The Pilgrimage - The Bullfight

The Bullfight

Several years ago, I went to a bullfight when I was on a short-term mission trip to Mexico City.

It left me conflicted.

On the one hand, I’m always up for a cultural experience—especially if it is shrouded in ancient tradition and national heritage. Who doesn’t love a flamboyantly dressed Matador fully immersed in pomp and circumstance on a massive, live stage? But… I wasn’t prepared for what I saw and experienced that day.

Wikipedia defines bullfighting as a “physical contest that involves a bullfighter attempting to subdue, mobilize, or kill a bull, usually according to a set of rules, guidelines, or cultural expectations.”

Let me set the stage in case you have not had the experience of seeing a traditional bullfight firsthand. Most Americans see a guy in tight pants who teasingly waves a red cape. Little thought is given to the process of the bull’s painstakingly slow and inevitable death.

There are several stages or acts involved in a bullfight:

• The first act is called the Act of the Lances. In this act, the Matador and his crew, including picadors on horseback, engage the animal with lances.
• The second act is called the Act of Bandanas. The Matador uses colored sticks called Banderillas that have sharp barbs – and skillfully places them into the bull’s spine area. 
• The third act is known as the Act of Death. In it, the Matador kills the bull with a single sword thrust.

There can be as many as six bulls killed at one bullfighting event. Each event can take around 20 minutes and the bulls get progressively larger each time—building to a crescendo of death – the demise of a very large bull.

Succinctly put, bull fighting is an unfair fight. The bull is drugged before even getting into the arena. He gets stabbed over and over in the neck area—until, finally, with one majestic and eye-catching draw of the sword, the Matador kills the bull.  The bull drops immediately-- like a stone. It is breathtaking—in a really uneasy sort of way.

According to Human World for Animals, 180,000 bulls are killed annually in bullfights around the globe. (March 2025).

What ya getting’ at, Matt?

Unfair fights are happening all around us. Someone is getting bullied by the flashy and powerful. If something or someone is making you feel uncomfortable, if your God-given, internal warning lights are going off, maybe you should trust your gut and act on that. (Read that again. Again.)

You have power. You have a voice. You have a brain. You can have courage. You have a platform. You have influence. You have a freewill. You have instincts.

Follow them. Listen to the internal whispers you sense in your soul—even when it will cost you social standing, discomfort, or even a relationship. But this is NOT a license to be a butthead. You’re better than that…

• Just because something is legal—doesn’t mean it is morally/ethically right.
• Stand up for a vulnerable person who cannot fight for themselves. (This is what we do all day long at FCW. Thanks for joining the team.)
• Stand up for a genuinely moral cause—even if you are outnumbered. (But do your homework well—don’t just echo what someone else is saying.)
• Do what is right—especially when no one sees you do it.
• Choose justice for others—when it does not benefit you.

Let’s care about bulls. And cats and dogs. Whales and snail darters.

But let’s mostly care about humans in need. If you claim to be an apprentice of Jesus… this is essential to our mandate. Proverbs 3:27 reminds us, “Do not withhold good… when it is in your power to act.”

You have power. You have a platform. You have influence. You have intelligence. Don’t squander it—use it today. And tomorrow.

For extra credit, carefully meditate on 1 John. It’s only 5 chapters; you can do it.

To respond to any Pilgrimage devotional, you can email me directly at [email protected].

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