Posted on 11/16/2006 1:05:48 PM PST by XR7
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — After being contacted by The Rutherford Institute and outraged members of the public, the U.S Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program has reversed its decision and agreed to accept the donation of talking Jesus dolls from the company one2believe.Public statements by representatives of the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation had suggested that their initial refusal of the Jesus dolls was motivated by a concern that the dolls might offend Jewish or Muslim recipients. In a letter to the president of the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, John W. Whitehead pointed out that the Foundation’s rejection of the donated dolls appears to contradict Marine Toys for Tots’ mission of ensuring that needy children are able to experience the joy of Christmas through donated gifts and seems to indicate a desire on the part of the Foundation to suppress the religious message that is the very foundation of the Christmas season.A copy of the letter is available here.
“We are delighted that the Marines have changed their policy to protect freedom of choice and freedom of religion,” said Whitehead, president of The Rutherford Institute. “It’s good that needy children will get a chance to celebrate the true spirit of Christmas.”
The stated mission of the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation is “to assist the U.S. Marine Corps in providing a tangible sign of hope to economically disadvantaged children at Christmas” and “to call the general public to action in support of this patriotic community action program.” The mission of the Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program is “to collect new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December each year, and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to needy children in the community in which the campaign is conducted.” According to media reports, Toys for Tots distributed 18 million stuffed animals, games, toy trucks and other gifts to children based on financial need in 2005. However, the Toys for Tots program reportedly refused an offer by toymaker one2believe to donate 4,000 Jesus dolls, allegedly because Toys for Tots doesn’t know anything about the religious affiliations of the children who receive its gifts and “can’t take a chance on sending a talking Jesus doll to a Jewish family or a Muslim family.”
However, as Whitehead pointed out in his letter, “there is little reason to fear that children or their families will be offended by a gift of the Jesus doll.” Toys for Tots’ materials state that the gifts are unwrapped so any child or parent who does not want to receive the doll need only decline that gift and receive something else. In urging Toys for Tots to accept the offer of the donated dolls, Whitehead noted that standing by their refusal would send a sinister message that gifts with religious themes or messages are not suitable or are considered second-class by a prominent charity that is intimately associated with the United States government.
But the mere presence of a talking Jesus doll might offend a Muslim parent! < / sarcasm >
I hear ya, Ben. Only I do not view the image of Jesus as a season specific symbol. In the same way that you find the cross, not as an object, but rather as a symbol to be viewed in the context of the church. A cross viewed outside the understanding of Christian fellowship is meaningless. Some objects may be just objects, others are more than just objects. Further, I do not accept the pluralistic view that objects can be properly understood to have different meaning to different people. The significance of Jesus' birth, and the significance of the message that he conveyed can not be properly understood without also acknowledging the significance of the Cross.
Thus, the doll removed from its spiritual significance does become exactly what you suggest: just another object among many. And the true intent of his birth, of the Christmas season, is lost in the mix and tends to have a different meaning to different people. So, for some and I'm one, the doll becomes a caricature and/or a means for the manufacturer to financially exploit a religious symbol.
Like you, I am not attempting to change anyone's opinion--I am just voicing how some who are Christians might reasonably hesitate in distributing the talking Jesus doll.
Good for them, maybe this will put this to bed.
Now if we can just get some Christian-oriented toys that children will appreciate that aren't as lame as a "Jesus action figure."
"and capitalists who want to profit upon religious symbols without regard to its spiritual impact."
Bingo.
I'm just mad I never got the "Jesus throws out the moneychangers" action set with the spring-loaded arms for overturning tables.
Why would they be giving Christmas presents to Jews and Muslims, anyway?
You should see my collection of dolls. My daughter who died in 2004 and I collected them for years. I would estimate that I have about 75-100 dolls. I have more Beanie Babies than dolls. We also collected them. I remember when she had to go to the Mayo Clinic in MN, we would shop a nearby store to find Beanies we did not have. The first Christmas after she died I did not want to put up a tree but some friends told me to. Well, I wanted to decorate it differently than before so I collected all the Beanies and used them to decorate the tree. It was different but beautiful in its own way. I had birds peeking out from the branches, all kinds of animals including a snake. I have a photo of it on my other screen.
Just what do you think every other company is doing during the Christmas season? Should their profits be confiscated? I guess you were teasing.
Jesus dolls? I know there must be a reason that there weren't Jesus dolls when I was a child and when my parents were children and when my grandparents were children. I'm thinking real hard about what that reason might be . . .
Are you serious? A ban on violent toys? Everyone should find another avenue of charity so the kids can get some decent toys. Especially the boys.
Besides that "political correctness" is illogical. Why should the Marine Corps be worried about Muslim and Jewish children accepting Christmas presents. Neither religion believes in Christmas or its meaning. This whole dust up is just a tempest in a teapot. It should never have happened. I am glad the Marine Corp came to a commonsense decision on this one.
I don't know about "Jesus" dolls but there were Catholic nun dalls because I got one. That was when nuns wore the black and white habit.
I don't know about "Jesus" dolls but there were Catholic nun dolls because I got one. That was when nuns wore the black and white habit.
That's a magnificent story. I'm sure sorry to hear about your daughter.
So, for some and I'm one, the doll becomes a caricature and/or a means for the manufacturer to financially exploit a religious symbol.Just like the birth of Christ, without our awareness of His subsequent death on the cross and resurrection from the dead, is meaningless. Without the Bible story to go along with the doll, it's just a charicature of a guy with a beard.
Utterly intimidated.
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