Note: While this column is barely a year old , as I originally posted this on the DOI 12 months ago, someone just the other day tried converting one of my friends into their religious beliefs, in addition to a religious wrestling show being held in the northeast area. I know alot of people either loved or hated the following column, so I figured I'd reprint it here, since I thought it was a good column, as it did spark a debate. Enjoy the weekend and my thoughts on the Born-Again craze.
So here I am, at 3 AM the other day, reading an Eric Simms column. While most Eric Simms columns are light-hearted, this
one actually touched something serious. To read what I'm talking about, check out this column
Glancing At Religion .
While I think Eric made some good points, I don't think he examined it as close as I'm about to. I am not going to dwell and go on and on, because there are enough books that do that already. I'm just going to hit some facts and opinions in this one.
Religion has been around since the beginning of mankind. The cavemen worshipped various types of Gods. The Greeks and Romans
were also polytheistic, as they believed in numerous types of Gods. Wars were fought over Christianity for hundreds of years.
The King of England, Henry, created a church after himself. World War II was fought over Judiasm (among other things). Today,
Jerusalem is not a safe place to go to, due to all the wars being fought there, over God. Religion has always sparked debate, and once
people are through talking, it sparks wars and blood shed. For people who believe in God or believe in religion, it amazes me
how many people must be killed or how many wars must be fought just to have the right to drop to your knees and pray to
some God, or what I believe, a figment of one's imagination.
I guess, for the purpose of this column, I should mention that I am an atheist, and find the whole idea of religion, especially the Born-Again Christians
and God, as a crutch for others. Even some regular Christians, who didn't need to come back and find God, don't like Born-Again
Christians. As I prepared this story, two Christians told me that the reason they didn't like Born-Again Christians is
because the Born-Agains always try to force their beliefs on others, and come off very cultish. For me, religion
is a way to change your life around. It is supposed to be salvation, but to me, it will always be a cop-out. While the old
atheist vs religion issue can be discussed for literally ever, as many books have been filled up on the topic, that is not
my point in this column. My point is to look at all the born-again Christians that are around in wrestling today.
To really understand this column, we first must look at what a Born-Again Christian is. A born-again Christian is defined as
a Christian who has experienced a dramatic conversion to faith in Jesus. Pretty much, this lets you to lead your life
however you want. You can pop pills, drink beer, murder people, sodomize people, streak at a baseball game or whatever
nefarious activity you're into. Then, when you're finished with that, you go find God, and repent all your sins. You vow
to live your life from that moment on, by doing only good. Helping the needy, feeding the homeless, donating money to the
church are all tasks that are smiled upon by other Christians. By going through the motions and taking God as your
Savior, you officially become a Born-Again Christian. You preach the Word of God to others. In some extreme cases, you
try to convert others. In some really fucked up extreme cases, you become an agent, and tell wrestlers that you will only
book them if they find God. (I've got that fact from 5 different wrestlers, that one agent said if you find God, I will get
you booked. And to those wrestlers who refused to say "Hallejuiah, I've found Jesus!" after constant pressuring, I
commend you for sticking up in your beliefs.) Cases like that, make me believe that Born-Again Christians are nothing but
a brain-washing cult, who don't always see the other side of the story.
In wrestling, there is a promotion, headed up by The Million Dollar Man Ted Dibiase, called Power Wrestling Alliance aka
PWA. The PWA promotes shows and baptisms. They use wrestlers who have found God. Despite alot of these guys "having demons",
(another fucking term I hate) they have all found God with The Million Dollar Man. The Honky Tonk Man refers to all of this
as the "Oh Brother Tour." I guess "thank god" for the Honky Tonk Man, as it seems he's the only one of these ex-80's WWF
wrestlers to really have a handle on things. (Check out The Honky Tonk Mans site at http://www.thehonkytonkman.com to see all his opinions on this promotion.) As Honky Tonk Man said in a recent shoot interview, and from what I've heard
from one wrestler on these Million Dollar Man "Rassle N Repent" shows, some of these wrestlers pretend to find God, just
to get bookings. Before you say, "That's fucked up, pretending to be something you're not, just to get a wrestling spot,"
how about the promoter who books wrestlers based on their faith? While I don't believe in Satan, because acknowledging
the existence of Satan is just like acknowledging the existence of God, where are all the Satanic wrestlers? I see
Sting in PWA. Where's Balls Mahoney? I see Johnny Ova in PWA. Where's Damian Dragon? After all, isn't an element in Christianity
praising Jesus and denouncing Satan? Isn't wrestling, when you break it all down, Good vs Evil? Wouldn't a Born-Again
Christian vs Satanic wrestler be a natural storyline? Obviously to PWA, it's not, as it's all about some of these
hypocrites, brainwashing fans into breaking bread and drinking the blood of Christ. What other promotion has prayers with
fans and baptisms? I can't wait for WCW to come back, but this time renamed Witchcraft Championship Wrestling. Let's see
them work their customs and beliefs onto others.
While I would never judge someone based on their faith, despite my strong beliefs against it, I find it ironic that in
wrestling, so many people have found God. It is impossible to prove that God doesn't exist, as well as it's impossible
to prove that God does exist. It's all a matter of opinion, and I will let others, who are more educated than me on the
subject debate that in their scribes and literature. How can a business, which is looked at by people in it, as one of
the most deceitful, have all these wonderful Christians in it? How can some of these guys live a life of immorality and one
day wake up and say, "Brother God, I've found you." For all these Christians, I wonder if there are different types of
heavens that sort out the Born-Agains from the "Never-Lefts". Maybe these Born-Agains go to hell for 40 years, then go to
heaven. Who knows that the deal is there.
The two main reasons, in my opinion, why alot of wrestlers are becoming Born-Again Christians are the early death rate in
wrestling and for popularity. Looking at the death rate first, it is no secret that wrestlers die young, due to the
fast lifestyle and constant pressures. Alot of wrestlers die young. It's a fact. The business just lost a good one yesterday
in the Big Boss Man. The wrestler's life expectancy is nothing like the rate that is given in many magazines. Many male
wrestlers will not see the age of 78. It fucking sucks, but it's the truth. There are more Brian Pillmans than there are
Freddie Blassies. It sucks to type that, but the facts support it. By finding God, I think it allows people to die believing
that their afterlife will be good. (Again, I don't believe in the after-life personally, as I think you just rot in a box)
By accepting God, and repenting all your sins, you will go to Heaven. You are now saved and ready to die. With the death
rate young in wrestling, more and more wrestlers are finding God. Now I am not saying that these wrestlers expect to die, but
it goes back to the whole concept of religion being a crutch, or for you TV people out there, a "lifeline".
Right now, being a Born-Again Christian is as popular as wearing your hat sideways and leaning back. It is a trend. Just
like how alot of people became Satanic in the 90's, during the height of the Manson era, here in the 2000's, becoming a
Born-Again is all the rage. It is popular right now and it's also more accepted. For alot of people in wrestling, it's easier
to book Born-Again's on the major level, not the indy level. I already discussed the one promotion that books people soley
based on their faith. There are people in wrestling that will look down upon people who aren't Christian. I mean that is one
of the reasons that provoked this column. I won't name names here, but it is hypocrisy at it's finest when as a Born-Again
Christian, you discriminate against others. Then again, most of these self-proclaimed Born-Again's use their faith to get
more work, and are just poseurs.
So for alot of impressionable people out there, who will sell their soul just to get $50 dollars a show and hell, get in
a position to wrestle Chris Sabin in a ladder match, please truly believe what you want. Don't listen to others, and follow your
drive. There is alot of unneccessary brain washing in the Born-Again Christian community.
Religion is just like wrestling, it is a business, filled up with many different characters. In this
column, I didn't even touch
the issue about all the pedophilia that's in religion, just like how it's been rumored to be in wrestling. Religion and Wrestling are similiar
and both have their cycles of popularity. While religion is popular again, due to the war on terror, and wrestling is not,
you know that, due to the cyclic nature of the world, religion will be forgotten again and wrestling will become popular. I wait
for the day, eagerly, that people trade in their John 3:16 shirts for their Austin 3:16 shirts again.
In closing, before a lightening bolt strikes me down from God (see I can have a sense of humor too), let me say believe
what you want, but don't let others force their beliefs on you.
Enjoy the "Oh Brother" tour
Previous McPinions columns can be read by going to:
McPinions Archive
Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey
BULLSMC@aol.com
