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Opinion: Muslim Superhero Cartoon Does Not Signal the End of Times
Filed under: Religion & Spirituality, Opinions
Children's entertainment is fertile ground for political fulminating. Add Islam into the mix, and you've got a recipe for world-class outrage.
Today's cause for hysteria? "The 99," a new animated series featuring Muslim superheroes. Based on a comic book of the same name, the show will air on The Hub, a new channel co-owned by Hasbro and Discovery.
New York Post columnist Andrea Peyser writes that the cartoon is part of a religious conspiracy designed to "indoctrinate" our children into Islam.
C'mon. Seriously?
No one is trying to indoctrinate anyone. "The 99" does indeed feature superheroes based in part on Islamic principles. In this video, Dr. Naif al-Mutawa says he created the series for both social and business reasons.
Business reasons? That's right. There are, al-Mutawa says, at least 1.5 billion people in the world who practice Islam. That's a big market, and one that is under-served by mostly white superheroes such as Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman.
Don't get me wrong. I have nothing against those white superheroes. But exploring emerging markets is something good businesspeople do all the time.
That doesn't sound like indoctrination to me. It sounds like capitalism.
But if indoctrination is what you seek, boy, have I got a show for you.
Peyser quotes an article by Family Security Matters claiming that it's "doubtful" we will see any Christian superheroes on TV.
They must not be familiar with "Bibleman," a live-action series starring Willie Aames that ran on cable for several years. Bibleman carries a Bible (natch) and sports a "helmet of salvation" and "breastplate of righteousness." In this clip, he tells kids that becoming a Christian is "very easy," adding that they should "encourage" their friends to join the faith, so "they can spend eternity with you, and God, in Heaven."
Oh no! Indoctrination! Right? Outrage? Hello? Anyone?
Actually, yawn. No big deal. Just change the channel.
The reason I never watched "Bibleman" with my kids is not because of the show's religious messages. We avoided it because it stunk. Which brings us to the most important point of all.
One the most popular cartoons in my house is "Static Shock." The main character is African-American, but that's not why my kids watch it. They watch it for the same reason they watch the adventures of Batman, Superman or any other show: Because they like it.
Anyone who truly believes "The 99" is part of a nefarious plot to steal the minds of our youth, needs to remember just how many youth entertainment choices there are. The days of three channels are long gone. If kids don't like "The 99," they aren't going to watch it.
But let's say "The 99" becomes a hit. There is another way to avoid exposing your children to super-powered Muslims, or anything else you don't want them to see. It's a very radical idea. Some might call it un-American.
Are you ready? Here it is.
Turn off the TV.
Today's cause for hysteria? "The 99," a new animated series featuring Muslim superheroes. Based on a comic book of the same name, the show will air on The Hub, a new channel co-owned by Hasbro and Discovery.
New York Post columnist Andrea Peyser writes that the cartoon is part of a religious conspiracy designed to "indoctrinate" our children into Islam.
C'mon. Seriously?
No one is trying to indoctrinate anyone. "The 99" does indeed feature superheroes based in part on Islamic principles. In this video, Dr. Naif al-Mutawa says he created the series for both social and business reasons.
Business reasons? That's right. There are, al-Mutawa says, at least 1.5 billion people in the world who practice Islam. That's a big market, and one that is under-served by mostly white superheroes such as Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman.
Don't get me wrong. I have nothing against those white superheroes. But exploring emerging markets is something good businesspeople do all the time.
That doesn't sound like indoctrination to me. It sounds like capitalism.
But if indoctrination is what you seek, boy, have I got a show for you.
Peyser quotes an article by Family Security Matters claiming that it's "doubtful" we will see any Christian superheroes on TV.
They must not be familiar with "Bibleman," a live-action series starring Willie Aames that ran on cable for several years. Bibleman carries a Bible (natch) and sports a "helmet of salvation" and "breastplate of righteousness." In this clip, he tells kids that becoming a Christian is "very easy," adding that they should "encourage" their friends to join the faith, so "they can spend eternity with you, and God, in Heaven."
Oh no! Indoctrination! Right? Outrage? Hello? Anyone?
Actually, yawn. No big deal. Just change the channel.
The reason I never watched "Bibleman" with my kids is not because of the show's religious messages. We avoided it because it stunk. Which brings us to the most important point of all.
One the most popular cartoons in my house is "Static Shock." The main character is African-American, but that's not why my kids watch it. They watch it for the same reason they watch the adventures of Batman, Superman or any other show: Because they like it.
Anyone who truly believes "The 99" is part of a nefarious plot to steal the minds of our youth, needs to remember just how many youth entertainment choices there are. The days of three channels are long gone. If kids don't like "The 99," they aren't going to watch it.
But let's say "The 99" becomes a hit. There is another way to avoid exposing your children to super-powered Muslims, or anything else you don't want them to see. It's a very radical idea. Some might call it un-American.
Are you ready? Here it is.
Turn off the TV.
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
10-14-2010 @ 9:46PM
Steve said...The religious faith of comic book superheroes is rarely discussed. As I recall, Batman and Robin, Superman, Spiderman and other super herores/heroines were all religiously neutral. I think they should keep religion out of commercial comic books and animated features. (But there are such religious comics for those who want religion in their comic books.) Unless it advances a story line or is essential in some way, I think they should keep comics religiously neutral.
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10-14-2010 @ 10:03PM
Steven said...I watched the clip of "The 99". It looks and sounds like a fairly straighforward superhero adventure series. There is nothing in it that is overtly religious as far as I could see -- just your basic struggle of good versus evil. I would watch it and if I had kids I would let them watch it. It doesn't seem to be any more Christian or Muslim or religious in any other way than other comics. Other than that some of the characters had olive skin there didn't seem to be any difference from traditional Saturday morning fare. And you wouldn't even know that any of the characters were Muslim from the clip.
Reply
10-16-2010 @ 7:52AM
RobbyG said...You make light of the fact that parents might find programming like this to be "indoctrination" and assume it is because the characters are all Muslims and that there is a bias or bigotry towards Muslims today. I won't deny the anti-Muslim sentiment of the country.
However, your piece overlooks a real cause for concern and why a parent might view this as "indoctrination": Hasbro and Discovery covered up that this series was based on Islam or had only Muslim superheroes. Other than a few press pieces that have popped up after the launch of their network, including the one you cite, none of Hasbro's PR has ever mentioned that this has anything to do with Islam. That is the issue.
If you go look at their press releases or any of the statements made at their upfronts, they said the show was based on 99 "global values." I will be charitable and say that this is a whitewash rather than an outright lie. Regardless of how you characterize their euphemism, it is purposeful and had the intent to prevent the public from knowing that all the heroes are Muslims (not one Christian or Jew in the bunch) who each embody one of Allah's names. They are not 99 global values--they are 99 nmes of Allah. And no one can legitimately argue that characters like "Batina the Hidden" and "Darr the Afflictor" represent the "global values" of hiding and affliction.
Other than Discovery and Hasbro, no one denies this is an Islamic cartoon series. Not the creator of the show. Not the show's website. Not the European press. Not the US press the comic books received before the show was announced. They all proclaim, quite proudly, that the 99 refers to the 99 names of Allah. Period. End of story.
So why not just say this? Why don't Hasbro and Discovery tell people this and then allow people to make a decision about whether they want their children to view it or not?
They removed this crucial piece of information from parents. And that deserved at least passing mention in your blog post. And it is that fact that makes people think this is a veiled (excuse the pun) attempt at indoctrination.
And so while you are right that there have been religious cartoons before, people knew what they were getting with "Bibleman" in a way that they just don't know with "The 99" (unless they are willing to do a whole lot of research on their own). How many parents take a course in comparative religion or use google news to research every new show that their children watch?
I watched the clip. It's too short for me to know how religious the show is. And while the animation seemed weird and clunky to me due to much CGI (maybe I am getting too old), if the HUB wants to air The 99 and thinks it's a great show, by all means they should air it. I personally think it's good that American television becomes more multicultural and diverse.
However, there should be truth in advertising, they shouldn't mask the show's very basis, and a religious program should be labeled and marketed as such rather than passed off as secular fare. And if they do that, if they give parents and children enough information to make an informed choice, then parents can actually heed your advice of turning off the TV if they don't like it.
Reply
10-17-2010 @ 6:58PM
Alicia said...I think you're reading into things. Look at the massive amount of anti-Islamic, anti-Middle Eastern sentiment in America lately. If I were a television exec, I wouldn't mention that a new show I was airing was based solely on Islam! People boycott companies for the weirdest, most pointless reasons and the Hub and 99 are both new. Why would they sabotage themselves by openly admitting that this cartoon is Islamic? Parents can watch the first episode before their kids, or with them, and figure it out fairly quickly, I'm sure. I also really think it was unnecessary for news sources to make a big deal out of it being an Islam-based show. It's not like learning about Islam in a fun and positive way is going to do any harm. If anything, it'll be incredibly beneficial. As of right now, word association with "Islam," "Muslim," "Middle East," etc are all negative and kids are being raised in that atmosphere and will absorb those beliefs. By giving them a positive light to view a villainized culture in, they might grow up more tolerant and better able to understand a negotiate with largely Islamic countries.
10-18-2010 @ 9:47AM
LS said...interesting that people are up in arms about this, but nobody said a word when 'Veggie Tales' was told to take all references to God out of their programming before it would be considered 'appropriate' for Saturday Morning Cartoons on NBC. They don't show any of their Bible Stories, and the discussion of the Moral of the Story, at the end of each show, was changed not only by removing the phrase "God thinks you're special and He loves you very much," but by removing reference to any Bible verse that might be there.
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10-19-2010 @ 6:18AM
Alicia said...Honestly, I don't care one way or another about "religious" programming. NBC has a right to ask a show they agree to air to remove something they don't like. The Hub has agreed to air The 99 without cuts. That is The Hub's right. All religions have a right to put their message out there, be it door to door or on TV, just like I have a right to tell them where to shove it and turn the channel.
10-20-2010 @ 12:43AM
Bob said...Some of the most popular superhero stories were written as religious allegories. Superman was written by a couple of Jewish men to be the story of the Messiah and has been portrayed as a Christ-like savior of humanity ever since. Several comic arcs and shows (e.g. Smallville) have even made the reference explicit (comparing Superman to Jesus).
The Justice league has encountered a Jewish Golem and made friends with lovely rabbis in the process.
And let's not forgot one of my favorite movies, The Matrix, which is about as direct a Bible reading as it gets. They even used the same Biblical names and had a cross of light emanate from Neo (Jesus)'s chest.
People are ignorant of Islam and Muslims and simply don't want them to have a seat at the table at which everyone else is already sitting. The fact is Jewish and Christian references are all around us; we simply don't react because we are used to them and feel we have nothing to fear from them. We need a few more depictions of Muslims in the media so that the ignorant masses can realize how absurd the caricature of Islam they've created is.
If you feel skeptical about a cartoon like this and don't know a Muslim personally, I suggest you go and meet one. The ones I've known have been some of the kindest, most genuine, open-minded people I've ever met, and not in spite of their religion, but seemingly because of it.
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