Question about the idea of human sacrifice.

[LittlePinky82]

Human sacrifice used to be practiced among Northern European tribes... but it wasn't necessarily how we think always think of it.

One of Woden's names is "Hanged God, which is a reference both to his ordeal on the World Tree, and that he was the God who oversaw executions via hanging. That is to say, hanged criminals and POWs were offered to Woden.

Additionally, one way warriors would try to gain Woden's favor before a battle would be to throw a spear over the opposing army with the cry "Woden owns ye all!", which would be a way of telling the God, "give me victory in this battle, and my enemies are yours".

So, near as I can tell, it seemed really more of a way to ritualize something that they were doing anyway, rather than starting up something new because a God said so. Heck, in this sense, it could be argued that the whole "may God have mercy on your soul" thing that we do today for executions is a form of human sacrifice.

I found this really interesting. Especially the mercy on your soul. I could definitely buy that argument in thinking about this.

REVISE

Why is human sacrifice related to killing?

I usually see "offerings" as a way to give your deepest possesion to another.

Charity giving what you have in generosity and for the need of another.

Sacrifice giving up something or someone as an offering out of obligation (or so have you)

I sometimes offer myself to the spirits. It means I let myself be with the spirits as a spiritualist or acting as a medium for direct conversation. (Or is that shamanism. Cant remember the term)

I dont sacrifice myself. I dont purposely devalue myself or humble myself for the spirits. I find that unnecessary. Im not a human sacrifice. Im a human offering.

Abrahamics have an influence of relating sacrifice with killing. Its said to be the highest form of humility to their god.

We dont need to devalue ourselves/be in humility/sacrifice ourselves for our gods. We can just be an offering.

Why not be an offering to god. We we are not giving ourselves out of obligation nor are we devaluing ourselves when we are become offerings.

Good example: "I sacrifice for my family". I give up out of obligation my time to my family. "I offer my time (by choice) so I can be with my family."

Many say the highest sacrifice is life. It makes sense. Thats what we vamue the most (I assume) is our lives. But when we "offer" our lives THAT doesnt need to be our bodies. It could be our charity or anything else.

I see no negativity in offerings. I do so in sacrifice because its taking out that persons choice to sacrifice but making it an obligation to. A source of worship.

Sorry. I went on a tangent. Hope this adds some perspective.

I think your post is really informative and a good response to the other side and that sacrifice isn't always about killing. With the Abrahamic religion it's like with Abraham and his son Isaac. It's a child he and his wife loved dearly and was waiting so long for and trusted god in. And finally they got their son and their most precious gift. I figure it was a way to really test your loyalty and by sacrificing Isaac he would have been giving that humility you mention to god. Same thing with live stock. Live stock was important to livelihoods and feeding your family and clothing etc. They used everything from the animal from what I've always understood and you sacrifice the blood of the lamb.

 

[Riverwolf]

Pretty much this.

Ancient Celtic tribes in Gaul (France) practiced a form of human sacrifice where they filled a giant wicker man with criminals and burned them alive.

I thought there was no archaeological evidence for the wicker man ritual, and so the current consensus is that it's just Roman propaganda?

They did practice human sacrifice, but I was under the impression that the Gauls did so by ritually killing the victim with weapons, and then depositing the body in bogs (thus giving us "bog bodies").

 

[Maponos]

I thought there was no archaeological evidence for the wicker man ritual, and so the current consensus is that it's just Roman propaganda?

They did practice human sacrifice, but I was under the impression that the Gauls did so by ritually killing the victim with weapons, and then depositing the body in bogs (thus giving us "bog bodies").

I haven't seen anything to disprove it, but whether it happened or not doesn't really bother me. I've read about the bog bodies as well as vaguely remembering something about sacrifices where the sacrifice had their throat slit. I can't remember where I read or saw that though.