When Did Christians Stop Sacrificing Animals?

[H3LL]

The sacrificing of animals seems to be a common theme in the bible as god appears to like the smell of burning flesh.

When did this stop?

Are there Abrahamic religions that still sacrifice live animals on a regular basis?

Do any of the 38,000+ flavours of Christians still regulary sacrifice live animals?

Has it all stopped because it's now only required to sacrifice your honesty and knowledge?

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[Egg]

I'm not sure about all flavours, but generally speaking Christians view the crucifixion as the sacrifice to end sacrifices, and so the answer to your question would be that Christians never started sacrificing animals.

[UnrepentantSinner]

You're confusing Christians with Jews. So if you want to change your question to one reflective of reality, the answer is - after the sacking of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.

[H3LL]

Well Egg is just wrong.

An imagined immortal being pretending to sacrifice himself in order to decieve is something for another thread.



Thanks for the heads up US, but a quick Google now means I've got to get my head round exactly what 'Christian Jews' are.

I do seem to briefly recall that Christian religions that are a mix of African and Catholic religions (Carribean I think) still sacrifice and there have been US court cases on the subject. I'm not sure how old the info is nor which religion nor the final result so hard to check if I am remembering correctly.



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[UnrepentantSinner]

Thanks for the heads up US, but a quick Google now means I've got to get my head round exactly what 'Christian Jews' are.

Actually I was referring to "Jew Jews". :D

I do seem to briefly recall that Christian religions that are a mix of African and Catholic religions (Carribean I think) still sacrifice and there have been US court cases on the subject. I'm not sure how old the info is nor which religion nor the final result so hard to check if I am remembering correctly.

Santeria (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santeria). :)

[Jeff Corey]

This says it is presently practiced (in 2002).
http://www.all-creatures.org/hr/hrasacrificeinchurch.htm

[TinfoilCat]

Why is Egg wrong?

That is a common view held by most Christians. You might be thinking of cults, but not Christians. :)

[Fitter]

You're confusing Christians with Jews. So if you want to change your question to one reflective of reality, the answer is - after the sacking of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.
I recall reading somewhere a long time ago that the Beta Israel (Falasha) community continued animal sacrifices up until their exodus from Ethiopia.


ETA. Which is technically after the sacking of Jerusalem, I guess.

[Abdul Alhazred]

Well if you want to be legalistic about it, Jewish animal sacrifices didn't stop when the temple was destroyed, only the sacrifices specifically associated with the temple.

The piece of chicken on the Passover plate is a "sacrifice".

etc

[Egg]

Well Egg is just wrong.

An imagined immortal being pretending to sacrifice himself in order to decieve is something for another thread.

:eggconfused:
"In Christian theology, this sacrifice replaced the insufficient animal sacrifice of the Old Covenant; Christ the "Lamb of God" replaced the lambs' sacrifice of the ancient Korban Todah (the Rite of Thanksgiving), chief of which is the Passover in the Mosaic law."WP (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacrifice)

[UnrepentantSinner]

I recall reading somewhere a long time ago that the Beta Israel (Falasha) community continued animal sacrifices up until their exodus from Ethiopia.


ETA. Which is technically after the sacking of Jerusalem, I guess.

:) When I first was going to reply I was going to mention the Babylonian captivity until I remembered the 2nd Temple and that they probably conducted animal sacrifices there until Vespasian sent them packing. Either way, this would still be Jews were talking about, not Christians.

And back to the OP, I see where H3LL is going with his Jesus sacrifice thing, but animal sacrifice was never part of Christian theology or practice except for in (what would be considered) heretical offshoots like Voodoo and Santeria.

[H3LL]

So live animal sacrifice ceased in Abrahamic religions in the early years of the formation and formalisation of Christian doctrine. (Muslims came much later so I will assume they never did - Unless someone knows different).

Animal sacrifice only seems to remain in some few syncretic Christian religions, dominantly among displaced Africans.


TFC, trying to find two Christians with the same beliefs is extremely difficult as is determining what to consider a cult with the inherent danger of committing the "No true Scotsman" fallacy. To make it easy, IMHO, they're all cults and I sometimes spell that wrong.

If they call themselves Christians they are Christians. It's embarrassing enough without having to lie about it. ;)



Jesus and Mo (http://www.jesusandmo.net/2008/09/24/cult/) had an amusing cartoon on the subject last week:

http://forums.randi.org/picture.php?albumid=14&pictureid=390

:D


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