By Bud Shaver,
Albuquerque, New Mexico- During the 2024 Super Bowl LVIII an ad that many are calling “blasphemous” was aired, and it has rightfully sparked outrage among conservative Christians.
Here are some examples of the most prominent voices of opposition:
- Christians REVOLT Against Blasphemous $20M ‘Liberal Jesus’ Super Bowl Ad| ‘This is NOT Christianity’
- Super Bowl viewers furiously slam ‘woke propaganda garbage’ Jesus commercial – ‘blasphemy’
- ‘Blasphemy’: ‘He Gets Us’ Jesus Super Bowl Ad Ignites Controversy
The controversial ad features, in particular, a picture of a woman washing the feet of another woman at an abortion facility with pro-life individuals putting down their signs in the background. Other controversial images depict a Priest washing the feet of a LGBTQ+ individual and a police officer washing the feet of an implied criminal (police lights flashing in the background).
The ad ends with the words in all caps, “JESUS DIDN’T TEACH HATE, HE WASHED FEET.”
Interestingly, according to The Sporting News, “Among the donors behind the [He Get’s Us] campaign is the family of billionaire Hobby Lobby co-founder David Green, whose son is a board member at Come Near.”
The apparent Christian backed propaganda messaging implies, in the scene above, that the Pro-Life community shouldn’t protest abortion or peacefully confront abortion minded women at abortion facilities. To do so is not loving it is, “HATE”. They should instead follow Jesus’ example and “wash their feet.”
MYTH/PROPAGANDA VS. REALITY
Publicly being present at abortion facilities does convict abortion minded women, some of whom are already on the fence about their abortion decision. Some women even arrive looking for a “sign” or a way out and thank us for being there. Those who courageously and sacrificially go to abortion facilities to share the gospel and minister to women are the last line of defense on the frontlines of the battle for life in this country.
Abbey Johnson, a former manager at Planned Parenthood, revealed that upper management complained, “Our no-show rate goes up to 75% when people are outside our clinics praying.”
It has also been documented in the articles below that the use of both fetal development and abortion victim images of abortion violence, do change individuals minds and saves babies lives.
- 27% of individuals changed their position about abortion after seeing fetal development/ultra sound images.
- Seeing Is Believing: Why Our Culture Must Face The Victims of Abortion
- The Use of Graphic Images, In Light of the Cross
Abortionists at a National Abortion Federation gathering themselves readily admitted that abortion is, “grotesque, it is killing, and it is violent.” Abortion Free New Mexico firmly believes in and has seen the positive effects of the use of signs and especially those depicting what abortion violence does to babies in the womb. Women deserve to know what happens to their baby when they have an abortion and abortion facilities never show these images to them.
WHAT DOES THE NEW TESTAMENT ACTUALLY SAY?
Biblical (New Testament) examples of feet washing include Jesus/Christians washing fellow Christians feet expressing their humility, service and love to one another; and repentant sinners to Jesus as an act expressing their true sorrow for their sins:
- In Luke, it was the repentant sinner who washed Jesus’ feet expressing her true sorrow over her sin, Luke 7: 37-38 “A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. 38 As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.”
- John 13:2-17 Jesus washes his disciples feet, “Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.”
- John 13:2–17 recounts Jesus’ performance of this action. In verses 13:14–17, Christ instructs His disciples: “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.”
- 1 Timothy 5:10 reflects on the godly example set by fellow Christian widows, “and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the Lord’s people…”
Tara Shaver, spokeswoman for Abortion Free New Mexico issued the following statement,
“Abortion Free New Mexico is not motivated by hate, on the contrary, our love for abortion minded women and their babies compels us to act on behalf of our Christian faith and reach them on the sidewalks outside of abortion facilities before they make the tragic choice to take the life of their precious baby.
We need more Christians to be willing to publicly pray at local abortion facilities because it does in fact, change women’s minds and saves babies lives. There are currently FIVE abortion facilities in Albuquerque alone. While we have an organized daily/weekly presence at two local abortion facilities the others have limited or no coverage at all.If our peaceful, public presence was not effective at abortion facilities, then there would not be the need for abortion sympathizers to spend millions of dollars on a Super Bowl ad to thwart our efforts. If any Christian is offended by our pro-life efforts, then Jesus’ example should lead them to wash the feet of their fellow pro-life Christian brothers and sisters, not the feet of unrepentant sinners.”
Please pray for our selfless volunteers and consider joining us on the sidewalk. Training is provided.
