Colorado Springs, Colo., Jan 18, 2010 / 17:18 pm
A pro-life ad featuring college football star Tim Tebow and his mother will be aired during the Super Bowl broadcast on CBS. The 30-second ad, sponsored by Focus on the Family, intends to encourage respect for life.
Tebow’s parents served as Christian missionaries in the Philippines. His mother, Pam, had contracted a life-threatening infection while pregnant with him, but she refused medical advice to abort her unborn son.
The Super Bowl ad will tell their story, Focus on the Family says. Its theme will be “Celebrate Family, Celebrate Life.”
In the past, Tebow has said he believes his mother’s story has helped women decide not to abort their children.
The Tebows said they agreed to appear in the commercial because they feel very strongly about the life issue.
Jim Daly, president and CEO of Focus on the Family, said the partnership with the Tebows comes at a moment in the culture when families “need to be inspired.”
"Tim and Pam share our respect for life and our passion for helping families thrive," Daly commented. "They live what we see every day – that the desire for family closeness is written on the hearts of every generation. Focus on the Family is about nurturing that desire and strengthening families by empowering them with the tools they need to live lives rooted in morals and values."
He reported that the funding for the ad comes from a handful of “very generous” donors who specifically contributed funds for the project. No money from Focus on the Family’s general fund was used, the organization adds.
"Now that the ad has been shot, we're excited to tell people it's coming, because the Tebows' story is such an important one for our culture to hear," Daly said. "You won't want to miss it."
Last year CatholicVote.org created a pro-life ad using the image of President Barack Obama on the theme “Life: Imagine the Potential.”
The group had submitted the ad for NBC’s Super Bowl broadcast but it was rejected on the grounds that the network does not show ads involving “political advocacy or issues.” CatholicVote.org denied there was anything objectionable in the ad.
Despite NBC’s refusal to air the ad, titled “Imagine,” hundreds of thousands of people still viewed the 30-second spot on YouTube.