Posted on 02/07/2011 2:15:55 PM PST by wmfights
Millions of Super Bowl viewers got a dose of Scripture Sunday night when a Christian group’s John 3:16 commercial was unexpectedly aired.
Just before the fourth quarter of the Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Green Bay Packers game, the 30-second biblical spot popped up to the surprise of football fans in Washington, D.C. It also aired in Birmingham, Ala.
Within those hours, the Look Up 316 website that the commercial advertised drew so much traffic that it was difficult to load the web page.
“The LookUp316.com website hit totals are soaring ...,” Larry Taunton, executive director of Fixed Point Foundation, the group behind the ad, tweeted.
The commercial was rejected to run nationally by Fox Sports for containing too much “religious doctrine” and for being too offensive.
Notably, the commercial features no preaching but simply encourages curious viewers to look up John 3:16.
In the television ad, a group of friends are watching a football game in a living room. They cheer when one of the players on defense tackles his opponent. Then a closeup is shown of the defensive player’s eye black where he has painted “John 3:16.” One of the viewers asks his neighbor what that means. After the neighbor shrugs, the viewer offers to look it up for them on his cell phone.
The commercial concludes with “LookUp316.com: A Message of Hope.”
For curious viewers, the website offers a simple explanation of the verse’s meaning, starting from why the world isn’t quite right to Jesus Christ giving his life for everyone and him being the only hope.
Well aware that more than 100 million viewers tune in to the Super Bowl game and that the special commercials are an event in itself, Fixed Point Foundation sought to use that platform to share “the most important message the world has ever heard.”
“Few people have the chance to say something truly meaningful. And, more often than not, that opportunity is wasted,” the Birmingham, Ala.-based organization said. “Even our biggest media and cultural event, the Super Bowl, is chock full of million-dollar clutter. Massive amounts of money are spent talking about trivial things – like beer and potato chips.
“What if you used that opportunity to do something great?” That is, say something meaningful.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
The mission of Fixed Point Foundation is to promote a confident Christianity in the public square by fortifying the minds of Christians and challenging the faith of skeptics.
The Packers defeated the Steelers, 31-25.
“What if you used that opportunity to do something great?” That is, say something meaningful.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
Despite the efforts of the P.C. Crowd (otherwise known as commies in denial), somehow this commercial did air, though in limited areas.
Good for them.
Fox refused to air that commercial during the Superbowl. Did a couple of local TV stations run it? That seems to be the implication of the article.
Very nice, though I do wonder how Christians would have felt had it been about some verse in the Koran?
Fox decided not to air it NATIONALLY. That did not preclude any REGIONAL OUTLET from airing it. Some of them did.
The word ‘unexpectedly’ in the title is misleading.
No religion allowed, but hedonism is welcomed.
My favorite story about John 3:16 was when Paul Bear Bryant had his first season at Alabama. Some wag put up a sign:
John 3:16
Paul 12:0
Does it appear in the Koran?
No amount of censoring can EVER stop the timeless Truth of the Creator. NONE!
huh? I think you need to reread my post. lol
I asked how Christians might have felt had the commercial been about some verse from the Koran. Somehow I doubt that John 3:16 is in the Koran. *rolling eyes*
Depends on what verse, regardless to whether it was the Koran or the Bible.
On Thursday, a Jeopardy question about “valleys,” stumped all three contestants. Alex looked stunned and said, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,” and then shook his head.
Fox channel 5 in Washington, DC ran it. It was clever.
In case you still don’t get it. My point was that had the commercial used a verse out of the koran, the Christians would be wailing and gnashing their teeth, screaming for boycotts! lol
One that denigrates other faiths, of course.
This isn’t a muslim nation and the only way to salvation is Christ.
This is a nation founded on the principle of being allowed to practice the faith of your choice, which is why the documents say things like Creator, or God instead of Jesus.
This isn’t a muslim nation.
Muslims are allowed to practice their faith are they not?
The founding fathers were careful to not promote one faith over another. Many had fled their homelands for that very reason.
This is a nation founded on the principle of being allowed to practice the faith of your choice, which is why the documents say things like Creator, or God instead of Jesus.
Great question!
Christians should embrace the challenge and calmly show how the koran is wrong.
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