Aye Aye Captain

[Justawoman]

Yet again I am amazed at conservative rightwing folks. I often find myself questioning why I call myself a conservative. While drinking my coffee this morning I was amazed at the so called news story that SpongeBob and Bugs Bunny might be gay. I didn't know whether to laugh or turn the television off. Spongebob and Patrick hold hands. Makes em gay alright, we better ban em!! Bugs Bunny wears costumes and dresses like a girl at times. He is a cross dresser and gay, we better quit showing this classic cartoon. They are sending messages of tolerance to our children. Ohmygosh!!! Don't you just want to scream GROW UP at some people.

Fox news did a small snippet of this and they were basically making fun of the folks that were worried about this type of cartoon being viewed by their children. I did a search on Goggle and yep it is out there. Mainly it was rightwing sites. Geez... have they ever actually viewed Sponge Bob? I doubt it. If his holding hands with his best friend makes him a homosexual male, then my 16 year old is a lesbian. She holds hands with her friends still too. Our world makes no sense at all at times. I might not agree with the homosexual lifestyle but I sure ain't going to go around looking for hidden messages from them in everything I view. We are suppose to tolerate each other in a civil society, right? Maybe I am not cynical enough to ever leave my house again and I just need to stay right here and watch Sponge Bob, Barney, Bugs, TeleTubbies all day long.

[CuriousG]

Well, Spongebob does live in a pineapple under the sea you know...

(Silly conspiracy theorists {rolleyes} )

[Noseypoo]

http://www.addis-welt.de/smilie/smilie/comik/Spongebob.gif

They need to get a life, but I guess you could make up a bunch of stuff if you have nothing better to do.

But please don't watch Barney! I've about had it with his purple happiness. His voice just makes me wanna curl up in the corner and cry. {toothy}

[Alec]

GAL (Get A Life)

[Justawoman]

They had a big segment on it on the NBC morning show. Nile Rodgers (spelling might be off) was on there. He is the one that wrote the song "We Are Family" for Sister Sledge. They are using this song with a video featuring alot of cartoon characters, such as Jimmy Neutron, promoting national healing after all of the stuff our nation has been through. By the way if you have never watched Jimmy Neutron - DO! I love his friend Sheen. They are so funny. Here is a quote from the one story I found on the internet.

Video creator Nile Rodgers, who wrote the disco song We Are Family, believes Dobson is confused by the We Are Family Foundation -- founded by Rodgers after the 2001 terror attacks -- and an unrelated Web site belonging to another group called We Are Family, which supports gay youth.

http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/?sid=111ba0158b392b98

Now I can see this happening. Most christians, not all, do jump to conclusions about situations and people. At least that is the experience I have had from well meaning christians in my life. I might even be quilty of doing this as well.

[JacMac]

This is a funny little clip and not to turn it into a huge political debate, but that type of ignorance and intolerance is what MOST conservatives are about. Bush claimed to be "middle of the road" and turned out to be the most rightwing nut job out there. Here is a clip from an ACLU standard letter to state officials. They are asking their supporters to send it to their state officials and I find it quite appropriate and well-tailored to how I feel (which is obviously why I sent it) I believe that we need to fix the PATRIOT Act and other expanded police powers that infringe on our freedom from unnecessary searches or chill our freedom of speech. I believe we need to fight a discriminatory amendment that would write intolerance discrimination into the Constitution by permanently denying the right to marry to gay men and lesbians. I believe we need to defend the right of people to peacefully assemble and speak out on important issues without the threat of government harassment. I believe that the government has no place involving itself in our most private medical decisions. I also strongly believe that people should not be held indefinitely without a fair trial and our government should follow the Geneva Conventions in the treatment of prisoners here and abroad. And I think that Spongebob and Patrick have as much right as anyone to live peacefully in pineapples under the sea gay, straight, or bisexual. This is America after all. Freedom should mean we are free to love who we want. and just for the record....I always questioned Barney's sexuality, could possibly see the connection in the teletubbies head things but SpongeBob? Would he really have sucked in all that air if there wasn't some interest in Sandy Squirrell? Come on now...

[Justawoman]

My beef is ... leave your sexuality in the bedroom. l don't care if you are straight, bi, gay, lesbian... leave it in the bedroom.

[JacMac]

What better place for it! But I still don't see the Spongebob thing...Squidward without a doubt! But Spongebob?

[theyeti]

My favorite part of this is the new name for James Dobson...

http://jameswolcott.com/archives/2005/01/let_the_word_go.php

This is taking the anti-gay viewpoint to the extreme. I don't really understand it, nor do I understand how most regular (that is, non-wingnut like Dobson) conservatives endorse the anti-gay position either. Even I at my young age remember when one of the pillars of conservatism was not interfering with people's private lives.

[Justawoman]

Even I at my young age remember when one of the pillars of conservatism was not interfering with people's private lives.

Everyone should remember that yeti. I don't think any of us on here would want our sexual side aired for the whole world. I have never understood that side of this whole arguement. Going to quote the Bible here, because I think it applies.

He who is without sin cast the first stone.

Some of us out here in this big ole political soup bowl have forgot that when you point a finger at someone or something, you have 3 pointing back at you.

[Noseypoo]

{rotflmbo} I just found this spoof of all the christian conservative hub-bub ... Welcome Elijah Biblepants (http://www.thespoof.com/news/spoof.cfm?headline=s4i7283)

[Justawoman]

Creator Chad Jackson says Elijah is dour, angry, and “strictly literalist”.
Elijah is not happy, and he is not friendly! Because when it’s a matter of everlasting Hellfire, you’ve got nothing to be friendly about.”

For those of you who go to church, have you ever truly looked at the fellow worshippers around you? We have visited several churches trying to find our new home. It seems everyone forgets to smile when their bottoms hit the pew. They become dour and angry looking, even when they are singing beautiful hymns. I personally believe that, yes God can be a strict diety, but he has a sense of humor and loves us. Why else did he give us the platypus? Why did he give us the desire to laugh and play? I don't understand most Christians. They do look like they are angry or annoyed when they come to a worship service and the minute the doors are open they are all laughs, can't wait to hit the local cafe, watch the big game, or go play golf.

[jamesglewisf]

I was intrigued by this, so I did a google search. Here is a movie content review from Focus --

When Plankton opens his “Evil Plan Z” folder, he gawks and pants as if ogling a centerfold model. Patrick drools all over the midriff-baring Mindy, exclaiming, “She’s hot.” Caught with his pants down, he asks her, "Did you see my underwear?" She says she didn't, to which he responds, "Do you want to?"

SpongeBob and Patrick frequently run around in their skivvies. And it’s obvious the movie’s directors intended to draw as many kiddie laughs as possible from bare bottoms. SpongeBob, Patrick, Mr. Krabs and an octopus named Squidward all moon audiences at some point. The running gag (that kids seem to get) is, what’s there to see?

It’s at this point that things go from wiggle-giggle to worse. One of the times Patrick’s bareness is beheld, he has a pole wedged between his, ahem, cheeks ... a pole with a flag labeled “SpongeBob.” (Patrick asks SpongeBob, “Did you see my butt?) Plankton gives a (male) TV reporter an adoring "look" when he asks for an interview, then coquettishly replies, “Anything for you.” SpongeBob creeps into Squidward's shower and begins scrubbing his back for him. And Patrick prances about wearing women's high-heeled boots and stockings.

It's obvious, though I’m loath to write it, that The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie doesn't just allude to the building mystery surrounding its characters’ sexuality (see the Conclusion for more on this), it repeatedly plays with it. It revels in adult-minded asides that fly right over kids’ heads and straight into the disbelieving stares of parents.

“Is it just me, or do SpongeBob and Patrick act even more immature and effeminate than ever before?” asks Christianity Today movie critic Russ Breimeier. “I had to shake my head in disbelief at the site of Patrick in thigh-high leather boots and fishnet stockings—I squid you not. Do not take your kids to this if you felt that Shrek 2 was inappropriate.” Lawrence Toppman, in the Charlotte Observer, noted the peculiarities by quipping, “It took some guts to make Bob and Pat so apparently gay.”

http://www.pluggedinonline.com/movies/movies/a0001967.cfm
Conclusion of review
I’m one of those adult fans. I’ve loved the sheer goofiness, buoyancy and straightforwardness of this walking, talking sponge. So when a buzz began a couple of years ago about SpongeBob being gay, I shook it off as yet another sign of his not-so-innocent times. First Bert and Ernie, then a Teletubby, now a sea sponge? I was content to hear SpongeBob’s creator, Stephen Hillenburg, vow that his animated star was not homosexually inclined. Sure, he acknowledged the gay community’s affinity for the show that periodically features SpongeBob and his (pink) best friend holding hands. But his explanation seemed to hold water. “The attitude of the show is about tolerance,” he pointed out. “Everybody is different, and the show embraces that. The character SpongeBob is an oddball. He’s kind of weird, but he’s kind of special.”
Focus on the Family is a Christian organization. Whether you like it or not, the Bible teaches that God considers homosexual and effeminate behavior a sin. For Christians, it doesn't really matter what your personal opinion is, you go with the Word of God, the Bible. For non-Christians, that might seem close-minded and all of the other words you like to use to insult people who believe differently than you do, but Christians are supposed to care more about what God thinks about a subject than what people do. Christians have a final authority -- the Bible. Non-Christians have a final authority -- themselves. Both exercise their right to try to change each other's minds. Both just need to get over it and move on.org (hehehehe).

Please read the thread about homosexuality and the Bible (http://frappydoo.com/forum/showthread.php?t=131) and remember that homosexuality is no worse a sin than adultery, lying cheating, stealing, etc. Christians need to stop treating it like the chief of all sins because the Bible doesn't. Non-Christians need to get over the fact that Christians consider it a sin because our standard isn't changing. Christians are offended by the sin; non-Christians are offended that it is considered a sin. Woopdeedooooo. Let's just quit calling each other names and insulting each other about it.

For all of the Christians who like to go around insulting and slamming homosexuals, it is time to shut up. Jesus wouldn't do it, and neither should you. What would Jesus do? Jesus would give them forgiveness if they sought it and tell them to go and sin no more.

Based on the content describe above, I wouldn't take my daughter to watch the movie. But I wouldn't write letters to congressmen about it either. ;)

[Justawoman]

We don't plan on watching the movie because they always seem to change the characters along with what is going on politically. I use to love watching the Ren and Stimpy. It use to come on during the time my children were in bed. My spouse and I would both laugh at the adult humor. I never understood why it was on Nick, it was never a child's cartoon. They took this particular cartoon off for a brief time. It is back on and I think on Spike. I was excited. We (spouse and I) caught the first 10 minutes of the new Ren and Stimpy shows. That is all it took. They were so obviously gay that it ruined the whole cartoon. I have learned from experience that if some show or cartoon is tried and true leave it to some agenda driven director to change it and ruin it for die hard fans, when it becomes a movie.

We still watch the Sponge Bob cartoons. They have not changed. If they do we will turn them off. I think that is the basic message we are suppose to get as Christians. You can make a difference just by turning the channel or turning the TV off. Bad ratings have caused shows to be dropped. It's all in the numbers. They love the hot air caused by raving mad folks who just have to be heard. It brings others in to see what all the hooplah is about.

Jim, you are right when you said," For all of the Christians who like to go around insulting and slamming homosexuals, it is time to shut up. Jesus wouldn't do it, and neither should you. What would Jesus do? Jesus would give them forgiveness if they sought it and tell them to go and sin no more.

[jamesglewisf]

Oh, BTW, I wouldn't take my 7 year old to see it if it had a bunch of sexually charged stuff between males and females either. That is not what I want her seeing.

[jamesglewisf]

For those of you who go to church, have you ever truly looked at the fellow worshippers around you? We have visited several churches trying to find our new home. It seems everyone forgets to smile when their bottoms hit the pew. They become dour and angry looking, even when they are singing beautiful hymns. I personally believe that, yes God can be a strict diety, but he has a sense of humor and loves us. Why else did he give us the platypus? Why did he give us the desire to laugh and play? I don't understand most Christians. They do look like they are angry or annoyed when they come to a worship service and the minute the doors are open they are all laughs, can't wait to hit the local cafe, watch the big game, or go play golf.
I think you've been going to the wrong church.

[Justawoman]

Well the same faces seem to be in the various churches I have visited. Not just one church Jim. We have visited the Methodist, First Baptist, Church of Christ (both of them), Assembly of God. It might just be our town but I doubt it.

[jamesglewisf]

Well, our church has plenty of happy faces and plenty that aren't. Maybe we're mistaking solemness and respect for sourness. ;)

[Justawoman]

Could be Jim.

[Noseypoo]

Maybe we're mistaking solemness and respect for sourness. ;)
Nah, I don't think you can mistake the two :o]

[JacMac]

How did Spongebob being gay bring us back to religion? oh...I don't want to know...

[jamesglewisf]

Because Justawoman, noseypoo and theyeti brought religion up. The point of the whole thread was to mock conservatives who don't like Spongebob. It then turned into a thread mocking Christians who don't like Spongebob. Then you brought politics into it in your first post. The whole thread is about religion and politics.

I've been a good sport about it. Sometimes I wonder if you guys make these posts just to see how much I will take and how committed I am to diversity of thought. Well, I'm not going to be shaken. I'm glad you are all here. It might sound funny, but I rejoice in these kinds of threads. We're just having a discussion. The truth is that I like these kinds of threads because the four of you feel comfortable making your posts. I just hope it will encourage other people to join, and we can have some really good discussions.

FrappyDoo was so stinking boring before you all joined. I'm pumped!

[JacMac]

my last post was somewhat a joke....somewhat a real question...

But thanks for the enlightenment...I'm glad I make things exciting....hee hee...I only posted that politics part because it said exactly what I wanted to say about freedom to be whatever, I had read it the day before so it came to mind, and well...any chance I have to trash our president I will. Hee hee hee...

on that note...http://www.addis-welt.de/smilie/smilie/diverse/Bolt.gif

[jamesglewisf]

Well, trash away. :) We don't get enough of that around here. Not that I agree with you, but I'm glad you're posting. :)

[JacMac]

Thanks....I'm glad you're posting to....

feel the love people....
{hypno}join frappy{hypno}
...feel the love....

[CuriousG]

{dizzy} ...eat more chikin... {dizzy}

[Justawoman]

Well now those goody two shoes are saying Winnie the Pooh and his friends are all homos. {rolleyes}

I swear anyone can find something a bit risque in anything if they look hard enough. I just want to go back to when times were more innocent and there was nothing wrong with showing joy at being with a friend or holding her hand or his, for that matter. I wish my spouse wouldn't come in and tell me what he hears on talk radio. ENOUGH ALREADY!! They are messin' with my Pooh.

JacMac it really is hard to seperate the whole political and religious scene. Why just recently the government was ordering some church to hire gay clergy or some such nonsense. I will have to go find the article. I was thinking when I heard this short story how ironic, that most of the bigwhigs in government want seperation but yet they will stick their noses in it when given the opportunity. If they can order a church to hire the gay then I don't see where they come off saying you can't display the 10 commandments. But then again I am probably missing something here that is blatantly obvious to the rest of you.

[Justawoman]

http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/1/132005e.asp

I think this is the story I heard. Not for sure though, because I am really tired of hearing about sexual rights and discrimination. If a person is doing his/her job then their sexual preference should not enter the picture. I agree with Jim that it is written in the Bible that it is a sin. But it is no bigger sin than any of the others. Plus, when it is all said and done it will be between the individual and His Maker.

[jamesglewisf]

Well now those goody two shoes are saying Winnie the Pooh and his friends are all homos. {rolleyes}
Where are you getting this stuff. Give us a link.

[jamesglewisf]

http://www.family.org/cforum/feature/a0035309.cfm


Focus on the Family founder did not criticize a cartoon character, as has been widely reported, but was warning parents that the group behind a "diversity" video may put material in teachers' hands that could prompt them to teach kids that homosexuality is equivalent to heterosexuality.

Dr. James Dobson set the record straight today about the onslaught of media reports mocking him for comments he is alleged to have made about the cartoon character SpongeBob SquarePants.

"I've been in the public eye for thirty-something years and I have never had my words more misrepresented than they were in this instance," Dobson said on today's installment of his internationally syndicated radio program. "I was said to be on the warpath for my dislike for SpongeBob — who supposedly has homosexual characteristics.

"I said no such thing."

What Dobson did say, in a speech last week in Washington during an event sponsored by the Family Research Council, was that SpongeBob is one of 100 popular animated characters that may have been co-opted by an innocuous-sounding group to promote acceptance of homosexuality to children. The group, the We Are Family Foundation, has produced a video slated for distribution to 61,000 public and private elementary schools; it features SpongeBob, Big Bird, Barney and others singing the old disco hit "We Are Family" and spreading a message of "diversity and unity."

And therein lies the rub — albeit well-concealed.

While words like "diversity" and "unity" sound harmless — even noble — enough, the reality is they are often used by gay activists as cover for teaching children that homosexuality is the moral and biological equivalent to heterosexuality. And there is ample evidence that the We Are Family Foundation shares — and promotes — that view.

"Unfortunately," Dobson explained, "the We Are Family foundation has very strong homosexual advocacy roots and biases."

For example, a tolerance pledge, which the foundation says it is "pleased to provide" on its Web site, reads in part: "I pledge to have respect for people whose abilities, beliefs, culture, race, sexual identity or other characteristics are different from my own."

And it's not the only piece of pro-homosexual content that has been posted on the group's Web site — some of it removed in recent days.

The curriculum booklet that will accompany the "We Are Family" DVD when it is sent to schools in March, for instance, is likely to contain resources for educators seeking to normalize homosexuality. Although that guide has not yet been made public, a 2003 manual, also associated with the "We Are Family" cartoon-character video, offered several exercises for educators that equate homosexuality with immutable characteristics, such as race or gender, and suggest it deserves limitless tolerance and acceptance.

Another previous curriculum posted on the We Are Family Foundation Web site, called "Writing for Change," includes exercises such as:

• Generating a Description - encourages students to discuss the definition of "lesbian."

• Talking About Being "Out" - offers worksheet questions and a discussion of "perceptions of sexual orientation."

• Uncovering Attitudes About Sexual Orientation - explores the impact of "homophobia" and "heterosexism."

• Developing definitions - presents a list of stereotypical definitions, including "compulsory heterosexuality." That is described "the assumption that women are naturally or innately drawn sexually and emotionally toward men, and men toward women; the view that heterosexuality is the "norm" for all sexual relationships."

"The institutionalization of heterosexuality in all aspects of society includes the idealization of heterosexual orientation, romance, and marriage," the guide states. "Compulsory heterosexuality leads to the notion of women as inherently 'weak,' and the institutionalized inequality of power: power of men to control women's sexuality, labor, childbirth and childrearing, physical movement, safety, creativity, and access to knowledge. It can also include legal and social discrimination against homosexuals and the invisibility or intolerance of lesbian and gay existence."

Tom Minnery, vice president of government and public policy at Focus on the Family, said reporters who have mocked Dobson for his comments have deliberately ignored these details in their quest to marginalize a pro-family leader.

"The media is trying to use this SpongeBob nonsense as a smokescreen, because they're not willing to tell the people what's really at stake," he explained. "What's at stake is the forced normalization of homosexuality in the public schools."

Dr. Bill Maier, Focus' psychologist in residence and a guest on today's broadcast, said he didn't think the media's efforts to undermine Dr. Dobson's integrity as a national spokesman for moral values would succeed.

"Clear-thinking Americans won't buy it," Maier said. "They've trusted Dr. Dobson for 27 years and will see through the media's SpongeBob charade."

TAKE ACTION
Want to hold the media accountable for their misreporting of the Dr. Dobson's comments regarding SpongeBob SquarePants? We've made it easy for you. Just click here (http://capwiz.com/fof/issues/alert/?alertid=6852451&type=CU), and you'll find out how you can send one e-mail message to five of the reporters/anchors whose stories included the most baseless attacks on Dr. Dobson.

Is this whole story is media hype?

[theyeti]

We all know that Agape Press is just the propaganda organ for the way religious right... right?

Yeah, SpongeDob isn't attacking Spongebob et al, he's attacking the program that promotes tolerance. Of which Spongebob et al are a part.

I don't see what Dobson is trying to prove by claiming he's been misrepresented. Is he just unhappy the press hasn't played the fact that he hates homosexuals enough? It seems to me he'd be overjoyed that the press isn't exposing how intolerant he is, only that he doesn't like a cartoon character. As long as nobody's going to expose what he really thinks, he can keep going with the "Focus on the Family" charade without having to add the qualifier "only some" families.

[jamesglewisf]

What makes you think Dobson hates homosexuals? Dobson believes homosexual behavior is a sin. He believes normalizing homosexual behavior in school curriculum is wrong. That doesn't mean he hates homosexuals.

I think if you asked Dobson, he would say that Jesus died for homosexuals and heterosexuals.

[Justawoman]

I will have to ask my hubby what talk show he was listening to yesterday. I made the comment that I couldn't wait to see the new Winnie the Pooh movie and popped up with that the radio talk show buzz is circling around these characters and pretty much any cartoon show. I can't honestly tell when my spouse is giving me a hard time or being serious. But I will ask. It was probably Micheal Medved. I might have spelled his name wrong cause I don't listen to radio talk. They scare me......(shutter).