Tom Junod believes it goes hand-in-hand with Christianity's success:
You see, of all the major religions, Christianity makes the largest claim; it does not merely promise paradise down the line, but also in the here-and-now. Through the writings of Saul of Tarsus, it promises nothing less than temporal transformation — believe in this, and you will become an entirely different person. You will be made made clean, made whole, and above all, made new; Saul the persecutor will become St. Paul, the persecuted.
It's easy to see why such a faith would become the de facto gospel of the New World, and even why it might remain so in the face of science, reason and plain common sense. By making a claim of efficacy, Christianity makes a claim that is either demonstrable, or not. This is why it is so congenial to capitalism, conspicuous consumption, the gospel of success, and America's self-help ethos; and this is why it is so important to the country that Tim Tebow be transformed from a raw and developing talent with some permanent liabilities to, well, a winner.
Chris Jones questions the conventional wisdom of Tebow as underdog. Earlier Dish coverage of the cultural phenomenon here, here and here.
(Photo: Quarterback Tim Tebow #15 of the Denver Broncos prays with teammates and players from the New England Patriots after an NFL game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on December 18, 2011 in Denver, Colorado. The New England Patriots won, 41-23. By Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
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