All Three 'Jeopardy' Contestants Stumped on 'The Lord's Prayer'
An Indictment of Today's Culture
Jeopardy captured many people’s attention this week, beyond those who are regularly glued to it for its intellectual appeal. When three contestants were not able to fill in the blank in a question about “The Lord’s Prayer,” even an atheist was shocked. I believe it speaks to how far some of the so-called smartest in the world have drifted away from the most elementary aspects of faith.
As the CNN video shows, not one, not two, but all three contestants stared blankly when asked this: “Our Father which art in Heaven, this be thy name.” Granted, not everyone spent their childhood in Sunday School, but I dare say there was a time it would have been difficult to find anyone, even a non-church attender who could not have answered that question. Notably, the social media post included in the video mentions an atheist who knew the answer.
I’m not throwing stones here or poking fun. This is actually sad and, I believe, speaks of more than just some smart folks who don’t know a prayer most people learned alongside “Now I lay me down to sleep.” I believe it speaks to how much knowledge people have attained without knowing the true Source of all knowledge and wisdom. And I believe it is indicative of what is wrong with our culture today.
I pray parents get back to teaching their children to reverence God, to modeling prayer for them, to showing them how to pray. It sure beats taking them to drag shows and chopping off their genitals. Now, I don’t know anything about these three contestants, except what everyone now knows about them—which is what, until a few days ago, they didn’t know. So this isn’t personal about them or their families. They do, however, stand as a representation of what needs to be revived in America, maybe even across the world.
As we celebrate Father’s Day, let’s revisit the “Our Father” prayer:
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen [emphasis added].