| Sacrifice is a touchy subject that has a long and | | | | for the sins of mankind. |
| controversial history. The existence of human | | | | Even Jesus himself told his disciples that they must |
| sacrifice in pre-Colombian South America is a hotly | | | | eat His flesh and drink His blood. Today in our |
| debated topic among scholars today. Did it really | | | | modern, information aged society, the Catholic |
| happen, to what extent? Did the celebrants go | | | | Church still teaches that during the consecration of |
| willingly, or was it tantamount to socially accepted | | | | the Host before communion, the bread is literally |
| murder? Indeed, these are difficult questions to ask | | | | transformed into the Flesh of Christ, on a level of |
| of a culture that has all but been replaced with | | | | substance. The technical term for this is |
| modern society. | | | | "Transubstantiation" which literally means changing of |
| Many other instances of animal sacrifice exist in | | | | the substance. |
| western history, most famously in the Old | | | | Why is sacrifice, both human and animal, so prevalent |
| Testament. Goats, lambs, and other animals were | | | | in so many societies and cultures through out history? |
| often sacrificed to give thanks for a successful | | | | Is there some deep mysterious element that all |
| harvest, or to pray for the same. Many know the | | | | people share that causes a need for human and |
| story of God asking Abraham to sacrifice his only | | | | animal sacrifice? |
| son, only to let him know at the last minute it was | | | | Or is the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ the |
| only a test of his faith. Many believe this was a | | | | central them of truth in the universe, and all other |
| foreshadowing to the Crucifixion of Christ. Often | | | | elements of societies, both primitive and modern, are |
| times Christ Himself is referred to as the "Lamb of | | | | merely a manifestation of that Eternal Truth? |
| God," alluding to symbolic sacrificing of Jesus to pay | | | | |