Animal Sacrifice

[gryffron]

The Torah/Old testament is quite clear that animal sacrifices are a necessary part of worship, and are "pleasing to God".

So why don't most modern jews carry out such practice? I know there is a tiny ultra-orthodox sect who still do. But the vast majority of modern jews do not(??). Why not? What has changed in their relationship with god?

Jesus basically told everyone to be a good jew. But afaik Jesus never carried out any animal sacrifices either. Again, why not? Modern christians believe Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice so no further sacrifice is necessary. But Jesus himself can't have known that. So why did he himself not sacrifice like a good jew? Or maybe he did and like much else this was just edited out by the Synod of Carthage?

Let's not leave the muslims out. The koran does NOT call for animal sacrifce. In spite of which some muslims still do it. I have watched this with my own eyes in Egypt. AIUI this comes from earlier practice and the sacrifice of Abraham, and is supported by the haditha.

And what about pagans. Early druids were a bloodthirsty lot who sacrificed everything they could get their hands on. Including not only animals but humans too. Usually criminals, despite the later christian fixation with virgins. Modern tree-hugger druids bear no relation to their bloodthirsty ancestors.

gryff

[hamzahf]

Perhaps some clarity on terminology would be helpful. By sacrifice do you refer to slaughter on an altar as part of a specific ritual (burnt offerings for example) or do you mean killing an animal for food to satisfy a religious or cultural need?

The Jews do not slaughter because the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed (the only place they are allowed to do it). Muslims slaughter an animal by the Islamic method to celebrate a significant event (marriage, birth) with the meat being given in charity to the poor. The only mandatory religious slaughter of an animal by Muslims is by pilgrims on Hajj; it is part of the rites. The meat is distributed to the poor.

Is slaughtering a turkey for Christmas or Thanksgiving an act of sacrifice? How does the Islamic practice of slaughtering an animal for a special occasion differ from this Western practice?

I hope you don't think I am being evasive, but "animal sacrifice" is a loaded term that needs some clarification.

Regards
Hamzah

[hamzahf]

The Jews do not slaughter because the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed (the only place they are allowed to do it).

I missed my editing window. Jews do not sacrifice animals for the above reasons. I found these two articles fascinating when I looked at the question before. Judaism is very much rule driven, which in itself can preclude options (such as why they can't just rebuild the Temple).

http://www.beingjewish.com/unchanged/sacrifices.html
http://www.beingjewish.com/unchanged/rebuild.html

Regards
Hamzah

[77ss]

Modern christians believe Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice so no further sacrifice is necessary.

This may or may not be true. As an atheist, I am in no position to comment on what 'modern Christians' believe - other than doubting that there is any such thing as a unified stance on the matter.

As a matter of interest, in my travels, I have seen sacrifices in a Christian country (Georgia).

[DiamondEcho]

Out here in the near/middle-East they tend to rear back-yard hens in the run up Eid [end of Ramadan]. I know as they start crowing at about 5am and it often wakes us up. Once Eid has passed, all is silent for another year.

[Clariman]

Where sacrifice is carried out, I wonder whether it is more to do with a generic, long-standing 'need' to appease one's God(s) and has been going on in the human world for 10s of 1000s of years. i.e. it is not defined by one religion but a long-standing human practice. One could argue that all the celebration around Christmas-time comes from a deeper longer lasting human need to celebrate the passing of the Winter Solstice. Similarly, Easter celebrations are, perhaps, more symbolic of the returning of life in the spring time. Much of the symbolism of Christmas and Easter is more pagan than Christian in origin.