Crucifiction in the Philippines (ritual, crucifixion, mission, churches, experience)

[Kungfuzed]

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=72717

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga (AFP) – Victor showed no fear, smoking a cigarette, waiting in line for his turn on the cross.
But he cried out and openly wept as the 13-centimeter stainless-steel nails – pre-soaked in alcohol to disinfect them – were driven through his palms with the ordinary carpenter’s hammer.

The men who undergo the crucifixion or the self-flagellation are doing it either in fulfillment of a promise they made to God or as penance for some misdeed. Many of them have gone through the ordeal numerous times.

I was shocked by this back when I was visiting the Philippines. What do you think?

[PureX]

It's not something I would do, but I think for some people this sort of thing is very important to their experience of God, and I have to respect that.

[Ciscokid]

I agree, I wouldn't do it personally but I think they are expressing themselves in a way that is spiritually important to them.

[Kungfuzed]

For me it just seems so unnecessary, considering they are Christians. Supposedly Christ has already made the sacrifice. Perhaps they do it out of empathy.

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by Kungfuzed

For me it just seems so unnecessary, considering they are Christians. Supposedly Christ has already made the sacrifice. Perhaps they do it out of empathy.

I agree. Not only is it unnecessary, I can't imagine that it's something God would approve of. There are much better ways for Christians to show their sincerity.

[Sola'lor]

I'm still a little bit uneasy about opening old threads because I'm a member of some other forums and they don't approve of opening old threads but here goes.

When I was on my mission for the Church in the Philippines. There was a guy supposed to be crucified in Laoag City. They cancelled it, however, because he had gotten drunk the night before and raped some women.

I agree that crucifiction is totally unecessary. In fact the crucifiction isn't all that important to Christ's purpose. He could have gave up his life falling off a cliff or in an electric chair and he still would have been the

Hehehe. Don't mean to offend anyone but, can you imagine if Christ had given his life in an electric chair. The symbol for Christianity would be an electric chair. They'd have electric chairs ontop of all the churches. Sorry, it's just a funny image in my mind.

[Kungfuzed]

Feel free to revive any of my old threads. I do that too when I get bored. I'll find some thread that's over a year old and bump it up and all the newbies start posting in it cause they've never seen it before.