Sacrifice

[Unveiled Artist]

I guess Im trying to ask is voudoun sacrifice different than christian sacrifice since they both involve the innoncent and living animal and being for the blood to wash away sins?

Please quote me. I dont always go back to my threads. Sometimes I think people just dont care.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Animal sacrifice was the historical norm in Heathenry. It served two purposes:

1. Offering to the gods, clearly.
2. Bringing community together.

Animal sacrifice performed by one person may fulfill an offering to the gods but it's impracticable. Even sacrificing a chicken requires two people: one to hold and dispatch it and one to hold the blót bowl to catch the blood, the whole purpose. Blót comes from the word meaning blood.

The second aspect of community is that the goði or gyðja (priest or priestess) offers the blood to the gods and blesses the community with it. The animal is cooked, a portion is offered to the gods usually by burning it. and the rest is eaten at a community feast.

It's usually a larger animal like a goat that's sacrificed. That's impractical if not downright illegal in areas not zoned for raising and slaughtering livestock. Unless one lives on a farm and/or regularly slaughters livestock for food and can do it humanely that's why a live sacrifice is impractical.

Moreover, unless the animal is dispatched swiftly and humanely, if it suffers because the person sacrificing it is inexperienced, it could be considered an offense to the gods.

Do you think it would matter morally if its humane or not? I know many Vegans, well because they are Vegan, dont eat meat from that and other purposes.

 

[Thief]

I read somewhere.....what? and you think God drinks blood?

not sure where I found that

seems to indicate that a death in your hands (animal sacrifice)
has no effect about your relationship with your god.

 

[Jainarayan]

Do you think it would matter morally if its humane or not?

The animal to be sacrificed is given good care, a good life, and treated well. It's dispatched in the fastest and most painless (physically and emotionally for the animal) way possible. If it's inhumane, it's immoral imo. Vegans have a completely different mindset. However, live animal sacrifice is really not all that common nowadays, pro practical reasons. Usually a sacrifice ritual, a blót is more often than not a libation offering. If an animal is used, it may be an animal or cut of an animal from the local butcher shop, not too different than a backyard bbq, but more solemn and religious. Personally that's how I would conduct a blót... a bbq in honor of the gods.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

The animal to be sacrificed is given good care, a good life, and treated well. It's dispatched in the fastest and most painless (physically and emotionally for the animal) way possible. If it's inhumane, it's immoral imo. Vegans have a completely different mindset. However, live animal sacrifice is really not all that common nowadays, pro practical reasons. Usually a sacrifice ritual, a blót is more often than not a libation offering. If an animal is used, it may be an animal or cut of an animal from the local butcher shop, not too different than a backyard bbq, but more solemn and religious. Personally that's how I would conduct a blót... a bbq in honor of the gods.

Now my question is, how does a christian or would a christian interpret this type of sacrifice in relation to the sacrifice of christ.

 

[Jainarayan]

Now my question is, how does a christian or would a christian interpret this type of sacrifice in relation to the sacrifice of christ.

Should be the same thing. Christ made the blood sacrifice, so there is no need to make blood sacrifices ala the Temple.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Should be the same thing. Christ made the blood sacrifice, so there is no need to make blood sacrifices ala the Temple.

Kinda. The other cases, the community made the sacrifice. In biblical terms, christ did it himself. They are both remission for sins, but then you have the question of is killing an animal (regardless how) humane or the other side, is telling someone they should die or choosing to die inhumane because jesus had a choice while many others do not.

If I said that right.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

I loose track of my point literally mid sentence (lang. Barrier). If its confusing, let me know.

 

[Jainarayan]

Kinda. The other cases, the community made the sacrifice. In biblical terms, christ did it himself. They are both remission for sins, but then you have the question of is killing an animal (regardless how) humane or the other side, is telling someone they should die or choosing to die inhumane because jesus had a choice while many others do not.

If I said that right.

Heathen animal sacrifice isn't about remission of sins... we don't believe in sin. It's about the gifting cycle. The gods give to us, we give to them. We give to the gods, they give to us. There's a reciprocity, that once started continues on. Why animals? Animals are provided by the gods for food and to help us work. We offer other items too... grains, drink, material items (weapons, fabrics, jewelry, anything of value). When an animal is sacrificed, the main portion of the animal is shared at a communal feast, and part if it is offered to the gods as guests at the feast. You're invited to dinner at a friend's house, you bring a cake, the host/ess offers you some of the cake you brought and eats some with you. It's really no more complicated than that.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Heathen animal sacrifice isn't about remission of sins... we don't believe in sin. It's about the gifting cycle. The gods give to us, we give to them. We give to the gods, they give to us. There's a reciprocity, that once started continues on. Why animals? Animals are provided by the gods for food and to help us work. We offer other items too... grains, drink, material items (weapons, fabrics, jewelry, anything of value). When an animal is sacrificed, the main portion of the animal is shared at a communal feast, and part if it is offered to the gods as guests at the feast. You're invited to dinner at a friend's house, you bring a cake, the host/ess offers you some of the cake you brought and eats some with you. It's really no more complicated than that.

Hm. Thats a bit different than Vodoun but still have similarities on how animal sacrifices and sacrifices are seen compared to other faiths without it.

 

[Jainarayan]

Hm. Thats a bit different than Vodoun but still have similarities on how animal sacrifices and sacrifices are seen compared to other faiths without it.

What are the differences in Vodoun? Afaik in other religions sacrifices are to propitiate the gods and/or spirits. Though the gods in Heathenry are infinitely more powerful and greater than we (humans) are, Many, if not most Heathens consider the gods our elders and relatives. But there is the element of wanting to get on their good side.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

What are the differences in Vodoun? Afaik in other religions sacrifices are to propitiate the gods and/or spirits. Though the gods in Heathenry are infinitely more powerful and greater than we (humans) are, Many, if not most Heathens consider the gods our elders and relatives. But there is the element of wanting to get on their good side.

This is just net and what a Santero told me. Some of the practices in Africa mimic each other in morals and a lot have to do with animal ritual sacrifice. I wouldnt say its a specific Vodoun practice (dinstinct) just one of general rituals done in many African origin religions.

Going from that, what I know is that when a animal is slain, that animals blood is the "life" given from the Creator. The sacrifice has been blessed by the Orishas (spirits or children of the creator, very roughly translated), and the meat cooked and given among the people. Something about the blood of the animal and the animal itself holds life and what they do in ritual with the blood and eaten offering, has something to do with obtaining which was given by their creator. Santeria, Olurun. I dont know about Voudoun.

I thought this was a good link. Clean info. Most practices are not public so the rest I got in person.
Vodoun/Hoodoo/Santeria

The only difference I see between what you say, this link, and Christianity is that the sacrifice is human (excluding doctrinal differences).

Christ is slain by his own people (given up) for him, an innoncent person (lamb/animal) to die for remission of sins like other religions colonized by christianity.

As far as the pure practice in Africa, Haiti, and South US, I dont know.

I honestly like a christian perspective on this too. I mean, I see the comparison strongly in liturgical churches even those with wine and bread as symbols of communion.

Unfortunately, I cant speak much about the Vodoun side just what I learned and how curiously it is similar to christianity. I dont know about Judaism since the Torah has animal sacrifices and that may be close. Muslim I dont know at all.

Grabbing in the dark.

 

[The_Fisher_King]

Can Christians and Jews (and maybe Muslims?) comfortably say their practices are similar to Vodou?

Also, do Muslims practice or have a teaching related to sacrifice?

Let me extend this: Christian, Jew, and Muslim of any denomiantion. Any faith of Abraham can reply as well.

For me, The God/dess neither demands nor desires sacrifice. But other Muslims may well hold different views.