Man Dressed as Satan upsets Theatre and Town!

[Chicago Democrat]

Man dressed as the devil disrupts ‘Passion’ movie

By Bill Dinkel, THG News

Moviegoers at Country Cinemas in Evansville attending a showing of “Passion of the Christ” got more than they bargained for Saturday night.

They were greeted in the lobby of the theater by a man wearing a ‘red devil’ costume. Tyler Wendell, a 19 year old freshman at the University of Southern Indiana, caused quite a ruckus with his get-up. The audience, many who were part of church groups, was visibly upset by the antics of Wendell. ”I always like to push the limits,” Wendell said. Many were upset that Wendell chose to wear a devil costume to a religious movie. Many patrons jeered Wendell as he stood in line for concessions.

Once inside the movie, Christians began pelting Wendell with Gummy Bears, Ju-Ju Bees, and popcorn. Management got involved after a 75-year-old woman, Hazel Meyer, poured a 64-ounce Coca-Cola on Wendell.

(snip)

Wendell, an atheist, said, “If God really existed, He would have struck me down for dressing as the devil.” He also wanted to prove “that Christians aren’t as forgiving as they portray”. Wendell says his actions were also partially due to a genuine dislike of Mel Gibson.

Fitzgerald replied that Wendell was “a misguided and deranged person.” Fitzgerald also said measures are being taken to ensure this type of disruption does not occur again. “From now on, people dressed offensively will not be allowed to enter the theatre.” Country Cinemas' management is in the process of creating new guidelines for preventing people dressed as “evil beings” from gaining entrance to the theatre.


Rest at...

http://www.hoosiergazette.com/News/news022.htm

[displacedtexan]

1. So much for freedom of speech.

These people just don't get it.

[girl gone mad]

7. It says a lot about their faith..

that a young man in a devil costume can upset them so much.

I guess they didn't learn any lessons about forgiveness and persecution, either.

[Muddleoftheroad]

28. Freedom to be a rude asshole

He was and they were in return.

[PsychoDad]

32. It's so sad...

That so many had to stoop to that level because of one...
Although the story did give me a little chuckle because I live in the aera.

[DrWeird]

2. I'm imagining Jon Lovitz.

nt

[Voltaire99]

3. The Debbil made him do it!

Wendell, an atheist, said, “If God really existed, He would have struck me down for dressing as the devil.” He also wanted to prove “that Christians aren’t as forgiving as they portray”. Wendell says his actions were also partially due to a genuine dislike of Mel Gibson.

Hilarious. We need more like this Wendell.

[Wickerman]

4. people dressed offensively will not be allowed to enter the theatre

So, if I complain about someone wearing baggy pants, or even worse, white shoes after Labor Day, will Fitzgerald throw the offender out?

My point being, of course, what is offensive?

[girl gone mad]

9. Kerry T-shirts and buttons,

of course!

[maveric]

5. Stupid Fundies!!

The war on terror should start with religious fundementalists.

[BR_Parkway]

10. He's lucky to still be alive, they might have actually done

him serious physical harm or killed him in the "frenzy"

[eissa]

6. people dressed offensively will not be allowed to enter the theatre

I hope Christina Aguilera and all the fans that dress just like her don't go to this theatre.

[myrna minx]

8. Did Jesus dump a coke upon the devil

when they spent 40 days together in the desert? :shrug:

[Chicago Democrat]

12. Go Hazel! Go Hazel!

64 oz is alotta Coca Cola!

[bleedingheart]

11. Isn't it some minor form of assault when you pelt someone with food

and drink?

perhaps the christians should have been cited...that's is my 2 cents..

[Forkboy]

14. I dunno

but if someone pelts me with Ju Ju Bees I'm catching them in my mouth.I love 'em! :)

[hatrack]

15. "Pelt him! Pelt him!" cried the crowd.

"Let Mike & Ikes, gummi bears and sticky carbonated beverage syrup be upon us and upon our children!"

[Wickerman]

16. Let him who is without sin cast the first Hot Tamale?

[tom_paine]

20. ROFLMAO!

Yes, that was very Paulian (not Christian) of Dear Hazel.

Not that such distinctions would be able to be conceived nor processed by someone like that (no, not a Christian, someone who pours a Coke over someone's head because of what they wear)

[DoNotRefill]

29. It's not a minor form of assault...

it's assault, plain and simple.

They should be charged.

[saltpoint]

13. Oh Jesus.

"Country Cinemas' management is in the process of creating new guidelines for preventing people dressed as “evil beings” from gaining entrance to the theatre."

-- While we're at it, let's create guidelines so that people dressed as "evil beings" don't gain entrance to grocery stores, Tire Kingdom, and so on.

-- In FACT! Let's amend the Constitution to ASSURE that no people dressed as "evil beings" gain entry into any establishment.

I won't feel safe until it happens!

[eissa]

17. Can we implement a dress code at Wal-Mart

man, some of the outfits on those shoppers would make my grandmother look like a fashion icon.

[saltpoint]

24. I hear on that, eissa.

I'm afraid to even go in to a Wal-Mart for fear of running into them!

[hatrack]

18. That's it!

Only an Anti-Evil-Being-Costume amendment to the Constitution can save America!

[myrna minx]

19. "Let's amend the Constitution to ASSURE

that no people dressed as "evil beings" gain entry into any establishment." Bwahaha...I have soda all over my monitor.

How dare that fella interrupt that "documentary."

[Ilsa]

21. I got a flyer in the mail from three local fundie churches today.

It assumed that I had forked over my money to Saint Mel the Bipolar and already seen the movie, and was inviting me to one of their churches. Of course the flyer praised the movie in the process.

I was thinking, does anyone think I should anonymously send them copies of that MSNBC article about St. Mel talking about his wife and non-Catholics going to hell? It might be really funny since none of these were Catholic churches.

[BiggJawn]

22. Guess we don't have to worry about seeing "Rocky Horror" there..

<sigh> Shit, friends, after all, it *IS* Indiana, home of Mike "Ray-Gun Dime" Pence and Steve "No, Really, they called me up to GO" Buyer....

guess they never have to worry about a visit from Didi Senft, either....

[carrowsboy]

23. crap like this scares me

Now just what separates the Christians from the Taliban, again?

If I had been there I would have whispered into Hazel's ear if we could crucify her on the screen...to get the full effect.

[Forkboy]

25. This thread is missing something

[Cleita]

26. OMG, I really need this laugh!!!

ROFLMAO. Have we forgotten to have a sense of humor anymore?

[Alex146]

27. lmao

religious nuts make me laugh

[AZCat]

30. "Monkey Dressed as President Upsets Country"

What do we need to do to get THIS as a headline?

[MrSlayer]

31. I loved this story when I first heard and still do.

If he didn't do anything besides wear the suit I don't see how they could throw him out. They should have thrown out all the assholes pelting him and dumping soda on him. I would think they were the ones in violation of the law.