Doing things to fit into a group is not necessarily a bad or stupid thing to do. It depends on what, exactly, it is, and why one is doing it.
Being polite and wearing clothing that is socially acceptable (as long as the clothing is not doing actual harm [e.g., excessively tight corsets, etc.]) seems reasonable to me.
In the case of the subject of this thread, devotional crucifixion, there does not appear to be great pressure to do it, but there might be in some cases. I don't think most of the people in the societies in which it is practiced, or anywhere near most, engage in that sort of thing. So it isn't a requirement for fitting into society at large. It is much more problematic and disturbing when ritual mutilation is required of someone.
Being polite and wearing clothing that is socially acceptable (as long as the clothing is not doing actual harm [e.g., excessively tight corsets, etc.]) seems reasonable to me.
In the case of the subject of this thread, devotional crucifixion, there does not appear to be great pressure to do it, but there might be in some cases. I don't think most of the people in the societies in which it is practiced, or anywhere near most, engage in that sort of thing. So it isn't a requirement for fitting into society at large. It is much more problematic and disturbing when ritual mutilation is required of someone.
"A wise man ... proportions his belief to the evidence."
— David Hume, An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, Section X, Part I.
