SUPERLATIVES Way word 'God' is used worries some

One theory is that the trend is a subtle resistance to fundamentalism.
SCRIPPS HOWARD
Seen God lately?
Look closer at the signs in the stands or the beer in your hand. According to some, he's everywhere.
Fans of European soccer star David Beckham show their appreciation by filling the Internet with "Becks is God" posts.
Some replica jerseys have replaced the name "Beckham" on the back with "God." St. Louis Cardinals phenom Albert Pujols has been praised with an "Albert is God" sign at the ballpark.
A check of recent news stories finds similar references to Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong, with "Lance is God" signs held aloft along the race route; a connoisseur who described a particular Belgian beer as "God in a bottle;" and an article from South Africa in which Nelson Mandela is referred to by a supporter as "the second Jesus."
People are even talking about God's TV habits. Recently, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Michael Powell referred to the digital recorder TiVo as "God's machine."
Who's offended
Even though it's becoming more and more popular, using the word God as a superlative doesn't sit well with everyone.
"It's not something to play around with," said Dr. Russell Bush, academic vice president at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest. "I think the name ought to be recognized with reverence."
It's not an entirely new phenomenon, as guitar hero Eric Clapton was treated to "Clapton is God" graffiti earlier in his career. But it's one that seems to be growing.
Bush doesn't believe fans with signs are using them to make a literal point that Beckham is God. They're only showing their support, as in "Beckham is No. 1," but it could have been done in a different way.
"I just think it's a poor choice, but I don't get emotionally offended by it. There are other ways they could have made the same point that would have been just as good," he said.
Another view
The increasing use of God in this way isn't a sign that the culture as a whole is leaning away from God, said Kristine L. Fitch, an associate professor at the University of Iowa. Fitch works in the Department of Communication Studies, researching the way language helps to form culture.
"If anything, U.S. culture is leaning more toward organized religion," she said. "Fundamentalism is stronger than it has ever been."
Perhaps, Fitch theorizes, the increasing use of the God like this on signs and in conversation is a form of subtle resistance to the increasing fundamentalism.
"It's intriguing," she said. "The only kind of people who would say this are the ones who are not even partly religious. If you took God at all seriously, you wouldn't put David Beckham or TiVo on that plane."
Bush agreed. "Most church people probably don't like the name of God being used in such a superficial way," he said.
Though respecting someone else's opinion to express feelings, Bush wonders why people would risk offending believers with their signs and shirts.
"Not everybody has to think the same way I do, but I think they should revere the name of God as a common courtesy for those of us who believe," Bush said.
"The Bible says we shouldn't take God's name in vain. People should be cautious about using the name of God for something that's purely secular."
As for David Beckham, who has gained worldwide acclaim for his bendable penalty kicks and his marriage to a Spice Girl, the image of him as God-like seems a bit unreasonable to some who know a little something about soccer.
Carolina Courage defender Danielle Slaton doesn't believe that "Becks is God."
"Is he a great player? Yes. Is he the best player? I don't know," said Slaton, an Olympic silver medalist.