I’m sorry but there’s something really fucking ridiculous and disgusting and psychotic about this recent news that Pope John Paul II used to whip himself with a belt “to bring him closer to Christian perfection.” Now, I’m not overly studied when it comes to Catholic dogma, but, isn’t the pope supposed to be the picture of Catholic/Christian perfection? Like, incarnate or whatever? Oh yeah, the word is “infallible.” And isn’t that the basis for their whole fucking church? Poor Catholic dears. They can be actually infallible - they can even be actually The Pope - and still need to beat the shit out of themselves for being bad people. Glad their standard isn’t one to which I hold myself. It’s reeeeetaaaaaaarded!