Julien, my four-year-old son, had two plastic action-figures locked in mortal combat. “Who will win,” he asked, looking up at me, “Spider-Man or Moses?” We discussed their relative strengths, and he settled on the superiority of Spider-Man. The Moses toy had only a big staff in one hand and a couple stone tablets in the other—not very impressive next to… return to article
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Reader Comments (7)Page 1 of 1 pagesWow!!! I think this is one of the most interesting posts I’ve ever read. I laughed and cried.
One wonders about the shoddy craftmenship of the figures, since it’s Wal-Mart it must be made in China.
Personally I also think the Jesus doll is a reflection of our society. Selling religious action figures is a weird combination of commercialism and religious fundamentalism. Note that Muslims would never hawk Mohammad (as they forbid the making of images of their prophet) for a quick buck.
I suppose the point that the action figures can be educational has some merit, yet the kids probably won’t be accurately told the story of each toy. The “education” that should accompany the toys would certainly reflect the parents religious viewpoint, and the Christian fundamentalists in the US would probably be the most interested shoppers.
It could also be expected that abuse of the action figures would happen by accident and purposely. I used to throw my GI Joe all over the yard to see how he would land, since he was a tough army guy. I suppose at a young age I’d have thrown my David action figure around the yard, and Goliath too. Kids will be kids. And I know that there will be some kid in the neighborhood that will light the toys on fire, I saw a few toys be purposely burned way back.. I’m not sure I want to imagine Jesus on fire. And does the Jesus toy get a cross included in the set?
Shoot, I say go all the way, any human could be an action figure model, the good and the bad. Mother Teresa, Hitler, Buddha, Attila the Hun, the Apostles, lawyers, you name it.
Posted by Jon B on Sep 21, 2007 at 8:20 AM Well, praise the Lord! I feel holy just reading this article. I just have one question: Will these made-in-China Jesus action figures be painted with lead paint to make sure that they have the appropriate holy glow?
Posted by fresnobill314 on Sep 22, 2007 at 8:40 PM Hi, y’all!
I’ve been away for a while-- Faulkner seminar.
Lord Almighty! Is this for real, or have I mistakenly logged on to the onion?
I wonder,I really and seriously wonder, just how far this is from blasphemy , if it isn’t there already. I don’t believe in not showing veneration for the saints or prophets. in fact when I attended catholic school we were encourage to dress up as our patron saints on Halloween. But this? I don’t know… It truly makes me feel that the Xtian right has lost its mind. Please, someone, anyone explain this one to me.
Ta-Ta!
Posted by Aunty Rightwing on Sep 25, 2007 at 1:18 PM Aunty…
It could be blasphemy if you believe in all that God stuff. What I find humorous is that these action figures have faces basically picked out of a hat since there were no photos, paintings, drawings, video, etc. of Jesus, Moses, David, etc. The imagery is all fantasy as is most of the stories they were supposedly connected to.
But I say, have at it. Kids will treat the action figures not as some sort of religious icons, but as toys. They will throw them around, run toy trucks over them, leave them in the dirt in the yard and peek under their tunics to see what kind of plastic privates they have. If I had a five year old around, I’d be tempted to surreptitiously video the play with the action figures until something funny happened and then put it on youtube.
My guess is that they will appeal to adults who collect toys, never letting them out of wrapped box. Some will probably set them up with their religious shrines on the mantle.
But we know what it’s all about, making a buck, the American way of life.
Posted by Jon B on Sep 26, 2007 at 5:42 AM Nah, it’s not blasphemous. God likes a good laugh too.
Posted by David in Canuckistan on Sep 27, 2007 at 2:45 PM Surely the manufacturers don’t intend it (if they’re faith-minded, at least), but they’re contributing to the demystification/demythification of Yeshua. Like Jon B points out, there will be little Jesus-doll parts all around the yard, toyland-deathmatches between Jesus and, say, Beast of X-Men fame, in the hands of kids.
I hope their parents don’t freak out when the toys are treated like toys, i.e. with “irreverence”. It would be miserable to know a kid got spanked or shouted at for playing with her toys like a kid does. An interesting new twist on graven images.
We definitely, definitely need toys of the Prophet, Buddha, etc ("talking Mo with kung-fu grip meets fully-bendable Sid, complete with light-up eyes and spring-loaded flying fist...").
I can’t wait to see the Book of Revelations tableau!
Demythify. Demystify. The teachings worth keeping will be kept and lived out. The ones that aren’t, won’t be missed for long.
Posted by Kuya on Oct 2, 2007 at 10:25 PM When does the Charles Darwin action figure come out? Can I get the HMS Beagle display case with that?
Merry Christmas, all. Don’t get trampled!
Posted by Kuya on Oct 2, 2007 at 10:30 PM Page 1 of 1 pages -
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