Most everyone is probably aware of the controversy surrounding the Tim Tebow ad set to air during the Super Bowl. Though no one has seen it, it appears to be a 30-second clip that gives the simple, honest testimony of a mother who rejected doctors’ advice for an abortion, and the son who lived to thank her for it.
And I am literally in shock over the mass opposition. Feminist organizations like NOW have spear-headed the protests. It is a telling sign of our culture’s hatred of life. When a people hates–to the point of censorship–the celebration of life, we have digressed into putrid moral distress. We are gangrene.
An article from the Chicago Sun Times, attempting to be neutral, makes the obvious point regarding the “controversial clause” that advertisers are supposed to consider:
“If other ads can glorify promiscuity and drunkenness, why can’t the puritans have their chance to rebut? Isn’t that part of what makes our First Amendment so great?”
(Note here: only “puritans” appreciate the celebration of life? As I said, it was an “attempt” to be neutral.)
The rest of the ad reveals the sickening, blase attitude toward life that seems to encapsulate American thought, AT BEST:
“The first question is how much of a nuisance will this be to those who don’t want to see it…..Without the preceding histrionics surrounding it, how many people would have just seen it air live and shrug it off as weird? At the end of the day, it’s thirty seconds of life. Thirty seconds for some people to enjoy and thirty seconds for others to turn their nose up at.”
“…shrugged it off as weird?” “30 seconds of life… For others to turn their nose up at”.
God have mercy.
Addendum:
I’ve heard many argue that being “pro-choice” doesn’t make one “against life”; the evidence begs to differ.
46 comments
Maybe…just maybe… it will touch someone’s heart despite all of the sickening negativity. I am going to pray that it will.
This is amazing and disgusting at the same time.
Right on to Tim for using his popularity and money to bring attention to an important cause such as this, and shame on Americans and journalists for seeing it as a bad thing that this woman was blessed by her decision to embrace life instead of taking it away. Who are they to judge this woman’s choice? How hypocritical.
Oh, I get it: you’re a “puritan” if you actually stand for something. But wait, don’t they stand for something so vehemently? Wouldn’t they be considered puritans as well?
The definition of puritan is this:
“You describe someone as a puritan when they live according to strict moral or religious principles, especially when they disapprove of physical pleasures.”
I guess we pro-lifers disapprove of the physical pleasures one gets from feeling its okay to murder babies. Excuse us.
I expect nothing less from this culture. What gets me is that these feminist organizations are attacking the ad and trying to get CBS to change their minds about showing it, using threats and such…WHAT ABOUT GODADDY??? That company puts out a commercial for every Super Bowl for the past few years and we hear nothing about how that company objectifies and uses women and their “assets” to promote their product. I’m not defending the women in the ads by any means (we have a term around here for women using their bodies in exchange of money, and it ain’t “good marketing skills”)but lets be consistent, folks.
OK, color me… something… but I haven’t heard anything about this ad. I don’t even know who Tebow is. Actually at first I thought you were going to talk about that new kind of recordable TV, but I guess that’s TIVO, right? Yeah, you can color me something alright. Let’s just say sports are not my thing. yeah.
Anyhoo… this reminds me of a song/video that Nick Cannon put out a few years ago called “Can I Live?”… I won’t post the link here as some of your readers might not appreciate the specific type of music. It is however, extremely touching, well done, and unequivocal in it’s anti-abortion message. I think of my children’s birthmothers every time I see it.♥
Diane,
LOL…I’m right behind you in “sports cluelessness” except that this guy grabbed my attention as a homeschooling graduate who is profoundly outspoken about his faith in Christ. To the point that it almost irritates some die-hard sports fanatics because it appears he may actually care more about his love for the Lord than football…despite his highly promising career.
This is all over the Catholic blogosphere. The network was actually considering not airing it.
I agree with you 100% Kelly. When we get upset about someone expressing joy in their children-something is VERY wrong in a BIG way with our society.
I have a great fear where this world is going to; some people are elsewhere suggesting that God-loving people should be making reparations through prayer or whatnot, asking the Lord to have mercy on us all. To forgive for the sins of our kind.
If being against a culture of death makes me a “puritan”, I’ll gladly accept that badge and pin it prominently on the front of my lapel 🙂
I seem to recall that the term “Christian” started out as a slam against early believers as well.
Liz said: some people are elsewhere suggesting that God-loving people should be making reparations through prayer or whatnot, asking the Lord to have mercy on us all. To forgive for the sins of our kind.
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I’d be one of those. While I don’t know that it would have a huge impact on the overall direction of society, I believe we have biblical precedent to pray for the return of wayward believers as well as the conversion of wicked rulers. ( Daniel 9:16 and 1 Timothy 2:1-6, among other places).
I think we ought to expect the world to get darker and more ugly. It can be heart breaking, angering, and frightening. But this isn’t all bad because it allows the light of Christ to shine all the more brilliantly through His people so that perhaps others will be drawn to Him.
I made the mistake this morning of flipping on the tv while I was doing a couple of chores – West Wing (which my husband and I laughingly refer to as Left Wing) reruns were on. I could not believe my ears when an exchange on whether or not someone should be excluded from consideration for an important position for having had an abortion was discussed in terms of simple discrimination, since abortion is perfectly legal, just another legal activity. In fact, the comparison used was surfing, something like “are we going to start perseucuting people for surfing?”.
Surfing. Now abortion is no more harmful than surfing. I suppose to some it’s actually less harmful, since it only destroys a human, and doesn’t potentially disturb a sea creature.
It is simply unbelievable to me. I think I’m afraid sometimes to let myself fully grasp how gruesome and obsessed with death these folks have become. One activist actually called the ad violent hate speech. Yes, you’re right, I hate abortion for the violence it is. Lord, have mercy.
The other part of me – the immature part – loves when I know we’re hovering right over the target. I know we’re not supposed to be contentious, but when they start to spew, they’re revealed for what they really are. Lord,have mercy, ON ME!
Cottage Child.
That is really disturbing. But, we need to remember that those who reject Christ’s offer of Life have nothing left but death.
Death is the default condition when there is no Life and the closer we get to “the end”, the more obvious I think that is going to be.
I hadn’t heard of this either so thanks to bringing it to our attention- I’ll be watching to see how this develops. I will say this though, should they decide to air the commercial, it will be a step in the right direction. If memory serves me, a pro life ad showing centering on our president wasn’t aired last year.
I haven’t seen this ad. Calling a person a “puritan” is a way of “dissing” them, because everybody associates that term with the Salem witch trials. I can’t believe their would be an uproar at this, but it shows to what level our society has sunk.
I watch Fox news, so I have heard of this. One morning news guy said (paraphrasing) “So they will watch this after the jiggle, beer and debauchery that they are OK with” speaking of the “women’s” groups who are against the Tebow ad. It is amazing that THIS ad is what bugs them.
Heather – “I’d be one of those… to pray for the return of wayward believers as well as the conversion of wicked rulers. ( Daniel 9:16 and 1 Timothy 2:1-6, among other places).
I think we ought to expect the world to get darker and more ugly.”
God – “Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?” Matt 7:9
We should expect to have our prayers answered. We should also expect our rightful, promised inheritance (regarding the end of the world). I do, and daily pray for and claim it for myself and my children – not some name-it-claim it theology, God already explicitly promised it – Psalm 2:8, Psalm 82:8, Psalm 110:1&2, Isaiah 14:2, Matt 5:5
I know for a fact that God will not turn over this world to darkness- (psalm 110:1& 2, Isaiah 14:5 – see esp v. 21, which is esp relevant to the wicked in our nation in light of v. 20. He will turn Earth over to His Son to His children.
Keep praying, but with a heart that expects to see your prayers answered, far more gloriously than you could imagine. Be the pain-in-the-butt widow who DOES get her way!
Hi Lori,
I fully expect that God hears and will answer my prayers. Anytime we pray according to His will, He has promised to act.
When I say that we ought to expect the world to get worse, I do mean the “world”….as in the unsaved and happy to be that way who are on a fast track to self-destruction.
While my own soul is yet unsettled about certain eschatological details, I assure you I’m not cowering in a corner, looking for “the antichrist” to make his grand appearance or hoping to get whisked away before he does.
I’m praying for God’s will to be done and that He will continue to teach me how to be a willing participant in His plan. This does include confession of sin (personal and corporate), begging Him to put an end to the horrible things that are going on, living obediently to that which He has shown me and also hoping that all may come to repentance before it’s too late.
Regardless of what it looks like from this side, I know who already won, so I’m putting my trust in Him 😉
Thanks for posting this. I am so out of the loop on the ‘news’ out there. I didn’t even know who Tim Tebow was. CBS is not going to pull the ad (so far). I think the “controversy” will make more people look at the ad and pay attention. I love how the Lord works all things out. These people who hate life and God and righteousness are so predictable.
Psalm 37:12-15 “The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth. The Lord shall laugh at him; for he seeth that his day is coming. The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of UPRIGHT CONVERSATION. Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.”
I think it is so important for us to pray for these Christians who are under scrutiny and in a position of fame – that they would walk after the Spirit and stand firm in their faith. The Lord is in control.
thank you Mrs. Santos! In fact, in light of your passage (Psalm 37), I’d say that
Cottage Child, you’re correct to delight in the life-haters discomfort – since their pet comfort is evil. Mourn for the lost children, laugh in delight of God’s impending victory.
Thanks again.
Heather, thanks for clarifying “the world.”
I totally agreed on your comments regarding prayer and confession.
Appreciate your thought. 🙂
it does shock me that with all the debasement of women that goes on in superbowl ads, that one that actually GLORIFIES a woman who followed her natural instinct, and did the thing her body is meant to do, is what angers so many women’s groups. a good many of the women i work with are talking about how misogynistic this ad is… WHAT?!?!?!? gee, how rude of this pro football player to THANK HIS MOTHER for GIVING HIM LIFE … at the risk of hers nonetheless!!! well i hope it aires… my only problem… it’ll be tough to tear up in front of the guys watchin the game, cause i’m a cryer when it comes to stuff like this….
it does shock me that with all the debasement of women that goes on in superbowl ads, that one that actually GLORIFIES a woman who followed her natural instinct, and did the thing her body is meant to do, is what angers so many women’s groups. a good many of the women i work with are talking about how misogynistic this ad is… WHAT?!?!?!? gee, how rude of this pro football player to THANK HIS MOTHER for GIVING HIM LIFE … at the risk of hers nonetheless!!! well i hope it aires… my only problem… it’ll be tough to tear up in front of the guys watchin the game, cause i’m a cryer when it comes to stuff like this….
Since I don’t watch the news much, and sports tend to bore me to tears, I appreciated the fact that you shared this information with us.
As other readers have shared, I am rather shocked that so much controversy and “hatred” would be directed towards a commercial where a woman chose to keep her baby instead of having an abortion. With all the foolish commercials that abound on television these days (during Super Bowl time and non-Super Bowl time alike), having people watch a 30 second commercial regarding something important as saving a life (e.g., a woman who wishes not to abort her own child) I think would be positive, up-lifting, and meaningful. It’s a shame that others think of it as “threatening,” “weird,” or “a puritan thing.”
“In the last days, it is going to be very difficult to be a Christian. For people will love only themselves and their money; they will be proud and boastful, sneering at God, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful to them, and thoroughly bad. They will be hardheaded and never give in to others; they will be constant liars and troublemakers and will think nothing of immorality. They will be rough and cruel, and sneer at those who try to be good. They will betray their friends; they will be hotheaded, puffed up with pride, and prefer good times to worshiping God. They will go to church, yes, but they won’t really believe anything they hear. Don’t be taken in by people like that.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5, TLB Version)
Lady Sophia,
A timely verse and good reminder that the Lord is not caught off-guard when debaseness is called “normal”.
oops sorry for my double post up there!
ok i am posting again here. Kelly, I just read the whole article you mentioned in the post. I am so enraged, it was even worse than the parts that you commented on.
The audacity! “They” think we are quaint, ignorant….
The Joy Behar quote made me so mad too! Why don’t we all quit reproducing altogether?
Have any of you seen the movie “Children of Men” with Clive Owen? People can no longer reproduce and basically the world went to heck.
Anyhow all this controversy reminded me of that movie.
Liz,
I thought the Behar quote took the cake on the most insane argument against the controversy…it really gives us a glimpse into the slippery slope of sin and wickedness and should make us ALL shudder at the potential implications such thinking could have in our near futures.
There is no end to a slope like that.
I keep coming across stuff like:
Hosea 13:16 Samaria shall become a waste, for she has rebelled against her God. They shall fall by the sword. Their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their pregnant women shall be ripped up.
and
Matthew 24:19 And woe to those who are with child, and to those who give suck in those days!
And have been pondering whether the abortion holocaust is somehow foreshadowed in Scripture.
Don’t want to read too much into it. But I can’t help but wonder.
Heather,
I’ve thought along the same lines at times…and certainly this is not the first time that a people has sacrificed its children to idols…though ours may not be made of stone.
Here is his dad’s ministry site:
http://www.btea.org/aboutus.asp
If you live in North Florida, like I do, you can’t help but know who Tim Tebow is – even if you don’t follow football 😀
We are blessed to have a young man cherish his mother so as to lift up her decision to give him life!
We are blessed to have a mother in our presence, one whom we can call “sister”, that so loved the Lord that she answered His call on her heart.
We are so blessed of the Lord to have this wonderful example of how you never know the results of your choices in life. What if the world had never known Tim Tebow?
The world is a better place because of the choice one woman made 20-some years ago and for the years he still has to go being used of the Lord!
1. This ad doesn’t sound like it makes much sense. Everyone knows that Focus on the Family wants to outlaw abortion, yet the ad presents a situation that shows how important it is that a woman have the right to choose. How awful it would have been if Pam Tebow’s doctors could have forced her to have an abortion. And what if Pam Tebow had not been willing to risk her life in order to give birth? Imagine how terrible it would be if the government forced her to risk her life against her will!
Pam Tebow can only be “glorified” in a context of choice. Taking away her choice or yours or mine would rob the dignity from “choosing life.” Because we wouldn’t be choosing to give birth anymore; we would simply be enduring it like an animal.
2. NOW is protesting this ad because it violates the supposed neutrality policy of CBS. CBS previously rejected an ad submitted by the United Church of Christ promoting its accepting of people in gay relationships. In doing so, CBS claimed that it does not permit advocacy of politically contentious issues. But now it is accepting an abortion-related ad by an organization well-known for its opposition to a woman’s right to choose abortion.
3. NOW has absolutely taken advertizers and networks to task for other degrading and/or overly sexualized portrayals of women in TV commercials. Sarah Palin herself (who supports the Tebow ad) praised NOW’s track record for “calling out” advertizers who use women’s sexuality to sell products.
4. The First Amendment has nothing to do with this. CBS and Focus on the Family has a First Amendment right to run the ad. NOW has a First Amendment right to protest, boycott and demand that the ad be taken down. NOW has as much a right to free speech as CBS. (The First Amendment is only violated when the government prohibits speech.)
Elizabeth,
I felt sick and almost cried when I read your comment. What I’m about to say is not directed at you personally, but is in response to the widely-held, pro-choice beliefs you have represented.
Convincing one’s self that a baby in the womb is not a person has warped every ability to reason in this debate.
Equating the choice to give birth with the choice to abort is not parallel. Because giving a woman a “choice” to give birth, by implication, gives her the choice to kill someone. There’s no other way to slice it, even if you don’t believe a fetus is a person.
The very terminology “forcing a woman to give birth”, which was implied by “forcing her to risk her life”, is so warped it hardly begs a reply. Or the same for “choosing to give birth”.
No, “choosing” to give birth is not a choice, and shouldn’t be. It’s a natural process of bringing about life. (It is so rare that aborting a baby may save a mother’s life that it shouldn’t even be part of the debate. Not only is it rare, but it’s never certain, and doctors have been proven wrong over and over.) On a side note, once the choice to control life before it exists became an option, it seemed logical to be able to control it after it existed, which is why I’m opposed to most birth control.
If we take that theory to its logical conclusions, this world is a scary place for every living person.
And my heart is broken for you and those who cannot understand the incredible value of life (equating it to animal instincts) because you do not understand that you were crafted by a Creator, who knew you before you were ever born. I realize it is that alienation that causes blindness and it may help you to realize why nothing could convince me that a woman should be given the choice to kill her baby.
Telbow doesn’t pay my bills. He isn’t going to be the one paying for childcare or diapers or clothes. He won’t be living my life for me. So why would I care that he doesn’t want me to have an abortion?
I had an abortion about year ago, and I’m not sorry.
Ashley,
I don’t think the issue over the ad is “whether Tebow doesn’t want you to have an abortion”.
I care that you had an abortion…because I care about women in a way that NOW or Planned Parenthood can’t touch. The love of Christ compels me to care about you and about the baby you would have had. I think you’ve been lied to…I think you would care if you understood how much God values your life, and how much He valued your baby’s life.
What the pro-life movement has done when a woman can kill her child and say “I’m not sorry”, is more heart-breaking and enraging than anything I can think of.
Ashley, if you feel mature enough to have sex, then you should be mature enough to deal with the outcome. An abortion is all about you-it doesn’t even take the child’s life into consideration. There a millions of couples who would have given anything to have your unwanted child. Not only did you deny your child life, you denied a gift to others.You killed an amazing blessing. You may not be sorry now, but trust me-you will be!
I did deal with my pregancy Marcee. Sure I should have used protection. But you can’t make a choice based on what you should have done, you make a choice based on what you did do.
So I say let the ad run. Tebow and whoever else can think whatever they want, but itsn’t going to effect me since I’m the one lives my life and pays my bills. If he wants to pay some rent and pick up the power bill, then we can talk about how much his opinion matters to me.
“I don’t think the issue over the ad is “whether Tebow doesn’t want you to have an abortion”.”
And my point is, why would anyone care what they think?
I’ve probably only posted here twice, even though I’m a frequent lurker, but I just have to say this:
Ashley,
I’m truly sorry for you. Selfish attitudes like yours used to anger me, but the love of Christ has helped me see that it does no good. I will pray that he will come into your life and draw you to Himself. He truly is the source of all love and life.
This is coming from a former semi-feminist and pro-choice unregenerate sinner, now a humbled and grateful child of God.
Very helpful article about why the femenists hate the prolife movement (found via Mrs. Parunak), and commecials like this.
http://insidecatholic.com/Joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7560&Itemid=48
I mean the article was found via Mrs. P, of course.
Yes I’m very selfish, trying to support my child, working 6 days and 40+ a week on my feet the entire time. I’m real selfish living here in my 1 bedroom apartment and grocery shopping at the Dollar Tree. It’s all abot me here, I’m living the high life.
Ashley,
Our circumstances NEVER justify taking a life. It doesn’t matter what your living conditions are…once a child comes into existence, the decision to “relieve” YOUR stress must take that life into account…that involves self-sacrifice. It may involve a pregnancy that ushers a new life into someone else’s home through adoption, or whatever else is necessary, but killing a person because your income is low or because your circumstances are hard should not be an option. (I say this only to emphasize why we are pro-life.) Every human enters difficult–sometimes unbelievably hard circumstances.
If my husband were to become paralyzed tomorrow, the hardship would be extreme, to say the least. I would not consider killing him to avoid that difficulty. Abortion uses the same logic.
I realize reversing what happened in your life is not an option; my prayer is simply that you would come to feel sorry about it and even help encourage other young women in similar circumstances. God can mend, heal and restore.
Ashley,
Several years ago I would have reacted as you have to my comment. After all, who am I to tell you you’re selfish? Well, frankly, when one has sex and creates a human life, married or not, you are responsible for that life, and if you abort, you have taken a human life, no matter your circumstances. If sex is forced on you, it is still the taking of a life, period.
Perhaps I sound callous or unfeeling, but I didn’t understand before what love really means, it’s not all about being “nice”. It’s putting others and their needs ahead of your own, no matter the sacrifice. That is God’s definition of love, not the human distortion of it. It’s about telling the truth at the risk of offending them. So, I must offend you.
As a side note, I usually can’t afford groceries at the DT. I buy a good many of them at a discount/salvage to feed my children and am profoundly grateful to the Lord that I can feed them, as we trust in His provision for us.
Still praying for you and your childs needs.
Ashley, I pray that one day you will feel regret so that you may reach others. I can’t wrap my mind around destroying an unborn child. There is no reason for it, none! There are state programs that will pay for care of the expecting mother (and child) including medical care and food.
{{{Ashley}}} I can understand why you feel defensive.
I don’t think anybody meant to imply that you were living the high life. The problem is that even the greatest of inconvenience does not weigh more than the smallest of human lives in God’s moral balance. To choose convenience over life is inherently selfish. Selfishness takes many forms. It is not always “living it up”. It is not always obvious to outsiders. And all of us who have posted here are guilty of making selfish choices of some kind at some point in our lives.
There are many services, secular, governmental, and religious that are out there specifically to assist women in your current difficult position. There are also many places open to help you work through the after effects of the abortion, whether they hit you tomorrow or 10 years from now. Remember that. And remember too that God loves you and has made healing and forgiveness available to you. It’s there for the asking.
Abortion is nothing more than sanitized, de-spiritualized Moloch worship. Or, you can take your pick of ancient bloodthirsty demon-gods to whom human sacrifice was required. In an odd way, those “superstitious” idol-worshipers actually understood that evil is very real, very personal, and very frightening. And, they worshiped it in hopes that they would not be destroyed by it.
Atheistic humanism has helped to desensitize people to spiritual reality.
But this realm definitely didn’t just “go away” because many choose to ignore it.
The rebellious counter-kingdom that Satan and Adam founded in the Garden is still around today.
And, the ultimate price for remaining a citizen of Satan’s kingdom is one’s very soul. But until the final reckoning, he accepts human blood as a form of tribute. The establishment of sin in our world has resulted in wars, murders, abortions, aging and “natural” death. The cost of playing god is extremely high.
Jesus Christ lived a completely sinless life, died a criminal’s, and experienced God’s judgment on our behalf. He offered His own perfectly innocent blood as sufficient payment to fully redeem anyone who is willing to renounce their citizenship in His enemy’s counterfeit kingdom. In this, we can be reconciled to our Maker as a cherished family member.
Not only that, but He generously allows us to “wear” His own righteousness so that when God looks at us, He sees something beautiful instead of just a blank page. Through Christ, we are not only cleared of guilt and declared innocent before the Judge of all hearts, but the good deeds He inspires us to do can be credited to our accounts.
He offers us an eternity of joy, peace and love with Him. Why would anyone want to turn away from that?
Thank you, Margaret. You are much more eloquent than I am.
I agree with many here about not supporting the idea that children can be discarded. But I also monthly support Woman’s Resource Center (Crisis Pregnancy) to ensure that women are given free ultrasounds to see their babies as well as free diapers, clothes and maternity clothes. I would encourage all who support life to ask the Lord to show them which organization to support, whether through prayer, or sacrifice of finances. If we love life, we will support it. Just a thought.
If you could be interested do shoot me an e-mail. I count on hearing from you! Superb blog however!