Toys for Tots declines talking Jesus dolls

[rsmith6621]

LOS ANGELES -- A company that sells Bible-quoting Jesus dolls said it was surprised and disappointed that the Marine Reserves' Toys for Tots program turned down its offer to donate 4,000 of the talking dolls.

"I believe as a churchgoing person, anyone can benefit from hearing the words of the Bible," said Michael La Roe, director of business development for Valencia-based Beverly Hills Teddy Bear Co. and its one2believe division, which makes the line of Bible character dolls.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0611150119nov15,1,16059.story?track=rss

[roguenkatz]

1. Looks like they reconsidered

Apparently they were getting flamed by fundies who were angry that they couldn't use the organization as a means to proslitize. Sheeze. Imagine being one of the poor kids who gets stuck with one of these pieces of crap.

[StraightDope]

2. Does talking Jesus say,

"Hey kids! Worship me, give me thanks, and while you're at it, kill some brown people and vote Republican!"

:evilgrin:

[Tanuki]

3. Wouldn't these qualify as "graven images",

technically speaking?

[tblue]

4. My thoughts exactly. Blaspheme!!!

[razors edge]

5. The politics of it sucks

all around, the Marine's leadership see it as a way to look good to the public, and as such, bend to pressure like a blade of grass, unusual for marines.

As a service member who cleaned, repaired and wrapped toys for kids back in 1982, it was much simpler, just get some toys for the poor kids. Made me feel good.

[roamer65]

6. The part left out of the article...

The Marine Reserves will be accepting the newer GI Jesus doll. Nothing like you personal savior packin' an Uzi.:evilgrin:

...btw, dry humor, folks.

[StraightDope]

7. So much for, "Blessed are the peacemakers."

:eyes:

[razors edge]

8. Wouldn't that be GI Yahweh doll?

Jesus wouldn't be caught dead with an Israeli made weapon.:sarcasm:

[roamer65]

9. Good point. What would Jesus pack?

I'm sure this is the kind of question the freepers ask over at that terrorist website.:evilgrin:

[razors edge]

15. M-16 I guess.

unless he is going to use his superpowers and just go hong kong fuey on the terrorist's asses.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

22. You're talking crazy.

Everybody knows they had muskets back then.

[razors edge]

23. And Brontosauri. (sp)

[VelmaD]

10. I have done Toys for Tots for years,

but if the Marines cave on this I will find another organization to donate toys through. This is ridiculous.

[roamer65]

11. I hope you're right.

Kids want fun toys and a Jesus doll is certainly NOT a fun toy.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

12. Bastards.

They wouldn't accept my donation of ten thousand units of vibrating double-headed marital aids.

I can't sell them in Georgia, I can't donate them for a tax write off, what's a conservative christian like me to do?

[razors edge]

20. Send them to Laura Bush,

what else?:shrug:

[Ilsa]

13. Great. Now they have to take the Harry Potter stuff, some pretty

Wiccan witch dolls saying "Blessed Be", and maybe some other stuff. That'll fix them. How about a Hannukkah Harry set up?

[Ilsa]

14. Can the parents return the dolls if they don't want their

kids hearing the propaganda? Or how about they just toss them in the trash?

[Bluerthanblue]

18. you get what you get, and

the "be grateful for whatever it is" mentality is pretty common- My kids have recieved some things that were completely inappropriate, and offensive to me- It helps when parents are given the toys to wrap- that way they can pass on things that just don't 'suit' the child, or the family- It's worse to receive nothing, than to receive something that disturbs your child- which is NEVER the "intent" of the giver- but sometimes the result-
The generosity of people, and amazing gifts that we've seen and received, amazes and humbles me- Last year we were able to reverse the joy of receiving, and make 'Christmas' for a family in a situation similar to what ours has been through- We were fortunate enough to have a 'wish list' and sizes, favorite colors, etc so that we could really feel excited about the package that we filled- And the feeling of passing on to others joy that we'd been fortunate enough to have received, was beyond description- and something I hope we'll be able to pull together again and again.

I'm glad the TfT's are not accepting these dolls- I hope they stand firm.

[Blue-Jay]

16. Update! They flip-flopped.

http://cbs4boston.com/topstories/local_story_319145558.html

[Bluerthanblue]

19. accepting them doesn't mean

they'll be giving them out- (I hope)-
The comments made by those who said they'd 'respectfully decline'- were entirely appropriate.

[roamer65]

21. True...watch for 4,000 Jesus dolls on ebay soon.

[johnfunk]

27. There had to be pressure from Smirky's Bible-thumpin' Pentagon cronies

No doubt.

Hey -- did anyone catch last night's episode of Crawn Together on Comedy Central? Great satire of racist fundie rapture cultists...

[Bluerthanblue]

17. this is the kind of crap Jesus turned the moneychangers tables

over for-
Profit in the name of "God"- Using religion to make themselves wealthy-(though it seems perhaps the sales weren't all that great if they were giving away so many of them :crazy: )

I think these dolls are foolish- But I think many toys marketed by mass produced companies are garbage, and counter-productive for kids- Like the 'brats' dolls, and 'Barbie" with her ever present T&A exaggeration.

I wonder if the fundies would be ok with "Quaran" quoting Muslim hero dolls?- Toys for Tots is a great 'concept'- but I'll never forget the well intentioned "gift" my oldest son received when he was five- It was some kind of a vehicle with bloody eyeballs that came pop-ing out and (as he called them) "scary things" all over it-..... he was polite and thanked the 'Santa'- and while his gifts that year were made by hand, and nothing like what Sat. am T.V. would have had him drooling over, he asked me to take the 'scary car thing' away. He didn't want it to be given to anyone else- he just wanted it to go away.- And he's now 23, 6'1' the shop mechanic/heavy equipment operator for our town.- no bloody eyeballs roll out of his vehicles.-

[johnfunk]

24. This gives me an idea for a secular toy to promote science...

... reason and inquiry: the "Talkin' Dawkins" doll! A miniature replica of scientist Richard Dawkins, using the great man's own voice, to encourage kids to apply reason and the scientific approach to problem solving.

I get the feeling that the Pope, Jerry Falwell and Osama bin Laden would all be screaming bloody murder over that toy!

[johnfunk]

26. BEHOLD! Amazing mockup of the "TALKIN' DAWKINS" doll!

Clever mockup of the
"Talkin' Dawkins" Doll

Sure as hell more appealing than that Talking Jesus eyesore...

[Sapere aude]

25. How about a pope on a rope for bath time kiddies. No talking just good clean fun!