The 2010 Super Bowl ads haven’t even aired yet, but one has already sparked a huge controversy. On February 7, 2010, CBS plans to air a commercial featuring former Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow during Super Bowl XLIV. The commercial, which is sponsored by Focus on the Family, is a personal testimony of how Tebow’s mother, Pam, risked her life in order to save her unborn child.

Pam was pregnant with Tim, her fifth child, during a mission trip in the Philippines. She became seriously ill, and the doctors suggested she have an abortion. Pam disregarded the advice of her doctors and later gave birth to a son, who went on to become a celebrated college football player and NFL prospect.

Known for his Christian faith, Tim Tebow has worn Bible references, such as John 3:16, under his eyes during football games and has even publicly spoken about his virginity. It is remarkable to see a young male athlete who will stand up for his beliefs in a time when Christian values are mocked and scrutinized.

Of course, pro-choice advocates are furious about the ad, and CBS has received a lot of flak, especially since it declined to air other advocacy ads in the past. In an ABC News interview, Erin Matson, the Action Vice President of the National Organization for Women, referred to the ad as “hate masquerading as love,” even though she has never seen the ad, which reportedly doesn’t even use the terms abortion or pro-life.

Last I checked, didn’t “pro-choice” mean that a woman was allowed to make her own decision about whether or not to terminate her pregnancy? Tim’s mother made a difficult choice, and she is obviously pleased with her decision. You would think (or hope) that would satisfy pro-choice advocates, but apparently not. Are the critics suggesting that pro-choice doesn’t really respect a woman’s ability to choose unless she selects one particular option? Since when does promoting life and family equal hate?

Keep your eyes peeled for the advertisement during this year’s Super Bowl and let us know what you think. Whether or not the Super Bowl is the appropriate venue to present social issues, it’ll be nice to see a positive commercial promoting something other than beer.

Photo by Craig Oneal from Wikipedia .