The Church of . . . Spongebob?

[The Good]

http://churchofspongebob.tripod.com/home.html

You've heard me correct, fellow philosophers/scribes/teachers/students, there is a Church of Spongebob . . . THE Spongebob Squarepants of Nickelodeon fame.


Do they actually worship Spongebob Squarepants, of all possible people, religious figures, wisemen, or philosophers?

I think this is a fake, it's too obvious. I mean, The First Reformed Church of Spongebob? This is probably just a spoof on a certain religion (the use of the term church alone may mean it mocks Christianity), created by non-religious folks with too much time on their hands. This is much like that other spoof religion about the Flying Spaghetti monster.

I seriously laughed when I visited their website. One thing I can't laugh about though, is the possible fact that they seriously believe that Spongebob Squarepants, obviously a recent human creation by Stephen Hillenburg, is a god or figure to be worshiped.

[roy34543]

Have you battered your way through churches that make you feel guilty? Offer little for introspection or personal edification beyond "worship?" Attract followers by hating others?

Are you ready for something new and better? Something honest, earnest and fun?Something that can make you feel good without making you feel bad

its obviously making fun of christianity.

[kev-o]

Its just another humerous attempt to make a satire out of organized religion.

[The Good]

Its just another humerous attempt to make a satire out of organized religion.

It sure is. It isn't that much unlike the new Flying Spaghetti Monster cult either. Same idea, different "religious figure."

[Serious J]

Is it stupid? Aye, but it's no less believable than any other religion. People want to believe in something. Whether it's a cartoon sponge or Jesus makes no difference.

However, this doesn't quite rank up there with the forums dedicated to people who believe Pokemon are actual creatures and have dedicated themselves to finding them.

Might I also point out that Pastafarianism (the belief in the Flying Spaghetti Monster) is a joke and is explained as such by its believers. It's simply a method of showing how anyone can argue that their belief is as valid as "mainstream" beliefs because nothing about religion can be proved.

[The Good]

Is it stupid? Aye, but it's no less believable than any other religion. People want to believe in something. Whether it's a cartoon sponge or Jesus makes no difference.

I understand what these mock "religions" are meant to be, but my argument against what you said (above), is that none of us have lived around the time of Jesus, much less seen him. We all have grown up in recent years, and witnessed the airing of the Spongebob Squarepants television show. You can't say that the Spongebob cult is just as believable as Christianity. A man named Yeshua (better known as Jesus) really existed. Spongebob is clearly a recent invention.

[Valentin the II]

Oooooh I love spongebob!
Where do I join?

[Serious J]

I understand what these mock "religions" are meant to be, but my argument against what you said (above), is that none of us have lived around the time of Jesus, much less seen him. We all have grown up in recent years, and witnessed the airing of the Spongebob Squarepants television show. You can't say that the Spongebob cult is just as believable as Christianity. A man named Yeshua (better known as Jesus) really existed. Spongebob is clearly a recent invention.

There are religions much older than Christianity of which none of us have first hand knowledge. Are you suggesting that they have more validity than Christianity because they are steeped in a much longer tradition? How are the people that formed Christianity any different than a bunch of odd people on the internet that choose an artistic concept as their belief? Were Christians not also initially considered crack pots and heretics at that time?

People will believe in whatever they choose to, but it doesn't make it any more or less valid than the next belief just because they wish it so.

[Megas12345]

Seriously.. what proof do we have Sponge bob was not an ancient man or become a divine?! It is just as possible as the spaghetti monster and the Christian god... and how is there so much proof of a spiritual event of becoming a christian? How do you know such people are not trying to get attention and smoke doobies... your so called evidence is falliable at the least..

[gambit]

Seriously.. what proof do we have Sponge bob was not an ancient man or become a divine?! It is just as possible as the spaghetti monster and the Christian god... and how is there so much proof of a spiritual event of becoming a christian? How do you know such people are not trying to get attention and smoke doobies... your so called evidence is falliable at the least..

Theres no 'proof' in religions. that's why they have faith.

We can logically reason out a creator but...spongebob

[jman47]

However, this doesn't quite rank up there with the forums dedicated to people who believe Pokemon are actual creatures and have dedicated themselves to finding them.

you cant be serious? id like to see one of those forums just to see what kind of crap is on there

[The Good]

^ Maybe you email them? Wait, you're serious . . .

[Dayman]

One thing I can't laugh about though, is the possible fact that they seriously believe that Spongebob Squarepants, obviously a recent human creation by Stephen Hillenburg, is a god or figure to be worshiped.

Yet you believe in a story about a person you've never met, and have only been told by stories past down through the ages is god. Yes, LJ, you're far more rational.

[rathelios]

Spongebob is gay. I think this might be a factor.

Sssh don't tell the Christian fundamentalists.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cargo_cult

Heard of cargo cults? They are well documented. Makes you wonder about how some other religions started doesn't it?

[The Good]

Yet you believe in a story about a person you've never met, and have only been told by stories past down through the ages is god. Yes, LJ, you're far more rational.

Jesus is not only a time honoured deity/religious figure (being time honoured proves little alone), and there are many implications that he is divine, inside and outside of the scriptures. There are even many people who have had spiritual experiences that led them to follow Jesus. You may not believe in Jesus' divinity, or fully understand it, but it is quite clear that he existed (in the understanding of Christians, exists), while Spongebob never physically existed, other than in a cartoon on telivision created by Stephen Hillenburg. Even many secular historians believe that the same Yeshua of Nazareth as described in the Bible (in terms of existence, not necessarily of divinity) existed in the First Century AD.

It's late, and I'm tired. Good night everyone.

[Dayman]

Jesus is not only a time honoured deity/religious figure (being time honoured proves little alone), and there are many implications that he is divine, inside and outside of the scriptures. There are even many people who have had spiritual experiences that led them to follow Jesus. You may not believe in Jesus' divinity, or fully understand it, but it is quite clear that he existed (in the understanding of Christians, exists), while Spongebob never physically existed, other than in a cartoon on telivision created by Stephen Hillenburg. Even many secular historians believe that the same Yeshua of Nazareth as described in the Bible (in terms of existence, not necessarily of divinity) existed in the First Century AD.

It's not the existence part that's necessary. People have worshiped a lot of things that weren't evident or clearly extant.

[Thompson45cal.]

Have you checked out their forum........ it's been spammed all to hell.

Too damn funny.

Thompson45cal. All praise to the mighty sponge.

[Cluny the Scourge]

How do you know Spongebob never existed? Perhaps the cartoonist who "created" him had his original inspiration from a divine vision gifted to him by the divine Spongebob Himself. How do you know Jesus existed? There's no record of him outside of the New Testament - so what is the difference in historical legitimacy between the New Testament and the cartoons (and movie) doing honour and glorification to Spongebob? You have no more reason to think that one is real than the other. They are both sole documents without independent corroboration.

[Frédéric Chopin]

How do you know Jesus existed? There's no record of him outside of the New Testament - so what is the difference in historical legitimacy between the New Testament and the cartoons (and movie) doing honour and glorification to Spongebob? You have no more reason to think that one is real than the other. They are both sole documents without independent corroboration.

Didn't Josephus make a reference to Jesus in Antiquities of the Jews?

[gambit]

Wait...this is serious?
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