Aw geeze, the Filipinos are nailing themselves to the crosses again for Easter...

[Poll_Blind]

Like the bloody self-flagellation of the Day of Ashura or the poultry-geddon known as Kapparot, I am always reminded that in some people's minds, God doesn't listen nearly as closely as when there's some blood being spilled...

Pictures of today's crimson festivities here.

There was a woman on the cross this year, though. I...I don't know whether that's a good thing or a bad thing.

PB

[Brickbat]

1. Sad.

[lib2DaBone]

2. Religion.... the REAL terrrorists..

[RKP5637]

3. Many religions are down right scary/freaky IMO. n/t

[Turbineguy]

4. They seemed to have missed the point entirely.

It isn't about being nailed to a cross or some other gruesome thing, it's about the resurrection. It's about a better world. It's about looking at human weaknesses and overcoming them. It's about how to treat your fellow man.

Happy Easter. (Matthew 10:14)

[Poll_Blind]

5. Yeah but those things are not as exciting as the pageantry of putting on Centurion armor and...

...seeing someone take a couple of spikes through the palm, are they? ;-) Those things require some level of introspection, self-examination and- oh hey American Idol's ON!

I'm an atheist but I haven't found a religion yet that wasn't inspiring, usually on a couple of different levels. The sad fact is that most of the people I know who are Christians literally know less about their religion than I do.

And I'm no expert, which makes it all the more depressing an observation.

PB

[Sebastian Doyle]

6. You ever listen to Mike Malloy?

He's an atheist who can quote more scripture from memory than I can, and I'm a recovering Baptist. Ironically, I don't think most of the right wing Christians read the bible at all, apart from that handful of cherry picked verses that their pastor/priest uses in his Sunday sermon, and even then those are probably twisted into a context the original authors never intended.

[Poll_Blind]

7. You know, I actually used to listen to Malloy a few years ago on...

...Air America- do you know where I can listen to him streaming now? I had forgotten about him but the guy was really great to listen to and I genuinely believe he cares.

PB

[Individualist]

10. You'll find a Malloy thread like this every night that he's on the air.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=8078569

[Turbineguy]

12. The Bible contains a lot of good stuff

The problem with many so-called christians is they view it as a textbook for physics and natural history. It's a shame when you consider that the writers had a pretty good grasp of human behavior and motivation.

[Phlem]

15. I guaranty

they are not the only ones who have missed the point.

-p

[Sheepshank]

8. everyone wants to be jesus I suppose?

wonder what their life is like the other 364 days of the year?

[Sebastian Doyle]

13. Well, Jesus did say to "take up thy cross and follow Me"

and some of His apostles did literally meet the same fate at the hands of the Romans. But I always took it as metaphorical myself. Even at my most religious times, I never felt the need to actually BE crucified.

There's also a verse in there that says something about being able to walk on snakes and scorpions without them hurting you, but that don't mean I'm not careful when I'm hiking around the desert.

[subterranean]

9. That photo with 3 crosses reminds me of the ending scene of "Life of Brian"

"Always look on the bright side of life..." :D

[tranche]

11. Aw geeze, the Americans are bombing more countries and killing again for Nothing...

What the Filipinos probably say about us....

[Phlem]

17. +1

spent my early childhood growing up in various places there. Seen it live. Nothing compared to what we're doing in Iraq.

-p

[UTUSN]

14. Mexican customs for "holy" week: the (uber) Rich go shopping & the poor finish off their Lenten

self-deprivation, self-accusation, "confession", and numbing ritual.

[frogmarch]

16. Nothing strange about it.

It makes perfect sense to me.

Ruben Enaje, a 49-year-old sign painter, was nailed to a cross for the 24th time as his way of thanking God for his survival after falling from a building.

See what I mean?