Why do certain religious groups flog themselves? Isnt that a sign of mental disorder along the lines?

Question

of self mutilation? I thought Christians preached that their body was Temple of God?

Answer 1

Some sects believe that suffering is the key to heaven. The more you suffer, the more you deserve to go to heaven.

Answer 2

You have to look at these practices in a broad perspective.

Every religion has techniques for altering consciousness. In Christianity, these have traditionally been personal prayer, liturgy, and asceticism. Self-flagellation falls into the last category, along with (for example) fasting and isolation. These disciplines induce altered states of consciousness and interesting experiential effects. They correspond to many shamanic practices, for example, the self-mutilation practiced by Native Americans in the Sun Dance ceremonies.

A classic saying from the Desert Fathers (the earliest Christian ascetics in the desert of fourth-century Egypt) says, "Give your blood and receive the Spirit." That's an empirical statement.

Answer 3

You are both right and wrong. It is not necessarily the act itself but the extreme to which it is carried and the intent in which it is done.

Self-purification is one way in which people may find a physical way of ritually cleansing their souls. By submitting to a pain that is not required or desired, it is supposed to reflect upon the individual's desire to make amends.

However, the degree to which it is successful, or to the degree to which it diminishes the sense of punishment, is based upon any number of things. If you held money in such a high regard, so much so that you cheated someone, a more apropos self-punishment would be to do something generous. In that sense, choose self-flaggelation would diminish the effect because it is not truly addressing the wrong. You are choosing, instead, the easier way out.

On the other hand, if you chose to punish yourself by self-flaggelation despite having a history of physical abuse, that demonstration could (emphasis on the could) be more representative of someone who sincerely desires to rectify their mistake. The point of 'cleansing' and purifying oneself is to do so in such a way that the effort is not automatic, and therefore empty, but full of the person's presence, for you are essentially performing the ritual not for yourself, or anyone else who might see you, but for your creator. Sincerity in all things.

Answer 4

Yes it is a sign of mental disorder . It's even , by definition, a sign of mental disease.

Answer 5

I don't know. I belong to a more prevalent Christian sect where we beat eachother up.

Answer 6

because religion is cancer...