Which will teach children better morals and ethics... contemporary cartoons/anime vs the children's picture bible?

This recent Bronies question got me thinking… since the men who patronize it claim MLP to have good lessons not only for children, but for adults too.

I was brought up Christian Protestant and was forced to attend church services at least three times a week. I was also prohibited from the Boy Scouts, and instead became a Royal Ranger (our church version of BS). Our family basically lived at the local church, and found good community there. So I got all the upbringing anyone could want from the Christian perspective.

I have vivid memories of the Children’s Picture Bible. Smiling angels. Smiling Jonah coming out of the smiling whale. Smiling Jesus looking towards the smiling God surrounded by smiling clouds. Frowning Pharaoh’s, frowning Romans, and of course, the frowning Jews throwing rocks at frowning prostitutes. Clear lines were drawn as to who was good, who was bad, what was right, and what was wrong. The devil portrayed the idea of deception. So he was often smiling, but was not to be trusted.

I was thirteen when my parents divorced. All the church activities ceased, and I got my first Conan the Barbarian comic. I was probably more interested in the scantily clad babes than the actual stories. But the same basic caricatures were present with all the good, the bad, and even the deceptive bad guys, who I must admit, weren’t nearly as obvious as the devil was.

Now, at 50 years old, I’m enamoured with the Naruto Shippuden manga. The depth of characters are far greater than any bible figure. And though I hate to admit it, I believe the lessons meet, and often exceed the lessons learned in both the children’s, and the adult bible. Perseverance, patience, kindness, sacrifice, dedication, trust, faith, love, hope, forgiveness, evil, and not so obvious deceptions are all found within this manga. It even addresses how to resist and overcome inner demons. I’m sure others teach these lessons too.

As well, Naruto Shippuden also addresses belief in a higher power than one’s self. It addresses the strength of community, temptation, an afterlife, and even resurrection… just like the holy bible does. But unlike the bible stories, Naruto Shippuden details not only good and bad, but actually how people become good or bad. Extreme efforts are taken to illustrate nearly every “bad” persons history, often from childhood. So I’m actually more empathetic when the “bad guys” do bad things. It’s easier for me to associate with them far more than any bad bible dude, who is most often dismissed as going to burn in hell.

It’s not that simple, as the bible stories tell. The lines aren’t so black and white. There are reasons why people do things which go far beyond the typical lessons of greed and power. Naruto also addresses subjects that the bible NEVER touches on, such as depression and addiction. Once again, Naruto goes to great depths to illustrate how these conditions arise.

My grandmother once told me that any issue in life can be found solved in the stories of the bible. I believed her back then, thirty five years ago. But I’m not sure I believe it any longer. I wish she could have seen Naruto.

So what do you think? Is there a show, or a book, as childish as it may seem, which to you, meets or exceeds the morality issues found within the bible? Please don’t make a universal claim if you haven’t read the bible. I have, and still study many different versions of it to this day. I’m not bagging on the bible here. It is a fantastic book of lessons for life. So is the Bhagavad Gita. But the point here is, that I don’t believe it is the only source. Morality and ethics may be well served by other sources not so religious in origin.