Sur-realism

[Aperitif]

Always respectful of individuals' beliefs, I am finding this story a bit 'weird' to say the least.
What is the best way to work toward saintly status do you think. And, will paying someone else to 'do it' on you, count toward the total 'marks' needed?

 

[Globalti]

Poor mixed up sad bastards. I was a Catholic once; you never shake off the superstitions no matter how much you dismiss them intellectually.

 

[Norm]

The book – Why He Is a Saint: the Real John Paul II – has been written by Monsignor Slawomir Oder, the Vatican official in charge of the process that could lead to sainthood for the late pontiff.

So, no vested interest there then.

He moved closer to sainthood last month when the pope, Benedict XVI, approved a decree recognising that his papal predecessor had lived the Christian faith heroically.

Which, given more recent experience, probably just means that he didn't approve of gas chambers.

This sort of thing makes a mockery of "sainthood". They should either admit that every pope will become a saint or set the bar a little higher than self-flagellation and "living the Christian life heroically". Creating a shed load of saints with little individual prestige does nothing much for those on the periphery or outside the church.

 

[rich p]

I'm gobsmacked that they've found a cure for Parkinson's but haven't told all the sufferers.
Who'd have thought it. you just have to pray to JPII. It seems so obvious now!

 

[thegrumpybiker]

There's a similar article in the current Viz...
"He was busy flagellating himself under the duvet in order to renounce his sins before God"...
"...other examples of the late pope's religiosity when he locked himself in the bathroom, shower and toilet for extended sessions of physical mortification involving grunts, shouts and high-pitched cries, are yet more evidence of his devout belief."
No such thing as sacred cows, to mix religious metaphors.

 

[dellzeqq]

Moraji Desai drank his own urine every day. There's a urine-drinking tradition in India, and it is supposed to benefit one's health, but he said that it reminded him that even the Prime Minister of India was a human being.

Mortification in Catholicism is widespread. Google Opus Dei. Or not.

To be honest I'm a bit uneasy about all physical rituals - even my own. The pain thing seems to be just a little quirky, but it doesn't mean that it isn't in some way useful if it reminds the flagellant of an obligation, or of their own humanity.

 

[accountantpete]

Gladstone used to whip himself after "rescuing" "fallen women" and scribbled a doodle of a whip in his diary every time!

Straying into Catherine The Great territory here though!

 

[Crackle]

Moraji Desai drank his own urine every day. There's a urine-drinking tradition in India, and it is supposed to benefit one's health, but he said that it reminded him that even the Prime Minister of India was a human being.

Mortification in Catholicism is widespread. Google Opus Dei. Or not.

To be honest I'm a bit uneasy about all physical rituals - even my own. The pain thing seems to be just a little quirky, but it doesn't mean that it isn't in some way useful if it reminds the flagellant of an obligation, or of their own humanity.

Yeah, yeah, a 50 miler in winter after a lay off should be enough to remind you of your obligations.

 

[Dave Davenport]

You can see why the catholic church is our former prime minister, mr t blair's (aka lying self serving git) spiritual home.

 

[Aperitif]

Don't go here if one is easily offended.

Thanks to RT's link elsewhere, I stumbled upon the true story. It's a bit, well...ahem!

 

[threebikesmcginty]

I like the Terry Gilliam, from the film Jabberwocky, take on flagellates - weren't they rolling a large stone wheel over each other and firing themselves from trebuchets?

What larks!