The man in his 20s was found nailed to a fence, with a nail through each hand, shortly after midnight.
Two vans, one belonging to the injured man, were found on fire in the car park near Dundarave Park.
Police said paramilitary involvement was one key line of inquiry.
Graffiti on nearby public toilets has been linked to the assault and arson.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said the man was left with potentially life-changing but not life-threatening injuries.
Police said it was a “sinister attack.”
The ritualistic crucifixion in the Philippines is nothing like the real deal. While painful, grievous and fatal injuries are avoided in the ritual. The nail and the corresponding body part are not loaded. This is tolerable as long as the volunteer is not tired.
The real one was designed to cause a prolonged, but assured death. The Jewish-Roman historian Josephus talks about 3 of his acquaintances who were crucified. On learning this, the Roman emperor had them released and treated. Yet, two of them didn’t make it, while the third was just lucky.
The real crucifixion was designed to cause a range of prolonged and fatal injuries. That included asphyxiation, plural effusion and collapsed lungs, shock, embolism, heart failure, hypothermia, and/or infection. Besides these, there are other agonizing effects like neuralgia, nerve palsy, cyclical loading of wounds (where the nails are driven), hypercapnia (panic inducing increase in blood CO2 levels), joint dislocation, painful cramps, fracture (when crurifragium is applied) and discomfort caused by rubbing their scourged back against the rough wood.
Stories of people surviving crucifixion even when taken down are pretty rare. Even modern instances of crucifixion are pretty brutal when it’s not part of a ritual.