There are some kinds of spirituality, which think that the only way to deal with sin is to punish. There are some kinds of religion which believe that we have to destroy the ego in order for us to be spiritual. I think this is a way into a very false kind of religion, a dangerous kind of religion which uses violence, even conceives of violence against oneself, which then of course justifies violence against others. So it needs a lot of discretion.
( The Brick Wall of the Ego 1 by Laurence Freeman OSB )
