I don't think I want to put myself into the position of defending Opus Dei because they are annoyingly conservative, but to class somebody a "religious maniac" merely because of membership in Opus Dei seems to be somewhat of an exaggeration.

It appeared that Pope Paul VI was on the verge of suppressing Opus Dei at the time of his death in 1978. John Paul II recognized the organization as a "personal prelature," about the equivalent of mix of a diocese and a religious order. Wikipedia has a fairly comprehensive article about Opus Dei. It also has an article on mortification of the flesh, which can range from fasting to self-flagellation (which is supposed to be symbolic, not masochistic).

Opus Dei does seem to be extremely conservative and extremely religious, but I can't bring myself to see it as a threat in any way - just an annoyance, maybe like Catholic Jehovah's Witnesses or something like that.

-Joe Offer-