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A waste of time and money
Q: The conservative Christian group Focus on the Family is sponsoring a pro-life ad, featuring football star Tim Tebow, during Sunday's Super Bowl. Should CBS show the ad? Should CBS allow other faith-based groups to buy Super Bowl ads promoting their beliefs on social issues? Is a major sporting event, or a TV ad campaign, an appropriate venue for discussing such vital and divisive culture-war issues like abortion?
The whole idea of advertising morals and ethics seems ludicrous to me and more so when millions will be involved in the most unGodlike behavior. The Super Bowl, to me, is the ultimate in "friendly violence" when each team is out to destroy the other, egged on by tens of thousands of souzzled spectators and many millions more around the globe who will be drinking beer and eating themselves sick to enjoy a day of war on the sports field. Will anyone be interested in Christian morals and ethics? I doubt it.
What is more ludicrous is this attempt to commercialize religion. Can religion be taught through advertising? There is no reason to believe that all those who will be watching the Super Bowl are godless or irreligious. They probably do have their own opinions on the issue of abortion etc. So how is this advertising going to sway people if religion itself and the message of the priests failed?
Extremists on either side of the issue have lost their balance. To think that God comes to the Christian Right to guide them in their battles against "heathens" and the "irreligious" is ridiculous.
I had a couple who walked up to my door one Saturday and knocked. When I opened the door the lady thrust a paper into my hands that contained a few questions: The first: Do you believe in God? The second: Do you believe that we can end the war without Divine intervention? and so on. I scanned the paper and gave it back and was about to shut the door when the man spoke up: Well are you going to answer the questions or not?
I said all right, if you are interested. I believe in God but not the way you do. I don't believe that God sits in heaven and judges people. I believe that God exists in every human and animal breast and it is only when we stop looking for God outside and turn our gaze inward that we will find God and understand his message. As for ending the war, I said, God did not start the war so why should God be responsible for ending it? I guess that was enough for them. They quickly retreated.
Now whether or not CBS should accept this advertisement is another matter. How can they deny it if our Constitution ensures the freedom of speech? The right to advertise should be open to all. The question is: Are others as foolish to advertise God and morals at the Super Bowl as the Religious Right? Waste of money. That amount could well be spent to bring relief to some poor Haitians who languish for basic needs.
By
Arun Gandhi
|
February 2, 2010; 2:51 PM ET
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Posted by: quiensabe | February 8, 2010 12:03 PM
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Exactly. Great points. Finally, a voice of reason.
Posted by: rentianxiang | February 4, 2010 6:43 PM
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I'll agree the Bible somewhat sends the message that God sits in heaven and judges people. But it does not send the message that you are wrong and I am right. Whatever your view is, assuming yours' is Hindu, it is a good one. But in this world we're not only talking about getting along here but also making it to the next one unscathed. There's the rub: It's like a game of Here After Roulette...You're lucky if you punch the right ticket. What the Bible does say in spades is if you trust Me (Jesus) then you'll not only have a life in heaven, you'll also be able to get along here on earth because you'll want to. This is all captulated in "The greatest of these is Love the Lord and Love Your Neighbor."