JESUS DOLL GIFTS REJECTED TOYS FOR TOTS WON'T TAKE BIBLE-QUOTING FIGURES.

Byline: PATRICIA FARRELL AIDEM Staff Writer

VALENCIA -- A local company that makes talking Jesus dolls that quote the Bible donated 4,000 of its dolls to the U.S. Marine Reserves' Toys for Tots, only to have the toys rejected.

A spokesman for One2believe, a division of the Valencia-based Beverly Hills Teddy Bear Co., claimed the Marines, in turning down the 4,000 Barbie-size dolls that the company values at $80,000, violated their own mission ``to help needy children throughout the United States experience the joy of Christmas.'' The company's Messengers of Faith collection also includes the Virgin Mary, Moses, David and Esther dolls.

``I don't understand why they can't accept a toy that promotes good values,'' said Michael La Roe, who runs the One2believe division. ``I just think that it shouldn't be that big of a deal.''

The Marines thought long and hard about the decision, but in the end determined religious items aren't appropriate because the program donates to children of all religions during the holidays and doesn't have the mechanism to match kids to toys, said retired Maj. Bill Grein, vice president of Toys for Tots.

``We have to be everything for everybody,'' Grein said Monday. ``We don't know if the kids we help celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa. For us, it's just a matter of financial need.''

The program distributed toys last year to 7.5 million children. It is running short of its goal this year, Grein said.

``We're not naive,'' he said. ``We know most of these folks are celebrating Christmas, but there's always a chance that giving them a doll citing Scripture could be inappropriate.''

La Roe countered that many other toys can be deemed offensive.

``How can you control any toy that gets into the hands of a child?'' he said. ``What if a child gets a Bratz doll? What if the parent is totally offended? They see it teaches inappropriate ways to dress.''

The company created the Messengers of Faith dolls two years ago as teaching tools, La Roe said. They're available primarily online and at Christian stores, though the company is seeking deals this season with Toys ``R'' Us, Wal-Mart and other other outlets.

La Roe said thousands of dolls have been donated for other holiday toy drives, including Operation Christmas Child, a Christian-based group run by Franklin Graham, son of the Rev. Billy Graham.

``We targeted Toys for Tots because my dad was in the military,'' company Chief Executive Officer David Socha said. He estimated that some 90 percent of Toys for Tots recipients are from Christian backgrounds.

``We've given more than a million dollars worth to various charities. This was just the first round. There are a lot of kids in need.''

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Photo:

Michael La Roe, who runs the One2believe division of the Valencia-based Beverly Hills Teddy Bear Co., holds a talking Jesus doll. The Marines' Toys for Tots Foundation has rejected 4,000 Christian-figure dolls from the company.

David Crane/Staff Photographer