Tebow to appear in Focus on the Family commercial during SB XLIV

What does Tebow do, if not stand on the street corner (or in his case, national TV) and loudly proclaim his faith? Sounds like just the kind of thing Jesus was warning against.

 

I would venture that a good number of us -- or, well, at least me -- see the hype about 'what a good guy he is' and 'he's really a kid you can root for' as barely veiled methods of appealing to white, upper-middle-class types who broadcasting and other types think are turned off by black, inner-city kids.

One generally can't say that sort of thing, of course, but if you don't think it's a big part of the reason that Tebow -- and Hansbrough before him, and Tiger before him -- get the attention they do, then you probably don't know American society as well as you think you do.

 

WWJB (Who would Jesus bait?)

 

I think we need to see the commercial first.

But remember, the warning is about not being a hypocrite. It's about not praying in public so that others see it and assume you are a good person.

Christianity is a proselytizing religion. Proclaiming your faith is not the problem -- being showy and ostentatious is.

 

Reasonable people might see putting Bible verses on your eyeblack as being "showy and ostentatious."

Frankly, it doesn't get much more "showy and ostentatious" than turning yourself into a walking freaking billboard.

 

But if people have a good, underdog story, it will be told and people will root for them.

Michael Oher's story has been embraced by the media and the public.

And the "smaller than everybody else" story is always told as well. When I was a kid, it was Phil McConkey who got glowing press in New York for his story.

If Tebow's mother received recommendations to have an abortion and then the resulting child grows up to lead his team to a college football championship, that's a pretty good story, regardless of how squeamish some are with the abortion angle.

 

And there's no way to prove that story is even true.

A little too tidy.

 

If he were being a hypocrite.

The Scribes and Pharisees were hypocrites. That's why their showy displays were so disdained.

If Tebow is running around like Tiger was, then I would agree with you.

 

Maybe. I don't know enough about the story.

 

Scribes and Pharisees being hypocrites? This board wouldn't know anything about that.

 

That's another good point about this whole deal. Being associated with "Focus on the Family" doesn't really score him any points with anyone. The right-wing fundy Christians are already in his camp.

 

Touche!