Off The Record
‘Jeopardy!’ Fans Furious After All Three Contestants Get Stumped On This Prayer Question
Television’s most popular quiz program, Jeopardy! challenges trivia experts with hints that would baffle the average viewer at home.
One recent event shocked several Christian fans when all three contestants missed an apparently simple clue concerning the Lord’s Prayer.
On the program aired on June 13, host Mayim Bialik read a $200 clue in the category “Dad adjectives,” which is the lowest sum on the board and usually the easiest.
“Matthew 6:9 says, ‘Our Father Which Art In Heaven’, This ‘Be Thy Name.’”
The correct response is “hallowed” (or “what is hallowed,” to comply with Jeopardy! guidelines), which is common knowledge to everyone who memorized the Lord’s Prayer in Sunday school.
A typical occurrence on “Jeopardy!” answers to stump the candidates, even seemingly easy ones, but the fact that no one recognized one of the most frequently uttered prayers in Christianity seems to have struck a nerve among the faithful.
“Not one contestant on Jeopardy last night knew the answer to this…Are you waking up yet?” one Twitter user wrote.
Not one contestant on Jeopardy last night knew the answer to this…..
— Mimi Joeckel (@cantcancelmimi) June 14, 2023
Are you waking up yet? pic.twitter.com/bBIhVntHwd
“The Lord’s Prayer growing up was like knowing The Pledge of Allegiance. You just did,” one tweet says.
“While it may not be a sign of the end times, if DEFINITELY speaks volumes about Americans and their faith…or lack of,” another wrote.
Some viewers interpreted this as a reflection of waning faith in the United States, while others were simply startled by their inability to spot such an obvious indication.
“I’m an atheist and even I knew the answer to that Lord’s prayer question,” tweeted one person.
“My 4 year old niece got the answer on this Question on Jeopardy! Just wondering maybe the contestants never heard about The Lord’s Prayer?” another wrote.
Jeopardy and The Lord's Prayer.
— NC_Boy59 (@NCBoy59) June 14, 2023
While it may not be a sign of the end times, if DEFINITELY speaks volumes about Americans and their faith…or lack of.
“How can those Jeopardy! nerds not know this answer. Have they never listened to Iron Maiden?” another user joked, referencing the Iron Maiden song “Hallowed Be Thy Name.”
Some viewers were surprised that none of the participants knew the answer to such a fundamental question, while others were more forgiving.
CopyTwo of the competitors were likely playing it safe because they were already in the red and didn’t want to fall any farther.
It’s also worth mentioning that contestants on Jeopardy! regularly answer answers that would leave even ardent Christians scratching their heads.
It’s such a frequent topic that some critics have complained there are too many queries about Christianity on the show.
I'm sure somewhere evilgelicals are going to whine about people not knowing the answer and then say there is a war on Christianity (there isn't one). People are entitled to their own beliefs. It doesn't have to be the one you have…damn.https://t.co/QZJItqmWhB
— KT (@sloyoroll01973) June 16, 2023
And it’s also likely that these three players did not grow up with the same Christian upbringing that many viewers did, as Jeopardy! invites contestants from many walks of life and faiths.
The participants were baffled on the Lord’s Prayer, but they performed better when it came to 1970s movies; the Final Jeopardy answer read, “He starred in the 2 films whose soundtracks were the top 2 bestselling albums of 1978.”
What’s the right answer? It’s John Travolta! (Saturday Night Fever and Grease provided the soundtracks). Suresh Krishnan, a competitor, won the match, giving him six consecutive victories.
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