Not sure how to feel about this.

I felt utterly torn when I first watched this banned Super Bowl commercial that pits Jesus against President Obama.

My initial reaction:

I’m glad they banned this commercial from the Super Bowl. Ultra-conservative craziness has no place at a football game. Especially the biggest football game of the year.

But then I thought:

Actually, isn’t it anti-capitalistic to ban a commercial like this? Why not let the moron make a buck off his Jesus Hates Obama tee-shirts, as long as he is willing to pay the million dollar price tag for the ad?

Then I thought:

Can a tee-shirt company really afford a Super Bowl ad? Or is this just a clever publicity stunt by the tee shirt manufacturer?

Then I thought:

Obama’s favorable numbers are well over 50 now and still rising.  From a political perspective, a commercial like this might further galvanize his liberal base and may swing moderates in his direction by illustrating the lunacy of the far right wing. This commercial might actually help our President in ways that no one has anticipated.

Then I thought:

I feel bad for my Republican and religious friends. Ideas like the ones being espoused by this commercial cast my friends’ political parties and religious institutions in a bad light.

Then I thought:

It really is hard to be a Republican.

Then I thought:

Why do I even care if this commercial pits Jesus versus Obama? As an atheist, the Jesus versus Obama fight is nothing more than placing an enlightened  philosopher from 2,000 years ago in opposition to a modern day political leader. The idea is not blasphemous. It’s just silly and stupid. But it would be no different than pitting a Thomas Aquinas or a Aristotle bobble head doll against an Obama bobble head doll.

Then I thought:

Actually, whether or not Jesus was the Son of God or merely an enlightened man, I am fairly certain that he would not approve of the message in this commercial or emblazoned on the tee shirts. How many times have we seen so-called believers defend of their God in ways that their God would fervently condemn?

Then I thought:

I have to admit that the commercial is funny.

Then I thought:

Wow. Stupid people can be funny.

Then I thought:

No they can’t. A clever advertising agency took the stupid people's money and made the funny commercial for them.

Then I thought:

I should find a way of separating stupid people from their money.

Then I thought:

I should find a LEGAL way of separating stupid people from their money.

Then I thought:

Maybe the guy making these tee shirts is a smart guy who has found a way to separate stupid people from their money.

Then I thought:

I wish I had thought of this idea first.

Then I thought:

But I still kind of hate it.

See what I mean? Utterly torn.