Comparison of Blood Sport and Religious Scarifice
There is only one comparison of religious sacrifice and blood sport; and that is the taking of an innocent animal’s life for selfish human motives. The contrast lies in the ways that these lives are taken.
Religious sacrifice in ancient times was made to appease the gods; for the Greeks, animals would be offered and usually burnt. The Mayans however would offer their captured enemies, and they are the well-known for removing their still beating hearts to placate the gods. To cleanse a man or woman of their sin, in pre-Christian time, religions would require a sacrifice to God. The animal would bear the sins of the man performing the sacrifice, he was to bring in his animal, pray for forgiveness of his sins, and end the animal’s life. The man is to contemplate the suffering of the animal and watch its life drain from its body for his sins. Now the man’s is cleansed of sin, only to sin once more, and end the life of yet another animal.
Religious sacrifice in modern times usually calls for a swift and hopefully painless execution of the unfortunate victim of the particular religious sect, with the exception of one that I found in my research; the Jewish practice of Kapparot, which is performed right before Yom Kippur. A rooster for a man or a hen for a woman is swung around the head three times while a prayer is recited, transferring the human’s sins to the chicken before it is killed. Some rabbi’s propose that the price for a chicken be wrapped in a handkerchief and swung instead of the chicken. The money could then be donated to the poor. Some worshippers have taken on this practice since Yom Kippur observes the importance of Rachamim (compassion and sensitivity).
The Hindu festival in honor of the goddess Gahjimai is held every five years in Nepal, where 250,000 calves will be decapitated in center square for sacrifice. The dead animals will then be sold to companies who will make a profit. Before the carnage of Gahjimai, the Hindu’s also practice the
Religious sacrifice in ancient times was made to appease the gods; for the Greeks, animals would be offered and usually burnt. The Mayans however would offer their captured enemies, and they are the well-known for removing their still beating hearts to placate the gods. To cleanse a man or woman of their sin, in pre-Christian time, religions would require a sacrifice to God. The animal would bear the sins of the man performing the sacrifice, he was to bring in his animal, pray for forgiveness of his sins, and end the animal’s life. The man is to contemplate the suffering of the animal and watch its life drain from its body for his sins. Now the man’s is cleansed of sin, only to sin once more, and end the life of yet another animal.
Religious sacrifice in modern times usually calls for a swift and hopefully painless execution of the unfortunate victim of the particular religious sect, with the exception of one that I found in my research; the Jewish practice of Kapparot, which is performed right before Yom Kippur. A rooster for a man or a hen for a woman is swung around the head three times while a prayer is recited, transferring the human’s sins to the chicken before it is killed. Some rabbi’s propose that the price for a chicken be wrapped in a handkerchief and swung instead of the chicken. The money could then be donated to the poor. Some worshippers have taken on this practice since Yom Kippur observes the importance of Rachamim (compassion and sensitivity).
The Hindu festival in honor of the goddess Gahjimai is held every five years in Nepal, where 250,000 calves will be decapitated in center square for sacrifice. The dead animals will then be sold to companies who will make a profit. Before the carnage of Gahjimai, the Hindu’s also practice the