Human Sacrifice

[Spiderman]

What do you think would drive entire societies to sacrifice their children to their Deities? I can't help but wonder if it was an alternative to abortion and eugenics, where if a woman had an unwanted pregnancy or disabled baby, she would make it a sacred offering to the gods (population control).

My personal belief is that the gods who demanded human sacrifice were malevolent spirits. I'm more curious to hear from Atheists and agnostics as to what the mystery is that human beings would go to the length of publicly legally brutally executing their children to make an imaginary friend happy.

If you don't believe in the gods, it is quite a fascinating subject to ponder what it is about human beings that would possess them to do such things. Could it be more than delusions and imaginary friends that would lead entire Empires to practice such barbaric madness?

The Aztec Empire would cut out beating hearts and the people would offer their own blood from their own toungs, ear lobes, and genitals. All this to appease bloodthirsty gods. They would conquer other tribes for the purpose of having more people to sacrifice. The entire Empire was focused on appeasing the gods in this manner and believed it was necessary for their survival.

I love Shamanism so I love indigenous culture, but I'd say the Aztecs overall were fortunate when the Spanish arrived and put an end to that culture.

 

[Spiderman]

I'm not saying the Spanish didn't commit atrocities and kill many of the Aztecs off with European disease...but eventually, after our lady of Guadalupe appeared and left her image on Juan Diegos tilma, the Aztecs converted to Catholicism and society improved from what it had been.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Demons.

Weirdly, I was just reading about how widespread infanticide was throughout the world until Christianity put a stop to it.

 

[Spiderman]

Demons.

Weirdly, I was just reading about how widespread infanticide was throughout the world until Christianity put a stop to it.

My views are becoming more pagan these days now that I'm embracing shamanism with all my heart, but it makes me scared of the spirits (Demons) behind the pagan deities that would demand infanticide throughout the world. Christianity did a good deed by putting a stop to that.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

My views are becoming more pagan these days now that I'm embracing shamanism with all my heart, but it makes me scared of the spirits (Demons) behind the pagan deities that would demand infanticide throughout the world. Christianity did a good deed by putting a stop to that.

I would suggest you look into Christian mysticism instead.

 

[Spiderman]

Sick in the head. Like the Governor on the Walking Dead said.."They aren't my children"....cold hearted.

You are Christian so surely you believe demons were involved?

 

[Kemosloby]

You are Christian so surely you believe demons were involved?

Sure, I can't prove it though. Evil Spirits clouding their thinking with evil ideas.

 

[Spiderman]

I would suggest you look into Christian mysticism instead.

Thank you for trying to look out for my well being, but Shamanism is a better fit. I read the Christian mystics and it doesn't satiate me like when I study and try to practice Shamanism.

It teaches me to go into a trance and go on vision quests into the supernatural world of spirits. The spirits don't speak to the ears, they speak to the heart through visions, emotions, inspirations, and ideas. The Shaman reaches altered states of consciousness to travel to another dimension where they can interact with malevolent and benevolent spirits and channel the wisdom and energies from the spirit world into the material world. I have a ways to go and much training before I can master that

Shamanism has left me much more happy, peaceful, spiritually satiated, and interested in life. It is a better fit for me than traditional Christianity.

 

[Spiderman]

Demons.

Weirdly, I was just reading about how widespread infanticide was throughout the world until Christianity put a stop to it.

Maybe the fact that I posted this thread and it was on my mind all day while you were just reading about basically the same topic is a sign from God. God often speaks through coincidence

 

[Kemosloby]

You are Christian so surely you believe demons were involved?

Actually I do believe it. Recently my thoughts we're going sour. Even a song stuck in my head that substituted Satan's name for Jesus's name. I was like where the hell did that come from. So I felt abandoned and prayed and begged Jesus to come back, and that fixed everything.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Thank you for trying to look out for my well being, but Shamanism is a better fit. I read the Christian mystics and it doesn't satiate me like when I study and try to practice Shamanism.

It teaches me to go into a trance and go on vision quests into the supernatural world of spirits. The spirits don't speak to the ears, they speak to the heart through visions, emotions, inspirations, and ideas. The Shaman reaches altered states of consciousness to travel to another dimension where they can interact with malevolent and benevolent spirits and channel the wisdom and energies from the spirit world into the material world. I have a ways to go and much training before I can master that

Shamanism has left me much more happy, peaceful, spiritually satiated, and interested in life. It is a better fit for me than traditional Christianity.

Okay, but be careful. I don't recommend it, especially for a person trying to recover from mental illness, but I can't stop you and if you feel you must... Ask God's Angels to protect you. Pray to St. Michael for protection. Stay away from the malevolent spirits and surround yourself with spiritual Light.

 

[Spiderman]

Okay, but be careful. I don't recommend it, especially for a person trykng to recover from mental illness, but I can't stop you and if you feel you must... Ask God's Angels to protect you. Pray to St. Michael for protection. Stay away from the malevolent spirits and surround yourself with spiritual Light.

That is excellent advice! I didn't expect that coming from you. God bless!

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

That is excellent advice! I didn't expect that coming from you. God bless!

God bless you, too. Stay safe. I don't really believe in coincidence.

I have had my experiences with evil spirits and was almost possessed once. Even a witch I knew and told my experiences to told me to turn to Christ as He will protect me. Whatever is of God and has your highest good in mind...turn to that. I assume you have gone through the Sacraments in Catholicism, so my belief is that your soul is in a covenant with Christ as it is. So He'll look out for you if you let Him.

 

[Spiderman]

God bless you, too. Stay safe. I don't really believe in coincidence.

I have had my experiences with evil spirits and was almost possessed once. Even a witch I knew and told my experiences to told me to turn to Christ as He will protect me. Whatever is of God and has your highest good in mind...turn to that. I assume you have gone through the Sacraments in Catholicism, so my belief is that your soul is in a covenant with Christ as it is. So He'll look out for you if you let Him.

Yeah, I'm starting to not believe in coincidence either. That is amazing that you heard that advice from a witch.
I heard that some witches can tell the difference between an unconsecrated and a consecrated host.

Yes, Christ is looking out for me. I go to a Latin mass tomorrow

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Yeah, I'm starting to not believe in coincidence either. That is amazing that you heard that advice from a witch.
I heard that some witches can tell the difference between an unconsecrated and a consecrated host.

Yes, Christ is looking out for me. I go to a Latin mass tomorrow

Enjoy the Mass! I've never been to a Latin Mass before. Would be nice to go one day.

 

[Spiderman]

Enjoy the Mass! I've never been to a Latin Mass before. Would be nice to go one day.

It seems more sacred. Everyone receives Communion on their tongue kneeling

 

[Augustus]

What do you think would drive entire societies to sacrifice their children to their Deities?

They generally didn't sacrifice their children. It was usually captives, slaves, etc.

Sacrifice in general is about having to pay a cost to belong to the community. It is a public display of commitment to a particular way of life and a way to enhance social cohesion. Human sacrifice is no different in this regard.

 

[Maponos]

Gods, I would say. Some are certainly more bloodthirsty than others. It seems that human sacrifice was most common in the southern hemisphere. It must have something to do with that general type of environment.

 

[Ubon]

The catholics castrated young men to ensure they kept their singing voices right up to i think 1908.
Who knows what an organization like this is capable of.

 

[Spiderman]

Gods, I would say. Some are certainly more bloodthirsty than others. It seems that human sacrifice was most common in the southern hemisphere. It must have something to do with that general type of environment.

I think you are right!