More on Spongebob

The whole Spongebob thing is so ridiculous I almost feel funny talking about it. Two factors make it worth mentioning again, however. First, Traci Parmenter brought it up, and I respect her judgement regarding things-that-turn-out-to-be-important. Second, I get this feeling that, as I've heard Shayna Englin say, we might be frogs in water, so it makes sense to just keep on hopping and squirming.

So, here's my one Spongebob point. It's still all about sex. Values language has been claimed by a relatively narrow, conservative agenda, and that agenda has taken all that could be considered part of the values conversation and reduced it to sexual values alone. We can't let that happen. The values debate is a good one to have, but it must, must include a lot more than questions of sex. Not because sex isn't important. Actually, I think it is. But so are many, many, many other subjects--like poverty, social justice, freedom from fear--that rightly belong in a values debate, and that have been forced out.