Pacific Jewish Center | Rabbi » role models

Tim Tebow's Pro-Life Superbowl Ad is Heartwarming and Reckless

rabbifink — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 17:03:53 +0000

This post has been crossposted to DovBear.

The most well-known athlete in America might be Tim Tebow.

Tebow is possibly the most celebrated, successful college football player of all time. He was a 2 time national champion with the Florida Gators and a Heisman Trophy winner. His success, as well as his good looks and supernatural physique has made him a household name across the United States. Oh, there is one more thing, Tebow is the son of missionaries who is very religious and (at this point) celibate.

Tebow has used his star power to advocate for Christianity. He spent a couple of summers working with missionaries in the Far East and has always been vocal about his religiousness. Tim Tebow is an athlete who is using his star power to make a difference in the world. We may not agree with his message, but he is certainly a better role model than felon Gilbert Arenas or even LeBron James.

During the upcoming Super Bowl, Tebow will be featured in a $2.6 Million ad for a strong Pro-Life Organization called Focus on the Family. This has set off a firestorm of reactions from groups that oppose Focus in the Famliy, like the National Organization for Women (don’t you love these names?) who do not approve the message of the ad. Additionally, advocate groups like PETA are up in arms because they have been denied Superbowl air time for their causes.

Honestly, the reason CBS approved this ad are probably related to the economy. IF you’re willing to pay $2.6 Million for an ad in the economy – they’ll take your money.

What is interesting to me about all this are the circumstances of Tim Tebow’s birth. In the ad Tim is expected to tell the story of his mother’s pregnancy. Mrs. Tebow became very ill during a mission to the Philippines and was advised to terminate the pregnancy to save her life. She ignored the doctor, Tim was born and Mrs. Tebow survived.

First, Jewish Law does not share the same views as Christian Law on abortion. In a situation where the mother’s life is in danger, many traditional authorities hold that the mother MUST abort the pregnancy. There is an assumption that fundamentalist Christians and Orthodox Jews agree on abortion. That is just not true.

Second, even those that hold that abortion is immoral and should never be allowed, is this a wholesome message? To ignore a doctor’s strong recommendation? Isn’t reckless? Don’t we look at Scientology with disdain when a life is lost because of their refusal to see a doctor? What if Mrs. Tebow lost her life in the pregnancy and Tim dies before birth?

It seems that advocating for the sanctity of life is a fair cause to support, but advocating in a manner that breeds recklessness… That seems irresponsible.

The Eye Of The Tiger (Fans)

rabbifink — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 22:03:43 +0000

Ah yes, another fallen icon.

What do Tiger fans see now? They see the truth. Or a somewhat muddled version of the truth.

Without going into detail, Tiger Woods has certainly confirmed what I have been saying about athletes as role models.

They’re not. Stop pretending that they are.

In one of my most popular posts of all time, gaining attention from local Los Angeles sports media, I make the claim that if you are a parents whose child reveres and looks to an athlete as a role model, you are not doing a good job as a parent.

Thank you Tiger, for proving my point, again.

Read it here.

Obligatory Michael Jackson Post

rabbifink — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:50:57 +0000

For those folks who report on and follow Hollywood gossip and news it sure has been a busy week.

First, Ed McMahon died, then Farrah Fawcett and then Michael Jackson (oh, and Billy Mays too). Of course, the death of Michael Jackson garnered the most attention. Michael Jackson completely revolutionized the entire music industry (Jewish and not Jewish music) and made all kinds of news for his questionable extra-curricular activities.

A friend of mine in the music industry (Jewish and not Jewish music) wrote this on his Facebook page “Goodbye Michael! We will miss you! You taught me so much…” and that got the ball really rolling.

People responded to his status by referring to his notorious trouble with accusations of impropriety with young children. My friend fired back that yes he was flawed but that takes nothing away from his talent. And they went back and forth for a little while.

I am certain that this was not the only such discussion following MJ’s death. We all grapple with the paradox of a deeply flawed and incredibly talented person.

To me, it is really a micro and macrocosm of all of our personal struggles. It is a microcosm because he was just one person and “we” are everyone else, but it is also a macrocosm because while his talent was greater than any of ours, his flaws were deeper as well.

The next level of contemplation regarding MJ is whether his flaws nullify his contributions. Or more precisely, can we still appreciate his talent all the while knowing he was so challenged in other areas? Is he a role model? No. Is he immensely talented? Yes.

Does this sound familiar?

This reminds me of my take on LeBron James and his poor sportsmanship. We need to be sensible enough to differentiate athletic talent, musical talent, or any other talent for that matter and the talented one’s behavior in other arena of life.

I don’t expect or care if an athlete or celebrity “acts out”. They are not famous for their ability to act morally. They are famous for their talents. That is all I care about when I think about that person. MJ’s liabilities in one area do not influence my opinion of his other accomplishments and my appreciation of those accomplishments.

If you are nervous about this because he is a “role model” my response is that you have categorically poor taste in role models. If you are nervous that children look up to him as a role model, my response it that it is the job of the parents to train their children to choose good role models. MJ was not a good role model but then again he should never be looked to as a role model.

And if your child looks to MJ or LeBron or any other famous person who is not famous for their superior ability at making good moral choices you need to parent them and educate them real role models.

A real role model is a person that we can look towards for inspiration and guidance in our daily challenges. Find those people and cherish them. Even if they can’t do the moonwalk…