[dennisw]

What disgusting paganism. Undoubtedly this is part of Mexico’s Aztec and Mayan heritage. Many of those beliefs never disappeared. Well, at the least the Spanish stopped their massive orgies of human sacrifice and cannibalism

[tom paine 2]

The Spanish weren't exactly kind and gentle after the conquest of Mexico. They routinely chopped off arms, legs, and heads as they converted the natives to Catholicism. There is an old church in Queretaro that has carved stone frescos on the outside of the bell tower showing the decapitation and delimbing of the peasantry by Spanish horsemen. Probably put there to remind the converted what would happen to them if they reverted to their previous religion. All the Catholic churches in Mexico have bloody, gory statues of the crucifixion and passion of Jesus.