condemn? justify your assertion that homosexuals are evil. if all you have is leviticus, then the world must be full of evil for you. in fact, i'm guessing, you're evil too. unless of course you obey the kosher laws of leviticus as well.

 

[Bamalaw92]

evil is a strong word to use here. you're suggesting we be careful with what we condone. should we not be even more careful with what we condemn? justify your assertion that homosexuals are evil. if all you have is leviticus, then the world must be full of evil for you. in fact, i'm guessing, you're evil too. unless of course you obey the kosher laws of leviticus as well.

Most Christians follow Paul's first letter to the Corithians when he says:
Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

“Everything is permissible for me”–but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me”–but I will not be mastered by anything. “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food”–but God will destroy them both. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.” But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit.

Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

1 Corithians 6:9-20