|
|
Re: human sacrifice
Tiffany Willis (dtwillis@iamerica.net)
Wed, 18 Sep 1996 00:42:07 -0500
Michael Westerfield wrote:
>
> Tiffany Willis <dtwillis@iamerica.net> wrote:
> >
> > As a student of theology and anthropology I have always been interested
> > in the topic of human sacrifice. However, very little is written about
> > it. I have read "The Highest Altar," by Patrick Tierney, who seems to
> > dwell mostly on the Incan or Aztec practice of human sacrifice. I've
> > also read "The Stranglers," by George Bruce who gives a first hand
> > account of the Kali worshipping cults of Thuggee in 19th century India.
> > Both these books are OK, but give little information as to the liturgy
> > of the practices. Anyhow, I was reading "Russia," by Harrison E.
> > Salisbury and on page 22 he mentions that prior to the christianization
> > of Russia, the Kievan ruler Vladimir I and the Russian people sacrificed
> > humans to the gods Perun, Svarog and Stribog. Is there anyone out there
> > who can point me in the direction of historical facts or data for the
> > liturgical rites of any of the death cults; Kali worshippers, Incan or
> > Aztec, pagan, satanic, or pre-Christian Russia?
> >
> > Sincerely,
> >
> > David
>
> I have always been of the opinion that historical liturgical practices were
> were fairly direct descendants of previous "pagan" practices and that
> the "sacrifice" of the Catholic mass fairly closely mirrored the
> ritual sacrifices, including human sacrifices, that were its antecedents.
> At this point, I think that this is the only area available for
> investigation aside from the writings of early authors - Greek and Roman -
> who touched upon the subject.
Thanks for the reply. The sacrifice of the mass does allude to earlier
pagan practices, maybe even human sacrifice. That is the reason
that the topic is of interest to me. The concept of transubstantiation
is the basis for my query. It's not the only reason. It appears that I
have stumbled onto a subject which one must approach with candor. Be
too aggressive and people think you have alterior motives like
performing the rituals. Be vague and you get told the story of Isaac.
Anyhow, what I was looking for was the reasoning that people used to
justify human sacrifice as explained by a religious dogma. I was
particularly interested in the Kali rites.
|