POP UP BLOG Super Bowl Halftime Show 2020

February 7, 2020 Stephanie Anderson

To be honest, I wasn’t going to say anything. It feels safe not to shine my light when people are swinging, and WOW!!! has the Super Bowl halftime show got some people swinging hard. I don’t like fighting or confrontation. I was just going to observe and learn what the different points of view are. The feeling of safeness in silence is so deceptive, isn’t it?

Now then, you may be asking, “What changed?” I read a comment that said “I’m confused.” I read another one right under it that said “We are confused too. It’s all confusing.” Here is what I know about listening and learning to multiple perspectives about an issue: if you start trying to look beyond your own perspective— lines get blurry! The lines aren’t always clear anymore. Being fully transparent, I’m still not into fighting so this post isn’t to punch anyone, rather to bring dignity and clarity to the conversation surrounding the Super Bowl halftime show.

First, to give you an illustration, the conversation surrounding the Super Bowl halftime show is like a rope. (Yea, like the one Shakira was holding.) Think about this: A rope has smaller threads rolled and twisted together to make it a strong prop.

My intention is to unravel this conversation to identify some key threads of thought within the narrative surrounding this last weekends event.

Before I go further please understand one thing— I know that I don’t know everything. I am learning and sharing what I am learning. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments, I trust you’ll be respectful as you share your perspective.

I didn’t watch the halftime show, my boys played football outside with Trevin and I was working on my website. At a later time I did go to youtube to watch Shakira’s portion of the presentation after talking about it with a friend who was born in Costa Rica and is now living in the US. Personally, I enjoy pop culture. Shakira and JLo are very talented. I wanted to watch the show with my friends perspective in mind. Truth is, I did see some things differently and appreciated it differently as well.

For a moment, I’d like to share a brief thought regarding the concept of empowerment. As a Christian I am empowered by the Holy Spirit to be a good mom, be a good friend, and accomplish the destiny God has for my life. I think the same for every other Christian that is starting a company, raising a family, leading in the church, basically doing WHATEVER they are called to do. Now, when we see someone trying to empower someone else (without the Holy Spirit as the original initiator) it will always have its limitations and very clear carnal distinctions.

The saddest thing about the halftime show was seeing a bunch of Christians get so caught up in how these women were empowering other women that we fail to recognize that they are also needing (true) empowerment and freedom in their own lives. Yet because she didn’t do it in a way we (Christians) would, we tear her down.

My friends, I have to be honest, I don’t want to be recognized as the kind of Christian who highlights broken women and says “This woman should be ashamed!”

I don’t want to be like the religious leaders who threw a woman caught in adultery (and probably not fully clothed) at the feet of Jesus with their own agendas that only cause division. (John 8:1-12)

All empowerment is messy. Even Christians get weird using that word, but let’s not allow our passion for purity be the platform we stand on to shred someones (specifically an unbelievers) accomplishment. We got so fired up about someones crack that we missed the artistic political statements and cultural wins that also happened.

Can we see past our holy fury and notice what a celebration that halftime show was for Latino communities?

Did you see the diversity on the stage and hear the different languages sung? A stunning piece of art, made of 2,040 Swarovski crystals, tulle and feathers (ethically sourced) and styled by the talented Mariel Haenn at VERSACE had the American flag on one side and the Puerto Rican flag on the other. Here I see two women, one with her daughter, shattering glass ceilings, in front of the world. Their world.

In America, unless you are white there is a lid for you on a lot of levels. Few have risen above that because times are changing, but for the most part, these woman have risen to a level that few have reached. This last weekend, Latinos celebrated that! Similar to people of color celebrating when Obama became the first black president of the United States. What happened Sunday night was a great accomplishment! What a magnificent moment for all of those little girls who can forever say, they got to perform at the Super Bowl. What an incredible moment of pride for all of their parents and extended families within and outside of our nations borders!

So precious are the families of this world and the cultures our God created that we tend to miss because of one disagreement and we focus on how the Devil has perverted our cultures instead.

I agree. A lot of the choreography wasn’t just culture. Some of it was business. I recently learned JLo had a role in an indie movie and did exceptionally well but she didn’t win an award for her hard work. It’s very normal for someone to promote their recent project in every way possible following its release. The only quandary I have, was her role in that movie was the role of a prostitute. How does someone promote any kind of project like that and it not be sexually inappropriate? It’s not possible. So— not only was this halftime show, empowering, political, and cultural, it’s business.

Finally, what makes this show personal is the outfits and specific movements that were done in public that should only happen within the context of marriage.

Overall, no one was isolated during this halftime show. Everyone had a reaction to it, everyone identified with it in some way, which technically is the definition of great entertainment. (Even if it’s bad press, it’s still press!)

Do you see how the lines are beginning to blur as we keep adding the different layers of stuff and some of those layers aren’t immoral?

Here are a few takeaways that I hope will help clear things up:

First, Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 6:18 to “Run from sexual sin.” The sex industry doesn’t need any more movies, anymore entertainment, and any more individuals showing parts of their privates in the name of empowerment, politics, culture, or business. It’s true the Super Bowl is the biggest sex trafficking day of the year in the United States. More boys and girls, men and women, are brought in and sold as sex slaves at this event than any other American gathering. If a show promotes sexual immorality we should not engage with it. Paul also says “If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall.” Just because something is culture doesn’t mean we let it change our convictions. Why? “So that many will be saved.” 1 Corinthians 10:33

We honor culture until it crosses Biblical lines.

That means this year, halftime could have been a time to have family time, turn the tv off, play football in the rain, go eat pizza, but don’t slam the nonbeliever who doesn’t share the same beliefs that we do.

Second, Romans 5:8 says “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” I am of the opinion that Christians should stop being so shocked when an unbelieving sinner sins. Unbelievers don’t have the same standards as Christians and therefore our anger towards them is not appropriate. We should have compassion on them! Yes, raise your families and young children to reject ungodly lifestyles. But remember, the unbeliever doesn’t know how much they are loved, valued, or how gracious our God is. (Are we modeling grace?) With our words, actions, and Facebook comments, we should love the sinner and hate the sin like Romans 12:9 says “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.” When God created humans he said “It is good.” We should believe the best for our friends, for celebrities and anyone else whose actions we wouldn’t repeat.

We should believe for the unbelievers salvation and thank God for the privilege we have to play a part in their story.

Finally, I’m not saying to watch the halftime show or anything that would cross your conscience. I’m saying, next Super Bowl, make a plan ahead of time. We, as Christians, should stay in control of our homes and our emotions. When Christian parents freak out about sinners sinning we are telling our kids (by our actions) to be afraid of sinners and that our God can’t control both His Kingdom and sovereignly rule over this world.

I want to raise kids who are able to discern if someone isn’t a Christian without experiencing anxiety.

I want to teach my boys how to guard their heart, embrace other people groups and cultures, and at the same time extend compassion to the lost because John 3:16 says “For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

I conclude with this, while I can’t discern everyones motives through the written text on social media and in all of the news articles, I hope mine are clear: If anyone wants to get rid of their Super Bowl 2021 tickets, my husband and I would gladly accept them as a gift. ;)

Stephanie A. Anderson