Pope John Paul II self-flagellated to get closer to Jesus

[J. J.]

Actually a not uncommon religious devotion that has been practice for nearly 2,000 years in Christianity and with roots in Judaism.   It is also practiced in Islam.

[J. J.]

i don't know much about this subject, but I don't recall any explicit example in the bible of anyone in the faith physically beating his/her own body, unless it was a simply beating of the chest out of anguish.

does anyone know of a biblical example?

In terms of mortification, the hair shirt was cited in Psalm 35:13.

I Corinthians can be taken as referring to it:

Every man who strives in the games exercises self-control in all things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible.  9:26 I therefore run like that, as not uncertainly. I fight like that, as not beating the air,  9:27 but I beat my body and bring it into submission, lest by any means, after I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected.

[J. J.]

First of all, Jmfcst, I did cite the Psalm regarding a hair shirt.  So the origins of mortification date to the OT.

Pain itself, and denials of the flesh, can be a sanctifying act (I hope I'm using the term correctly).  Of all people, I'm surprised you don't see that.

Second, I don't see Chris or myself, or John Paul II as merging it into Christianity or claiming it is necessary.  I would claim some Christians might find it useful in building their relationship with God.

In looking at the original KJV, the verse is "But I keep under my body, and bring it into submission."  This certainly sounds like a manner of bringing it into submission.