Veggies for sale
My children are all teenagers now but I remember back in the day when we used to look for the new Veggie Tales tape(no DVD's then) coming out.
Funny well done animated cartoons coming from the very creative mind of Phil Vischer and his team.
Veggie Tales taught very, very, very basic biblical truths and yes they do mention God.
At the very first I noticed they didnt talk about Jesus much at all and God means different things to different people.
But the cartoons were a good alternative to whats out there so yes I confess I did but Veggie Tales for my children.
I then bought the next series 3-2-1 Penquins which I noticed had less to do with God , bible verses but were decent moral stories.
Again a healthy alternative to whats out there on television.
So whats all the fuss , or surprise about Phil editing Veggie Tales.
Im not surprised.
I am surprised about all the fuss over this , and even more surprised about Phil's comments on his blog site.
Let me ask a simple question-
Why do we expect the world (NBC) to act like the church?
And why are we surprised when when they do not?
Here are some comments from a recent Marsha West articles-
"Enough is enough. NBC is censoring Veggie Tales star, Bob the Tomato. All our plump little friend wants to say is, "God made you special and He loves you very much," but the censors at NBC are worried that Bob’s love for God might offend some viewers. Let’s see now, showing Madonna’s special in November, where she’s hoisted up on a cross for the sole purpose of mocking the crucifixion of Jesus Christ is not deemed offensive to anyone, yet a tubby tomato that mentions the God of the Bible must be censored?"
I do like Marsha West and her informative articles but why the fuss.
Let me ask another question do we know that Bob the Tomato is mentioning the God of the Bible?
Saved Christians would know what Bob is referring to but without mention of Jesus (which Veggie Tales seldoms mentions and correct me and site verse and episode if Im wrong here) what God does the world think Phil is talking about.
The Mormon god, the big guy upstairs, or who?
As for Madonna, well NBC is in the business of making money not communicating biblical truths so whats the fuss here?
I do find what Madonna did very offensive and she will have to answer to God for that in person, but again why do we expect the world to act like the church.
They dont have the Holy Spirit so the dont know what real truth is.
And why are we surprised in a weak economy that Phil edited Veggie Tales.
I think Phils comments from his blog site are laughable at best.
Here is Phil's excuse-
"Is editing VeggieTales for NBC "selling out"? As I mentioned in my prior post, I'm not at all happy with the edits. I didn't know I'd need to make them when I agreed to produce the show, and I considered dropping out when I found out just how much would need to be removed. I decided to continue primarily as a favor to Classic Media and my friends at Big Idea, who would have been in a major pickle if I had abandoned the project just a few weeks before the first air date. (We didn't find out about the need for the cuts until early August, about two weeks before delivering the first episode.) So did Classic Media or Big Idea sell out? Not really, I don't think, because the depth of the cuts came as a surprise to them as well. Apparently one department at NBC was telling them one thing, and then, once they were committed to delivering the show, another department told them something completely different. They could have pulled VeggieTales from the deal at that point and swapped some other show (like Lassie or something else from Classic's library), but they thought the exposure for Bob and Larry was worth it. Would I have made the same decision? I'm not sure. That's a tough call."
You dont get to where guys like Phil are by being stupid.
This is my opinion but I dont buy what Phil states one bit.
To expect the world (NBC) to act like the church is really stupidity and a serious lack of discernment.
But folks this goes on all the time.
You want to see selling out go to Rick Warrens Saddleback Services ,or here in Ohio churches like business man Mike Slaughter's Ginghamsburg church.
They have sold out our Lord Jesus for thirty pieces of silver.
All for large crowds and fame.
You see the world likes to have its flesh fed and sadly so do some Christians.
Here are some more comments from Marsha's article
"Was NBC unaware that Veggie Tales teaches Judeo-Christian values when they offered Big Idea a Saturday morning slot? You bet your turnips they knew! They were fully aware that veggie hosts Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber teach kids Bible stories that include Jesus’ birth and resurrection, Moses in the basket, Gideon the warrior, and Queen Esther’s courage. The stories always end with a Bible verse. Except on NBC."
To which I would ask-Do you think NBC knew how much money Veggie Tales took in?
You bethcha they did.
And they wanted a piece of the action (talk to folks at Starbucks about that one).
So why did Phil take the thirty pieces of silver?
Phil comments from his blog-
"When a general market distributor promised in 1994 to take VeggieTales into Wal-Mart if we would remove God from the show, I declined. The increased exposure wasn't worth the loss of the show's primary purpose - teaching kids about God. (At the end of the day VeggieTales isn't a show about 'values', it's a show about God.)"
What??
I would ask Phil what the increased exposure is worth now that you have to edit?
Phil goes on to say-
"Did I compromise my beliefs to edit the shows? Well, there's 'compromise' in the sense of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refusing to bow down, and then there's 'compromise' in the sense of Paul saying he will be "all things to all people." Paul was willing to compromise his cultural values to build relationships with Greeks, Romans, slaves, and anyone else he met along his travels. If they ate meat, he'd eat meat. If they didn't, he wouldn't. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused to compromise their beliefs about God. God said "bow to no other god but me" and they intended to follow that directive, no matter the personal cost. So was taking "God made you special and he loves you very much" off the end of these new shows more like Paul's situation? Or Shadrach's? Do the edited shows say anything that I believe is untrue? No. They do, however, stop short of saying things I wanted to say that are very true. Do they go against God's commands? Or do they just respect the boundaries of a foreign culture?"
To which I would ask the question-How much does Phil understand about the apostle Pauls being "all things to all people" verse in the Bible?
This again is misquoted and or misunderstood scripture.
Why is it we criticize the world and then turn around and contract ourselves with them.
Collect a nice paycheck and then speak out of the other side of our mouth and say we didnt know what they were going to do.
We act surprised when the world acts like it does.
Come on Phil I just dont buy it.
Again though I cant read anyones mind so you will have to decide for yourselves whats really at work here.
To me its all about the money and all about the paycheck and the time will come when-
Rev 13:He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads,and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
Are we to this point yet?
No but I think we are being slowly adjusted to accept this if you are not discerning.
Is this a proper topic for Easter Sunday.
Selling out-
May be go into your nearest grocery store and see for your self whats for sale next to that statue of Jesus.
In conclusion I dont think Phil had to edit to much to make Veggie Tales good to go for the world.
Do I hate Bob or Larry Boy.
No of course not.
Good entertainment teaching moral ideas.
Who would oppose that these days.
maybe we should just take Veggie Tales for what it really is.
Good decent programing.
Christian programming?
No not really but did Veggie Tales ever teach deep biblical truth?
No as a parent thats my job.
Have a Happy Easter.
Tim
Sources-
Marsha West article
http://www.newswithviews.com/West/marsha21.htm
Phils two cents-
http://www.philvischer.com/?p=36
Funny well done animated cartoons coming from the very creative mind of Phil Vischer and his team.
Veggie Tales taught very, very, very basic biblical truths and yes they do mention God.
At the very first I noticed they didnt talk about Jesus much at all and God means different things to different people.
But the cartoons were a good alternative to whats out there so yes I confess I did but Veggie Tales for my children.
I then bought the next series 3-2-1 Penquins which I noticed had less to do with God , bible verses but were decent moral stories.
Again a healthy alternative to whats out there on television.
So whats all the fuss , or surprise about Phil editing Veggie Tales.
Im not surprised.
I am surprised about all the fuss over this , and even more surprised about Phil's comments on his blog site.
Let me ask a simple question-
Why do we expect the world (NBC) to act like the church?
And why are we surprised when when they do not?
Here are some comments from a recent Marsha West articles-
"Enough is enough. NBC is censoring Veggie Tales star, Bob the Tomato. All our plump little friend wants to say is, "God made you special and He loves you very much," but the censors at NBC are worried that Bob’s love for God might offend some viewers. Let’s see now, showing Madonna’s special in November, where she’s hoisted up on a cross for the sole purpose of mocking the crucifixion of Jesus Christ is not deemed offensive to anyone, yet a tubby tomato that mentions the God of the Bible must be censored?"
I do like Marsha West and her informative articles but why the fuss.
Let me ask another question do we know that Bob the Tomato is mentioning the God of the Bible?
Saved Christians would know what Bob is referring to but without mention of Jesus (which Veggie Tales seldoms mentions and correct me and site verse and episode if Im wrong here) what God does the world think Phil is talking about.
The Mormon god, the big guy upstairs, or who?
As for Madonna, well NBC is in the business of making money not communicating biblical truths so whats the fuss here?
I do find what Madonna did very offensive and she will have to answer to God for that in person, but again why do we expect the world to act like the church.
They dont have the Holy Spirit so the dont know what real truth is.
And why are we surprised in a weak economy that Phil edited Veggie Tales.
I think Phils comments from his blog site are laughable at best.
Here is Phil's excuse-
"Is editing VeggieTales for NBC "selling out"? As I mentioned in my prior post, I'm not at all happy with the edits. I didn't know I'd need to make them when I agreed to produce the show, and I considered dropping out when I found out just how much would need to be removed. I decided to continue primarily as a favor to Classic Media and my friends at Big Idea, who would have been in a major pickle if I had abandoned the project just a few weeks before the first air date. (We didn't find out about the need for the cuts until early August, about two weeks before delivering the first episode.) So did Classic Media or Big Idea sell out? Not really, I don't think, because the depth of the cuts came as a surprise to them as well. Apparently one department at NBC was telling them one thing, and then, once they were committed to delivering the show, another department told them something completely different. They could have pulled VeggieTales from the deal at that point and swapped some other show (like Lassie or something else from Classic's library), but they thought the exposure for Bob and Larry was worth it. Would I have made the same decision? I'm not sure. That's a tough call."
You dont get to where guys like Phil are by being stupid.
This is my opinion but I dont buy what Phil states one bit.
To expect the world (NBC) to act like the church is really stupidity and a serious lack of discernment.
But folks this goes on all the time.
You want to see selling out go to Rick Warrens Saddleback Services ,or here in Ohio churches like business man Mike Slaughter's Ginghamsburg church.
They have sold out our Lord Jesus for thirty pieces of silver.
All for large crowds and fame.
You see the world likes to have its flesh fed and sadly so do some Christians.
Here are some more comments from Marsha's article
"Was NBC unaware that Veggie Tales teaches Judeo-Christian values when they offered Big Idea a Saturday morning slot? You bet your turnips they knew! They were fully aware that veggie hosts Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber teach kids Bible stories that include Jesus’ birth and resurrection, Moses in the basket, Gideon the warrior, and Queen Esther’s courage. The stories always end with a Bible verse. Except on NBC."
To which I would ask-Do you think NBC knew how much money Veggie Tales took in?
You bethcha they did.
And they wanted a piece of the action (talk to folks at Starbucks about that one).
So why did Phil take the thirty pieces of silver?
Phil comments from his blog-
"When a general market distributor promised in 1994 to take VeggieTales into Wal-Mart if we would remove God from the show, I declined. The increased exposure wasn't worth the loss of the show's primary purpose - teaching kids about God. (At the end of the day VeggieTales isn't a show about 'values', it's a show about God.)"
What??
I would ask Phil what the increased exposure is worth now that you have to edit?
Phil goes on to say-
"Did I compromise my beliefs to edit the shows? Well, there's 'compromise' in the sense of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refusing to bow down, and then there's 'compromise' in the sense of Paul saying he will be "all things to all people." Paul was willing to compromise his cultural values to build relationships with Greeks, Romans, slaves, and anyone else he met along his travels. If they ate meat, he'd eat meat. If they didn't, he wouldn't. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused to compromise their beliefs about God. God said "bow to no other god but me" and they intended to follow that directive, no matter the personal cost. So was taking "God made you special and he loves you very much" off the end of these new shows more like Paul's situation? Or Shadrach's? Do the edited shows say anything that I believe is untrue? No. They do, however, stop short of saying things I wanted to say that are very true. Do they go against God's commands? Or do they just respect the boundaries of a foreign culture?"
To which I would ask the question-How much does Phil understand about the apostle Pauls being "all things to all people" verse in the Bible?
This again is misquoted and or misunderstood scripture.
Why is it we criticize the world and then turn around and contract ourselves with them.
Collect a nice paycheck and then speak out of the other side of our mouth and say we didnt know what they were going to do.
We act surprised when the world acts like it does.
Come on Phil I just dont buy it.
Again though I cant read anyones mind so you will have to decide for yourselves whats really at work here.
To me its all about the money and all about the paycheck and the time will come when-
Rev 13:He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads,and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
Are we to this point yet?
No but I think we are being slowly adjusted to accept this if you are not discerning.
Is this a proper topic for Easter Sunday.
Selling out-
May be go into your nearest grocery store and see for your self whats for sale next to that statue of Jesus.
In conclusion I dont think Phil had to edit to much to make Veggie Tales good to go for the world.
Do I hate Bob or Larry Boy.
No of course not.
Good entertainment teaching moral ideas.
Who would oppose that these days.
maybe we should just take Veggie Tales for what it really is.
Good decent programing.
Christian programming?
No not really but did Veggie Tales ever teach deep biblical truth?
No as a parent thats my job.
Have a Happy Easter.
Tim
Sources-
Marsha West article
http://www.newswithviews.com/West/marsha21.htm
Phils two cents-
http://www.philvischer.com/?p=36
posted by Tim Wirth | 9:15 AM
1 Comments:
Good points Tim!
God bless
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