Now highly off-topic, one person wrote back privately to ask if this was
really true (regarding the medieval Christian Church):

> It serves as a form of self-flagellation, as was common in the medieval
> Catholic Church. It's not only there to remind you that although you live in
> an earthly paradise now, but also that you're only one or two poor decisions
> away from toiling daily in Hell itself.

The answer is yes, and for a few hundred years, the practice was wide-spread
throughout that part of southern Europe that the Roman Church dominated. See:

     http://www.slider.com/enc/19000/flagellants.htm


Perhaps most suprisingly, self-flagellation is still practiced today here in
New Mexico, albeit secretly. See:

     http://www.rmpbs.org/loscaminos/c_penit.html

Wirt Atmar

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