[wingnuts'nbolts]

This is sick and over the edge and repelant. They are our worst fears.

However, flagelants are in the Christian religion also. In Taxco, Mexico at Easter they march, men beating thier backs into bloody messes, carry sharp edge crosses that draw blood, wear thorn on thier heads while blood runs down thier faces. It is done in Spain and other nations too. But no little children to my knowledge are hurt. I find this horrifying and frightening!

[FITZ]

Of course don't forget ---Spain had been under Islamic control for 700 years right before it came to the New World. Some of what passes as Christianity in Mexico isn't at all ---some of those traditions are a holdover from the pre-Colombian days.

[FITZ]

I've seen some of the Indians making their pilgrimage to the Basilica de Guadalupe in Mexico ---it's amazing because they'll fall to their knees and continue on ---with their knees bleeding and raw. I don't think it's a Catholic thing though ---you won't catch many Catholics in the US or Europe doing that kind of thing. I don't think many Catholics would even wear the hair shirts the Mormons wear for sacrifice.

[anapikoros]

Interesting - wonder if the Spaniards learnt it from the Moslems who occupied Spain for centuries and the Spaniards in turn introduced it to the Mexicans.

Could be the Spanish cults who practice this today were originally Moslems forced to convert to Catholocism during the inquisition but kept up their primal rituals akin to the Marranos secretly keeping Pesach etc.