[Chefelf]

Man tries to convert lions to Jesus, gets bitten
Updated: 5:51 a.m. ET Nov. 3, 2004

46-year-old leaps into den at Taipei Zoo, calls beasts to Christianity


An image taken from television shows a man being attacked by a lion after he crossed a barbed wire fence to "preach" to two of the animals at the Taipei Zoo on Wednesday.

TAIPEI, Taiwan - A man leaped into a lion’s den at the Taipei Zoo on Wednesday to try to convert the king of beasts to Christianity, but was bitten in the leg for his efforts.

“Jesus will save you!” shouted the 46-year-old man at two African lions lounging under a tree a few meters away.

“Come bite me!” he said with both hands raised, television footage showed.

One of the lions, a large male with a shaggy mane, bit the man in his right leg before zoo workers drove it off with water hoses and tranquilizer guns.

Newspapers said that the lions had been fed earlier in the day, otherwise the man might have been more seriously hurt ... or worse.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6396422/

Oh cruel irony! How many people are killed every year by lions without ever intending to provoke the beasts? Yet this yahoo lives relatively unscathed!

Thanks to reiner for this one!

[Chyld]

Jane and Amber, maybe we ought to borrow these lions when I come over this summer...

[Amber-Nicole]

These are my kind of lions! Sounds like a plan to me, Chyld.

[Jordan]

Chances are those lions turned to Christianity shortly after. They're on my side now, so really, you're all fucked.

I am the Beast Master.

[Jane Sherwood]

That's the funniest thing I've read since last year when a church group was holding a prayer session on the side of the road before their morning job (probably asking god to keep them safe), and were run down by a car! I can't stop laughing!

This is just too good...that lion just got to do what every evangelist-hating one of us wishes we could do! ...Ok, maybe not the biting, but the attack, hell yeah!

[Chyld]

It's just occured to me; how do you convert a lion? They're pretty much engrained the "Eat Raw Flesh" religion into every aspect of their daily live...

[J m HofMarN]

What was Jesus supposed to save the lions from? If he was aiming to save them from water hoses and tranquilizers he didnt do too good of a job...

And why did nothing happen to this guy? Normally these stories end with the lunatic being lobatamized. Did this guy just go free to try to save the souls of some crocadiles tomorrow?

[barend]

(damn you chefelf! i wanted to post this one... i was hoping no one would hear about it before i could get back to work where i had the link... which i did on monday but had forgotten about it by then so i guess, cheers.... )

anyway...

"i invite you to bite my leg in the name of the lord"

it reminds me of that simpsons episode where bart takes his dog to obedience school...

"heal, heal... er... go over there.... uh... sniff that other dogs but"

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next time he'll know not to mess with them jewish lions...

[Slade]

Bah, it's just the simple fact that lions like to eat Christians.

You can't convert something that isn't affected by theology. When was the last time you saw a lion take the Lord's name in vain? People these days. The lion should have eaten this guy.

And the treatment of the lions was unjust. The guy asked the lion to bite him, so he did. He should be rewarded with tasty man flesh.

[barend]

now i'm a nice guy...

but if i had been one of the zoo staff...

i would have watched and told the others to not do anything...

"wait! ...let's just see where he's going with this..."

[Stongbah]

Bah, it's just the simple fact that lions like to eat Christians.

It took this many posts for someone to use this joke?

[SimeSublime]

I saw this on the news on tv, and I have to say, it's even more funny live.

I was going to send it in to post, but that would've required me looking for articles, and I have no idea where they are(I get my news from here and The Glass House)

[barend]

you lazy sod...

[Jordan]

It took this many posts for someone to use this joke?

Thought crossed my mind when I first looked at the article.


What amazes me is that people actually let him go through with it.

The guy was trying to become a pop star. Simple. Any Christian you see on TV speaking to the masses while suited up in a golden robe or taming/saving lions is just an attention seaking sensationalist who only cares about his/hers own self-glorification.

I've said it before, I'll say it again. The future of the church is home bible studies.

[J m HofMarN]

I doubt he was looking for fame. I think he was just crazy. Maybe after this he's going to start calling himself The Knight of the Lions, or The Knight of the Rueful Leg. (Cervantes reference go!)