willygee
22-01-05, 10:34 PM
Christian conservative groups have issued a gay alert warning over a children's video starring SpongeBob SquarePants, Barney and a host of other cartoon favourites.
The wacky square yellow SpongeBob is one of the stars of a music video due to be sent to 61,000 US schools in March.
The makers, the non-profit 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.
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 100 TV cartoon stars.
The foundation was set up by songwriter Nile Rodgers after the September 11 attacks and aims to promote the US's healing process.
Christian groups have taken exception to the tolerance pledge on the foundation's website which asks people to respect the sexual identity of others along with their abilities, beliefs, culture and race.
Founder of Focus on the Family, James Dobson, says the pledge crosses the line.
"Their inclusion of the reference to 'sexual identity' within their 'tolerance pledge' is not only unnecessary but it crosses a moral line," he said.
Mr Rodgers says he is astounded at the attack.
"That is so myopic and harsh. 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," he said.
SpongeBob, who lives in a pineapple under the sea, was "outed" by the US media in 2002 after reports that the TV show and its merchandise were popular with gay people.
His creator, Stephen Hillenburg, said at the time that although SpongeBob was an oddball, he thought of all the characters as asexual.
SOURCE (http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200501/s1286407.htm)
The wacky square yellow SpongeBob is one of the stars of a music video due to be sent to 61,000 US schools in March.
The makers, the non-profit 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.
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 100 TV cartoon stars.
The foundation was set up by songwriter Nile Rodgers after the September 11 attacks and aims to promote the US's healing process.
Christian groups have taken exception to the tolerance pledge on the foundation's website which asks people to respect the sexual identity of others along with their abilities, beliefs, culture and race.
Founder of Focus on the Family, James Dobson, says the pledge crosses the line.
"Their inclusion of the reference to 'sexual identity' within their 'tolerance pledge' is not only unnecessary but it crosses a moral line," he said.
Mr Rodgers says he is astounded at the attack.
"That is so myopic and harsh. 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," he said.
SpongeBob, who lives in a pineapple under the sea, was "outed" by the US media in 2002 after reports that the TV show and its merchandise were popular with gay people.
His creator, Stephen Hillenburg, said at the time that although SpongeBob was an oddball, he thought of all the characters as asexual.
SOURCE (http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200501/s1286407.htm)