Tim Tebow is a Christian. We know that, or at least he told us that, every football game last season. He put Bible verses in the black under his eyes. Nothing wrong with that, even if it is a bit over the top. It is a free county. He is free to proselytize as much as he wants, I suppose. I doubt that many football fans took the time to look up the Bible verses, but he may have affected a few.
Now Tebow has chosen to cooperate with Focus on the Family, one of the notorious political/religious organizations, in an anti-abortion ad to be run during the super bowl. In the ad Tebow's mother is supposedly characterized as having chosen to risk her life to have him, when doctors recommended that she have an abortion to avoid endangering her life. Nothing wrong with that...or is there? Apparently, Ms Tebow was a missionary in the Philippines at the time of her problem. The issue? Abortion has been illegal in that country since the 1930's. The law makes no exceptions for the health of the mother. Any doctor performing an abortion there is subject to a prison term, so it is very doubtful that a doctor in that country would have recommended an abortion.
If Ms Tebow and Focus on the Family are lying, it would not be surprising. Focus on the Family has never been above twisting the facts to advance its political agenda. Ms Tebow and her son are simply being used by this less than stellar organization, either willingly or through duplicity in order to fuel the abortion controversy. My guess is that the Tebows are doing this willingly and did not realize that, once the controversial ad was publicized, there would be someone smart enough to smell a rat. It is a learning experience for the young man, one of many he will learn as he enters the world of professional sports.
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8 comments:
Actually, the law in that country does indeed make the exception for the case of the mother's life in danger. Allred, Salon, Slate, Huffo Post, etc., are all lying there.
http://www.asap-asia.org/country-profile-philippines.html
although the Penal Code does not list specific exceptions to the general prohibition on abortion, under the general criminal law principles of necessity as set forth in article 11(4) of the Code, an ABORTION MAY BE LEGALLY performed to save the pregnant woman’s life.2 A decision of the Supreme Court also impliedly recognized abortion to save the mother’s life.3 The United Nations recognizes that abortion in the Philippines is permitted only in instances in which the pregnant woman's life is endangered.4
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Read your link a bit more carefully, my friend. I think you may change your mind.
From your link, anonymous:
Although abortion is legally permitted in the Philippines only to save a woman’s life, it is probably not accessible even for this reason. The law prohibits importing anything intended to be used for inducing abortion - including “any printed matter which advertises or describes or gives directly or indirectly information where, how or by whom unlawful abortion is produced.” Furthermore, abortion techniques and the social and personal implications of abortion often are not addressed in medical training. (Unintended Pregnancy and Induced Abortion in the Philippines. Guttmacher Institute)
Good article Ed. Thanks for taking the time to read and reread the pertinent facts. I am a Christian too, and have been dismayed at how our religion has been misused in the last few years. I am reminded of something I once heard, "God wants spiritual fruit, not religious nuts." I'll probably get flamed for that also. Oh well. We really are all on the same side, just different ways of thinking and looking at things.
NH Thomas, LOL that quote--wonderful and true. GMM, all I can say is O M G ---- too funny.
GMM, do you profess to be a Christian or just a Democrat?
????, Anonymous. :-)
Baptist raised Michelle Cottle who grew up just outside Chattanooga has about the best perspective on this I've seen to date in the New Republic, tnr.com
And Sarah Posner in religiondispacthes.org; both easy to google
Posner does a good job with the Tebow effect and what his appearance at President Obama's Prayer breakfast means
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