Call for separation of church and --- football?!

Sports, Songs and Salvation on Faith Night at the Stadium
By WARREN ST. JOHN
Published: June 2, 2006

It has long been noted that in certain parts of the United States, a fine line separates sports from religion. But at a minor league indoor football game last month in Birmingham, Ala., fans may have witnessed as transparent an attempt to merge football and church as had ever been tried.

Before kickoff, a Christian band called Audio Adrenaline entertained the crowd. Promoters gave away thousands of Bibles and bobblehead dolls depicting biblical characters like Daniel, Noah and Moses. And when the home team, the Birmingham Steeldogs, took the field, they wore specially made jerseys with the book and number of bible verses printed on the back.

Donnie Rhodes, a children's minister at Gardendale's First Baptist Church near Birmingham, took 47 sixth graders to the game by bus and said it was the perfect outing. "It was affordable, safe and spiritual," he said. "And the kids just thought it was the coolest thing."

<snip>

The religious promotions are spreading because they offer something for fans and for teams. Churches get discounted tickets to family-friendly evenings of music and sports with a Christian theme. And in return, they mobilize their vast infrastructure of e-mail and phone lists, youth programs and chaperones, and of course their bus fleets, to help fill the stands.

<snip>

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/02/sports/02faith.html?hp&ex=1149220800&en=a3d44512c857dd8e&ei=5094&partner=homepage

++++++++++++++++++

And we all know about politics and the pulpit.

Pro Rassling might be just a bit better, but this is good.

Ya know, I guess I really don't care about this. If the kids play on a team and they're happy, and the sponsors are a Church, who cares.

It's definately the fundies. Yup.

and I didn't think things could get any more absurd . . .

seems I was wrong . . .