Devotees in the fervently Catholic Philippines marked Good Friday by being nailed to crosses and whipping their backs bloody, in extreme acts of devotion that attracted thousands of spectators.
I've known many deeply devout believers, but this is a completely new level. It's insane. I had to check the date to see if this wasn't some kind of April Fools joke.
The fact that some would voluntarily mutilate their bodies like this and put themselves through such torture in the name of some deity is absolutely terrifying to me. The particularly disturbing part, if one can be differentiated from all this madness is that children were taking part in this apparently annual ritual. If that doesn't mess them up, I don't know what would.
And they even manage to make money out of it.
Well, since you shall love your neighbour as yourself, I'd pack my shit and leave immediately if I was your neighbor.
Quote:As the flagellants made an excruciatingly slow barefoot march to the hill in San Juan, a rural district of San Fernando north of Manila where the crucifixions were to take place, some of them stopped at times to lay face down on the hot pavement and let children flog them with twigs.
Five men had nails hammered through their palms and feet while four others, some with fake beards drawn on their faces to resemble Christ, were tied to the crosses.
They wailed in pain as attendants, costumed as Roman centurions, pounded the nails through their palms.
I've known many deeply devout believers, but this is a completely new level. It's insane. I had to check the date to see if this wasn't some kind of April Fools joke.
The fact that some would voluntarily mutilate their bodies like this and put themselves through such torture in the name of some deity is absolutely terrifying to me. The particularly disturbing part, if one can be differentiated from all this madness is that children were taking part in this apparently annual ritual. If that doesn't mess them up, I don't know what would.
And they even manage to make money out of it.
Quote:San Fernando Mayor Edwin Santiago openly conceded that the religious ritual has vast economic benefits for the community.
“We don’t have the exact record of the money… but for sure the Good Friday activities help our locals in their businesses,” he said.
Well, since you shall love your neighbour as yourself, I'd pack my shit and leave immediately if I was your neighbor.
