By Katie Ginn
On a Valentine’s date with Stephen, who also did not watch the Super Bowl (and probably still doesn’t know who won).
You know what I love most about people? That we don’t fit into boxes. Take the recent Super Bowl halftime show controversy. I didn’t watch the game or either concert live, but I looked up the performances on YouTube later – and I enjoyed parts of both, as I imagine many people did, despite what social media would have us believe.
On September 28, the NFL announced that Latin trap artist Bad Bunny would headline the concert at the big game. (Bad Bunny also said, “Y’all have four months to learn Spanish.” Apparently, there would be no subtitles.) Less than two weeks later, the late Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point USA announced their own halftime show celebrating “faith, family, and freedom” (and the English language, and conservative values).
Others have already written about all the politics, all the reasons why this or that halftime show should be celebrated or condemned. Removing all context, I would give each show a 7 out of 10 for pure musical enjoyment. Here are some other (brief) thoughts.
NFL halftime show (Bad Bunny, Lady Gaga, Ricky Martin):
- One mostly Spanish halftime show in 60 years? Why not! Bad Bunny claiming he’d “unite” people, but then teasing non-Spanish speakers about the lack of subtitles? Seems kind of weird. Then again, subtitles might’ve made things worse …
- People keep saying Bad Bunny’s performance was a celebration of Puerto Rican culture, but look up the English translation of his lyrics from the show. Many of them were foul. I wonder what his abuela would think.
- I didn’t care for most of the music, but I enjoyed the parts that had a more traditional Latin flair. And Lady Gaga.
TPUSA halftime show (Kid Rock and other country artists):
- Not nearly as energetic or “compelling” as the Bad Bunny show, except …
- I had too much fun when Kid Rock’s “Bawitdaba” started playing. It’s a banger! But …
- “Bawitdaba” references hookers, topless dancers, and meth, though it’s unclear what Kid is trying to say about them. Dang. (Also, the gibberish at the beginning of the song is just as unintelligible to English speakers as Bad Bunny’s Spanish lyrics.)
- The last song was Kid Rock’s cover of Cody Johnson’s “Till You Can’t,” which at one point straight-up preached the gospel. Praise God! The Word will not return void.
TPUSA Spokesman Andrew Kolvet has already said the organization will offer an alternative halftime show again next year. If they do, I pray they’ll present the gospel again. (I also hope they’ll get a more diverse lineup of artists, and that they’ll take a closer look at some of the lyrics.)
I wonder about TPUSA’s motivations. I hope they’re compelled by the gospel and not by an “us versus them” mentality. But I’m not part of TPUSA, so I can’t control that. The only motivations I can work on are my own.
When it comes to my walk with Christ:
- Am I avoiding sin because it separates me from God, or because I want to be better than others?
- Am I aiming to be set apart for Christ, or for self-righteousness?
- Do I want to share the truth in love, or judge others and run away from them?
- Do I think of all my fellow believers as my family in Christ – or only those who vote like me?
This is where having, say, two different halftime shows can be dangerous ground for Christians. Are we all united in Christ, or only those of us who watched the “holy” halftime show? Or is it those who avoided the Super Bowl altogether and spent four hours in prayer instead? Are they the only “real” Christians?
Whatever we feel led to watch or listen to (or not), we must remember that anyone who professes Christ is not the enemy. Even unbelievers are not the enemy. We are all sinners who have earned nothing but God’s wrath, and it’s only His grace that saves any of us. (If we know Jesus, we get to joyfully offer that grace to the world!)
No, our enemy is the devil. He speaks all languages except that of the Holy Spirit, and he can pervert scripture to suit any political party. He hates that the gospel was preached during a halftime show. But he loves it when the body of Christ is divided, no matter how subtly, over things like halftime shows.
Believers, let’s be united – for Jesus, and against the devil. That’s the important stuff.