The Super Bowl’s advertisements centered around Jesus have underlying anti-LGBTQ+ origins that are concerning.

This blog originally appeared at THEM.

The “He Gets Us” campaign is linked to the Alliance Defending Freedom, identified as an extremist right-wing organization.

If you were among those who noticed “foot washing” trending and initially thought it was related to a foot fetish, only to encounter a Jesus-themed Super Bowl commercial, you’re not alone. However, the context surrounding last night’s advertisement, promoting the Christian non-profit Come Near’s “He Gets Us” campaign, is troubling due to the organization’s extensively documented connections to anti-LGBTQ+ agendas.

For the second consecutive year, He Gets Us has aired a sequence of commercials during the Super Bowl. The initial 2024 advertisement, titled “Foot Washing,” depicted a series of images featuring individuals washing others’ feet. Among these images were scenes showing two women amid tense protestors holding signs with ambiguous messages like “Shut Him Up” and “Silence Hate,” a woman holding a “Clean Air Now” sign near an oil rig, and two women outside a “family planning clinic.”

The advertisement concludes with the slogan: “Jesus didn’t preach hate. He washed feet.”

“He Gets Us'” second 2024 Super Bowl commercial, titled “Know Your Neighbor,” once more presented static images of diverse individuals, seemingly prompting viewers to exhibit compassion towards those around them, echoing Jesus’ renowned exhortation to “love thy neighbor.”

The text in the ad poses the question, “Who is your neighbor?” followed by, “The one you fail to notice/value/welcome.”

At first glance, these commercials appear to suggest a more progressive, socially conscious interpretation of Christianity (an earlier ad displays images of actual refugees confronting persecution alongside the slogan “Jesus was a refugee”). Indeed, it would be commendable if He Gets Us aimed to promote the genuine values of Jesus, a Jewish individual born in Palestine who dined with sex workers and denounced a capitalist establishment focused more on profit than adhering to their religious principles (a scenario that resonates today).

Even the “He Gets Us” website explicitly states: “Jesus loves gay people and Jesus loves trans people. The LGBTQ+ community, like everyone else, is welcomed to delve into the narrative of Jesus.”

Regrettably, the branding of the “He Gets Us” campaign obscures its roots in anti-LGBTQ+ movements. Although currently overseen by Come Near, the campaign originated from another Christian nonprofit, the Servant Foundation/The Signatry. According to openDemocracy, this foundation contributed $65.9 million to the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) between 2018 and 2021. It’s noteworthy that these donations persisted even after the Southern Poverty Law Center designated the ADF as a hate group in 2016 due to its endorsement of various anti-LGBTQ legislation, such as laws criminalizing homosexuality and mandating the forced sterilization of transgender Europeans.

Although USA Today indicates that the Servant Foundation no longer oversees “He Gets Us,” it is reportedly still associated with billionaire Hobby Lobby co-founder David Green. Rolling Stone reports that Green is a significant donor to the campaign, with his son, Mart Green, serving as a board member of Come Near. Hobby Lobby has a well-documented history of controversies surrounding LGBTQ+ and reproductive rights. This includes sending a letter to the White House in 2014 seeking exemption from laws prohibiting LGBTQ+ discrimination and engaging in a lengthy legal battle in Illinois after denying a transgender employee access to the women’s restroom in 2010, which they ultimately lost.

In a June 2023 episode of The Lifestyle Investor podcast, Green articulated that the “He Gets Us” Super Bowl advertisements aimed to reshape the public perception of Christianity.

Green stated, “As Christians, we’re often perceived as being hateful. However, that’s not who we are. We are individuals who possess the greatest love story ever written, and it’s essential that we share that love story. Our concept is simple: let’s narrate the story. As Christians, our mandate is to love everyone. Jesus exemplified this love for all.”

While Jesus may love everyone, the “He Gets Us” commercials during the Super Bowl serve as a crucial reminder: billionaires and bigots don’t possess a miraculous solution for the problems facing the United States, and their capacity to spend millions on ethically questionable advertisements certainly doesn’t reflect positively on their character.