Monday, February 8, 2010

Much ado about nothing - The Tebow ad

Fairly predictable lefty outrage was made by feminists groups such as NOW and pro-choice groups over the Tim Tebow Super Bowl commercial ad sponsored by Focus on the Family.

A 30-second Super Bowl ad, which pro-abortion and feminist groups had feared would offer a strong pro-life, anti-abortion message, instead did what the its sponsor said it would: celebrate family and life. The ad, in keeping with the comic tone of the majority of the advertisements running during the game, featured Pam Tebow, the mother of college football standout Tim Tebow, reminiscing about the struggles she faced in seeing her future Heisman Trophy-winning son come into the world.

The ad finishes with the invitation for viewers to visit the Focus on the Family website to hear more about Pam’s story.

While Focus on the Family reportedly paid an estimated $2.5 million for the 30-second spot, the publicity the group received because of attacks from its critics was priceless. Nearly every day, feminist and pro-abortion groups introduced a new tactic in an effort to smear Focus on the Family and pressure CBS officials to change their minds on running the ad.

Amazingly, without having even previewed the ad, leaders of the Women’s Media Center urged women to sign a petition to CBS, arguing that the ad was “surrealistic” in its pro-life message. Wrongly assuming that Focus on the Family would give the abortion issue center stage, the National Organization for Women demanded that CBS pull the plug on the spot, saying that the abortion issue “has no place in the Super Bowl.”

Each year, the Super Bowl broadcast is almost as anticipated for its ads as for the game itself. Many of them tastelessly use sex and the objectification of the female body to attract attention. You'd think "women's groups" might have something to say about that. But they reserve their censorship calls for what they really care about. Again, I think the truth about what these groups are really about, were exposed.

Although they claim to be more "tolerant" than those who might not agree with them, their view is not so much "pro-choice," but "no life."

Pam Tebow decided not to have an abortion, after a doctor urged her to, when in 1987 she was pregnant and had been diagnosed with dysentery. She called Tim her miracle baby, and said that she still worries about his health. No matter what your views are on abortion, Pam Tebow had a story to share; she was advised to have an abortion, didn’t, and her son has gone on to college football record fame. The commercial was not an attempt to force someone’s views upon another, but rather the testimony of one football hero’s journey into the world.

Congratulations to CBS and the Super Bowl for the brief time-out from the game to celebrate Tebows' focus on their family.

Robert Prater

2 comments:

guy said...

The criticism is ridiculous. That was one of the most non-confrontational ads i've ever seen about any issue at all. i'm more surprised that conservatives weren't enraged that it was watered down. i don't think it was watery--it was just fine. But the point is, not everyone's goal is a consistent ethic; obviously for many the goal is political-victory.

--guy

PreacherPrater said...

Guy,

Thanks for stopping by and commenting. I too agree it seems everybody's got an agenda and trying to score "political points." Clearly in the end, Focus on the Family's intent of the ad was to drive people to their website, which is fine. So their tatic was more of offer "the carrot" in the ad and then on the website give them of the "stick" harder message. Pretty good strategy.

My concern in all of this is the awful political correctness that is consuming our culture. The day may be coming sooner than we think when speaking the truth of God's word even in love will be a crime in some people's eyes. Although maybe a little persecution is what we need. It might just "weed" out the real Christians and stop the crazy apathy and indifference so many have! Persecution has always been used by God to spread His kingdom!

Robert