Filipinos warned on crucifixions

[Neil_Anthony]

Health officials in the Philippines have issued a warning to people taking part in Easter crucifixion rituals.

They have urged them to get tetanus vaccinations before they flagellate themselves and are nailed to crosses, and to practise good hygiene.

On Good Friday dozens of very devout Catholics in the Philippines re-enact the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

It is something that has become a huge tourist attraction, although the Church frowns on the practice.

continued… see this link:
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7305522.stm

 

[mschrank]

Is this kind of excessive penance good or bad? It seems like there may be better ways to show one’s devotion.

 

[ac23]

My parents watch a Filipino cable channel all the time. The other day I walked through the living room and saw it happening on the television–some sort of news program.

I couldn’t watch it long and walked out

Is this kind of excessive penance good or bad? It seems like there may be better ways to show one’s devotion.

As a Filipino-American, one thing I’ve learned about my culture is the tendency to be “dramatic.” Not to say that what we do or say may or may not be genuine, but my people just gravitate towards expressing themselves in this way. I for one agree that there may be better ways to express devotion.

 

[RShackleford]

Whoa. I was pretty surprised when I saw this.

 

[iamACE]

The Bishops in the Philippines condemn those kinds of “penance” that a few Filipinos are doing. These hard-headed Filipino Catholics are making it a tourist attraction and of course anti-Catholics criticize…

 

[Yerusalyim]

I’ve always been oppossed to such excessive displays. I don’t think it’s healthy mentally or spiritually.