U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was widely panned on social media Sunday after she criticized two Super Bowl commercials encouraging Americans to follow Jesus’ example in loving their neighbors.
The simple ads by the He Gets Us Campaign included black and white photos with Jesus-centric messages at the end.
One ad showed images of children displaying acts of kindness. It ended with the tagline, “Jesus didn’t want us to act like adults. He gets us. All of us.”
Jesus didn’t want us to act like adults. #HeGetsUshttps://t.co/83st2vLhmy pic.twitter.com/ScC6wmOj7S
— HeGetsUs (@HeGetsUs) February 13, 2023
A second ad showed multiple photos of adults arguing and fighting. It included the tagline, “Jesus loved the people we hate. He gets us. All of us.”
Jesus loved the people we hate. #HeGetsUs https://t.co/NcJdEoyCaJ pic.twitter.com/TFlxxCLBM7
— HeGetsUs (@HeGetsUs) February 13, 2023
“Something tells me Jesus would *not* spend millions of dollars on Super Bowl ads to make fascism look benign,” Ocasio-Cortez tweeted during the game.
Something tells me Jesus would *not* spend millions of dollars on Super Bowl ads to make fascism look benign
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) February 13, 2023
Although she did not provide context, she may have been referencing reports that Hobby Lobby co-founder David Green helped fund the ads, which include links to a website (HeGetsUs.com) where visitors can learn more about the love and forgiveness of Jesus. The website also includes Bible reading plans with the plan of salvation. In the past, Green has given money to conservative causes.
Her tweet sparked 20,000 comments – most of them pushing back on her remarks.
“Not one commercial conveyed fascist ideology. But feel free to throw a tantrum that Christians mention God,” one person wrote.
“Praying for the hate to leave your heart,” another person wrote.
“You actually missed the mark on this one. That ad was in opposition of the Christian nationalism that is eating away at our country,” still another person wrote.
Others quoted Scripture.
“He gave so much more than millions of dollars to show His love for us. Read John 3:16,” one person tweeted.
The advertisements were part of the new campaign He Gets Us, which seeks to “reintroduce people to the Jesus of the Bible and his confounding love and forgiveness,” according to its website.
Related:
Super Bowl Fans Loved the He Gets Us ‘Jesus Ads’: USA Today Ad Meter
Super Bowl Broadcast Will Include TV Ads about Jesus and His ‘Radical Forgiveness’
Photo courtesy: ©Getty Images/Drew Angerer/Staff
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
