The ancient Hebrew Religion is based on a lot of blood sacrifice. According to their texts that predate both Christianity and Islam (or so the story
goes), the God of Abraham, that Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike Worship (though they do not all worship alike) not only requires but demands blood
from time to time in sacrifices made to him.
Indeed blood sacrifice, human and animal was in many pre-existing religions and in some to follow.
It is still practiced today in other religions and religious rituals such as voodoo and Santeria.
Historically blood sacrifice usually turns up in religions that sport doomsday prophecies (check) and are practiced by states with governments that
are militant and tyrannical in nature (check).
So this is nothing new.
Interestingly enough 2/3rds of the planet leans towards one of the three branches of Abraham’s faith, being either Jewish, Christian or Muslim, and
while all three seem to love, to pronounce their love for their God, few in these religions actually make any attempt to or believe they have to, that
it is wise, practical or right to follow everything put down in their Holy Books, scriptures, Talmudic and canonical laws.
While they steadfastly cling to the notion that the God depicted in them is real, and worship of it in some form or another is valid and proper and or
either virtuous, many (Christians especially) seem to be of the opinion that some of the harsher and less pleasant or more demanding forms of worship
(blood sacrifice) were the products of groupthink of more primitive cultures in a more barbaric world.
So you have a great Catch 22 and quite a Conundrum, where many people imagine (or at least want too) said same primitive people were right as far as
the existence of same said God, and that said same God actually did some how manage to dictate to them what is actually in the texts, and that the
over all body of the texts are valid and so is the God depicted in them.
They would in essence like to have it like a Whopper instead of a Big Mac, where if you so desire, you can hold the pickles, and hold the lettuce
because special orders won’t upset us.
Of course religious purists and those most keen on gaining their heavenly as well as earthly rewards believe that to be a bit dicey, and believe there
best bet to enjoy these things is to follow the texts and laws verbatim.
Indeed many religious purists imagine the only reason said God never shows up is because of all the people who fail to worship said God properly and
fully and that this displeases said God.
As a person of limited to no faith, I find it rather comical that the States benefit immensely from the notion of religion (God wants you to pay your
taxes and triumph over your rivals it appears, well according to every last King, Queen, President and Prime Minister in a Judean/Christian/Islamic
Nation) but sure, if it offends you, no need to sacrifice six year old virgins to the volcano, because unlike institutionalized things like war, and
capital punishment carried out by the States, that’s just barbaric.
It would seem to me this process so many seem to validate of hedging your bets is silly, half attempts and partial measures to worship God (which most
often plays into the hands of the State) really do defeat the purpose of the religion(s) from a purist standpoint, and likely would not impress said
God if said God actually exists.
My best advice is either to outlaw the religions all together (lots of luck there since so many people love the basic concept and the States love it
more) or to accept as long as the majority (both states and people) consider it valid, that yes, some of the people who practice them, are going to
take them seriously, as the word of said God and do what their scriptures and religious laws say.
Is said God a McDonalds kind of guy (where you can have it their way only) or a Burger King kind of guy (where you can have it your way).
Ultimately it’s the whole division in regards to that which drives half of the institutionalized violence on the planet.
So as long as people are willing to kill one another over how to worship, you might as well be able to kill other things as sacrifices as part of the
religion.
The Supreme Courts typically agree so, just that the animal be kept in humane conditions prior to slaughter, and the remains not be kept in a way that
become a public health hazard.
Play nicely people, it’s all fun and games until someone loses an eye and then sorry is never enough!
I love this insane planet (I think).
edit on 3/2/11 by ProtoplasmicTraveler because: (no reason given)