Holiday Scenes in Islam - (need strong stomach to view these!)

Reuters | FEBRUARY 20, 2005 | Reuters

[CHARLITE]

Sat Feb 19, 8:10 PM ET
Holy ceremony : An Iraqi Muslim Shiites walks alone outisde Imam Mussa al-Kazem in central Baghdad, after he flagellated himself during the peak of Ashura, which marks the death of Imam Hussein, grandson of Prophet Mohammed. (AFP/Karim Sahib)

Sat Feb 19, 7:11 PM ET
For Imam Hussein : An Iraqi Muslim Shiite boy flagellates himself outside Imam Mussa al-Kazem shrine.

Sat Feb 19, 6:04 PM ET
Iraqi Muslim Shiites flagellate themselves.

Sat Feb 19,10:04 AM ET
Iraqi Shi'ite men bleed as they make a cut on their heads with swords on the last day of the religious ceremony of Ashura, in the holy city of Kerbala, February 19, 2005. REUTERS/Ceerwan Aziz

Sat Feb 19, 7:24 AM ET
Iraqi Shi'ite men bleed heavily as they cut their heads with swords during the religious ceremony of Ashura, outside the holy shrines of Imam al-Hussein and al-Abbass in the city of Kerbala February 19, 2005. Crowds of pilgrims moved through Baghdad's streets, some beat themselves with metal chains as is the custom for Ashura.

Sat Feb 19, 2:56 AM ET An Iraqi Shi'ite man makes a cut on the head of a young boy with a sword during the last day of the religious ceremony of Ashura in the holy city of Kerbala February 19, 2005. As the crowds of pilgrims moved through Baghdad's streets, some beat themselves with metal chains as is the custom for Ashura, when devout Shi'ites commemorate the suffering of Imam Hussein, prophet Mohammed's grandson, who was killed in battle near Kerbala in 680 A.D. REUTERS/Ali Jasim

[CHARLITE]

What a shame to have liberated these people in the promotion of democracy, only to see them engaging in a continuation of such barbaric behavior. They can't seem to get out of the 7th century - democracy or no democracy.

[CHARLITE]

Ping!

[JennysCool]

Ahh yes, the ol' religion o' peace...

[freedom44]

Thanks for posting.

I've posted about this barbaric behavior in the past, but we should remember that in places like Philiphines their ceremonies are equally as brutal.

[SubMareener]

Yea! In the Philiphines, the Christians even nail themselves to crosses!

[JesseJane]

These folks need some strong EggNog and learn how to loosen up. Send in Santa Clause to hold some happy rehab sessions.

[Shermy]

Eh, they don't got much on Filipino Easter celebrations.

[ExpatGator]

And they also have an ongoing problem with IslamoNazis. HHHHHMMMMMM, I wonder if there is a connection?

[The Louiswu]

Geez...what a bunch of freaking morons

[Land_of_Lincoln_John]

Does anyone know how many people participate in this bizarre ritual? Dozens? Hundreds? Thousands?

[FrankR]

stupid is, as stupid does...

[SeaBiscuit]

Isn't this the 21st Century? Nobody could convince me that this is sane behavior.

[Smartaleck]

"In the Philiphines, the Christians even nail themselves to crosses!"

Some even engage in drinking blood. Transubstantiation I believe it's called?

[NorCalRepub]

at least it is just ceremonial......we don't understand it but if that is what they do and it doesn't involve terrorism or anything, more power to 'em.....

[NorCalRepub]

easily hundreds of men do this........

[auggy]

All we can hope for is they will slowly come out of their barbaric practices and at the very least quit their killing of infidels.

I really don't care , if they want to cut themself to pieces. They really need to do some deep flagullating and hit some main arteries.

[annyokie]

Perhaps they are being too literal? Transubstantiation, according to Catholic doctrine is when the wine used in communion is transformed to the blood of Christ. Likewise the host is transformed to the flesh of Christ.

[ThreePuttinDude]

By the looks of it, its prolly a dozen hundred thousand

[Strategerist]

Exactly how many infidels have the Iraqi Shia killed?

[dennisw]

HERE'S SOME VIDEO OF ASHURA DAY FLAGELLATIONS. Lots of drum beating, blood and a free meal of rice and beans.

http://tv.reuters.com/ifr_main.jsp?st=1108952903546&rf=bm&mp=WMP&wmp=1&rm=0&cpf=true&fr=021905_075542_17d5d2ax1022d1f6805xw6e44&rdm=170261.09987902266