Tim Tebow vs. Planned Parenthood

Superbowl advertising's biggest controversy is usually who has the funniest commercial. Surprisingly, this year's Superbowl advertising will not be all fun and games, but instead is a venue for one of culture's greatest divides: pro-life vs. pro-choice. The participants in this heavy-weight bout are the Heisman and national championship icon Tim Tebow with his mother and pro-choice advocate Planned Parenthood.

Tim is the son of missionary parents that served in the Philippines. When Tim's mother, Pam, was pregnant with Tim she had complications, and so a doctor recommended Pam have an abortion for her own safety. Obviously, she disregarded this advice and gave birth to Tim, who has since become of of college football's most celebrated athletes and a very outspoken voice in the Christian community.

So, now enter the Christian advocacy group Focus on the Family who invited Pam and Tim to do the ad, which will emphasize the theme "Celebrate Life, Celebrate Family." CBS, host of the Superbowl, is airing the ad despite policies against showing controversial advocacy ads. Their take seems to be that this is just a positive story about a high profile family and is not intended to condemn abortion or its advocates.

Not surprisingly, Planned Parenthood finds such a position disingenuous on the part of CBS and Focus on the Family. But unable to muster enough public pressure to get CBS to pull the ad, they responded by creating their own ad on You Tube. So, the battle is underway.

I imagine that more controversy would have been caused by pulling the ad than letting it air, since they had already agreed to do so. Tebow is unbelievably popular and if he's got a story to tell, then he will get to tell that story. I, for one, am glad he gets to tell it, along with his mom. Tim Tebow was not just a disposable fetus in his mother's womb, and as living breathing proof of that fact, pro-choice groups feel threatened by him and his mother speaking out for life.

I've seen the Planned Parenthood ad and is respectfully and tastefully done. Yet, this controversy demonstrates this debate is far from over. There has been evidence that a lot of Americans are ready to move past this debate both in the political and religious arena. I am not sure myself that the battle for life has always been fought wisely and effectively. However, there are so many lies that are circulated by the pro-choice community (many of which I am sure they sincerely believe) that I believe there must always be a counter-voice, a voice that will speak up for the most helpless of all humans--the unborn.

Many that have pro-life leanings but are ready to move past the debate do not understand fully what is at stake. I may not be a Catholic, but I always appreciate a good writer. Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, wrote a great book called Christianity and the Crisis of Cultures. It isn't all about abortion, but it contains the best pro-life argument I have ever read. In it he says, "First, there are no 'small murders.' The respect of every human life is an essential condition if a societal life worthy of the name is to be possible. Secondly, when a man's consciousness loses respect for life as something sacred, he inevitably ends by losing his own identity" (60).

What is at stake in a culture that treats unborn life as disposable tissue is the very destruction of the meaning of human life, not just for the unborn, but for the born. Life itself has lost its very sacredness and society becomes a veritable hell on earth where every decision is made in the name of individual convenience and thus ushers in the death of compassion and civility. I am glad for the Tim Tebows of our nation that very well may help us hold back that awful reality foreseen by Ratzinger.