Tim Tebow's Focus on the Family Super Bowl Ad: The Aftermath

By Kyle Munzenrieder Mon., Feb. 8 2010 at 2:47 PM

Categories: Photo of the Day, Politicks

We weren't expecting Tim and Pam Tebow's Super Bowl ad for Focus on the Family to feature the two marching in front of the Supreme Court with a stroller full of bloodied baby dolls and duct tape over their mouths, but -- wow -- the thing came off more like an eHarmony ad than a spot taking on a controversial issue.

Which has some people asking what all the controversy was about.

Well, the ad directed you to Focus on the Family's website, where you can read lovely things about gays, transgendered individuals, "porn addicts," and women who want to control their own reproductive rights.

Here's what they have to say about discredited gay conversion therapy:

Homosexual behavior violates God's intentional design for gender and sexuality. While we do not believe an individual typically "chooses" his or her same-sex attractions, we do believe those who struggle with unwanted same-sex sexual temptation can choose to steward their impulses in a way that aligns with their faith convictions.

And transgender individuals:

The gender confusion embodied in the pro-transgender revisionist theology is a direct result of living in a fallen world. And as with the temptation of mankind in the Garden of Eden, the spirit of "transgenderism" casts doubt on God's clearly articulated ordination by acknowledging a well-known truth and supplementing it with a blatant lie.

And school choice:

School choice programs are essential for safeguarding parents' constitutional freedoms to direct the upbringing of their children, especially at a time when more and more public schools are choosing to promote homosexuality, advocate sexual promiscuity and present one-sided views of Darwinism.

And stem cell research:

Stem cell research and cloning methods that destroy human embryos violate the sanctity of human life.

We're not saying any of this is shocking coming from a Christian group or even wrong (we'll leave that up to you to decide), but CBS said it was trying to stay away from promoting any decisive political points of view. Maybe the ad didn't explicitly have one, but the product it was selling -- this website -- certainly does.

Tags:

Focus on the Family, Pam Tebow, Super Bowl, Tim Tebow

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"The American family is under attack and this ministry is seeking to provide answers and be a light in the darkness." Focus on the Family is nothing more than a hate group. Their views on Homosexuality and Transsexuality are dangerous and cruel, not a "light in the darkness". Pretty much every credible Psychological/ Medical/ Psychiatric organization has condemned their practice of trying to turn gay people straight as inneffective and psychologically destructive. I would say that it's GLBT people and people's freedom of choice that is under attack, not the Amercian family. Groups like Focus on the Family have fought equal rights and basic equality protections for GLBT people at every turn. Why CBS would choose to run any ad by such an extremist group is beyond me. As a former UF student, I'm very sad that Tim Tebow, who represents the Gator Nation, would allign himself with such a destructive and polarizing orgasnization.
I was very disappointed that Tim and Pam Tebow would choose to represent that religious extremist group "Focus on the Family". While I do feel that abortion should be the last option for an unwanted pregnancy, I think Pam Tebow's opinion on abortion might be very different if her child had been born with severe disabilities and having her marriage end in divorce from the strain that would create. That is the reality of some women who do not heed the advice of their physician.
The article was well done. I have been seeking just this type of blog.I am appreciative for this information.
You have to be very insecure to have problem with this ad. What are you afraid of? It gave people a link to a site that espouse an opinion different than you own. What' s the big deal?
After reading all the controversy regarding this ad, my family anxiously awaited its airing. We were all inspired by the ad and thought the approach was non-offensive and inspiring. It provided a web-site to Focus on the Family for those who wanted to seek further informaion on moral issues. The American family is under attack and this ministry is seeking to provide answers and be a light in the darkness. I would love to see Tim Tebow appear in more commercials promoting the moral convictions that he is a testament to. More offensive to my family were the commercials of individuals running around in their underwear, ripping off their clothes and promoting alcohol.
If the advertisement had been a Planned Parenthood commercial that just didn't mention the fact that they perform abortion but was still tasteful every single one of you who are defending Focus on the Family would be up in arms and singing a very different tune. The ad might have been tasteful, which I am very grateful for as my ten year old brother was watching the game with me, but that does not change what it was advertising or the fact that it was a way of taking a stance on some very controversial issues. When they have an ad for Nike or Propel and they give a website their websites don't have information on how a child with a gay parent could cause your child to drink or how people without a church are all going to end up in hell unless you help. Whether you believe these things true or not is is political and offensive to many people. That is the problem.
I can't believe this article chose to find focus on the family's belief in homosexuality, transgenderism, etc., when they have so many other things to offer those who go to the website. this organization has helped so many families with their problems and has many resources to offer. it just goes to show that if you are not "politcally" correct, then you must not have anything good to offer. hopefully this ad will direct those who are hurting to those who care.
The ad was well done and it is still America- God is the center of Focus on the Family - AND was certainly better than watching the reality of grown ups prancing around in their underwear or women being paraded once again on the sex sells approach to advertising. When you believe in God- you embrace God's beliefs.
hey dumb dl, the issue was that CBS had in the past shot down moveon.org, PETA and a gay dating site. I'm threatened that fools actually pay $100,000 to a quitter governor who writes notes on her palm for a televised Q&A!
I believe many are threatened that conservative America even has a VOICE and freedom of speech. There are plenty of TV ads sporting an obvious "political" message...ads by CAR companies, BEER companies, SNACK companies...everybody wants to be "politically correct" and "green" friendly (isn't that politics?). Newspapers and news channels don't waste time covering THOSE ads or efforts, do they? Why was everyone so up in arms about this ad? Because it is a politically-charged issue? Or because it cuts too close to the bone for many? I thought the ad was well done and highly understated. The free and vicious publicity this ad was given weeks prior to its airing is the true triumph of the ad. Nothing beats free publicity and public curiosity! Only in America.
I was dissapointed in the ad because I wanted it to be more about the fact that doctors told her to abort her baby, and she didn't and look how wonderful her son turned out. He wouldn't have been born if she had listend to the doctors
I think that this ad was well done and presented in a non threatening manner absent the hostility. I think that Focus on the Family did a wonderful job in stating well known and obvious truths biblical or otherwise.
"Maybe the ad didn't explicitly have one, but the product it was selling -- this website-- certainly does." Well, duh... Wasn't that the reason for the controversy in the first place...??? But in the ad itself, there was nothing hostile towards other people's views on abortion or any other topic at all. Doesn't ever ad today have a website associated with it. O know, Focus On the Family has a website, o dear me?!?!?! What is America going to do??!?!?!