Sesame Street ABCs--Anything But Christian

By Dan on Sep 15, 2009 | 2279 views | 30 feedbacks »

I was watching Sesame Street with my daughter this morning, and I was reminded why we must monitor everything we allow our children to watch. First they visited a karate class where the children were instructed to "meditate". The subject of meditation was left unsaid. Christian meditation involves meditation on something, such as Scripture.

Next, we were treated to Big Bird retelling a story about how some children attended a yoga class. The context was that it was a neat thing to attend such a class. The Eastern worldview presented by yoga is, of course, anti-Christian. Westernized yoga was established as a gateway to lure Westerners into the false religion of Buddhism.

Yoga at Obama's former church, where he sat for eighteen years and didn't hear a word Jeremiah Wright said: http://equip.org/articles/yoga-teaching-in-the-church

Seasame Street contact information: http://www.pbs.org/parents/sesame/contact.html

Here's the text of the email I sent to them:

It is inappropriate to reference meditation in the karate class. It is also inappropriate for Big Bird to reference yoga when talking to the children after the karate scene. Eastern meditation and yoga are antithetical to a Christian worldview. I saw this episode today, 9/15/09 on the San Diego affiliate.

I am requesting that you be fair, and either remove all anti-Christian elements or include some positive Christian elements. If the show references yoga, it should also reference prayer at church, something I haven't seen on the show. Thank you.

30 comments

Comment from: Patricia Stiefer [Visitor]

I also watched the episode with my granddaughter on a Dallas/Fort Worth affiliate; I agree, there should be NO mention of meditation.

09/15/09 @ 08:25

Comment from: Dan [Member]

Did you just see it today Patricia? I pray that parents will respond to PBS with their comments.

09/15/09 @ 08:43

Comment from: Ben [Visitor]

You guys are idiots. This is a country for all religions, not just christianity. Why should the show slant toward one religion or another? Get a life.

09/15/09 @ 10:48

Comment from: Dan [Member]

Ben,

Why should the show slant toward one religion or another?

Thanks for agreeing with me.

09/15/09 @ 11:25

Comment from: E. I. Sanchez [Member]

I'm sure the themes are intentional.

I wouldn't mind if PBS aired any shows it wanted as long as it wasn't supported by tax dollars. I wish it were truly "viewer supported" -- Very few will pay for it. It's nice to have but nobody would miss them.

09/15/09 @ 18:00

Comment from: Timothy [Visitor] · http://fleshisasgrass.blogspot.com/

I always love guys like Ben that go straight to name calling.

The reality is that if you don't have a Christian world-view, then you will have another world view all together. They are supporting and showing their world view. Yes, it is anti-Christian, but apart from Christ, they will never see that.

I'm glad you wrote the producers of PBS nonetheless.

09/15/09 @ 18:20

Comment from: Dan [Member]

EI, right on. Is is a travesty that our taxes are stolen from us to pay for so-called "public" broadcasting.

09/15/09 @ 18:35

Comment from: Dan [Member]

Timothy,

Whatever do you mean? I found Ben's "you guys are idiots" arguments well-thought out and provocative.

The logic is flawless, and it's clear he's put years of study into perfecting his rhetorical skills. "Get a life" is an instant classic. That's one for Bartlett's. I don't know how he could come up with something so creative.

09/15/09 @ 18:37

Comment from: Johnny O [Visitor] · http://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/

How is something that doesn't agree with Christianity ANTI Christian. It doesn't defame Christianity in any way. I doubt your kids would have known any different if you hadn't made a big fuss about it. Why not burn some Harry Potter books with them too?

"Meditation" per se, is nothing to do with ANY religion, it just about clearing your mind and focusing your thoughts and energies on something inparticular. That something could well be Religious, but in the case of Karate, it is on the excercise you are about to do and it stops people getting carried away and hurting someone.

If THIS is the kind of thing that bothers you, then you've got your prioities all wrong mate.

09/16/09 @ 06:32

Comment from: Dan [Member]

"Meditation" per se, is nothing to do with ANY religion, it just about clearing your mind and focusing your thoughts and energies on something inparticular.

That's the point. Christian meditation is focus on something in particular. Eastern meditation is about emptying the mind.

09/16/09 @ 06:50

Comment from: Johnny O [Visitor] · http://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/

WOW!! Worst case of paraphrasing EVER. I said,

"clearing your mind AND focusing your thoughts and energies on something inparticular."

How do you focus on something, without clearing the way first? When you meditate for Jesus do you also think about whether the Yankee's will make the play off's? Whether you've left the bathroom light on? If your car is due a service? No, you clear your mind to focus solely on the subject of your meditation.

09/17/09 @ 05:22

Comment from: Samantha Branning [Visitor]

I saw the same exact episode, wow! People really look into things WAY too much! Also, I am a Christian and I do yoga! breathing a bending and keeping myself healthy, you can look into ANYTHING way too much and find something wrong with it.
Totally rediculous, anyway, my daughter is watching Sesame Street right now...oh no!!!!

10/06/09 @ 07:37

Comment from: Dan [Member]

You are just looking into my article "WAY too much". You can look into anything way too much and find something wrong with it. Someone is reading this website right now. Oh no!!!

10/06/09 @ 08:03

Comment from: Debbie [Visitor]

Yoga is not Buddhism. Yoga is not a religion at all. And the yoga presented on Sesame Street is in the context of exercise, one facet of yoga. Totally harmless.

Yoga is a place where anyone of any religion can go. You can believe in God or Jesus and still practice yoga. You misunderstand.

Meditation allows you to focus on what you want to focus on, after you sit and empty your mind of the clutter that you don't want there.

Please don't let your fear of what you don't understand guide you. Instead, learn.

10/09/09 @ 20:08

Comment from: Debbie [Visitor]

By the way, why do you think Buddhism is a "false" religion? Do you think Christianity is the only religion, that all other "religions" are "false"?

10/09/09 @ 20:21

Comment from: Samantha Branning [Visitor]

Dan,
Do you think it is wrong for Christians to do yoga or participate in Karate classes?

med·i·ta·tion [ mèddi táysh'n ] (plural med·i·ta·tions)
noun
Definition:
1. emptying or concentration of mind: the emptying of the mind of thoughts, or the concentration of the mind on one thing, in order to aid mental development, contemplation, or relaxation
2. pondering of something: the act of thinking about something carefully, calmly, seriously, and for some time, or an instance of such thinking
3. serious study of topic: an extended and serious study of a topic

You say I looked into your article too much, but you can't accept that maybe you looked into sesame street too much.

Also, so you don't agree with sesame street. Not everyone agrees with everything, but to say that it needs to be taken off the air because it offended you in some way is rediculous. My advice to you, you don't like sesame street no one says you have to let your kids watch it, that's your decision and OPINION.

10/28/09 @ 08:08

Comment from: Dan [Member]

Yoga yes it's wrong. Karate no.

Your first definition details the problem. Emptying the mind is not Christian meditation. Number 2 is the Christian version.

Not everyone agrees with everything, but to say that it needs to be taken off the air because it offended you in some way is rediculous. My advice to you, you don't like sesame street no one says you have to let your kids watch it, that's your decision and OPINION.

My taxes are paying for Sesame Street. That's the problem. If my money weren't being stolen to pay for it, no problem. Thanks for your OPINION.

10/28/09 @ 11:53

Comment from: Sam [Visitor]

why is yoga wrong (in your opinion) and karate is not? wasn't your argument they both were upsetting you because they had meditation?
it's clear that we will just have to agree to disagree b/c you think that repeating yourself is making your point when it is your points that are being questioned in the first place.

11/24/09 @ 15:08

Comment from: Dan [Member]

why is yoga wrong (in your opinion) and karate is not?

Eastern-style meditation is wrong, for the reasons mentioned above, and it's wrong regardless if used in yoga or karate.

wasn't your argument they both were upsetting you because they had meditation?

I don't think I mentioned anything about being upset, but I did specifically single out meditation. There are other problems with yoga I mentioned briefly (Eastern worldview that's antithetical to a Christian one).

t's clear that we will just have to agree to disagree b/c you think that repeating yourself is making your point when it is your points that are being questioned in the first place.

Not sure how you came to this conclusion. Elaborate if you wish.

11/24/09 @ 17:21

Comment from: Sensei Troy Bond [Visitor] · http://www.bondschool.iwarp.com

This is why I left Christianity because of Ignoracnce & Meglomania. I am A Karate Master of 30 years I am a Buddhist & I meditate. so far the imaginary horned demon with a tail & goatee has not sprung up out of the ground & cast my genitals on fire. If you do not understand meditation it is bacause you have not meditated in this way, sorry but christian prayer is a form of meditation. Yoga, Buddhism , & Meditation are all about peace, not control. Christianity is all about well.... sorry as a meditating Buddhist I have taken a vow not to speak ill of other peoples religions. Your Religion is Beautiful to YOU! My Religion which is not false to Billions BTW is Beautiful to me. PEACE

12/13/09 @ 08:35

Comment from: Dan [Member]

This is why I left Christianity because of Ignoracnce & Meglomania.

I'm sorry to see you were ignorant and megalomaniacal, but that's no reason to leave Christianity. We'll take you back.

so far the imaginary horned demon with a tail & goatee has not sprung up out of the ground & cast my genitals on fire.

If not from a demon, you might want to get that burning sensation checked out.

sorry but christian prayer is a form of meditation.

I'm glad we agree :)

12/13/09 @ 11:40

Comment from: Eileen [Visitor]

Dan perhaps if you posted a video of this Sesame Street clip we would have a better understanding of the context and the problems you had with this show...just a suggestion!

12/16/09 @ 20:09

Comment from: Dan [Member]

As a supporter of my local Public Broadcasting Station, I have access to the full catalog of material.

Not really.

This isn't the clip to which I was referring, but here's an example of something we need to examine in light of Scripture. What does this posture mean? What are the origins of yoga, etc.?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTVpUmIIykg

12/17/09 @ 07:27

Comment from: Suzanne [Visitor]

"What does this posture mean?" What because she called it a snake? So it wasn't about having a healthy body and a calm spirit, but allowing children to be guiled by The Serpent. ?? please. Get a grip on reality. The pose is named for a creature it resembles. Would you feel better if they named it the log? Somehow, I can't imagine you'd be satisfied.
You even have a narrow-minded SPAM filter. "What color is grass?" at this point in the season where I live, brown is the best answer. Sure enough "Grass is green. Try again."

01/19/10 @ 08:44

Comment from: Edgar [Visitor] · http://TheAlert.org

Suzanne, that "narrow minded spam filter" bit was pretty funny. As the web admin here, I must say: lol

01/19/10 @ 16:08

Comment from: Dan [Member]

Suzanne I think the spam filter is referring to marijuana

01/19/10 @ 20:43

Comment from: Katelynn - cheap uggs boots [Visitor]

We all have different opinions about it..Relax people..Be at peace..Just a suggestion.

01/30/10 @ 05:30

Comment from: Dan [Member]

lol. This one is a keeper. Best spam comment since it's awfully close to what some bleeding-heart libs would say.

01/30/10 @ 07:18

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06/21/10 @ 20:53

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