Now that the Super Bowl is over, and in light of the Seattle Seahawk’s big win over the Denver Broncos, the identity of the Seahawk’s mysterious “Twelfth Man” can now be revealed.
It’s God.
That’s right. God. At least that is what most of the millions of people who watched the game believe.
According to a survey conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute in Washington, D.C., as many as 70 million Americans saw God or the supernatural at work in Sunday’s Super Bowl. They also believe their favorite team is sometimes cursed, that well-behaved players are blessed, and that God has a role in deciding the outcome of games. Thirty eight percent of white evangelicals say they often ask God to help their team.
I’m not making this up.
Indeed, I wouldn’t want to.
I think anyone who believes God has an interest in football or any sport may as well believe in the Easter Bunny or the Tooth Fairy.
There is a name for the practice of praying God will help a football team. It’s called hocus pocus religion.
The fact that upwards of 70 million Americans believe such things is why no one should be surprised that they also reject evolution as a fact and think Creationism should be taught in school.
Which should be a sobering reminder that the freedom to believe whatever you want to believe doesn’t mean what you believe cannot have very bad consequences.
White southerners believed blacks were naturally inferior to whites and that God blessed slavery…the Dutch Reform Church taught its white members that South African Apartheid was morally justifiable…many American Christians still believe homosexuality is a choice that can be “unchosen” if the person turns to God.
It is little wonder that more and more people are not only giving up on the church, they are giving up on religion itself.
When religion is trivialized, why would any thinking person embrace it?
To me genuine faith is too important to be besmirched by people who don’t know the difference between religion and superstition, and don’t care.
The Super Bowl may be the most popular sporting event in the country every year, but Super Bowl Religion makes a mockery of both.
linnposts.com 
Amen, to that!
Wow! Some straightforward talk there about what, to many, may be a “touchy” subject. It’s not touchy to me and I think you are spot on. Thanks for saying it like I think it needs to be said.
I believe Dietrich Bonhoeffer had another term to describe trivialised religion. He called it “cheap grace”.