By Christian Cullen, Staff Writer

The Super Bowl is an occasion for people to come together and enjoy a fun show, on and off the field. The advertisements have grown into fan favorites, with some people watching the game for the sole purpose of enjoying the advertisements. Some years of Super Bowl ads go by simply with laughs, others cause us to groan and every once in a while, people get angry about a commercial. 

This year, I am one of those people, and I am angry. As a religious individual, I have some words about the “He Gets Us” advertisements. 

“He Gets Us” hit the scene a few years back with the intent of drawing people to Christ and religion. The general consensus, other than groans whenever one of these ads came on, was a feeling of hypocrisy. 

“He Gets Us” is part of the same flavorful brand of Christianity associated with Hobby Lobby. It is quickly becoming the poster child for the American Evangelical’s movement to bring people back into the fold as the flock decreases by day. 

Nominally, “He Gets Us” is about spreading Jesus’ message of love and compassion while normalizing and packaging it in a modern format more suitable to the everyday American. In theory, it is not the worst way to spread Christianity; in practice; it’s horrible.

With the requisite explanation of what “He Gets Us” is out of the way, we return to the ad from the Super Bowl. It draws on a story from the Gospels, where Jesus washes the disciples’ feet to show that they are all equals and to encourage them to help one another, regardless of stature. 

It is a beautiful story that shows how Jesus did not let division rule in His life, instead focusing on helping others. The ad depicts foot washing in a variety of situations, attempting to portray the same humility that Jesus showed us when He washed His disciples’ feet. 

The ad ends by displaying the words, “Jesus didn’t teach hate; He washed feet.” It’s a fine ad whose message is, at its core, a good one. There is a major issue with it, however, as this ad cost northward of $20 million. 

My biggest criticism of “He Gets Us” emerges here: They spent more money than I may make in my lifetime on a minute long ad for the most famous person in all of history. There are so many better places their funds could go. 

Churches in need of repair, parish food pantries needing to be filled, immigrants in need of help at the border, relief causes for those affected in the Middle East and many, many more. Instead, the money went toward the Super Bowl. That money was effectively burned. Given the public backlash, I do not think the ad achieved its goals of showing Jesus as approachable. 

In fact, it just shows a disconnect between the work of the Church and the people performing it. Social media and media missionary work must be carefully done or else it feels superficial at best, or elitist, judgmental and a waste at worst — as in this case. 

People are not discussing the greatness of God when this ad is brought around the water cooler but looking instead at the irony of spending boatloads of money that is needed elsewhere. “He Gets Us” would have been better pressed using that money to fund missionary work around the world and making a material difference in people’s lives. 

I would even go to say there is a biblical cause for this. Matthew 6:2 says, “When thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites in the synagogues.” 

Commercialization of the Good News goes against what Jesus stood for and who He was. We should reach out in person, not through a screen. Do not let your works ring hollow with the callousness of a modern TV advertisement, but instead reach out in human connection with compassion and love, without judgment. That is true discipleship. 

My tone may not have matched my anger in this piece. That is ok. As I mentioned earlier, I am a religious individual. 

Jesus and the Church are the basis of my social action; I am commanded to love and to serve the poor. I am commanded to wash their feet, as the ad entails. I despise the increasing commercialization of religion; it allows people to feel as though they have done what they should, when they have only achieved a semblance of their missionary work. We are meant to help each other in a more physical manner. 

Jesus was not hoping that we would watch an advertisement, then suddenly start attending Sunday service. He wanted us to reach out to our fellow humans in a compassionate and caring manner. That money spent on the ad could have gone to so many other deserving places. 

I am saddened that Jesus gets misrepresented so often in our society. Jesus is loving, caring and compassionate. And He would not spend $20 million on a Super Bowl spot; He would be out in the world making a positive change, whether that be washing someone’s feet, helping someone through grief or working at a soup kitchen. 

Jesus is out in the world, not behind our phone and TV screens.