Filipino devotees nailed to cross

[-Cp]

SAN PEDRO CUTUD, Philippines - Seven devotees were nailed to crosses on Good Friday in a northern Philippine village where the rites drew thousands of tourists and spectators.

The Lenten ritual is opposed by religious leaders in the Philippines — Southeast Asia's largest predominantly Roman Catholic nation. But it has persisted to become one of the country's most-awaited summer attractions in San Fernando City's San Pedro Cutud village.

The devotees' palms and feet were attached to wooden crosses with 4-inch nails soaked in alcohol to prevent infection after a nearly mile-long walk to the mound, each carrying a wooden cross on their backs.

Among the yearly penitents in San Pedro Cutud was Ruben Enaje, a 46-year-old commercial sign maker who was nailed to the cross for the 21st time on Friday.

Earlier in the day in the same village, dozens of half-naked men hit their bloodied backs with bamboo sticks dangling from a rope in a flagellation rite meant to atone for sins.

More than 100 foreign tourists flocked to this year's Good Friday rites, with many of them seated on a stage at the side of the mound.

"They take this religion to the extreme," observed Gomas de Miguel, a tourist from Spain. "In Spain, we say we are Catholics but we don't do this anymore I think."

"It's not my belief, but I know that they are sincere in what they are doing so I respect it," said American tourist Dennis Smith.





http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070406/..._crucifixion_1

[avatar4321]

this is insane

[Gaffer]

Utter silliness. The only good thing is they do it to themselves and not anybody else.

[LiberalNation]

Cool.

It does show some faith to be willing to take on the suffering of Jesus when he was crucified. Most people don't like pain.

[Nuc]

This is taking "What would Jesus do?" to an extreme!

[avatar4321]

Cool.

It does show some faith to be willing to take on the suffering of Jesus when he was crucified. Most people don't like pain.

Being nailed to a cross or any sort of other pain including death for Christ would be easy, it's living His Doctrine that is tough.

And there is nothing cool about this. Senseless pain is never cool

[LiberalNation]

Yeah but unsual things normally are. When was the last time you saw someone hanging from a cross.

[Nienna]

Cool.

It does show some faith to be willing to take on the suffering of Jesus when he was crucified. Most people don't like pain.

The suffering of Jesus was endured at the hands of others. These people are making themselves suffer. God does not want us to purposefully destroy our bodies, our temples, our vehicles in this world.

Doing this act IN FAITH would require having faith enough to let GOD orchestrate it, for HIS glory, not putting on a show to draw attention to one's self.

[Abbey Marie]

The suffering of Jesus was endured at the hands of others. These people are making themselves suffer. God does not want us to purposefully destroy our bodies, our temples, our vehicles in this world.

Doing this act IN FAITH would require having faith enough to let GOD orchestrate it, for HIS glory, not putting on a show to draw attention to one's self.

[-Cp]

The suffering of Jesus was endured at the hands of others. These people are making themselves suffer. God does not want us to purposefully destroy our bodies, our temples, our vehicles in this world.

Doing this act IN FAITH would require having faith enough to let GOD orchestrate it, for HIS glory, not putting on a show to draw attention to one's self.

While I 100% agree w/ you my SisTA - you're assuming you know his intention... (drawing attention to himself)... he could just be a nutjob...

[Nienna]

While I 100% agree w/ you my SisTA - you're assuming you know his intention... (drawing attention to himself)... he could just be a nutjob...

Actually, I considered that--I mean the fact that I don't know their hearts for sure. But, the context of the article made it sound like this is a yearly event, maybe with different "victims" each year. I don't think these people are nuts. I think they are glorifying themselves. Maybe they don't realize that, but it's what they are doing.

[CockySOB]

http://www2.hawaii.edu/~millado/flag...gellation.html

This is an excellent essay on self-flagellation and Christianity in Medieval Europe and a comparison to the practices in the Philippines today. The gist is that while there is a similarity in ritual, the focus is decidedly NOT the same.

As I understand it, the Filipino tradition is actually a combination of indigenous, pre-Christian practices with Christian ideals brought to the islands via evangelism. Think of it in terms of how Christmas evolved from a celebration of Christ's birth into the modern secular shopping spree which has only limited symbolic relation to Christianity.

[glockmail]

Yeah but unsual things normally are. When was the last time you saw someone hanging from a cross.

When was the last time you saw someone murdered. Is that cool as well?

You've got issues, kid.

[LiberalNation]

Depends on who get's murdered.

As for cool, like I said this is unusual and interesting. I wouldn't do it myself but.....

[avatar4321]

Depends on who get's murdered.

As for cool, like I said this is unusual and interesting. I wouldn't do it myself but.....

I see, so you have no problem seeing the "right" people get murdered?