MMA: What Would Jesus Do?

Yes, I must be amazingly stupid or just downright ignorant to bring up Jesus on a sports site.  Actually, since I started writing articles here, I have been accused of both, so for me it is nothing new. 

I'm guilty as charged, I guess—or until I'm found innocent up at the pearly gates as I seek admission in spite of my many real (not my imagined) sins.

In my whole life, I have never tried to convert anyone, even as a Sunday School teacher in the under-5 age group.  When someone sincerely asks me I tell them why I am a Christian. 

"I believe I am very blessed to have experienced God and have seen and been the recipient of miracles." 

There are very few atheists found working in Maternity units and most of the staff there pray regularly at work and are never discouraged from so doing, as teachers unfortunately are (I am covering both my professions here).

Ironically, before I even saw the T-shirt I knew that Jesus didn't tap and he refrained from tapping so that I could be saved from my sins. 

Thank God for his confidence in his earthly son, I wish I had that much faith in my sons—to trust that they would do the right thing.

When I was in high school, I read a book called "The Son of God" which became one of my favorite books about religion and sports.  Maybe it was a book that my church would not recommend, but as a sports-crazed tomboy I loved it.

Just as in the Bible, the son of God was tempted by the Devil and 'sins of the flesh' as the successful quarterback of an up and coming football team.  I don't remember all the aspects of the book, just that the son of God made the right decisions when faced with unbelievable hardships.

He led his team to glory, then walked away from the sport never to be heard of again (on earth at least); yet in the book, that was not an unhappy ending.

Because I spend much of my life pondering, I wonder why true Christians (are there really any other kind of Christians) think that anyone interested in MMA is suspect and therefore not a true Christian?

This bothers me on several fronts: why are ministers putting MMA in sermons, and why don't their church members challenge them on this?

Most churches don't preach against football, which may keep more people from attending church than MMA does.  There are no studies published on this so I am in the dark on this one.

So many fighters have professed their faith publically; shouldn't preachers laud them and their sport for giving them a platform on which to witness their belief in God?

There have been so many holy wars throughout time, why pick on a relatively new sport?  Although blood is spilled it is not a sacrifice to demons (maybe for the almighty dollar, but it isn't the only sport that has done it), and it is a square, hexagon, octagon, or circle, not a pentagram.

Can it be because it does not signify good vs. evil and therefore men of the cloth can't understand it?  Can't it be simply a competition between two exceptionally fine examples of God's handiwork using their God given abilities in a contest of strategy, strength, and will?

Am I the one who is crazy and misguided to enjoy the sport and spend my time writing articles to promote MMA and not religion (which I really feel is more of a one-on-one quest for salvation between a person and Christ)?

Well at my age, I will most likely be finding the answer before my much younger audience and attempt to send them back a sign.

If Dana stops dropping the 'f-bombs' everyone had better look up to heaven for my sign.  And that is it.  Amen!