What is the value of sacrifice?

[jimmygun]

Somehow in a fog this morning I posted this in the wrong site. Please ignore the other post in "Million Dollar Challenge".



What is the value of sacrifice?

Meaning the ultimate sacrifice of life of course. It is generally assumed that the ultimate sacrifice is the giving of one's own life for another. It is a human trait which I don't think has a known beginning. To my thinking, as soon as animals start living in groups, sacrifice is almost essential for the well-being of the group.

That being said, what is the value of that sacrifice in light of religious beliefs? Would the laying down of an athiest's life have the same value as that of a Muslim or Christian?

[jlakbj]

Originally posted by jimmygun
Would the laying down of an athiest's life have the same value as that of a Muslim or Christian?

Actually, I think an atheist's sacrifice would have a higher value, since the Muslim and Christian expect to continue to live on in some way. Their sacrifices are just temporary inconveniences.

[jimmygun]

jlakbj...I have to agree there. Are there any religious people out there that would care to comment?

[MLynn]

Originally posted by jlakbj


Actually, I think an atheist's sacrifice would have a higher value, since the Muslim and Christian expect to continue to live on in some way. Their sacrifices are just temporary inconveniences.
I agree. If I give my life in "sacrifice" I believe God will take care of me and I will "live" on. For an atheist to give his/her life for someone is a huge deal because in that thinking, after the physical life is gone, that's it.
I think the conflict between self-preservation and getting beyond that to give one's life for someone else is an interersting one.

[The idea]

Deism provides for the possibility of a deity who desires mercy and not sacrifice.

[evildave]

Well, there used to be sarifice to appease gods. The value of that religious sacrifice was to make the religion seem "more real" to people who would think "They wouldn't just KILL people like that if this wasn't REAL!"

It should be pointed out that the God that Christians, Muslims and Jews worship once required blood sacrifices, including human ones, according to their holy books. Right back to the Cain & Abel story.

The bargain of personal sacrifice is that there is always a slim chance you could be able to save that person, or those people from their doom AND get away with it (i.e. unharmed or recoverably injured).

You've got to believe that going in, or at least feel it's really worth it.

The value of a sacrifice is essentially negative if you don't manage to rescue anyone, and end up needing rescuing (or recovery) as well as them. There are several Darwin Award nominees along these lines. It's a lesson they teach most rescue workers: you don't help anyone by needing to be rescued yourself.

[The idea]

Originally posted by evildave
It's a lesson they teach most rescue workers: you don't help anyone by needing to be rescued yourself.
I just think that is worth repeating. :)

[The idea]

Just a moment. In the movie It's a Wonderful Life, did they specify that Clarence knew how to swim and didn't really need help from George Bailey?

Just a moment. This is a bit like "would you save a drowning person", isn't it?

Just a moment. I've just picked up a potential flaw in the AE35 unit. It might need repair within the next 24 hours. On the other hand, is the AE35 unit really all that important? Does it serve a critical function?