Today on the local all-news radio station I heard a piece of an interview with a woman who has correctly predicted the winner of 17 of the last 21 Super Bowl games. She predicted, um, predictably, that the Bears would win this Sunday. Asked how she did so well, she said, “Well, I read the Football Guide (or whatever –ed.). And, of course, you can’t leave Jesus out of the equation.”
My concerns are: (1) was she also being interviewed on the Indianapolis radio station, predicting that the Indianapolis team (the Saints?) would win; (2) what about those 4 misses –was Jesus on vacation those weekends, or perhaps preoccupied helping us kill Iraqis? Or had she been involved in a spate of sin on those particular occasions? Maybe there is some other explanation: sun spots? An unbeliever at quarterback?
I’d like, at this point, to go on record, once and for all, with my considered opinion that, if there is a God, then surely she regards it as blasphemy for a center fielder to cross himself before stepping up to the plate, or for anyone to explain his good fortune by reference to divine intervention.
What about all those times the guy doesn’t get a hit? Does the magic work only selectively? Or maybe the pitcher said a quick prayer, and it somehow got there first?
What about all the children who die painful, brutal deaths? Poor bastards: they forgot to cross themselves!
This is all sickening. It stinks of the corruption of self-righteous, and it surely will be punished, if only by the law of averages swooping down with a vengeance on hapless, empty-headed America.
I find such statements just as moronic, if perhapse not quite as directly offensive, as you do. I agree this outlook makes little sense, the idea of G-d directly involving him/herself in the outcome of a sporting event but not intervienging in matters of more importance is either proposterous or even disturbing, depending on your outlook.
ReplyDeleteThis is all part and parcel of the growing religious hysteria in this country. Any time something good happens, clearly Jesus is involved. If you happen to be unlucky enough to have your house ripped up by a hurricane, however, clearly it is because you have not been buying your indulgences at church, and now The Powers That Be are annoyed with you.