Mexican town celebrates Easter with ‘burning of the Jews’

cnredd · #1 (**permalink**) 04-10-2012, 01:09 PM

Quote:

The world is full of charming Easter traditions, but this isn’t one of them.

A newspaper in Mexico is detailing Sunday’s “burning of the Jews,” an annual tradition in Coita, a small town in the state of Chiapas. As part of the custom, locals spend the middle of their Holy Week making Jewish effigies — a reference to Judas Iscariot, the disciple who betrayed Jesus before his crucifixion.

The fake Jews are then displayed for three days in different parts of the town, serving as an example of poor conduct.

They’re ultimately paraded through the streets on Easter Sunday, with local children assigned to stand in front of them and collect money for flammable materials.

The article notes that the tradition differs in Coita, where locals set fire to the effigies on Easter itself, rather than the day before, as in other towns. The burning is followed by a dance, where locals eat a corn treat made with cocoa. The article says the custom “strengthens” the culture of the Zoque, an indigenous people in southern Mexico who were converted to Catholicism.

The ceremony seems to echo, to some extent, the “Running of the Jew” event depicted in Sacha Baron Cohen’s 2006 movie “Borat” — a work of fiction.

The Chiapas Herald takes an uncritical view of the ritual, reporting that it “fosters unity and respect” and “purifies the soul.”

Scum...Pure scum...

Pretty Flamingo · #2 (**permalink**) 04-10-2012, 01:11 PM

Disgusting.

faithful_servant · #3 (**permalink**) 04-10-2012, 01:34 PM

Interesting thought about Judas, of all the disciples, he was the only one who never denied Christ. He publically assoicated himself with Him, right up to the point where the rest of the disciples ran away in fear. His biggest sim wasn't pointing out Christ to the authorities, it was never coming back and repenting of what he had done. Had he done so, he would have been forgiven and accepted. Judas' sin was not in turning Christ over to the authorities, it was in refusing to repent (the message he had heard Jesus preach for three years).

Mikeyy · #4 (**permalink**) 04-10-2012, 01:53 PM

I am confused about the title. Isn't this effigies of Judas? Not of Jews in general? Or did I get that wrong?

cnredd · #5 (**permalink**) 04-10-2012, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by faithful_servant

Interesting thought about Judas, of all the disciples, he was the only one who never denied Christ. He publically assoicated himself with Him, right up to the point where the rest of the disciples ran away in fear. His biggest sim wasn't pointing out Christ to the authorities, it was never coming back and repenting of what he had done. Had he done so, he would have been forgiven and accepted. Judas' sin was not in turning Christ over to the authorities, it was in refusing to repent (the message he had heard Jesus preach for three years).

We an go for awhile on this one...

There's also the thought that Judas didn't sin at all, and his suicide was based on the outcome of an incident that was NOT meant to do any damage (or so he THOUGHT)...

Handing someone over to the leaders was a tradition back during that time (or so I've read)...Judas was performing a ritual and had no clue as to the consequences...If he intentionally turned Jesus over KNOWING he would be flogged and crucified, then that's a sin...hands down...

But there's also the thought that he was just turning him over to have a nice little chat...He couldn't have known the crowd would cry for Barrabas' freedom...He couldn't have known Pontius Pilate would wash his hands...It was ONLY IN HINDSIGHT did he realize how bad he f**ked up, which led him to take his own life...

At least that's the theory...Whether true or not?...

Getting to a bigger picture, you know who I blame for Jesus' death?...

Jesus...

He's the guy that knew the plan all along...Everyone else was just a victim of the times...If he showed up in a different era of world history and a different location, he would been burned at the stake, guillotined, shot before a firing squad, or led to a gas chamber...and morons would have a different group of people to blame...

faithful_servant · #6 (**permalink**) 04-10-2012, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cnredd

We an go for awhile on this one...

There's also the thought that Judas didn't sin at all, and his suicide was based on the outcome of an incident that was NOT meant to do any damage (or so he THOUGHT)...

Handing someone over to the leaders was a tradition back during that time (or so I've read)...Judas was performing a ritual and had no clue as to the consequences...If he intentionally turned Jesus over KNOWING he would be flogged and crucified, then that's a sin...hands down...

But there's also the thought that he was just turning him over to have a nice little chat...He couldn't have known the crowd would cry for Barrabas' freedom...He couldn't have known Pontius Pilate would wash his hands...It was ONLY IN HINDSIGHT did he realize how bad he f**ked up, which led him to take his own life...

At least that's the theory...Whether true or not?...

Getting to a bigger picture, you know who I blame for Jesus' death?...

Jesus...

He's the guy that knew the plan all along...Everyone else was just a victim of the times...If he showed up in a different era of world history and a different location, he would been burned at the stake, guillotined, shot before a firing squad, or led to a gas chamber...and morons would have a different group of people to blame...

"He laid down His life..."