Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Controversy Over Blood Sacrifice

Collapse
This topic is closed.
X
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    Controversy Over Blood Sacrifice

    What are your opinions about blood sacrifice and animal sacrifice? Taken from this thread and moved here in an effort not to derail the thread. I would like to hear what everyone's opinions are on the matter as well as justifications for or against. I made the thread in ceremonies and practices but I fully expect for this to be more of a debate. If a mod wishes to move the pertinent posts from the other thread they may but it's probably not necessary.

    *I forgot to capitalize the O in the title. Could someone fix that please?
    Circe

    #2
    Re: Controversy over Blood Sacrifice

    I think that it's complicated (in my case).
    I am certainly against any sort of sacrafices. We can benefit from every standard animal without sacraficing it.
    But if someone celebrates a religious holiday, he / she can bring different fruit and other kinds food, without any sacrafice to the Gods.
    I would like to save an animal's life and benefit from it in another way.
    "Fair means that everybody gets what they need. And the only way to get that is to make it happen yourself."



    Since I adore cats, I might write something strange or unusual in my comment.Cats are awesome!!! ^_^

    Comment


      #3
      Re: Controversy over Blood Sacrifice

      Personally, I am against animal sacrifices. There is no added benefit (aside from using 'life energy') from sacrificing an innocent life that isn't aware of what the person is using it for. It's a selfish deed, and should never be used for many ethical reasons.

      Now blood sacrifice is 50/50, blood has a history of beneficial properties, and if any blood were to be used it should be their own and done in the most safest and sanitary manner possible (aka not slitting your wrists for more 'power', instead pricking the tip of the index finger for some blood since it is known as a very 'potent' ingredient). While I personally don't have a need to use blood sacrifice and don't perform it myself, I don't cringe towards others that do, as long as they are doing it in a safe manner, and being ethical about why the use of blood is needed.

      Comment


        #4
        Re: Controversy over Blood Sacrifice

        Animal sacrifice is something I can't make up my mind about. On the one hand, how is animal sacrifice all that different from slaughterhouses and the like? Except in some cases religious animal sacrifice can be quicker and more humane than slaughterhouse "sacrifice". On the other hand, don't we kill enough animals? Animal sacrifice is, in a way, part of Kemeticism in the sense that the ancients killed animals with the express purpose of offering them to the Netjeru. But the animal was never killed in front of the shrine or anything like that.

        Blood is a pretty big taboo in Kemeticism. It's considered unclean by more than a few Kemetics; however, some Netjeru (Sekhmet seems to be common for this) don't mind blood offerings from certain devotees. But in these cases, the blood offering is usually from the devotee him/herself. In the context of autosacrifice, I think it's up to the people and gods involved. If the gods don't mind, and everybody participating in the sacrifice consents, I see no problem.

        Personally, I have a terminal phobia of blood so I want nothing to do with sacrifices involving blood. Lol.
        Blog: http://thestarsafire.tumblr.com

        Kuchi wa wazawai no moto (the mouth is the origin of disasters)

        Comment


          #5
          Re: Controversy over Blood Sacrifice

          Sacrificing animals is an intricate part of many belief systems all around the world and I don't think it's something we should automatically discount in a effort to be humane. That comes too close to saying, "Your beliefs are wrong." Often, the sacrificed animal is then butchered and eaten, it's not like it's left to rot. Or sometimes it's left in the wild and feeds the scavengers. But I know many African traditions sacrifice the spirit of the animal, then eat the body, and they butcher more animals in a similar method to provide a feast for the occasion, so really, the sacrificed animal is just the special one chosen for a ritual sacrifice. Now, if you're just going to go buy a chicken to slit it's throat in some ceremony and then throw it in the garbage heap.. that doesn't seem very respectful to me. And I'm not sure I would condone that.

          As for using blood in general? I know you can buy blood from a butcher shop in some places, if your practice calls for it. (People actually make blood pudding out of blood can you believe that?) And there's also using your own blood, which is completely up to you. I guess in either situation I'm not opposed to it in general.

          One thing I would be concerned about is the purpose. Why do you need it and what are you using it for? If it's for some harmful ends, I wouldn't be okay with that. If it's to call the gods to end this f*ing drought we've had two years running, that would be different. I'm not exactly sure how folks in the developed world use these things.
          We are what we are. Nothing more, nothing less. There is good and evil among every kind of people. It's the evil among us who rule now. -Anne Bishop, Daughter of the Blood

          I wondered if he could ever understand that it was a blessing, not a sin, to be graced with more than one love.
          It could be complicated; of course it could be complicated. And it opened one up to the possibility of more pain and loss.
          Still, it was a blessing I would never relinquish. Love, genuine love, was always a cause for joy.
          -Jacqueline Carey, Naamah's Curse

          Service to your fellows is the root of peace.

          Comment


            #6
            Re: Controversy over Blood Sacrifice

            It's not part of my tradition. But I have no problem with it.

            I don't know of any faiths that torture the sacrifice first, other than Christianity...hmmm. Not knocking it, just stating the facts.

            I am really uncool with torture of any type. But I admit, I don't know much about other people's relationships with their deities.

            Comment


              #7
              Re: Controversy over Blood Sacrifice

              Originally posted by Shahaku View Post
              (People actually make blood pudding out of blood can you believe that?)
              Oh yes and blood sausage and different soups and pancakes even. Mmmm I love duck blood soup myself.
              Circe

              Comment


                #8
                Re: Controversy over Blood Sacrifice

                I'm totally against "sacrificing" blood that isn't yours to give. If you wanna sacrifice, use your own damn body, not someone else's.

                I'm fine with cutting yourself to spill your own blood, or even taking your own life if that's what you wanna do. But the moment you lay a finger on another animal or person, you're taking something that doesn't belong to you, forcing someone else to sacrifice for you.
                Yikes, all that cultural appropriation that used to be here tho

                Comment


                  #9
                  Re: Controversy over Blood Sacrifice

                  I don't engage in animal sacrifice for the simple reason I don't have the skills/setting to do it in a humane way. That said, I have no problem attending an event that involves animal sacrifice because really...how on earth is that worse then taking a roast chicken to the post-ritual potluck? If anything I think it's better then grabbing that roast chicken at the supermarket, since at least one has a connection to and awareness of the animal giving up it's life.

                  Now about blood sacrifice, that really depends on the source of the blood. I know a lot of woman that "sacrifice" menstrual blood. To me, that's not a sacrifice since it's something the body is discarding anyhow.
                  "The doer alone learneth." -- Friedrich Nietzsche

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Re: Controversy over Blood Sacrifice

                    Originally posted by Vigdisdotter View Post
                    since at least one has a connection to and awareness of the animal giving up it's life.
                    The animal isn't giving up it's life. The animal is having it's life taken.

                    I don't have a problem with people killing animals for food, but y'know, call a spade a spade.
                    Yikes, all that cultural appropriation that used to be here tho

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Re: Controversy over Blood Sacrifice

                      I see a link between animal sacrifice and forcing ideologies on animals. It would be worthwhile reviewing that thread in this context.
                      Every moment of a life is a horrible tragedy, a slapstick comedy, dark nihilism, golden illumination, or nothing at all; depending on how we write the story we tell ourselves.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Re: Controversy over Blood Sacrifice

                        Originally posted by Satu View Post
                        Animal sacrifice is something I can't make up my mind about. On the one hand, how is animal sacrifice all that different from slaughterhouses and the like? Except in some cases religious animal sacrifice can be quicker and more humane than slaughterhouse "sacrifice". On the other hand, don't we kill enough animals? Animal sacrifice is, in a way, part of Kemeticism in the sense that the ancients killed animals with the express purpose of offering them to the Netjeru. But the animal was never killed in front of the shrine or anything like that.

                        Blood is a pretty big taboo in Kemeticism. It's considered unclean by more than a few Kemetics; however, some Netjeru (Sekhmet seems to be common for this) don't mind blood offerings from certain devotees. But in these cases, the blood offering is usually from the devotee him/herself. In the context of autosacrifice, I think it's up to the people and gods involved. If the gods don't mind, and everybody participating in the sacrifice consents, I see no problem.

                        Personally, I have a terminal phobia of blood so I want nothing to do with sacrifices involving blood. Lol.
                        Well, yes. It depends on the God you're offering to also. But I am not the type of a person who offers blood and any sort of sacrafice to the Gods.
                        Partly, it is a sort of a phobia of mine.
                        I'm totally against "sacrificing" blood that isn't yours to give. If you wanna sacrifice, use your own damn body, not someone else's.
                        And I also fully agree with what Quetzal said above.
                        "Fair means that everybody gets what they need. And the only way to get that is to make it happen yourself."



                        Since I adore cats, I might write something strange or unusual in my comment.Cats are awesome!!! ^_^

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Re: Controversy over Blood Sacrifice

                          I do animal sacrifices under specific circumstances. I only sacrifice terminally ill dogs or cats who are going to be put down anyway by the local vet. I only do this with extremely powerful workings, which happen about once or twice a year maximum.

                          Check out my blog! The Daily Satanist

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Re: Controversy over Blood Sacrifice

                            Animal Sacrifice was a large aspect of Hellenic beliefs and practices. Significant records of the sacrifice's have survived and even a difference between sacrifices to the chthonic gods / goddesses and the celestial gods / goddesses. Though in most instances the animals that were sacrificed were also sacred to the god / goddess to whom the sacrifice was being made. Yet that also tied in heavily to the notion of fertility and fecundity of both herds and crops.

                            So in that regard animal sacrifice is not something I find taboo or such. Heck growing up in the country with farms animal sacrifice was an annual aspect of life whether it be due to hunting, slaughter for food. Even the process of both almost religious and spiritual in how it was done and honorings made to the spirit of the animals that were killed.

                            My self I'd not sacrifice a creature as I no longer have the physical strength to do it properly nor the skill's to make it as unpainful as possible.

                            Blood sacrifice is a standard aspect of my practice. While I have used animal blood in the past which was obtained from a butcher or from slaughter it's not a normal aspect of my practice. Sacrificing and offering my own blood is though I take care to safely obtain it via lancets or such.
                            I'm Only Responsible For What I Say Not For What Or How You Understand!

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Re: Controversy over Blood Sacrifice

                              Originally posted by Threshold View Post

                              I don't know of any faiths that torture the sacrifice first, other than Christianity...hmmm. Not knocking it, just stating the facts.
                              Not a fact at all. *sigh*
                              hey look, I have a book! And look I have a second one too!

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X