On Good Friday, Filipino Catholic devotees in Lenten, Philippines were nailed to the cross (for real) in an annual ritual. From the website:
Forty-five-year-old Ruben Enaje grimaces as he is nailed to the cross for the 20th time during annual lenten rites in San Pedro Cutud village, in San Fernando city about 70 kilometers (45 miles) north of Manila on Friday April 14, 2006. Enaje said it is his way of thanking God for miraculously surviving a fall from a building when he was a construction worker. At least seven Filipino devotees were nailed believing that the sacrifice would save them from sin.
From a Biblical perspective, this demonstrates the pagan roots of Christianity. Easter, "Good" Friday, Lent, Mother Mary, X-Mass, Sun-day... Gentiles have run amuck, doing what is right in their OWN eyes. Get back to the authentic, foundational Scriptures -Torah- and then sort out & untwist the perverted Apostolic Writings. Review: Ephesians 4:17, 2 Corinthians 6:17, Jeremiah 16:19, Psalm 89:34(35), Acts 20:29, Matthew 24:11, 2 Peter 2:1, 1 John 4:1, Matthew 7:15, Proverb 18:2, Hebrews 10:28, Proverbs 28:9, Leviticus 23, Matthew 5:19, Romans 11, Numbers 15:16, Leviticus 24:22, Ephesians 2:11-13 in light of Deuteronomy 13.
Funny how the Catholic Bishops of the Philippines annually deny that they abet the practice, yet they never speak out on it really and secretly encourage it with all sorts of pious stories of repentance and generally liberal attitude to it except in official statements.
It's sacreligious commercialism when you peek under the hood and keep your eyes and ears open at one of these bloodfests. You would be surprised at the fakery involved, like "nails" with huge heads for the front page photo, but with thumbtack-size pins behind. Also they stand on platforms hidden by costumes. No one ever dies, it's all a play for parking space rentals, sidewalk vendors, and "license fees" to foreign media eager for a scoop shot.
All I can say about most of these comments or articles is that they are written in a single perspective without trying to understand the real reason behind them nor the Filipino culture. If this is in all ways wrong, then by all means perhaps annual pilgrimages are wrong like in Jerusalem and other "claimed" holy places. I'm not taking sides, all I am saying is step away from your own perspective, learn, study, engage in the culture and their traditions to "fully" understand before passing judgments or comments that you all state from only seeing and reading one article and not even witnessing or studying the nature/history. A person has a right to give his/her opinion, but to say something is absolutely wrong from no knowledge is "ignorance."
For all the objections against doing this it would logical to conclude then that no movie should be made about christ death. If filipinas who study theology and would like to know about theology please contact me at. Stendsa@yahoo.com thanks God bless
It's sacreligious commercialism when you peek under the hood and keep your eyes and ears open at one of these bloodfests. You would be surprised at the fakery involved, like "nails" with huge heads for the front page photo, but with thumbtack-size pins behind. Also they stand on platforms hidden by costumes. No one ever dies, it's all a play for parking space rentals, sidewalk vendors, and "license fees" to foreign media eager for a scoop shot.