Mr. Rogers might have been even nicer than you thought

Mental Floss ^ | May 23, 2007 | Mangesh Hattikudur

[van_erwin]

Talk about a true Christian!

[SteveMcKing]

The first time he turned one on, he saw people angrily throwing pies in each other’s faces. He immediately vowed to use the medium for better than that.

Aim high. It's good to have goals.

[bahblahbah]

I use this as my google query and I come up with almost nothing.

“God loves you just the way you are.” “mr Rogers” -”15 reasons”

Could someone please point me to the fundamentalists who denounced Mr Rogers.

[rlmorel]

Like many people, I had the same quirky humorous bent regarding Mr. Rogers...as I have got older, I realize what he was.

Just a nice, quiet guy.

But I do admit to still laughing at Eddie Murphy doing his version...:)

[ketsu]

Mr Rogers was great.

Check out this clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaJQLgiXKO0

And this is his senate testimony:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a41lJIhW7fA

[wastedyears]

After watching his show religiously when I was a kid, even in the late 80s and early 90s, I was still upset when I found out he passed on a while ago. I didn’t cry or pray for him, but he was a part of my life when I was a small child.

[The_Media_never_lie]

What a neat post!

[GOPJ]

Wonderful post. Thanks.

[Beowulf9]

I never watched his show, but no one can get through this life without having seen a clip or two somewhere.

He seemed genuinely nice. Sad to say that’s evidently so unusual we all noticed that ‘just a nice guy’ behavior was actually refreshing.

He’s got to have moved on to a higher sphere.

[FormerLib]

Whenever he was asked to castigate non-Christians or gays for their differing beliefs, he would instead face them and say, with sincerity, “God loves you just the way you are.” Often this provoked ire from fundamentalists.

Of course this provoked ire from Christians because it fails to ask the question "And how do you love God? By obeying his Commandments regarding sexual morality?"

No, it does not and therefore calls evil good.

[Rodney King]

He Saved Both Public Television and the VCR Strange but true. When the government wanted to cut Public Television funds in 1969, the relatively unknown Mister Rogers went to Washington. Almost straight out of a Capra film, his 5-6 minute testimony on how TV had the potential to give kids hope and create more productive citizens was so simple but passionate that even the most gruff politicians were charmed. While the budget should have been cut, the funding instead jumped from $9 to $22 million.

You lost me there. Good TV doesn't need government support.

[DesScorp]

““God loves you just the way you are.” “

If you’re proudly living in sin, the Bible makes it abundantly clear that no, He doesn’t. Christ called all men to change and be Holy. So if you’re a theif, murderer, rapist, or shacking up with the same sex, God loves you anyway but wouldn’t tolerate such behavior. Rogers sounds like he caught the same disease killing the old mainstream Protestant churches....Cafeteria Christianity.

[SuziQ]

The first few times I saw Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood I thought it was so dorky. But after the frenzy of Sesame Street, it began to be a nice quiet pleasant way to spend 30 minutes with my kids. It also provoked some interesting discussions with them along the way. Of course, as they got older, they thought it was dorky, too, but I still liked it.

[yawningotter]

I like the jazz piano. Definitely not your typical kids music. Was that him playing?

[sweetiepiezer]

Thank you for posting.

BTTT!!!!!

[Wheee The People]

I have no problem with Mr Rogers. I have a serious problem with being taxed, against my will, to fund him (and PBS).

[Moonman62]

Could someone please point me to the fundamentalists who denounced Mr Rogers

Why? It said Mr. Rogers said God loves you the way you are. I can easily imagine fundamentalists popping a vein over that.

[MTMS]

“Won’t you please...won’t you please...please won’t you be my neighbor.”

Still have that song stuck in my head after all these years...hehe

[Obie Wan]

I’m from the Captain Kangaroo,Mr Greenjeans era,but always found Fred Rogers to be a positive influence for kids of that generation.Fred Rogers did a lot for America’s youth !!!

[Sergio]

Thanks for a very uplifting post.