LOS ANGELES, California (Reuters) -- Conservative Christian groups accuse the makers of a video starring SpongeBob SquarePants, Barney and a host of other cartoon characters of promoting homosexuality to children.

The wacky square yellow SpongeBob is one of the stars of a music video due to be sent to 61,000 U.S. schools in March. The makers -- the nonprofit 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.

"A short step beneath the surface reveals that one of the differences being celebrated is homosexuality," wrote Ed Vitagliano in an article for the American Family Association.

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 other TV cartoon characters. It was made by a foundation set up by songwriter Nile Rodgers after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, in an effort to promote healing.

Christian groups however have taken exception to the tolerance pledge on the foundation's Web site, which asks people to respect the sexual identity of others along with their abilities, beliefs, culture and race.

"Their inclusion of the reference to 'sexual identity" within their 'tolerance pledge' is not only unnecessary, but it crosses a moral line," James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, said in a statement released Thursday.

Rodgers said he was astounded by the attack.

"That is so myopic and harsh," he told Reuters. "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."

Dobson was quoted by the New York Times on Thursday as having singled out the wildly popular SpongeBob during remarks about the video at dinner this week in Washington, D.C.

SpongeBob, who lives in a pineapple under the sea, was "outed" by the U.S. media in 2002 after reports that the TV show and its merchandise are popular with gays. His creator, Stephen Hillenburg, said at the time that though SpongeBob was an oddball, he thought of all the characters in the show as asexual.

It is not the first time that children's TV favorites have come under the critical spotlight of the Christian right. In 1999, the Rev. Jerry Falwell described Tinky Winky, the purse-toting purple Teletubbie, as a gay role model.

One of my co-worker read that to us today. First off, they are for children, what are they going to be macho sponges? I had to endure the movie, as my daughter really wanted to see it. Patrick was in drag, but it wasn't a sexual thing. It was just silly. The thing is, so what? I mean, even if they are gay, its not going to create a legion of gay children destroying the sanctity of marriage. All the sexual subtext is missed by kids anyway, so why so worried? It's just unreal.

How do you know that it won't cause children to think about homosexuality? There are many things that kids watch nowadays, and parents have no idea what is going on in their minds. Small kids are very curious. Just wait til your children ask you about sexual content in a show. Are you going to tell them the truth, or will you lie to them? Don't laugh, because kids are smarter than adults think they are. No, it's not unreal, it is VERY real.

You've got a good point there.

That is true, kids are smarter you think. Just because they know that homosexuality exists doesn't mean they'll try it. And even if they do, I doubt they'll remain confused about their sexuality long afterward. They'll eventually know if they are homosexual or not.

The issue isn't the knowlege of homosexuality or the anything in the video, but the accusation that the group promotes tolerance of homosexual lifestyles in the producers' website and teaching kits. That is up for debate.

I love "We Are Family", though. So danceable.

I think the objection comes from the fact that one of the characters appears wearing women's clothing -- something that is supposed to just be funny. It also stems from the "Tolerence Pledge" that the charcters do. There is nothing specifically mentioned about homosexuality, there are no homosexual acts depicted. All of the Spongebob characters that I know of are male -- sponges are asexual anyhow -- so are starfish.

Dude.. I can understand if you're watching the OC or something. But this thread is about a spongebob video.

"Dude.. I can understand if you're watching the OC or something. But this thread is about a spongebob video."



Yes, it is about a spongebob video, a video that potrays a "male" dressed in female clothing. You don't see a problem with that? Evidently not. BTW, my name is not "dude." You probably think you are being funny, but you really aren't .

Actually, although Patrick has a male voice, he is a starfish and therefore, he is asexual.

Besides that, it's a cartoon. Did you say the same thing when Bugs Bunny dressed up as a female rabbit to seduce Fudd? Sorry, but if you think this is pushing any agenda whatsoever, you're really digging for something.

As your instructive criticism of the use of the word "Dude", you probably think you are being witty, but you're really not.

There might be some spinning going on. Focus on the Family's James Dobson said on Fox News' Hannity and Colmes that his problem isn't with the video, it's with the website and materials. I don't know what's going on, but overall IMO it's much ado about nothing.

How do I know what my child is thinking? I know because I asked. My daughter has asked me about sexual content and whenever I laugh at a dirty joke, I have to explain it now. Because she asked. I made a promise to her when she was little that I would not ever lie to her. We might play pretend, because its fun(santa and such), but if she asks a direct question, she gets a direct answer. I know a lot of the jokes miss her, because she does ask. I have been surprized by the things she knows, no doubt. But I've watched the show with her and there isn't an agenda. It's a cartoon. Like Midtowner said, similiar to the Bugs Bunny argument. It's just beyond sad that this is an issue. As Floater said, they can make up their own minds and aren't going to become gay or hetero because of a cartoon. I mean, please. I haven't yet met a guy who told me Bugs was a hot bunny and he knew then he must be gay.

BTW, Midtowner, there are a few female characters. Sandy, the squirrel. (and should I be offened that the girl is a squirrel? ANTI FEMALE AGENDA!!!) and Mr. Crabs daughter and the driving instructor. The main characters sound male, but are indeed asexual, and basically children themselves, despite the fact spongebob is trying to drive a boat.