Amusement - Freedom from Thought

The hotly disputed Super Bowl ad purchased by Focus on the Family and starring Tim Tebow, has drawn out fierce commentary in the press. The opinions of writers (of multiple political and religious convictions) have spoken against this feature during the most-watched event on TV. Many object to the mixing of entertainment and religion as they put it. Mr. Rutten for the Los Angles Times said,

"There ought to be places in our lives that are free from profound confrontation...There are moments when we open ourselves to moral persuasion, and moments when we're entitled to simple recreation. It's the sort of distinction on which civility relies."

Putting aside my convictions about the moral obligations of any one to stand against social injustices as great as slavery, I have a few objections to the line of reasoning spread so rapidly against this use of television time. May the story below reveal the absurdity of such reasoning [or you can just skip down to see what I think below].

Steve and his wife Amy had been planning for this trip all their lives. The kids had finally all graduated college, the house was paid off, and they had worked hard. Steve often worked overtime and long hours to make sure he kept his job. Amy always found a way to pick up a house cleaning job here, a nanny position there. But now, now, they were free from all these cares. They were looking out on the placid waters of the Pacific from the shade of rented beach umbrella. As they sipped their pina coladas, Amy thought she heard a faint whisper. She thought it was one of her kids calling from the yard.

"Did you hear that," Amy nudged Steve. "It sounds like somebody calling for help."

They turned around to see one of the resort's lovely beach attendants being wrestled away by some ill-intending john. Immediately, Amy reached for her purse. Frantically dumping its contents on the sand she found her cell phone and begin to dial the police.

Steve grabbed her wrist, and demanded her gaze. "We've waited too long for this," he said. "This shouldn't be happening. We have a right to relax and not be confronted with saving that woman. We are entitled to our moment of recreation at last. Put the phone down and let's enjoy the view."

As absurd and trite as this story is, it reveals the absurdity of demanding convenience and recreation in the midst of terrible events. Along this line of reasoning, I would rather not hear about the devastating earthquake in Haiti that has killed millions of people while I'm trying to watch my cartoons and eat my cereal.

Here are my issues:

1. We don't live in a peaceful perfect world - our "right" to be free from profound confrontation on comes with the freedom of the world from profound issues. Because there are people dying of earthquakes, typhoons, hurricanes, terrorism, ethnic cleansing, there is no "right" to be free from being confronted with this issue. We don't get to choose when we are told about such events, because we don't get to choose when and where they happen. Mr. Rutten's expressed desire for freedom from such concerns is simply all of our desire for the promises of Heaven.

2. Recreation is not a right. It is a privilege. - To have free time to think, play, and enjoy life is nothing ever promised to us by anyone. Our country (which hasn't been perfect on this note) recognizes three inalienable rights: Life, Liberty, and the PURSUIT of Happiness. It does not say that we have the right to recreation or happiness. It is a privilege, something we are given. Maybe even something we earn. But it is not a right. So, to claim that we are entitled to such a thing as freedom from profound confrontation is only to betray the arrogant sense of entitlement cultivated among many well-to-do Americans.

3. Privileges bring responsibility. - Because our recreation is a privilege there come times when we need to sacrifice it for the good of others and society at large. Let us not forget this lesson. We have a chance to watch a football game for a couple of hours. The fact that millions of humans lives are flushed down drains, burned out back, crushed from the start, should be a reason for giving a few minutes of consideration in the midst of athletic entertainment.

4. Thoughtlessness is not the rock on which civility stands, but the torrent that brings it down. - The kind of thoughtless existence that Mr. Rutten supports, or at least the ability to choose when it comes, is not the backbone of society. What kingdom was made great because a King was able to choose when he was attacked and when he wasn't? What great work of science or art or achievement came from the ability to suppress big issues or be free from profound concerns? What quaterback became great who got to choose when he was free from a blitz? We should condemn such attitudes as the demise of our beloved Democracy, because if the people won't consider profound issues then who will?

I've digressed from the issue of Focus on the Family and their right (or not) to purchase an FCC approved, CBS sold commercial spot to make some people think into the realm of rebutting anti-intellectualism.

Please, America, don't stop thinking.