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So, over two years ago I talked about how SpongeBob Squarepants was becoming a gay icon. The excperted article included after the jump. So SpongeBob Squarepants isn't exaclty a new gay icon. But Grand Ayatollah Dobson founder of the so-called Focus on the Family, which is basically an astroturf organization, said that SpongeBob's creators had enlisted him in a "pro-homosexual video". Now the video in question is over two years old and was made after September 11th and was about that anti-Christian idea of tolerance. How dare they! From the article:

Now, Dr. Dobson said, SpongeBob's creators had enlisted him in a "pro-homosexual video," in which he appeared alongside children's television colleagues like Barney and Jimmy Neutron, among many others. The makers of the video, he said, planned to mail it to thousands of elementary schools to promote a "tolerance pledge" that includes tolerance for differences of "sexual identity."

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.

I think the only recourse to this sort of lunacy is simple: ridicule. Pure and unadulterated ridicule. Much like the Lavendar Warning System found on MeFi. Ridicule Mr. SpongeDob Stickypants because who in their right mind believes this? I mean come one! But the Grand Ayatollah Dobson has a bully-pulpit as long as the media (and we) give it to him. Christians without hate need to challenge Dobson and his twisting of religion.

It seems to be a perrenial favorite attack by those who are socially ~~conservative~~ boneheaded to attack cartoons as being "pro-gay" or alleging that Tinki-Winki will turn your toddler into a man-loving home wrecker. What is it with social conservatives with gay men? Maybe Freud was right and the Grand Ayatollah Dobson has an obsession with penis. Because it seems to me, that Dobson has so much penis on his mind he lashes out with something or another every month or so deriding the penis. I wonder what sort of self-hate he is forced to live with through his twisted idea of what Christianity is all about. Dobson et al are not interested in the love of Christ or reaching out to his neighbor. He encapsulates the money changers in the Temple and the Pharisees wrapped together in a vituperative know of hate. Hate for the common man, and hate for anything different. This is not the Word of God - it is the word of man which has twisted the Good Word. And it is time for him to go.

UPDATE 25 JAN 2005
Looks like the real Christians have finally spoke up: SpongeBob receives 'unequivocal welcome' from United Church of Christ:

Joining the animated fray, the United Church of Christ today (Jan. 24) said that Jesus' message of extravagant welcome extends to all, including SpongeBob Squarepants - the cartoon character that has come under fire for allegedly holding hands with a starfish.

"Absolutely, the UCC extends an unequivocal welcome to SpongeBob," the Rev. John H. Thomas, the UCC's general minister and president, said, only partly in jest. "Jesus didn't turn people away. Neither do we."

For that matter, Thomas explained, the 1.3-million-member church, if given the opportunity, would warmly receive Barney, Big Bird, Tinky-Winky, Clifford the Big Red Dog or, for that matter, any who have experienced the Christian message as a harsh word of judgment rather than Jesus' offering of grace.

So there we go: Jesus never turned away people who were societal outcasts due to the Pharisees teaching. We are all God's children; how could his grace be only shared by some, but not others? Grand Ayatollah Dobson only looks to divide us, while Jesus' love unites us. Case closed.

Under the sea and in the closet?

He lives in a pineapple under the sea, in a town called Bikini Bottom. His best friend is an exuberant pink starfish named Patrick. His name is SpongeBob SquarePants, the absorbent yellow star of the most highly rated kids show on TV.

SpongeBob, which first appeared in July 1999 and currently runs several times daily on Nickelodeon, is also the biggest children's phenomenon to capture the imagination of gay men since the purple Teletubby named Tinky Winky started carrying a purse.

At Roger & Dave, a novelty shop frequented by gay customers in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood, SpongeBob plush toys, lunch boxes and key chains are stacked next to X-rated dolls, vintage Wonder Woman figures and Wizard of Oz coffee mugs. Co-owner Roger Roth says SpongeBob is the single most popular property he carries. Pointing to a chunky SpongeBob toy that says "Go SpongeBob, go SpongeBob, go self!" when you squeeze its hand, Roth says, "I've had to reorder this more times than I can count." In Atlanta, gay men are big buyers of SpongeBob key chains and bobblehead dolls at vintage clothing and gift store Junkyard Daughter, says saleswoman Lael Pastori.

Early in September on NBC's "Late Night With Conan O'Brien," O'Brien asked Tom Kenny, the comic who is the voice of SpongeBob, to address the "controversy" about one of SpongeBob's pals, a grumpy squid named Squidward who speaks in a voice some find reminiscent of Paul Lynde, the late comic actor who specialized in gay double-entendre on "Hollywood Squares."

"Whether he's intended to be a gay character or not, that's the question people are asking," Kenny responded. Describing Squidward as a fussbudget who likes bubble baths and classical music, Kenny ultimately dodged the question. "It's never been addressed by us on the show," he said, adding with a wink that besides, "all the main characters are hiding horrible secrets of their own."

- Sally Beatty, Wall Street Journal (reprinted in Chicago Sun-Times, October 14, 2002)

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Comments

GALAS DEVENCHIE says:

SPONGEBOB IS NOT GAY SO YOU NEED TO SIT YOUR DUMB SELF DOWN. YOU ARE RIGHT ABOUT THE TELETUBBIES.

Posted by: GALAS DEVENCHIE at January 15, 2006 8:34 AM #

unique says:

first of all spongebob is not gay.if spongebob was gay he make more than you do.y would they have a gay character on tv.that they know that severl kids and adults are going to watch it.#1
pababily saying that cause you are gay.#2pababily cause you are trying to take his company down#3
pababily cause you own a company but they make more than you IF YOU READ THIS KIDS REMEMBER THAT SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS IS NOT GAY.

Posted by: unique at April 5, 2006 5:18 PM #

arni says:

hi my name is arni im 14. SPONGEBOB is not gay and i find this offensive because if spongebob is gay does it make the people who watch it gay too. i dnt think so, open ur eyes m8. i am also writing because i need the email address of the maker/director of spongebob. i have new character ideas and new episode ideas and more