The Tim Tebow Story

Some believe the story of his mother's courage is divisive and unfit to be told.

January 25, 2010 by: Roger Bain | The Bain Journal 4 Comments

Earlier this week news began spreading of the former Gators quarterback Tim Tebow and his role in a Superbowl ad paid for by well known Christian organization — Focus On the Family. The ad is supposed to highlight the story of Pam Tebow who after becoming ill on the mission field refused doctor’s suggestions to abort her 5th child, Heisman trophy winner Tim Tebow.

The CBS network has already approved the script for the ad which is set to air during this year’s Superbowl and expected to promote a theme of “Celebrating Family and Life.”

Today, SI.com reported that a coalition of women’s groups called on CBS to scrap its plan to broadcast the ad during the Super Bowl featuring college football star Tim Tebow and his mother, which is by nature likely to convey an anti-abortion message.

The New York-based Women’s Media Center was coordinating the protest with backing from the National Organization for Women, the Feminist Majority and other groups.

“An ad that uses sports to divide rather than to unite has no place in the biggest national sports event of the year — an event designed to bring Americans together,” said Jehmu Greene, president of the Women’s Media Center.

There has also been criticism from current sports journalists who oppose the discussion of abortion being brought to the public on Superbowl Sunday. A columnist for CBSSports.com, Gregg Doyel, also objected to the CBS decision to show the ad, specifically because it would air on Super Sunday.

“If you’re a sports fan, and I am, that’s the holiest day of the year,” he wrote. “It’s not a day to discuss abortion. For it, against it, I don’t care what you are. On Super Sunday, I don’t care what I am. Feb. 7 is simply not the day to have that discussion.”

The controversy over the ad was raised Sunday when Tebow met with reporters.

“I know some people won’t agree with it, but I think they can at least respect that I stand up for what I believe,” Tebow said. “I’ve always been very convicted of it (his views on abortion) because that’s the reason I’m here, because my mom was a very courageous woman. So any way that I could help, I would do it.”

I’ve never been a fan of the Gators, which usually put me rooting against Tim Tebow for the last few years. But on this issue, I’ll be the first to stand with Tim Tebow and argue that if given the opportunity he should not have to censor the story of his life for people who don’t like the message it may convey.

Tim Tebow should not have to be silenced simply because telling his story implies that his life was sincerely valuable to his mother.

No one to my knowledge has begun to cry out against godaddy.com’s sexually provocative commercials set to air during the Superbowl, which founder Bob Parsons claims will be the “hottest” ads yet.

When someone does a good deed, should they be forced never to tell the story simply because there may be someone who presented with the same situation acted differently? This isn’t about whether you believe Roe vs. Wade should be overturned or not, this is about whether or not we should be permitted to tell a good story.

If my life is imperfect in an area, is it OK for me to censor all people who have achieved success in that area of life? Am I allowed to close my ears to anyone who hasn’t lived their life just as I have lived mine? No, I don’t believe so.

So given the opportunity to tell his story, with whatever message it may by nature convey, Tim Tebow, tell your story. It is in fact divisive, but so is the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel divides the believers from the un-believers, and the result of our beliefs is not a matter of option, but one of either eternal peace or eternal damnation.

But I’ll stop now, my speech just got highly divisive and unfit to be told in public, and especially not during the Superbowl.

Christianity, Superbowl, Tim Tebow Ad