Thread: Jesus' sacrifice

Originally Posted by Seismosaur

God is awfully odd if he exists by Christian standards...

I mean, imagine if someone was trying to show someone else that they cared for them so much, so they brought their son outside and shot him in his head, who then staggers back in doors, bleeding profusely.

Wouldn't you think them a little odd?

Seis... I usually like you when you join a topic, but you're not so good at creating them.

1. Doesn't go into any detail. Very bland.
2. A topic that is discussed many times. Nothing new at all, and doesn't even bring in anything new to the topic.

Both of those combined make a horrible post. If you're going to make a new topic, either bring something that's not discussed much, or bring in something new about the topic. And elaborate.

This is the second or third recent topic that I've seen from you that is like this. It's not very good.

There are several traditions throughout the world in which it is considered that the personal sacrifice of an individual can benefit the whole.

In the Lakhota tradition, the Wiwanyag Wachipi (Sun Dance) is just that. The Lakhota believe that the only thing they truly own is their body. In the Sun Dance, Dancers have their flesh pierced and attached to thongs. These thongs are then attached to a sacred tree. The dancers dance around the tree until the thongs tear free from the flesh.

In this manner, they offer up as sacrifice the only thing they truly own as way of asking for mercy that the People may live.

The commonalities between this and the Passion story (minus the resurrection) are remarkable.

The Mayans practiced sacrificial ritual as well. So did the ancient Celts and Polynesians.

The idea of sacrificing of the flesh for general benefit is almost universal. So it is not surprising to me that Christianity incorporates this aspect into its tradition.

"For God so loved the world, he sacrificed his only begotten Son that it may be purified."

If we follow that God and the Son are one, then God, in essence, sacrificed of himself that the People may live.