On Sunday, my New Orleans Saints will make their first ever appearance in the Super Bowl, playing against the long-dominant Indianapolis Colts. We plan to gather with friends and watch the game on a television screen larger than my office!
Go Saints!
Of course, you might imagine my disappointment that the stadium in Miami where the game will be played is no longer called “Landshark Stadium”… apparently Jimmy Buffett’s deal didn’t include the post-season!
Sigh.
But this year will be different. Did I mention my Saints are playing in the Super Bowl?
Go Saints!
So you can bet I will be watching the game – watching the Saints defensive line to break through and sack Peyton Manning, watching Drew Brees throw a steady stream of touchdown passes. We might even see a little action from Reggie Bush. I’ll stay to the end, just so I won’t miss the Saints’ game-winning touchdown. And I’ll hang around a little longer afterwards to do a little victory dance as Colts fans file out disappointed.
But the real difference this year will be the commercials. Budweiser used to spend a fortune on new and creative ads. This year they’ve purchased 5 minutes of air time, but don’t look for the Clydsdales; they’re not using them. Danica Patrick will titilate us again for GoDaddy.com (I still don’t know what that company does!), but there won’t be any VS Angels to ogle. Pepsi bailed out of sponsorship too (no Britney commercials this year), leaving the door open for Coke and Dr. Pepper. And since GM has fallen on hard times, Dodge will represent the U.S. auto market, with VW and Subaru butting in.
And then there is the much-ballyhoo’d anti-abortion ad from Focus on the Family. What a downer that will be!
According to “The Legend of Tim Tebow”, Bob and Pam Tebow were serving as missionaries in the Philippines when Pam contracted a life-threatening illness and lapsed into a coma. Pregnant at the time, doctors nonetheless gave her drugs that saved her life but threatened the growing fetus.
As this heart-wrenching story unfolds… when she came out of the coma the doctors attending her recommended to Bob and Pam that she should have an abortion. Pam courageously refused – she doesn’t believe in abortions – and little Tim was born, miraculously healthy and headed to an equally miraculous college football career.
Pam Tebow has told this story over and over again for the past 23 years. Many people have been encouraged by it, have been given hope, have opted for life.
And that’s what Focus on the Family wants you to hear in its Super Bowl commercial on Sunday.
And it’s not a bad message… if it were true.
The sticking point is that abortions were outlawed in the Philippines in 1930. The law is strict and without exception: any woman who has an abortion faces mandatory imprisonment, and anyone assisting a woman to have an abortion will also face mandatory imprisonment. Concerns for the life of the mother are not taken into consideration.
The Roman Catholic Church, which wields considerable influence in the island nation, has made sure this law stands.
Go Saints!
Yes, abortions still happen in the Philippines, to the tune of about 400,000 per year (maybe less now that the U.S. Navy base there has closed). But these are done by unlicensed physicians in dark alleys, or self-induced with home-remedies. Approximately 20% of these end with hospitalization, and another 12% end in death.That’s what happens when abortions are outlawed.
But since the law in the Philippines has for the last 80 years mandated imprisonment for a woman having an abortion or for the doctor who provides such, how is it that this Christian missionary was offered an abortion by her doctors in 1987?
And how is it considered “courageous” that Bob and Pam simply abided by the law of the land?
Sure, one could argue that the missionary couple could have flown back to the U.S. for a legal abortion. But take a moment and try this little experiment: Call your denomination’s Mission Board and tell them you need airfare for a trip from your mission assigment to the U.S. to have an abortion. How do you see that conversation playing out?
It seems Pam Tebow did not simply “choose life”. Her “choice” was to stay out of a Philippines prison.
It’s just fortunate for her that everything worked out.
Not everyone is so lucky.
Go Saints!
