Sometimes I like to stick my neck out there and offer an opinion when there's a controversy. Other times, I open my mouth when I should have kept it shut. And still others, I keep quiet when I should say something.
I am trying harder to lean on God when it comes to these matters, but I cannot help but notice and speak up about the Coca-Cola advertising controversy.
To me, the reaction to this ad represents the hate culture of America that leads to the acceptance of bullying and the increasingly pervasive social class system emerging here where anyone diverse must be forcefully pushed back to the bottom.
It happens on playgrounds. It happens in board rooms. It happens in politics. And it happens in churches.
This isn't a junior high mentality, folks. We should be concerned because it's becoming an "American" mentality.
The $8 million ad spurred this comment among others: "If we cannot be proud enough as a country to sing 'America the
Beautiful' in English in a commercial during the Super Bowl, by a
company as American as they come — doggone we are on the road to
perdition," wrote former Rep. Allen West from Florida on his website.
He further called this ad "truly disturbing."
What's more sad is that my knee-jerk reaction to it was much the same. I thought, "Why is a song about America being sung in different languages?" So ingrained are the messages of our society that a certain language, a certain "look," a certain attitude, a certain skin color, a certain religion are superior.
It's times like this I'm glad I'm an introvert. I paused, reflected on my own opinion, realized how egregious it was and said a quick prayer seeking forgiveness.
God created ALL people, and He loves them all. The pride of our culture should be that we look upon others with eyes like God does — loving and accepting everyone no matter how they look, what color their skin, their language or their religion. Even if they worship another god or gods.
Yep, I just said that. God loves them, despite their sin. Just like He loves me and you. Despite our sin. We are all sinners separated from God.
We should be proud to be a nation founded by the principals of freedoms that attracted a diverse people who can live in peace side-by-side. It is our heritage! How far we have come when diversity is no longer a beautiful America!
Brush politics aside and see that we are talking about what it means to love people. The most important commandment!
The lyrics to this song proclaim that "God shed His grace" on us, so how hypocritical are we to not overflow grace on the very soil where we live?
Ours is a loving God, and He leads us by example. Jesus showed us what a picture of loving God and loving others looked like, and it didn't put nationality or politics above human respect and dignity. Ever.
Shame on me. And shame on us and our future as a country.
I do have one criticism of this advertisement. But it's not solely for Coca-Cola. Shame on us for spending $8 million on one advertisement. I think that is just the cost of the time, not including the production costs that were invested for this 60-second story to unfold.
My husband was following several comedians and well-known Christian music artists on Twitter during the game. At one point, he read a tweet aloud that we could feed all the hungry in the world twice over with the money spent on this one sporting event. I tried to find the information this morning but couldn't. My guess is that isn't a one-time feeding but a lifetime of solving hunger. Food for thought.
