Flagellation, anyone???

Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men... Mark 7:7 Lent, lent lent...Its the time of the year when poeple starts to feel something really strange and act really strange among themselves. Its the temporary anesthetic that halts every Catholic for a pause. The tv shows will shut down, malls will be closed, trains will stop running, offices will be on vacations and people will start to really really act nice and repenting. I am not an aetheist nor will I be. I just find it hilarious the way poeple try to act good during this season when in fact they have a whole year to do it - and they have not tried to. Irritating that is. Just the mere sight of tv programs focusing on the idiotic act of a person performing flagellation irks me so much I cant bear to watch even for a minute. And the annoyance doesnt stop there; others even dare to be crucified trying to pull a 'Jesus' stunt. As if they were trying to augment what Christ has done some 2000 years ago. As if that was not enough. For me it is a gross disrespect of what people are misguidedly trying to commemorate. A product of ignorance; a product of the mighty tradition that no one, even intellectuals contend. I felt bad about this practice and at the same time I am thankful. It is one of the bigger problems of the society. The baseless tradition that no one did try to oppose or criticize even for a minute. Go and watch the movie 'The Village' then try to read my post again and maybe youll be enlightened. Did anyone never think that all this illogical practice was so absurd they can manage to swallow it? Have anyone tried to think why the Catholic church is never doing a thing about this practices when they themselves admit that flagellation and similar practices are contrary to their churchs doctrine? Have anyone wondered what does the Bible tells about these kind of practices? I am very thankful that I was no longer a part of that practice.