Is This Religious Kids Cartoon OFFENSIVE?! 

Thanks to HelloFresh for sponsoring today's video. Go to strms.net/hellofresh_saberspark, use my code POGSABERFREE, and receive one free breakfast item per box while subscription is active! ON THAT NOTE! What do you all think about God's Gang? Is it offensive? Is it wholesome? Lemme know in the comments!

The most offensive thing about this show is they went with "Ninjew" instead of "Jew Jitsu"

"Stealing animals is a tae-kwon-don't". This line just resonates with me for some reason.

This show feels like a college humor parody

"Ninjew" sounds like something straight out of Eric Cartman 💀😭

It's sad that the most unrealistic part of the cartoon is people from the three Abrahamic religions getting along

If this is real I want a edgy batman character named Agnostkick who fights crime and when asked about religon he or she worships says "I worship no one and everyone."

as a buddhist my only complaint is that they didn't take the chance to make a buddhist named "dharmate" (karate), "jiu-butsu", or "buddho" (judo) i want to see a battle monk, avatar the last airbender style

As a Christian, him singing “ammMAAAAAAZINGGG GRAAAACE” genuinely made me laugh

The fact that this ISN'T satire makes it even better.

Feels like something that would have been made in the ‘70’s which would have been remembered awkwardly.

I don't think it's meant to be OFFENSIVE. I think it was a well meaning, yet naive attempt at showing inter-faith solidarity. I think the creator wanted to find what these religions all have in common, as opposed to their differences. But as a result, it overlooks the complexities and fascinating cultural differences that make these religions unique. In it's place, he fell back on general superhero tropes and also some more superficial ways to differentiate the cast.

As a hindu, this show sounds nice, its vey wholesome, hoe the creator tried their hardest to make it a good show for people, the stereotypes they give is not great, but I'll still support the show, i really wanna watch it too, and taekwon-hindu's voice is just so nice, and the puns, THE PUNS, amazing, 10/10.

I really don't think the shows enemies should be science and people who don't believe in the same religion but should just be bad people in general. Like have them fight a monster or bullies like normal kids cartoon villains, not people who aren't even bad people just people who don't believe in it. It truly teaches the opposite of what they're wanting to teach. Edit) I feel like sharing the other ideas in my replies: having them fight extremists and cultist

The idea of showing various religions from the world working together and seeing the good messages that each culture has to tell, is actually a very nice idea. Not gonna lie. I think each religion (and even ancient mythologies) do have some truth to them. Unfortunately, we know the turmoil that religious extremism and differences have caused over the years (I mean, Jesus wanted us to spread love and compassion in his name and several organizations ended up doing the opossite thing)

Credit where credit due, I do really like the art style, and the animation is pretty good for a small production. Also the "no one wants to come to work on Wednesday/ Well its Tuesday" joke got a big chuckle out of me. Ageing it up to appeal more to older kids, maybe have some harder hitting questions whilst still remaining faithful could be a good spin.

I think my only gripe here is the seemingly lack of effort with everyone except Chris Cross's design. the other three just look like fairly generic idea of practitioners of their respective religions while Chris Cross's design gets to draw inspiration from 1970s blaxploitation genre (which is a very cool idea! this isn't me ragging on that concept). I kind wish the other characters had something like that. maybe base each character after a different kind of action star, kung-fu cinema, Spy thrillers, Bollywood, idk literally anything.

Ninjew made me shit myself laughing

Firstly, I think "God Squad" would be a better name, it kinda rhymes that way. If this project picks up steam, I hope that the scientists don't stay villains. I think that if you're going to make a show where the premise is that people of different faiths can get along despite their differences, pointing out a particular group (possibly atheists in this case, idk I'm speaking hypothetically) as the bad guys kinda sours the message. Like, if the show wants to fight hate, it needs to be really careful about its villains to make sure it isn't reinforcing any biases the team might have. Im not saying that the creators are doing this in bad faith; I'm just saying that for the show to actually follow its premise, it needs to be very nuanced and as unbiased as possible.

Oh god, does Ninjew throw throwing Stars of David?!

9:43 "I don't know who this is for. I don't know who would dig this" Ninjew fans, apparently.

You had me at Ninjew 😂

I don't think is misplaced, is just the world that sucks.

Hihi Muslim here! :)) Honestly this show is pretty wholesome and it’s pretty kids-friendly. It’s also shows that even if our religions are different, we still all are human beings who deserve respect

I am going to be honest. I just find it absolutely adorable that it comes from a loving father who wants to be a good example for his children. I know the attempt is ignorant and goofy. But hey. In the end it's wholesome and goofy which is at least a sweet atempt

"Is This Religious Kids Cartoon OFFENSIVE?!" Yes but not intentionally

This would kick ass on adult swim

The creator seems like Butch Hartman from a parallel universe. A good parallel universe

It feels like a PBS show. Not one of the hard hitters, but something nice that kids might look back on fondly. I think it has the bones to be something.

A good idea but the execution seems subpar.. Suggestions: -have different villains from different backgrounds -character redesign -14 minutes -have ninjew ninja stars as Star of David -have characters learn from each other Any other suggestions?

I will never be able to remove the word ‘’NINJEW’’ from my vocabulary.

7:00 "sometimes you need to kick Butt for God's sake" This line alone somehow make me want to watch it.

I think this is an adorable idea but with a terrible execution. 🤣 like I’d love to see a show where you have people of different religions come together and how different faiths solve problems but this seems kinda weird honestly.

Im a muslim, to be honest yeah its kinda weird, but still i get the idea is very wholesome! I would love for kids to learn to be peaceful and kind to eachother❤

The theme song says "one god" but one of them is Hindu...

God’s Gang basically had a cool premise, just bad execution.

From a Christian point of view, I think this show is innocent, and a rather fun attempt into the world of "religious media". I know dang well that there's a lot of media in the Christian world, whether it's shows, cartoons, movies, and songs, that are outright horrible. So I find this new addition to be one of the more entertaining, bearable, and fun ones to become part of this category. I can't speak for any other religion, but I find this to be just a innocent attempt. I think it could be better certainly, in a lot of ways, but yeah. I, also from another Christian view, am very pleased with the Christian character in the group. I like the hip funky Black guy, instead of the rather perceived "persona" of what a Christian would look like, like a white man with short hair in a polo shirt. It's very refreshing to see the character played from a different person, like a gospel hall vibe instead of protestant, which is no shame to protestants of course, just not every Christian is that. I think this show is pretty neat, but I also know I'm a really lax person about this kinda stuff, so I think it's pretty neat, but I don't think most will. Probably think it's too "silly".

Omg as a Jew, hearing Ninjew say "Shema Y'israel" REALLY caught me off guard Edit: Upon watching the clip again, he also said the next part of the prayer: "Adonai elocheinu" though the prayer is meant to be sung and he was pretty off-key Edit 2: OMG NINJEW'S YARMULKE TURNS INTO A TOPHAT I LOVE THAT

I'm ngl, when the creator said he wants the world to accept each others differences, it really touched me! I think the method he used is controversial, but his heart is in the right place.

Useless fact: the words we see in ninjew's goggles at 15:17 is actually a Jewish pray before sleep

I think that if the show went in depth about the cultures, practices, and history behind each character's religion and had some representation from other religions, the show would be really cool! Plus, the fact that the show isn't just about representation of cultures, but depicting and encouraging solidarity between them, is really powerful and is a really important message that the world needs now more than ever. Could a show save the world? Maybe not. But I think we need more shows that focus on "We're different, but our similarities and our cooperation is more important".

It really does say a lot about the world that this comes out and we all say, “So this is a parody, right?”

They created a cartoon with little to no stereotyping, showing that you genuinely wish to deliver this message of kindness to one another, and for that I thank them and wish them success in their endeavors.

If I were a supervillain in this universe I'd attack in the middle of the day on the overlap between the Sabbath and Ramadan so that Ninjew can't do anything and Sumuslim would physically be at his weakest from having not eaten anything all day.

It's sweet and innocent and sincere. It's a breath of fresh air, and I hope it inspires more projects like this.

As a Jewish person I’m disappointed I didn’t think of a name like ninjew before

I feel like this show could have succeeded at what it was trying to do if 1. the characters had actual names and 2. their religions were more than just shallow stereotypes or set dressing. What if the show portrayed how the religions are different in practice? Maybe the Muslim character takes out a prayer mat periodically, maybe the Christian character goes to church on Sundays, maybe the Hindu character offers to a murti, etc. and then the other characters respond with, "oh hey, that's cool." Having characters respond to radically different beliefs and practices would actually be a poignant message. If you're going to go there, then go there!

"Ninjew" is the most funniest and the most strange thing ever imagined.

In the South Park mobile game phone destroyer, in one of the stages Kyle calls himself the master ninjew. So that made this ninjew 10x funnier %D

You know what - I want this to work. The world could use some unironic wholesomeness. My only thought is that a) have the scripts run though some consultants from the faiths, sensitivity readers b) don't make the villians "anti-religious" people and scientists, since there are devoted people in science and it would muddy the message of unity between different beliefs to make the world better. There are enough things that can be villianized - bullying, exploitation, pollution, substance abuse, etc. I'd also aim at the 8-11 demographic, but the writing could be clever so it's not too blunt. It's of course hard to imagine this flying with someone like conservative evangelicals, but if we canceled every show that doesn't fly with them.... Besides there are interfaith families. The key here is sensitivity readers from different backgrounds. I'd also drop the halo and wings on Dogma's design, since they are christian shorthand iconography and maybe give her a glow or radiance instead to imply her nature more neutrally. This is the stuff you need people of different backgrounds to chime in in the production.

First impressions, this looks so corny that I could probably find ironic enjoyment out of it. I'm Christian myself and the concept of people of different faiths coming together to fight evil sounds wild and honestly hilarious. Edit: I watched it for myself and I think I like it too much because I want to see more. It's just plain fun to watch. Nothing too deep, but still a fun time.

There's a kernel of something in this that I think will pop if cooked right, but it's not quite there yet.

As an atheist who likes to study religions, I’m all in on this lol. It’s like my big four fandoms had a crossover

In another video about God’s Gang someone commented this, so I think it has to be said: How about an Atheist/Agnostic reporter who’s always late and misses the magic 😂 If they portrayed that respectfully, I love that idea.

I honestly wish him well, and kudos to him for trying to do something to make things better. However effective it ends up being in the end, it takes a lot of courage to even try and that should be recognized. As far as advice I'd give him, I'd say bringing on some sensitivity readers could go a long way to sanding off some of the more...awkward aspects. The show's always going to be cringey, its too genuine not to be, but keeping it compassionate and earnest can help win people over in the long run.

I'm not going to lie. I might have to make this concept my next Dungeons & Dragons campaign. A party consisting of a cleric, a druid, a paladin, and a warlock.

You HAVE to review Minoriteam! It’s a crazier and more offensive version of this.

This is like a family guy cutaway. “This is weirder than that time they made religious power rangers”

Who else is looking forward to Jainist Jane, Wicca-Wackness and Sandy Sikh joining the cast?

"turning the other cheek" as a counter attack is honestly hilarious lol.

Twitter is the last place to gauge how offensive something is. They get offended by everything.

I will admit, Chris Cross is a creative name.

I really love this! Since my grandparents and I are Christian, and one of my uncles is Jewish (in fact he was born in Israel), It's nice to see a new kid's cartoon that has characters with different religious backgrounds and has messages of friendship and peace. In fact, I would prefer to watch this instead of Helluva Boss or Hazbin Hotel. ☮✝☪🕉✡☮

"Ninjew" is something Cartman would say Kyle is.

Okay, imagine this as a bit more slice-of-life along with the goofy adventures. I can imagine an episode where Jew Jitsu (I refuse to call him anything else) telling his friends about the legend of the Golem, and having them ask questions and compare the story to ones from their own culture. Or there could be a scene where Sumuslim explains the Adhan, the Call to Prayer, and translates a few verses for them. Idk, I just think with a little work it could be really cool

it has that weird charm of old kid cartoons that really want to push a message of love and friendship. If it wants to be a genuine show and teach kids (and adults) then more power to it. Its not perfect, but it seems to mean well

Pretty cool concept, but definitely could use some work, especially on clearly defining the age demographic they're actually aiming for. It could be a good tool to teach religious tolerance and comprehension in a fun way to children just as much as it could be an interfaith satire that would probably belong in adult swim, depending on the direction it is taken from now on. I personally prefer the first option (I think we already have enough religious satire), and honestly I would love to watch and comment something like this with my nieces (they're Muslim, I'm Catholic).

This reminds me of that one anime where Jesus and Buddha have a vacation together

Dogma is actually even funnier as an (I'm assuming unintentional) nod to All Dogs Go to Heaven, as she an angel dog in charge of official business in heaven and All Dogs Go to Heaven was literally the first thing that popped into my head when she showed up on screen

11:30 The first character concept and design Saber genuinely compliments is the anthropomorphic dog... The allegations aren't getting beat any time soon

So the idea of people from differing beliefs getting along is seen as SO UNREALISTIC that an innocent show about an inter-faith group being superheroes is considered “offensive” This just makes me feel sad for this world… Whatever happened to all those virtuous teachings that these religions are supposed to be upholding??

As a concept and design this show seems really sweet and wholesome especially for kids! I was a Veggie Tales kid who also had friends from different faiths, so I know I would've loved something like this back then! Unfortunately the detail that the enemies are scientists/science-based really rubs me the wrong way though...

Now why does Ninjew look like Bessie from The Mighty B

We need more unapologetically sincere shows. Its why I love My Little Pony

0:05 Okay I know that his special move is supposed to be analyzer, but that’s. That is not what I read at first.

Here is a random relatively obscure animated show that Saber could make a video about: Alfred J Kwak, which is an old Dutch animated show from the 90s that has some very interesting things/subject matter in it, that would make it perfect for Saber to check out. Like for example a furry (crow) version of the famous austrian painter as one of the main villains and an entire 4 episode arc about that villain taking over a country....

So do the aliens represent Scientology or...

not the jewish character's attack being a laser 😭😭😭 im sure it was unintentional but that just reminds me of marjorie taylor greene blaming the California wildfires on "secret Jewish space lasers"

The fighting is unironically really fluid and fun to watch.

They chose a fucking cybertruck van for their vehicle

I spent the entire video wanting an explanation on the well armed pigeon and still have no idea what is going on with that.

I feel that for this to work it would need to: -Drop the superhero aspect, ground itself in reality and be a slice of life show that occasionally tackles sensitive subjects from the real world like Arthur or Sesame Street -Have an interfaith creative team behind it, mainly in the writing and character design departments -Have a Headwriter that's either an atheist, an agnostic or grew up in a multifaith household, ideally this would also apply to the showrunner

As a Jew, it’s very funny to me they gave Ninjew the smallest nose out of all of them, likely to avoid stereotypes. But then they still went with reptilians as the villains, which is in and of itself an antisemitic trope. This is a very odd show. I hope there are more episodes made, I am fully on board even if just ironically lmfao

1:03 "Hidden Side: Basketball Star!" they're really pulling the most obscure stereotypes they can find 💀💀💀

I think the "whales produce good smells" thing is referring to ambergris, which is excreted by whales (some say it's whale vomit, some say it's poop 😅🤷‍♂️), and is one of the most expensive ingredients in modern perfumery

As someone who was raised as a Christian but became an atheist later as I got older when my family stopped going to church simply because life became too busy… I really do want to see this show get a chance, 'cause like you said, can't fault the guy for trying, can't fault his intentions for being misplaced, because in the end he had genuine intentions for peace. And considering the messed up world we are in right now with multiple wars going on, I feel like we really need that, especially for the children. I hope it gets a chance, it won't be for me, but as someone who wants more peace, I think this is exactly what we require. And because I was raised by an affectionate family… I'd say I totally love to give all four members of the gang a hug.

I saw that THERE WAS ALREADY FANART?? This show is just bizzare 😭

I unironically like this show, and I’m hoping this project gets the funding it needs to make more episodes.

Honestly, the idea itself is very wholesome. 4 religions getting along and helping the world. All we need is some more development and research.

Aggie Nostic: they're like Catwoman, sometimes they're good, sometimes they're bad. Their special power is looking at things objectively.

Wow looks like a cool cartoon, I might have to look this one up for myself. I also agree with the one person who said God squad might be a better name but this genuinely looks amazing to me. I think more people should give it a chance. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and super cool to see you talking to the director!

fun fact, in the south park phone game "phone destroyer" one of kyle card in the religius category is called "Ninjew Master Kyle"

" I Do Not Know Who This Is For " You Could Say, God Only Knows

I like the sentiment and passion behind it and the intent! Only issue I have is that it’s called gods gang when one of the characters isn’t monotheistic and doesn’t believe in god.

This seems like a fake cartoon, you’d see on tv in gta

I dunno, I think it looks alright. The passion and kindness behind it seems genuine and the idea of "zany superheroes who tap into their religion for super powers" is fun, with any offensiveness being completely accidental. (My only gripe is that Hinduism isn't monotheistic and so feels like the odd one out. But it has a lot of really cool stories and deities, so there's potential there?) Overall it feels like a potentially very nice educational tool about world faiths + spiritualities while promoting friendship and unity, but I do agree that it'd be better aimed at older kids/teens since that'd give it a lot more ground to cover and more complicated topics to discuss.

Having a show that can teach kids people of different beliefs can still relate to each other is awesome. I wouldn't use religion as the connecting tissue, but good effort.

The names of the characters are all stereotypical and gives me the impression that all the main characters personalities revolve entirely around their religion/race which I think is lazy character writing if that's the case but I'm not offended over it. Simply having characters from different backgrounds or races without giving them super obvious names like Ninjew or calling attention to the fact that the characters are different races I think would be enough to get across a message of unity. Shows like The Magic School bus or even shows that aren't educational like Hey Arnold! and Jimmy Neutron have characters from different races getting along together but those shows aren't unnecessarily beating you over the head with their inclusivity or making characters with personalities that revolve around their identity.

I remember constantly getting this as a RU-vid ad

I already love this. You had me at "Stealing animals is a Taekwondon't". There's definetly gonna be some weird r34 tho 😔