The Lenten ritual, opposed by religious leaders in the Philippines, is an annual tradition in this farming village about 45 miles north of the capital, Manila.
The Roman Catholic devotees were crucified in batches, their palms and feet attached to wooden crosses with four-inch nails soaked in alcohol to prevent infection.
Nine devotees underwent the ritual in San Pedro Cutud, including Ruben Enaje, a 45-year-old commercial sign maker who was nailed to the cross for the 20th time.
Enaje has said it is his way of thanking God after he miraculously survived a fall from a building when he was a construction worker.
In Kapitangan, another village north of Manila, two men wearing long wigs and tin crowns were nailed to the cross before about 1,000 spectators.
why on earth do they have these barbaric rituals?
As Westerners, we look to the Romans as being one of the greatest civilizations in history. They achieved new things and influenced modern society. Yet in all of our praise of the Romans, we seem to overlook the fact that one of the most basic aspects of their life was the enjoyment of the gladiatorial games. These games, which consisted of fights to the death between humans, animals, or both, were the highlight of Roman entertainment. These bloody, barbaric rituals would hardly be considered part of a civilized society today, yet we continue to view the Romans as one of the greatest civilizations of ancient times. Why do we seem to overlook these brutalities? Do we accept death as a form of entertainment because it existed in society so long ago? I had no idea that the Romans killed each other and wild animals for fun! Do most people, like me, simply not know about the brutality that was experienced?
The idea that people would flock to huge stadiums to cheer on the gruesome gladiatorial games disgusts me. How could people possibly view death as a form of entertainment? And yet the more they saw, the more they craved. I wonder how these "games" began, and why they became so popular.
Another popular barbaric ritual that still takes place in the Jewish faith is called Bris Milah, a ceremony held for Jewish boys on their eighth day of life. It is a bond between God and the Jewish nation for all time. It is a bond that can never be broken. But should the foreskin not be broken as well. We have eyelids and lashes for a reason. Heck why do we not remove those?
I think it barbaric and should not be done.
these people are not Christians anymore than the Queen Mum is a turnip.
Although, if we get enough people together to say the Queen Mum is a turnip, then convince the media, and go so far as to print it in popular books, eventually everyone will believe that she is!
Anyone who knows an iota about church history or the Bible (the "Christian handbook") would know this behavior is not Christ-like or Christian. So don't referring to these people as Christians.