Scouring for scourges

K

Kevin the grey

Joined
Aug 26, 2005
Messages
4,106
If you think P:E:T:A is bad. What about people who choose to scourge themselves?

Apparently some members of Opus Dei have a device called A "Sillus" (sp)

A sharp wire bracelet they wear on a leg. It is supposed that this helps them to steel themselves against temptation and to make them able to focus upon tasks.

Does anyone know the proper spelling of this love trinket? :confused:

Do you happen to have one in the old Boudoir? :D

Hey there is nothing stopping someone from bringing their work home with them.:D
 
Dave I'm an adventurous fellow thats for sure . I'll leave that little trinket for the zealots. I saw a program on Opus Dei today . They showed a nice enough looking lady who wore one for two hours every day.

You have a hard time getting me into a tie. Aint nobody getting me to wear one of those. Under normal conditions all it is supposed to do is redden the skin.
Chastisty or religious fervor? I'd rather pay a tithe.
 
I've seen these Cilice made of goatskin, and also the Discipline; A brass ring with thongs. That's just the Christian stuff...
 
You know, though self flagellation has obviously been taken to huge and irrational extremes, using a cilice is perhaps not so different from using your daytimer to remind you of stuff.

I frequently set my computer's outlook program to bleep at me to remind me of things - most obviously work appointments, but I've also sometimes set it to bleep to remind me to pray. Helps me stay on track with why I'm doing some of the drivel I do, and how to keep my priorities in order when office politics are yanking my chain. I went off coffee once for Lent, and my headaches were a constant reminder ... made me grouchy as hell. I'm not allowed to do that again, if I want to stay married to my present wife.... But it sure helped me stay focused on what I wanted to learn, what I wanted to keep at the forefront.

While I wouldn't use a cilice myself, I understand wanting to have something which is a constant irritant, something that you can't ignore, reminding you of something that you otherwise have a hard time keeping in the front of your mind. Dunno about you, but the interior work I know have to do has a way of escaping to the margins of my brain and attention, when I'm not looking. A cilice, used properly instead of in some exaggerated and harmful way, would maybe make me look, and keep focus.
 
TomFetter said:
You know, though self flagellation has obviously been taken to huge and irrational extremes, using a cilice is perhaps not so different from using your daytimer to remind you of stuff.
Click to expand...

The most obvious difference, of course, is that we don't hit ourselves with our daytimers. (Usually.)

I'd equate it to fasting for religious reasons -- somewhat unpleasant, but hardly dangerous if done in moderation. Fasting just seems to be a little more mainstream.

Personally, I have enough aches and pains in cold weather that artificial aids aren't necessary. ;)
 
I accept that equating it to a daytimer is being slightly tongue in cheek.
One reason put forth by the Opus Dei timers is that it steels them for an arduous task. If they can withstand the irritant then the task is lessened by comparison.

I accept that there may be legitimate reasons for wanting to scourge yourself. It is the potential for abuse that gives me great misgivings. Its not like you need a permit for these things. I shudder to think of the tortured souls who would rather focus on the physical pain than delve within themselves.
 
The cilice is hardly scourging compared to what other cultures do.

Iranian Shiites scourge themselves with chains that lead to blood flowing down their backs. I watched a film clip of a parade of them chanting and lashing themselves rhythmically.

I also saw a film of a ceremony in India where the celebrants pierced their skin with large pins which were attached to chains so they could pull weights behind them.

Recall also that Jesus voluntarily submitted to scourging and crucifiction.

Other times, other places, other customs.
 
I respect that the Cilice may be seen as symbolic . It also does help me focus in on the fact that in truth it is not really abusuive when used properly. I was also referring to when it is not used properly.

Customs aside, I have never felt that because there was more abuse that it made less abuse the lesser. It just makes it all sad to me.

I do not wish to focus upon this as a religious custom as it will be removed from the Cantina. Customary or not I do not personally agree with it on the level where self abuse is evident. If it was evident in another culture I just would not take part.

Could we put respecting customs in another culture aside. If a custom is abusive I do not agree with it.
Some cultures have the custom of treating women like dogs,lesser beings. I do not agree with that.
Some cultures still get away with the occasional burning of a woman. I do not agree with that.

This may be seen as a digression. I personally see it as an extension of it.
I am not trying to link some poor soul's gentle chastisement with a chicken wire bracelet with the denigration of women. I am trying to show that customs are not always a good idea.
 
Kevin the grey said:
... I am trying to show that customs are not always a good idea.
Click to expand...
absolutely; you get my vote.:D

Heard on the radio last night about a 19 year old woman in Saudi Arabia (I think, maybe Pakistan?) who'd had a platonic friendship with a young man, and wanted to get a photo back now that she was engaged to someone else. She was not only denied the photo, but was gang raped by 7 or so of the man's family for accusing him of having such a one-on-one friendship. She took it to the police, where surprisingly it was actually prosecuted.

As no evidence was allowed in court (e.g. the pictures some of these scum took while gang raping her), the judge could not conclude that she'd been raped. He did give jail time to 4 of the men, for being improperly alone with her. But he also sentenced the woman to 90 lashes for inciting them.

That's one set of customs I'd happily eradicate. A bit more pernicious than a cilice ...
 
That's one set of customs I'd happily eradicate. A bit more pernicious than a cilice .. Quote Tom Fetter

Tom. Life can be a pure stone cold bitc# at times.

It is that sometimes the basis,the reasoning behind some of these horrendous activities is sound.
It can be outdated,misbegotten and just downright wrong. It can also have been misinterpeted by those perpetuating them and maligned by others as a result of this false perpetuation.

As has been said "different strokes for different folks". I just wish they were not across someone else's back.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top