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News & ArtsThursday, January 28, 2010
Homo / Religion And Speaking of Kinky Gay Guys...
Posted by Dan Savage on Thu, Jan 28, 2010 at 1:27 PM
Didja hear about the pope?
Pope John Paul II used to beat himself with a belt.... The late pope had a particular belt for self-flagellation and brought it with him to his summer residence, according to the book, Why he is a Saint: The True story of John Paul II. "As some members of his own entourage were able to hear with their own ears, both in Poland and in the Vatican, Karol Wojtyla flagellated himself," the book says, using the name the pope was given at birth. "In the closet, among the cloaks, a particular pant-belt hung from a hook, which he utilized as a whip and one which he always had brought to Castel Gandolfo," the book says.
"So one of the reasons Pope John Paul II is nominated for sainthood is that he 'whipped himself with a belt, even on vacation,'" writes a "Savage Love" reader. "If that’s what it takes, why isn’t David Carradine a saint?"
3
As someone who was raised as a liberal Catholic (yes we exist ex. Stephen Colbert, who also happens to be from my hometown in SC), this is just another example that Catholics are kinky and freaks in bed. I wonder if the JP2 jerked off when he whipped himself. Those kinky Europeans, gotta love em.
4
Self-flagellation? Surely he could have found some cute young altar boy who would have been happy to do it for him.
5
The first time I glanced at the headline about this I briefly thought it meant J2P2 had self felated. (if he had I guess sainthood would be out the window)
9
Oh those bloody, bloody Poles!
A close friend who's spent considerable time in Poland reports their crucifixes are particularly gory... blood streaming from Christ's hands, head and side. Major emphasis on Suffering.
But then no surprise, right? We're talking about a country that's been overrun by practically everyone and the Nazis, and then subjected to a full generation of the Soviet Union's psychotic brand of snitching and social isolationism. It's a glum, gloomy and neurotic place.
Anyway, Pope John Paul II probably didn't do drugs (aside from wine), so he's gotta get outside of his head somehow... a little self-S&M with it's lovely endorphine buzz would do the trick... ;)
A close friend who's spent considerable time in Poland reports their crucifixes are particularly gory... blood streaming from Christ's hands, head and side. Major emphasis on Suffering.
But then no surprise, right? We're talking about a country that's been overrun by practically everyone and the Nazis, and then subjected to a full generation of the Soviet Union's psychotic brand of snitching and social isolationism. It's a glum, gloomy and neurotic place.
Anyway, Pope John Paul II probably didn't do drugs (aside from wine), so he's gotta get outside of his head somehow... a little self-S&M with it's lovely endorphine buzz would do the trick... ;)
10
@9 - I agree with ya on that. Add to the fact that he saw the horrors of the Nazis and tried to help those being persecuted by the Nazis, he couldn't turn to a shrink as Pope. So he might as well medicate and beat those memories out of him.
11
Even though the Catholic Church leaders do not advocate this practice for Catholics the message of this is clear. Making yourself suffer is somehow a holy act. Contrast this to their psychotic opposition to sexual pleasure (only while married and only for procreation) and you get the point.
I think any God worthy of worship would want people to have as many orgasms as possible. The more you pleasure yourself the closer you become to God. Fuck this self denial and intentional suffering bullshit.
I think any God worthy of worship would want people to have as many orgasms as possible. The more you pleasure yourself the closer you become to God. Fuck this self denial and intentional suffering bullshit.
14
Hey, JPII was as good as popes are going to get for this century. Better than Ratzinger, anyway. JPII was actually wildly, radically left wing and loose about morals for old super catholic types. Sad but true.
15
I still think the self-flagellation thing is hysterical from a historical standpoint. This is a practice that became popular during the plague years in an attempt to get God to stop the spread of disease and in fact helped to spread it even further by the tendency of these people to wander through the streets spraying blood everywhere.
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