The most intelligent and informed participants on Jeopardy! respond to hints that most home viewers find confusing. Jeopardy! is the most-watched quiz program on television.
To the amazement of many Christian viewers, all three finalists in a recent program were stumped by one ostensibly straightforward hint referencing the Lord’s Prayer.
During the June 13 episode, host Mayim Bialik read the clue for $200, the lowest and frequently easiest number on the board, under the heading “Dadjectives.”
It states in Matthew 6:9, “This “Be Thy Name,” ‘Our Father Who Art In Heaven.'”
The response, “hallowed” (or rather, “what is hallowed,” per Jeopardy! rules), will be well-known to anyone who recalls studying the Lord’s Prayer in Sunday school.
Even seemingly basic answers on Jeopardy! frequently stump the contestants, but the fact that no one could figure out the answer to one of Christianity’s most well-known prayers seems to have struck a nerve among the faithful.
“On Jeopardy last night, not a single player had the answer…Are you still asleep? A query was asked on Twitter.
When I was a kid, memorizing the Lord’s Prayer was like learning the Pledge of Allegiance. You just did, according to one tweet.
Another commenter claimed that while it might not be a sign of the end times, it “definitely speaks volumes about Americans and their faith…or lack thereof.”
Some viewers saw it as a sign of declining confidence in the US, while others were merely surprised they did not notice what should have been a very obvious sign.
I’m an atheist, but even I knew the response to the Lord’s prayer question, said one Twitter user.
“This Jeopardy question was accurately answered by my 4-year-old niece! The attendees might not be familiar with The Lord’s Prayer. another well-written.
How ridiculous is Jeopardy! Nerds wouldn’t have the answer. Do they not know about Iron Maiden? Another user made a lighthearted reference to the Iron Maiden song “Hallowed Be Thy Name.”
The fact that every contestant couldn’t answer a seemingly simple question surprised some viewers, but others remained more composed. Two of the contestants may have chosen to play it safe rather than take a chance of falling further behind due to their low scores.
It’s also crucial to remember that Jeopardy! frequently asks questions about Christianity and the Bible, and contestants frequently correctly answer issues that even devout Christians would find challenging. In fact, it’s such a common topic that some have criticized the show for including too many questions on Christianity.
These three candidates most likely did not grow up in the same Christian context as many viewers because of Jeopardy! admits contestants from diverse backgrounds and religious beliefs.
The Final Jeopardy response was “He starred in the 2 films whose soundtracks were the top 2 bestselling albums of 1978.” The participants struggled with the Lord’s Prayer, but they performed a little bit better with ’70s films.
The proper response? John Travolta (the soundtracks for Saturday Night Fever and Grease). Competitor Suresh Krishnan triumphed, extending his winning streak to six games.
What do you think of this Jeopardy? Contestants don’t know the Lord’s Prayer? Please comment on this story in the space below!