Do Christians believe in human sacrifice?
By Oneironaut
@_sketch_ (5742)
United States
January 4, 2012 10:16am CST
I think that a great deal, if not the majority of Christians these days would deny any existence or belief in human sacrifice in Christianity. I hear Christians condemning the idea of human or even animal sacrifice in regards to other religions, often judging these other belief-systems as cruel, evil, etc. Christians have frequently referred to their religion as the "religion of peace", but I don't see what makes them think that their religion is more peaceful than any other. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of peaceful Christians, but there are many peaceful Muslims, Buddhists, Pagans, etc.
Throughout history, there have been numerous accounts of violence in Christianity. Countless wars have been started in the name of God. "Witches" raped, jailed, burned at the stake. Of course, we can say that these people were not "true Christians"; that their actions do not represent Christianity as a whole; that they misinterpreted the Bible and do not truly understand what Christianity is about. Okay, fair enough.
So instead let's just dive right into the teachings, the Bible, itself. The knowledge of the different stories contained in the Bible varies from person to person, but I am sure that all remember the story of how Jesus sacrificed himself to save humanity.
Sacrifice. God was angry- really angry. So angry that He decided that He was done with humans, wanted to wipe the slate clean. He knows all things and therefore knew just how we would turn out before He had even created us, but He did anyway and was disappointed in us and wanted all his children to die and face an eternity of torture. A very kind and loving parent, indeed.
But He favored one of his children above the others because He was that child. He decided to live so He impregnated a virgin with himself and now He was a man-god. This incarnation of Himself decided that He loved humanity and didn't want them all to perish, so He made a deal with his father self that would spare humanity of destruction if only He allowed Himself to get murdered by them as a sacrifice to His father. (A concept which is a whole other barrel of monkeys in itself.)
So Christians, let me hear what you think. Do you, as a Christian, believe in human sacrifice? How about animal sacrifice? If so, do you believe that sacrifice is peaceful? If you don't believe in sacrifice, then why not? Can we pick and choose which parts of religion we will support or believe in?
To any non-Christians, what do you think on this matter? Do you believe in human or animal sacrifice? Why/why not? If you belong to another religion, does your religion support sacrifice? Do you consider your religion peaceful? If you are non-religious, does this sort of issue have anything to do with it?
Anyone can get angry at me if they want. You can call me blasphemous or say that I'm twisting things around, but I am simply laying out what is in front of me. Take it as you will.
2 people like this
11 responses
@Gordano (795)
• United States
6 Jan 12
As a Muslim I certainly believe in animal sacrifice it is a part of our religion, but human sacrifice is atrocious indeed, and remember that our Almighty Creator didn't approve it, but replaced the human sacrifice with an animal sacrifice in the story of prophet Ibrahim PBUH which you can find in both the Bible and the Holy Qura'n.
In Islam we understand sacrifice of an animal as a mean of performing charity. Thus, the meat from a sacrificed animal is traditionally divided into thirds, with one third kept by the sponsor of the sacrifice and his close family, one third given to more distant relatives and friends, and one third donated to the poor.
[22:37] Their flesh and blood does not reach God. It is your piety that reaches Him.
1 person likes this
@Gordano (795)
• United States
6 Jan 12
And yes, I do consider my religion peaceful, since everything is clear, no conflict and no contradictions, our situation in the hereafter is based in your actions (the intent behind our actions) and it is nothing but our deeds, if your Good deeds exceeded your bad deeds, you will be rewarded the Paradise, and if the opposite happened blame no one but yourself.
1 person likes this
@Gordano (795)
• United States
11 Jan 12
Why must something be killed in order to show devotion?
From where you get the notion that there must be something be killed in order to show devotion? we don't have this thing in the teachings of our religion.
And what about vegetarian Muslims? There must be some that exist. What if they don't feel right about killing an animal, especially since they know they will not eat it; how do they show piety?
vegetarian Muslims are like anyone else it is OK if they don't eat meat they can spend money as a Charity, Good work is a Charity, smiling at your brother is a Charity, stop doing evil is a Charity, we have full options here
Do Muslims believe that animals have spirits or souls?
animals have spirit but they don't have souls, there is difference between the spirit and the soul, the spirit (the breath of life) but the soul is the inner or the inside there are evil souls and good souls but the spirit (the breath of life) is always the same, and while it it is true that animals don't have souls we are commanded to be kind to them.
once, the Prophet Muhammad PBUH spoke of God’s forgiveness due to the humane treatment of animals. He told his companions the story of a man who got thirsty on his way. He found a well, climbed down inside it to the water, and quenched his thirst. When he came out he saw a panting dog licking on mud out of extreme thirst. The man thought to himself, ‘The dog has become as thirsty as I was!’ The man went down the well again and got some water for the dog. God appreciated his good work and forgave him. The companions asked, O Prophet of God, do we get rewarded on humane treatment of animals?’ He said, There is a reward in (doing good to) every living being.
On another occasion, Prophet Muhammad PBUH described God's punishment of a woman who was sent to Hell because of a cat. She kept her locked up, neither feeding her nor setting her free to feed herself.
more details about Humane Treatment of Animals in Islam:
http://thedeenshow.com/library.php?cat=library_59.htm
Do Muslims believe that animals have spirits or souls?
animals have spirit but they don't have souls, there is difference between the spirit and the soul, the spirit (the breath of life) but the soul is the inner or the inside there are evil souls and good souls but the spirit (the breath of life) is always the same, and while it it is true that animals don't have souls we are commanded to be kind to them.
once, the Prophet Muhammad PBUH spoke of God’s forgiveness due to the humane treatment of animals. He told his companions the story of a man who got thirsty on his way. He found a well, climbed down inside it to the water, and quenched his thirst. When he came out he saw a panting dog licking on mud out of extreme thirst. The man thought to himself, ‘The dog has become as thirsty as I was!’ The man went down the well again and got some water for the dog. God appreciated his good work and forgave him. The companions asked, O Prophet of God, do we get rewarded on humane treatment of animals?’ He said, There is a reward in (doing good to) every living being.
On another occasion, Prophet Muhammad PBUH described God's punishment of a woman who was sent to Hell because of a cat. She kept her locked up, neither feeding her nor setting her free to feed herself.
more details about Humane Treatment of Animals in Islam:
http://thedeenshow.com/library.php?cat=library_59.htm@_sketch_ (5742)
• United States
7 Jan 12
Why must something be killed in order to show devotion? And what about vegetarian Muslims? There must be some that exist. What if they don't feel right about killing an animal, especially since they know they will not eat it; how do they show piety?
And this is a bit tangent from the topic, but do Muslims believe that animals have spirits or souls? I am just curious because I don't know much about the religion and was wondering if there was any correlation between religions partaking in sacrifice and the belief of animals having spirits.
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
7 Jan 12
You know, this might be because they don't read their bible, (they totally rely on what their pastor teaches) and they don't know their history, the real history behind this religion.
1 person likes this
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
11 Jan 12
I had to laugh at your, "Christians tell atheists that they should read the Bible" I had an atheist friend and an agnostic friend, both who know the bible better than I do..They don't need to read it, they need to see it in those who "claim" to follow His word...@_sketch_ (5742)
• United States
10 Jan 12
Very true. It's funny that Christians tell atheists that they should read the Bible, while little do they know, that's how a great deal stopped believing. History is a very tricky thing. Every country has a different version of all the wars and revolutions, a different view on leaders, etc. If people can't realize that, then they are never going to be able to get to questioning the validity of religious history.... especially since political history and religious history are so interconnected, another thing many fail to realize.
1 person likes this
@owlwings (43915)
• Cambridge, England
4 Jan 12
There is no fundamental conflict between a 'religion of peace' (depending on how you define 'peace') and the sacrificial offering of human or animal lives.
The killing of humans specifically for the purpose of offering their bodies or lives to the Deity as a sacrifice would seem to have been forbidden at least since Abraham, having been told to offer his firstborn son as a sacrifice, was then directed to offer a beast instead.
The real sacrifice of a particular person and the consumption of human flesh (even if in symbolic form), are, nevertheless, among the central tenets of many Christian denominations, including the one which claims to be the only true Church.
1 person likes this
@_sketch_ (5742)
• United States
5 Jan 12
Don't all churches claim to be the only true church? So what changed God's mind? Why did it first please him for people to get murdered for him and then he decided that the murder of other animals was enough? What exactly does a God get out of sacrifice anyway? Pride?
@_sketch_ (5742)
• United States
5 Jan 12
I define peace as non-violence. Murder is certainly violent, regardless of motivation. Anything that causes distress or pain is not peaceful.
@celticeagle (159222)
• Boise, Idaho
4 Jan 12
I think that the christian faith believes in an eye for an eye. I am an agnostic and believe that the Bible was misinterpreted and that that is a higher being. I also think that christians are very hypocritical and do alot of things that are not 'christian like'.
@celticeagle (159222)
• Boise, Idaho
7 Jan 12
People can translate the Bible any way they want to. And many have.
@_sketch_ (5742)
• United States
7 Jan 12
I think that my stories actually do demonstrate the "eye for an eye" ideal. If these people did not feel threatened, offended, or wronged in some way, then they would not care what others did. They think that everyone should hold the same beliefs as them and should act accordingly. When they don't, then the person feels like they deserve punishment. Maybe it is a different, less straight-forward look at the idea of revenge, but I still consider it revenge. They are not acting out on these people randomly or because they get kicks out of hurting people, but because they do not get their perfect world.
1 person likes this
@6precious102 (4043)
• United States
5 Jan 12
Christians follow the teachings of Jesus. In your study of Jesus, did you ever read that He asked His followers to offer up human sacrifices or even animal sacrifices? Jesus was the final and perfect sacrifice for the sins of mankind. Neither human nor animal sacrifices are needed any longer.
@_sketch_ (5742)
• United States
5 Jan 12
Oh, so sacrifice used to be okay, but then after the "perfect sacrifice" was made, no other sacrifices were necessary?
@6precious102 (4043)
• United States
5 Jan 12
I, as a Christian, accept the sacrifice Jesus willing made on my behalf, but I don't believe any other human or animal sacrifice is necessary.
@bestboy19 (5478)
• United States
5 Jan 12
It means Christians accept the sacrifice that Jesus Himself made, and no more sacrifices, animal or human, should be made. Also, man did not offer Jesus as a sacrifice to God. God gave His Son and His Son agreed to be a sacrificed for the redemption of man.
@GADHISUNU (2162)
• India
5 Jan 12
First and foremost, I would like to inform that I am a follower of Sanatana Dharma which is popularly (a misnomer) known as Hinduism. I am a practicing “Hindu”: SD-ite to be precise.
Animal/Human Sacrifice has been in vogue in the religions of antiquity, and esp. so in what is called as the Vedic Religion. The “yajna” or which loosely translates into Fire Sacrifice: Oblations are offered to the Sacred Fire- These are mostly combustible materials like various forms of twigs of specific trees/shrubs and creepers and firewood of some specific timber trees to sustain the fire. Into this fire are also offered cooked food often rice and clarified butter. That such rituals have been scientifically studied and seen to have a salutary effect on the environment is another matter.
Buddhism and Jainism which share the Indian Subcontinent – all the way from the Hindu Kush mountains to Yangon or the Southern tip of Burma – came to be in India just to oppose this concept of Animal Sacrifice prevalent in India during the Vedic Religion days. An animal say a cow, bull or a goat or sheep of particular description and sometimes a Horse esp. in what is known as the Horse Sacrifice use to be animal that is “sacrificed” at the altar of the yajna-bhUmi [The Sacrificial Ground]. There are also instances when Humans have also been offered as sacrificial animals if one were to take the legends in the Puranas, as somewhat true history. Vedic Religion has changed a lot since then- this change may be attributed to the pervasive influence of the two religions viz., Buddhism and Jainism- whose cardinal principle is non-violence. In that Jainism carries the principle of non-violence to extreme by forbidding any form of killing – including elimination of pests and microbes!
What is surprising is if one has the habit having animal as food in their food chain why should animal sacrifice be appalling. Well human sacrifice is a different cup of tea. Unless a person on his own opts to sacrifice himself like Jesus did or RiShi Dadhichi for instance in the Vedic Religion one has no right and it is barbaric. Sacrificing animals also could be taken as objectionable if the whole community chooses to opt for vegetarianism.
@_sketch_ (5742)
• United States
7 Jan 12
Not all animals that are sacrificed are later eaten. I have no problem with someone killing an animal and eating it, but to kill it for superstitious belief is beyond my reasoning.
As far as vegetarianism goes, I never quite understood why it is wrong to harm and kill animals for food, but okay to kill plants for food, but I guess that's besides any point.
I don't think it's courageous to kill ourselves. I think that it is indicative of mental illness, and religious reasons don't exclude this at all, maybe add to it.
@GADHISUNU (2162)
• India
6 Jan 12
On the animal sacrifice i.e. killing of an animal as an offering to God I stand my ground and I do not see what makes it different to kill it for food and to kill it for first offering as sacrifice to God, and then partaking it as "consecrated food". There is no technical difference.You are killing either way! But as a religious vegetarian, I for instance, would consider it a defiling act to kill an animal to sacrifice it to God, but that is consequent on my voluntary vow of vegetarianism. But then I see nothing wrong in it for one whose "natural" food is animal flesh, for, anyhow he/she would kill it, what is wrong in it being offered to God first? It is just the equivalent of me offering a preparation rice or wheat to God before consuming it. This like a Christian saying his prayers over his daily meal, only a little more of ritual which is typical of the Vedic Religion.
In India there are examples of people who killed themselves[ now this[B]is[/B] historical], when they find their faith has been violated by some alien and that they would not want live. One of the graetest scholars of The Vedas by name Kumarila Bhatta killed himself by slow fire of rice husk for just the reason that he had heard blasphemous reference to The Vedas by his Buddhist Guru. Now this is considered an act of great courage and all devout Hindus look up to Kumarila love(or the right word would be devotion) for The Vedas as something that wouldn't have found a second example!
@owlwings (43915)
• Cambridge, England
4 Jan 12
Since _sketch_ is referring to Christian belief in human sacrifice, quotations from the Old Testament would hardly be relevant since there is NO kind 'of sacrificing in there ... by early Christians' (there are NO early Christians mentioned in the Old Testament!)
Most modern Christians DO think that the Old Testament counts but would probably reject human and animal sacrifice as being deprecated.
1 person likes this
@_sketch_ (5742)
• United States
4 Jan 12
@uath13 I know I could've quoted the Old Testament, but I thought I'd just go with the most prized story of the religion. Every Christian reveres it.
@owlwings There is certainly sacrifice going on in the Old Testament. I don't care if God's followers were not called "Christians" in the Old Testament. Of course they weren't since Christ hadn't been born yet. It's really besides the point. And as far as modern Christians rejecting human and animal sacrifice, that's really the entire point of the discussion, isn't it? The question is why they reject it and how they can reject it.
@headhunter525 (3548)
• India
5 Jan 12
I won't say what you said is blasphemous or that you are twisting things around. But I think you got things slightly mistaken. I think the idea of incarnation and dying on the cross have to be understood in the light of the theological narrative. And without taking the narrative into account, the individual events don't really make full sense of what Christianity is. And I find your post missing the narrative plot, the theological script.
@_sketch_ (5742)
• United States
5 Jan 12
I am sure that it can be made to sound beautiful decorated with the right words, but I stated the events. They are what they are. I do not think that I have things mistaken. If you care to explain why you think so and prove me wrong, then do it, but I have read the story. Jesus was killed to please God. Sounds like human sacrifice to me, regardless of wording.
@aerous (13434)
• Philippines
7 Jan 12
I think you are wrong in understanding why our Lord Jesus Christ being sacrifices. He is not being sacrifices because they know he is Christ or because they know that he is only one to offer for human being to be save from all sorrows of man...
The Jews did not know that they made sacrifices our Lord Jesus Christ but he must be die in the hand of herod because that is written in the bible...
The fact also that Jesus Christ die because of all human being but only for those in his fold that he establish when he is on earth...
That sacrifices of Christ is not for inhuman or acts of violent that cult doing. Those cult make sacrifices with their own god which is not right to do...
@_sketch_ (5742)
• United States
7 Jan 12
The Jews did not believe that Jesus was saving us, but Jesus did, so He sacrificed Himself, did he not?
Your last sentence is very interesting. You think that any other religious beliefs is a cult? How does it differ from Christianity? Why is it wrong for them to make sacrifices to their own God? There is no more proof that the Christian God is true than there is proof of any god, so if they are doing something to please their god, then they are acting with the same heart and intentions than anyone attempting to please the Christian God.
@_sketch_ (5742)
• United States
11 Jan 12
Just because Christianity is in accordance with it's own holy book, doesn't show that it is any different from any other religion. You didn't really answer my questions.
@aerous (13434)
• Philippines
8 Jan 12
Christianity does not conform with any festivities and any sacrifices that other religion does...
Christianity will follow only on what the bible say and if any practice that is against the bible that religion is not for God but cult...
The bible clarifies those practice is against the laws of God as we could read in acts 15:29 which command us to go away from those sacrifices which is not intended to God or against the law of God.
Any belief that is not on the bible they are not called Christians according to the bible
@wonttakelong (3555)
• United States
5 Jan 12
all throughout the old testament there are animal sacrifices
yet bible thumpers have the nerve to say that anyone who does animal sacrifices are "evil"
I am not Christian, I am a Witch
no I do not do animal sacrifices but I dont judge anyone that does
I do consider myself and my religion to be peaceful
@_sketch_ (5742)
• United States
5 Jan 12
You don't judge anyone that does animal sacrifices, but what about human sacrifices? Are humans really any different? Some religions tell us that humans are above animals, and if a deity asks for a sacrifice, then a believer will not see a difference will they?
@_sketch_ (5742)
• United States
7 Jan 12
What if the human is not willing? What if one of your loved ones were to be taken and killed for sacrifice?
@wonttakelong (3555)
• United States
6 Jan 12
I dont agree with killing any living thing
my religion says that its wrong to do so
however not everyone in the world feels/thinks/believes the same way I do and I respect that
it is not my place to judge another human being for anything they do
