I'd heard SOMETHING about this tempest-in-a-teapot, and having now seen the "answer," yeah, I knew the correct responding Jeopardy question. Then, too, I'm an atheist. There are elements of the bible I'm aware of that the average believer has no clue about.
But of course, ANY TIME something like this happens which minimizes the impact of Christianity on the world at large and the US in particular, there will be Christians who have to lose their shit about it. To them, I have a simple response:
It's sometimes odd which questions stump the players on any given episode of Jeopardy! This one looks like it was intended to be something of a 'softball' question, and the expectation was that someone would know the correct response immediately; but as Hemant observed that assumption isn't always a reasonable one. This also isn't the first time I've known a the correct response to something that stumped the televised players; if you watch the show often enough you'll probably discover it happens fairly often for you, too.
As a result, I'd have to say that while it might be mildly interesting, this isn't exactly indicative of anything at all; the sample size is entirely too small to have much meaning. Troublesh00ter is right, it's a tempest in a teapot.
Do a special edition of Jeopardy where all 3 contestants are Christians and every category is "The Bible." I pretty much guarantee a shitshow with all of them blanking on the responses to the answers.
Bet even Ken would be stumped right along with them without the question/answers at his fingertips, as he's a Mormon.
I will admit I did email Hemant about the articles whining about the Jeopardy question. His response was, it was a fair question, he would’ve gotten it right and this is nothing. I did not expect him to write an article about it when I wrote about it, I just wanted to let him know I thought of him when I saw it.
It is a nothingburger for folks to flip out over. I probably would have blanked on it simply because of the format of the question and the name of the category.
I am certain the folks making a big deal about this are just reacting to the idea that not everybody is as enthralled with their religion as they are. This is another nothing to get the unwashed masses to focus on rather than their subjugation by the church, the GOP, and most of all, corporations. The media plays into this all the time and all too willingly.
There's also the real possibility that the contestants thought the question was so simple and so obvious it had to be some sort of devious trap, and so hesitated. I've seen it happen before on the show, and those kind of gotcha traps do crop up now and than. And losing even $200 can make the difference in a close game. Granted, that kind of pitfall usually happens on some of the higher-value questions, but still, it does happen.
And then there are those who tell others to "Read and trust the Bible every day" while either never setting their eyes on the Book themselves or read only the oft-cherry picked pages and nothing else. That should be included among those who declare themselves Christians only to never really read or heard anything about Jesus and his teachings from top to bottom.
Let the Christians get all upset about how three intelligent people couldn't recite the Lord's prayer, feeling superior without good reason is what Christians do.
I think I’m more versed in “now I lay me down to sleep”* than the Lord’s Prayer. But I do know both. And aren’t there a few versions of the Lord’s Prayer, affecting the part after this line mostly? Protestant vs Catholic and such?
The fact that a random 3 people couldn't come up with the answer to a religious question simply indicates to me that religion is getting to be much less important to people.
when I first arrived at school just short of 5 I think, I had to go to an assembly and say the Lord's Prayer. I had no idea and the teacher told me to fake it. But having said it almost every day for five years or so there's no way I could forget. Similarly I know amo amas amat. Anyway colour me surprised. 😇
The fact that "an Australian nun" turned TLP "into a 1970's psychedelic rock song that charted on Billboard's Hot 100 for 13 weeks" is far more interesting than the fact that three Jeopardy contestants couldn't name it's full contents in the first place.
I wonder if atheists are more informed because we listen to debates, or read books, and are generally more interested in learning than people who just take their Christianity at face value and never go any further.
There's a guy on TikTok, I'm sure you've heard of him if you're on there. His name is Dan McClellan. He's an extremely well educated biblical scholar (also can read several ancient languages) that debunks Christian mythology quite succinctly. Definitely worth checking out if you're on TikTok.
Everybody knows it's "Harold".
I'd heard SOMETHING about this tempest-in-a-teapot, and having now seen the "answer," yeah, I knew the correct responding Jeopardy question. Then, too, I'm an atheist. There are elements of the bible I'm aware of that the average believer has no clue about.
But of course, ANY TIME something like this happens which minimizes the impact of Christianity on the world at large and the US in particular, there will be Christians who have to lose their shit about it. To them, I have a simple response:
𝗚𝗥𝗢𝗪 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗙𝗨𝗖𝗞 𝗨𝗣!!!
It's sometimes odd which questions stump the players on any given episode of Jeopardy! This one looks like it was intended to be something of a 'softball' question, and the expectation was that someone would know the correct response immediately; but as Hemant observed that assumption isn't always a reasonable one. This also isn't the first time I've known a the correct response to something that stumped the televised players; if you watch the show often enough you'll probably discover it happens fairly often for you, too.
As a result, I'd have to say that while it might be mildly interesting, this isn't exactly indicative of anything at all; the sample size is entirely too small to have much meaning. Troublesh00ter is right, it's a tempest in a teapot.
I have a suggestion...
Do a special edition of Jeopardy where all 3 contestants are Christians and every category is "The Bible." I pretty much guarantee a shitshow with all of them blanking on the responses to the answers.
Bet even Ken would be stumped right along with them without the question/answers at his fingertips, as he's a Mormon.
EDIT to include missing words
I will admit I did email Hemant about the articles whining about the Jeopardy question. His response was, it was a fair question, he would’ve gotten it right and this is nothing. I did not expect him to write an article about it when I wrote about it, I just wanted to let him know I thought of him when I saw it.
It is a nothingburger for folks to flip out over. I probably would have blanked on it simply because of the format of the question and the name of the category.
I am certain the folks making a big deal about this are just reacting to the idea that not everybody is as enthralled with their religion as they are. This is another nothing to get the unwashed masses to focus on rather than their subjugation by the church, the GOP, and most of all, corporations. The media plays into this all the time and all too willingly.
There's also the real possibility that the contestants thought the question was so simple and so obvious it had to be some sort of devious trap, and so hesitated. I've seen it happen before on the show, and those kind of gotcha traps do crop up now and than. And losing even $200 can make the difference in a close game. Granted, that kind of pitfall usually happens on some of the higher-value questions, but still, it does happen.
Clue: This should only be said in a closet.
Answer: What is the Lord’s Prayer?
And then there are those who tell others to "Read and trust the Bible every day" while either never setting their eyes on the Book themselves or read only the oft-cherry picked pages and nothing else. That should be included among those who declare themselves Christians only to never really read or heard anything about Jesus and his teachings from top to bottom.
Let the Christians get all upset about how three intelligent people couldn't recite the Lord's prayer, feeling superior without good reason is what Christians do.
I think I’m more versed in “now I lay me down to sleep”* than the Lord’s Prayer. But I do know both. And aren’t there a few versions of the Lord’s Prayer, affecting the part after this line mostly? Protestant vs Catholic and such?
*Because of the Metallica song.
The fact that a random 3 people couldn't come up with the answer to a religious question simply indicates to me that religion is getting to be much less important to people.
when I first arrived at school just short of 5 I think, I had to go to an assembly and say the Lord's Prayer. I had no idea and the teacher told me to fake it. But having said it almost every day for five years or so there's no way I could forget. Similarly I know amo amas amat. Anyway colour me surprised. 😇
Their father, which 𝘢𝘪𝘯'𝘵 in heaven... 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯 be thy name.
Which most of 'em were never allowed to utter anyway, because, y'know... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQ5YU_spBw0
Here, lemme fix it so it's actually relevant to something that can have a real effect on your life (unlike prayer):
Our flower, which art in hemp plant, 𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸 be thy name...
I'll take histrionics for 500, Hemant.
The fact that "an Australian nun" turned TLP "into a 1970's psychedelic rock song that charted on Billboard's Hot 100 for 13 weeks" is far more interesting than the fact that three Jeopardy contestants couldn't name it's full contents in the first place.
I wonder if atheists are more informed because we listen to debates, or read books, and are generally more interested in learning than people who just take their Christianity at face value and never go any further.
There's a guy on TikTok, I'm sure you've heard of him if you're on there. His name is Dan McClellan. He's an extremely well educated biblical scholar (also can read several ancient languages) that debunks Christian mythology quite succinctly. Definitely worth checking out if you're on TikTok.