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Tuesday, March 21, 2006

A Legitimate Question


A friend of mine (who prefers the term "Godless heathen" instead of "atheist") sent me this link. He asked me if this wasn't undignified and counter-productive. I responded yes, it's undignified, but not necessarily counter-productive.
Can professional-style wrestling really be the next frontier for Christian outreach?

Small bands of masked evangelists, clad in tights and armed with biblical names, argue it is. The violence and intensity of wrestling, they claim, can be the perfect way to attract the alternative, younger crowd.

At the beginning of some "Wrestling for Jesus" shows, wrestler Chase "Darkness" Cliett is strapped to a massive wooden cross on stage as piercing music is played. A group of evil wrestlers beats and bloodies him before the good guys dramatically come to his rescue. Later, after a horned fellow in a red suit is knocked out, the preaching begins.

... One performance ended with real fighting, real cursing and a repentant participant stretched-out face-down in the ring weeping.
Um... you had me, right up until the "real cursing"...

I know that Ted Dibiase is doing a lot of Christian speaking, and he's part of the Power Wrestling Alliance, with the wrestlers formerly known as Sting and Nikita (who, it appears, does stuff with "Wrestling for Jesus" as well).

So... does this work? Is it just a hook? Is it taking away from the Message, or is it reaching a group who otherwise might blow off religion?

Thoughts?



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