Tim Tebow Superbowl Commercial

Bethany College of Missions stands as a pro-life fellowship of Jesus followers who hold fast in our conviction that abortion is murder. The recent controversy over this superbowl commercial has provided a perfect opportunity for such a post as this.

Surfing the web will show a potluck of cheap shots at the the ad and the Tebows, but among this childish mockery is one objection that holds enough weight to be highlighted.

Some object that abortion has been illegal in the Philippines since the Revised Penal Code was enacted in 1930, therefore Pam Tebow’s story of doctors recommending an abortion is a lie.

Being at a college for missions however, I have the rare and convenient pleasure of being surrounded by leaders who’ve been on the mission field for years, decades even. One of which is Steve Eliason, Dean of Men, who has spent his missions career in the Philippines. After hearing this objection to the Tebow story, I felt inclined to ask Mr. Eliason his personal experience. I explained the objection to the Tebow story, in which he said “Jarred, saying that there is no abortion in the Philippines is like saying that there is no divorce in the Philippines. They’re both illegal, but both of them still happen.”

We talked further about the controversy and he relayed his experience of knowing people in the Philippines who had abortions. These abortions weren’t only administered by back alley criminals, but by educated doctors as well. At the end of their day, their morality became subject to whatever brought them what they thought was most important: money.

“Think about it Jarred,” Ken Krause told me. “Can you think of one law that has been successful in stopping people from doing anything?” I couldn’t think of one. From the Prohibition in the 1920′s to the speed limit, all laws have been broken by man. The laws of the Philippines are no exception.

So this whole idea that Pam Tebow’s testimony is based on a lie is not true.

Before knowing much about the controversy or the commercial, I talked with Ken Krause about the subject of  justice.

“Define justice,” I asked.

“Balanced scales,” He replied. Then he continued “What one person does to someone else, that in turn should be done back to them. That is justice.”

And that is the reason why we, as a fellowship of believers, say no to abortion. We stand on the conviction that abortion is the murder of an unborn child. We stand by the words of Christ in Matthew 7:12, where tells us to do unto others as we would have them do unto us.

If anyone were to object and say that an unborn child is not a baby but is a fetus, I would respond with two questions: “Weren’t you a fetus at one point?” and “Aren’t you thankful that you weren’t aborted?”

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