Disney accused of corrupting children's minds

britexpat
By britexpat

What say you ??????????????????????????????????????

A leading Catholic cleric has launched a fierce attack on Disney, claiming it has corrupted children and encouraged greed.

Christopher Jamison believes films such as Sleeping Beauty and 101 Dalmatians encourage consumerism among young children

Christopher Jamison, the Abbot of Worth in West Sussex, has accused the corporation of "exploiting spirituality" to sell its products and of turning Disneyland into a modern day pilgrimage site.

He argues that it pretends to provide stories with a moral message, but has actually helped to create a more materialistic culture.

In a guide to helping people find happiness, the abbot, who starred in the hit-BBC series The Monastery, warns that society is in danger of losing its soul because of growing consumerism and the decline of religion.

He suggests that many people have become obsessed with work, sex and eating in an attempt to ignore their underlying unhappiness, and criticises corporations and industries that have benefited from promoting false notions of fulfilment.

Fr Jamison, who has been tipped as a contender to succeed Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor as the next Archbishop of Westminster, targets the behaviour of Disney in particular, which he says is "a classic example" of how consumerism is being sold as an alternative to finding happiness in traditional morality.

While he acknowledges that Disney stories carry messages showing good triumphing over evil, he argues this is part of a ploy to persuade people that they should buy Disney products in order to be "a good and happy family".

He cites films such as Sleeping Beauty and 101 Dalmatians that feature moral battles, but get into children's imaginations and make them greedy for the merchandise that goes with them.

"The message behind every movie and book, behind every theme park and T-shirt is that our children's world needs Disney," he says.

"So they absolutely must go to see the next Disney movie, which we'll also want to give them on DVD as a birthday present.

"They will be happier if they live the full Disney experience; and thousands of families around the world buy into this deeper message as they flock to Disneyland."

He continues: "This is the new pilgrimage that children desire, a rite of passage into the meaning of life according to Disney.

"Where once morality and meaning were available as part of our free cultural inheritance, now corporations sell them to us as products."

Fr Jamison, who is one of Britain's most prominent Catholic clerics, claims that brands such as Disney market themselves to be about more than mere materialism to create an addiction to consumption.

"This is basically the commercial exploitation of spirituality," he says, adding that as a result Disney and other corporations "inhabit our imagination".

"Once planted there they can make us endlessly greedy. And that is exactly what they are doing."

By heero_yuy2• 1 Dec 2008 20:17
heero_yuy2

"Everything in this book may be wrong." Illusions: The Adventures of The Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach

By Platao36• 1 Dec 2008 19:20
Platao36

Yoda: Exactly, but Church is well known for not enjoying modern technologies, in the past they senteced a man to be prisioner at his own home just because he dared to tell the conclusions of his observation, remember Galileo Galilei?

Only God Can Judge Me

الله فقط يمكنه محاكمتي

I am you and you are me, if you love i love, if you suffer i suffer

أنا أنت, و أنت أنا, إذا أحببت نفسك أحببت نفسي, إذا عانيتَ عانيتُ

By yoda• 1 Dec 2008 18:54
yoda

Well, Its not about abandoning modern technology (TV/WWW/Disney etc.). It is all about finding a balance in life. Yes Christmas is commercialised now as are every other company for the most part.

By Platao36• 1 Dec 2008 18:35
Platao36

Yoda: Agreded but to prevent commercialism, he should than tell people that no Tv, radio, newspapers, internet, etc... should be allowed.....eih, wait....where did i heard something similar? Oh yeah, the Taliban.

I belive it's a silly excuse, maybe he should say that Christmas is commercialism, it teaches you to give and receive, but like it's a christian holiday, he wont notice it.

People go to Disney parks to have fun, instead of going to the church getting bored with a speech about how we all go to hell. We are already depressed without going to the church why getting worst?

Only God Can Judge Me

الله فقط يمكنه محاكمتي

I am you and you are me, if you love i love, if you suffer i suffer

أنا أنت, و أنت أنا, إذا أحببت نفسك أحببت نفسي, إذا عانيتَ عانيتُ

By yoda• 1 Dec 2008 18:26
yoda

the cleric does have a point. I think we are hasty to express our likes/dislikes re Disney/cartoons, ignoring the underlying issue he is hinting at.

Its not just Disneyland, commercialism has creeped into every aspect of life; be it education, development or religion. I think the point he is trying to make is that there should be aspirations above and beyond the material gains in life.

By Arien• 1 Dec 2008 17:50
Arien

whats happenin.. no kids r goin to church??

______________________________________________

Every society is judged by how

it treats it's least fortunates.

By adey• 1 Dec 2008 17:18
adey

"Deaths in the Bible. God - 2,270,365

not including the victims of Noah's flood, Sodom and Gomorrah, or the

many plagues, famines, fiery serpents, etc because no specific numbers

were given. Satan - 10."

By adey• 1 Dec 2008 17:16
adey

Crazy christians at:

&eurl=http://richarddawkins.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=64682

"Deaths in the Bible. God - 2,270,365

not including the victims of Noah's flood, Sodom and Gomorrah, or the

many plagues, famines, fiery serpents, etc because no specific numbers

were given. Satan - 10."

By mjamille28• 1 Dec 2008 17:06
Rating: 4/5
mjamille28

my daughter has lots of disney dvds, (little mermaid 1, 2 and 3, sleeping beauty, aladdin, etc)... how corrupt her mind must be now... :P

By Gypsy• 1 Dec 2008 16:51
Gypsy

Nope, never liked Minnie Mouse....never had Disney PJ's either. I was into dinosaurs.

By britexpat• 1 Dec 2008 16:36
britexpat

I can picture you with your Minnie Mouse cuddly toy and disney PJ's in childhood..

By Gypsy• 1 Dec 2008 16:24
Gypsy

No Sh%^(T It's Disney for God's sake! Of course it's only interested in selling stuff!

By who.am.i• 1 Dec 2008 14:52
who.am.i

this won't stop me from bringing my son to disneyland. ;o) whatever they say!! ;o)

cheers,

paul

By Platao36• 1 Dec 2008 14:00
Platao36

dmighty: Rofl

Only God Can Judge Me

الله فقط يمكنه محاكمتي

I am you and you are me, if you love i love, if you suffer i suffer

أنا أنت, و أنت أنا, إذا أحببت نفسك أحببت نفسي, إذا عانيتَ عانيتُ

By anonymous• 1 Dec 2008 13:47
anonymous

because Disney is a BIG COMPETITOR of Catholic own commercialism specially during this X'mas season.

"dgoodrebel will always be the rebellious good one"

By mjamille28• 1 Dec 2008 13:45
Rating: 2/5
mjamille28

this world has got more serious issues to deal with and this guy goes about discrediting disney...how intelligent...

By Platao36• 1 Dec 2008 13:43
Platao36

Uau, i'm astonished with this guy comments, maybe he's an amish? Or an orthodox christan? Anyway he's a m*ron :)

Only God Can Judge Me

الله فقط يمكنه محاكمتي

I am you and you are me, if you love i love, if you suffer i suffer

أنا أنت, و أنت أنا, إذا أحببت نفسك أحببت نفسي, إذا عانيتَ عانيتُ

By britexpat• 1 Dec 2008 13:38
britexpat

With Christmas coming up, many parents are "fforced" into providing Disney merchandise to their kids as presents.

By mjamille28• 1 Dec 2008 13:33
mjamille28

right on amoud, now we know why... personally, i would not recommend tom and jerry especially to kids...

By anonymous• 1 Dec 2008 13:33
Rating: 4/5
anonymous

Its called business.

And as for his dumba$$ comments....

" He suggests that many people have become obsessed with work, sex and eating in an attempt to ignore their underlying unhappiness"

1) people work cos they have earn money to live.

2) Its about the only thing that the governments dont tax you on.

3) You have to eat to live.

This guy is a complete nob'ead

[img_assist|nid=103941|title=.|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=|height=0]

NIL ILLEGITIMI CARBORUNDUM

By britexpat• 1 Dec 2008 13:32
britexpat

Come on now..

Barney, Tweenies are cissies .. They will send the wrong message to kids..

By Amoud• 1 Dec 2008 13:29
Amoud

Hmm, remember the previous post about a Muslim cleric thinking that Mickey Mouse was evil or something like that?

Heres evil... I took my son to an arabic nursery for babies under 3. I walked in and the educational TV was Tom and Jerry. I always wondered why Arabic kids seemed far more agressive than most other kids I have encountered. I asked the lady if this cartoon was appropriate (wheres Barney and Tweenies!!) and she said all the schools let them watch this....

____________________________________________________

"Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock - Will Rogers"

By mjamille28• 1 Dec 2008 13:20
Rating: 2/5
mjamille28

geez, have they got nothing better to do?..... what do they want our kids to watch then?...

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