Sacrifice (from a Middle English verb meaning 'to make sacred', from Old French, from Latin sacrificium : sacer, sacred; sacred + facere, to make) is commonly known as the practice of offering food, or the lives of animals or people to the gods, as an act of propitiation or worship. The term is also used metaphorically to describe selfless good deeds for others. The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Latin is the language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ... This article is about deities or gods from a non-monotheistic perspective. ... Propitiation is a theological term describing an atoning sacrifice. ... Worship usually refers to specific acts of religious praise, honour, or devotion, typically directed to a supernatural being such as a god or goddess. ... In language, a metaphor is a rhetorical trope where a comparison is made between two seemingly unrelated subjects. ...

Marcus Aurelius and members of the Imperial family offer sacrifice in gratitude for success against Germanic tribes: contemporary bas-relief, Capitoline Museum, Rome

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (825x1024, 290 KB)Marcus Aurelius and members of the Imperial family offer sacrifice in gratitude for success against Germanic tribes: Bas-relief, Capitoline Museum Rome Source antmoose, 4 June 2005 Released to Creative Commons by the photographer File history Legend: (cur... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (825x1024, 290 KB)Marcus Aurelius and members of the Imperial family offer sacrifice in gratitude for success against Germanic tribes: Bas-relief, Capitoline Museum Rome Source antmoose, 4 June 2005 Released to Creative Commons by the photographer File history Legend: (cur... Marcus Aurelius alabaster bust. ... Bas relief is a method of sculpting which entails carving or etching away the surface of a flat piece of stone or metal. ... Piazza del Campidoglio, on the top of Capitoline Hill The Capitoline Hill (Capitolinus Mons), between the Forum and the Campus Martius, is one of the famous and highest of the seven hills of Rome, the site of a temple for the Capitoline Triad: the gods Jupiter, his wife Juno and...

Theologies of sacrifice

The theology of sacrifice remains an issue, not only for religions that continue to practice rituals of sacrifice, but also for those religions that have animal sacrifice in their scriptures, traditions, or histories, even if sacrifice is no longer made. Religions offer a number of reasons for why sacrifices are offered. Theology is reasoned discourse concerning God (Greek θεος, theos, God, + λογος, logos, word or reason). It also refers to the study of other religious topics. ... A ritual is a formalised, predetermined set of symbolic actions generally performed in a particular environment at a regular, recurring interval. ... Many religions and spiritual movements hold certain written texts (or series of spoken legends not traditionally written down) to be sacred. ... A tradition is a story or a custom that is memorized and passed down from generation to generation, originally without the need for a writing system. ...

• Gods need sacrifice to sustain themselves and their power, without which they are diminished.
• Sacrificed goods are used to make a bargain with the god, who has promised some favour in return for the sacrifice.
• The lives or blood of sacrificial victims contains mana or some other supernatural power whose offering pleases the god.
• The sacrificial victim is offered as a scapegoat, a target for the wrath of a god, which otherwise would be visited on the followers.
• Sacrifice deprives the followers of food and other useful commodities, and as such constitutes an ascetic discipline.
• Sacrificed goods actually become part of a religious organisation's revenue; it is a part of the economic base of support that compensates priests and supports temples.
• The sacrifice is actually a part of a festival and is ultimately consumed by the followers themselves; often this includes an element of redistribution where the poor get a larger share than they contributed.
• The sacrifice may be a sign of a covenant between a god and His people.

Mana refers to a supernatural force said to exist within all things, sometimes associated with maternal or lunar magic in mythology. ... The scapegoat was a goat that was driven off into the wilderness as part of the ceremonies of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, in Judaism during the times of the Temple in Jerusalem. ... The word ascetic derives from the ancient Greek term askesis (practice, training or exercise). ... Roman Catholic priest LCDR Allen R. Kuss (USN) aboard USS Enterprise A priest or priestess is a holy man or woman who takes an officiating role in worship of any religion, with the distinguishing characteristic of offering sacrifices. ... Kihryuzan Senjo-ji Temple, by Toyota Kokai (1780-1850) The word temple has different meanings in the fields of architecture, religion, geography, anatomy, and education. ... A festival or fest is an event, usually staged by a local community, which centers on some theme, sometimes on some unique aspect of the community. ... For redistribution in the policital sense, please see redistricting. ...

Sacrifice in Judaism

See related article on Korban.

In Judaism, a sacrifice is known as a Korban from the Hebrew root karov meaning to "[come] Close [to God]". Korban (קרבן) (plural: Korbanot קרבנות) in Judaism, is commonly called a religious sacrifice or an offering in English, but is known as a Korban in Hebrew because its Hebrew root K [a] R [o] V (קרב) (or K [o] R [a] V) means to [come] Close (or Draw Near) [to... Image:Hitler. ... Korban (קרבן) (plural: Korbanot קרבנות) in Judaism, is commonly called a religious sacrifice or an offering in English, but is known as a Korban in Hebrew because its Hebrew root K [a] R [o] V (קרב) (or K [o] R [a] V) means to [come] Close (or Draw Near) [to... Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afro-Asiatic language family spoken by 6 million people mainly in Israel, parts of the Palestinian territories, the United States and by Jewish communities around the world. ...

Much of the Bible, particularly the opening chapters of the book Leviticus, is preoccupied by sacrifices. But the prophets also warned the Israelites that over-reliance on sacrificial ritual could lead to no good. Jeremiah used the example of the worshippers of Molech who on occasion would sacrifice their own children to achieve military success or a good harvest. (Jer. 7:31). Instead of focusing on sacrifices the prophets tended to emphasise moral values: living a good life and devotion to God. The holy Jewish scripture: The Torah. ... Leviticus is the third book of the Hebrew Bible, also the third book in the Torah (five books of Moses). ... Jeremiah Lamenting the Destruction of Jerusalem by Rembrandt van Rijn Jeremiah or Yirmiyáhu (יִרְמְיָהוּ Raised-up/Appointed of the LORD, Standard Hebrew Yirməyáhu, Tiberian Hebrew Yirməyāhû) was one of the greater prophets of the Old Testament, and the son of Hilkiah, a priest of Anathoth. ...

After the destruction of the Second Temple, ritual sacrifice ceased within Judaism. Medieval Jewish rationalists like Maimonides drew on the early critiques of the need for sacrifice, taking the view that God always held sacrifice inferior to prayer and philosophical meditation. However, God understood that the Israelites were used to the animal sacrifices that the surrounding pagan tribes used as the primary way to commune with their gods. As such, in Maimonides' view, it was only natural that Israelites would believe that sacrifice was a necessary part of the relationship between God and man. Maimonides concludes that God's decision to allow sacrifices was a concession to human psychological limitations. It would have been too much to have expected the Israelites to leap from pagan worship to prayer and meditation in one step. In the Guide to the Perplexed he writes: Drawing of Herod the Greats Second Temple in Jerusalem A stone (2. ... Commonly used image indicating one artists conception of Maimonidess appearance Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon (Hebrew: רבי משה בן מיימון; Arabic: Mussa bin Maimun ibn Abdallah al-Kurtubi al-Israili; March 30, 1135—December 13, 1204), commonly known by his Greek name (Moses) Maimonides, was a Jewish rabbi, physician, and philosopher. ... Not to be confused with E.F._Schumachers similiarly titled 20th Century philosophical work, The Guide for the Perplexed (Hebrew: Moreh Nevuchim) is one of the major works of Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon, better known as Maimonides, or the Rambam. ...

"But the custom which was in those days general among men, and the general mode of worship in which the Israelites were brought up consisted in sacrificing animals... It was in accordance with the wisdom and plan of God...that God did not command us to give up and to discontinue all these manners of service. For to obey such a commandment would have been contrary to the nature of man, who generally cleaves to that to which he is used; it would in those days have made the same impression as a prophet would make at present [the 12th Century ] if he called us to the service of God and told us in His name, that we should not pray to God nor fast, nor seek His help in time of trouble; that we should serve Him in thought, and not by any action." (Book III, Chapter 32. Translated by M. Friedlander, 1904, The Guide for the Perplexed, Dover Publications, 1956 edition.)

The teachings of the Torah and Tanakh reveal Judaism's abhorrence of human sacrifices. Torah, (תורה) is a Hebrew word meaning teaching, instruction, or especially law. It primarily refers to the first section of the Tanakh–the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, or the Five Books of Moses, but can also be used in the general sense to also include both the Written... 11th century Targum Tanakh [תנ״ך] (also spelt Tanach or Tenach) is an acronym that identifies the Hebrew Bible. ... Image:Hitler. ...

Sacrifice in Islam

An animal sacrifice in Arabic is called Qurban. However this word has a pagan connotation. In the islamic context an animal sacrifice is usually referred to as Udhiyah meaning sacrifice. Udhiyah is offered only in Eid ul-Adha. Eid ul-Adha (Arabic: عيد الأضحى) is second in the series of Eid festivals that Muslims celebrate. ...

Animal sacrifice

Sacrifice

Is the ritual killing of an animal as part of a religion. It is practiced by many religions as a means of appeasing a god or gods or changing the course of nature. Animal sacrifice has turned up in almost all cultures, from the Hebrews to the Greeks and Romans and from the Aztecs to the Yoruba. However, the practice was a taboo among the Ancient Egyptians, and they tended to look down on cultures that practiced this custom. Animal sacrifice is still practiced today by the followers of Santería and other lineages of Orisa' If a worship as a means of curing the sick and giving thanks to the Orisa (Gods). It is appropriately termed animal offerings and account for extremely small portions of "ebos", ritual activities that include offerings, prayer and deeds, in Santeria. Some villages in Greece also sacrifice animals to Orthodox saints in a practice know as kourbània. This practice, while officially condemned, is tolerated for the benefits it provides to the church and the sense of community it engenders. Download high resolution version (900x630, 197 KB)photo by Einar Einarsson Kvaran sacrifice File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Download high resolution version (900x630, 197 KB)photo by Einar Einarsson Kvaran sacrifice File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Phyla Porifera (sponges) Ctenophora (comb jellies) Cnidaria Placozoa Subregnum Bilateria  Acoelomorpha  Orthonectida  Rhombozoa  Myxozoa  Superphylum Deuterostomia     Chordata (vertebrates, etc. ... Hebrews (syns. ... Ancient Rome was a civilization that existed in Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East between 753 BC and its downfall in AD 476. ... The word Aztec is usually used as a historical term, although some contemporary Nahuatl speakers would consider themselves Aztecs. ... The Yorùbá are the largest ethnic group in Nigeria, comprising approximately 26 percent of that countrys total population, and numbering about close to 100 million individuals throughout the region of West Africa. ... Map of Ancient Egypt Ancient Egypt was the civilization of the Nile Valley between about 3000 BC and the conquest of Egypt by Alexander the Great in 332 BC. As a civilization based on irrigation it is the quintessential example of an hydraulic empire. ... Lukumí, Regla de Ocha or Afro-Cuba, most widely known as Santeria, (Santería in Spanish) is a set of related religious systems that superficially seem to fuse Catholic beliefs with traditional Yorùbá beliefs. ... This article is about the type of spirit. ... This article is about deities or gods from a non-monotheistic perspective. ...

Human sacrifice

Human sacrifice was practiced by many ancient cultures. People would be ritually killed in a manner that was supposed to please or appease some god or spirit. While not widely known, human sacrifices for religious reasons still exist today in a number of nations, including India. Human sacrifice was practiced in many ancient cultures. ... The term God is capitalized in the English language as a proper noun when used to refer to a specific monotheistic concept of a Supreme Being. ... A spirit or spiritual being is a non-corporeal entity found in many religions and belief systems throughout the world. ...

Some occasions for human sacrifice found in multiple cultures on multiple continents include:

• Human sacrifice to accompany the dedication of a new temple or bridge.
• Sacrifice of people upon the death of a king, high priest or great leader; the sacrificed were supposed to serve or accompany the deceased leader in the next life.
• Human sacrifice in times of natural disaster. Droughts, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions etc were seen as a sign of anger or displeasure by deities, and sacrifices were supposed to lessen the divine ire.

Some of the best known ancient human sacrifice was that practiced by various Pre-Columbian civilizations of Mesoamerica. The Aztec were particularly noted for practicing this on an unusually large scale; a human sacrifice would be made every day to aid the Sun in rising, the dedication of the great temple at Tenochtitlán was reportedly marked with the sacrificing of thousands, and there are multiple accounts of captured Conquistadores being sacrificed during the wars of the Spanish Conquest of Mexico. The term Pre-Columbian is used to refer to the cultures of the New World in the era before significant European influence. ... Mesoamerica is the region extending from central Mexico south to the northwestern border of Costa Rica that gave rise to a group of stratified, culturally related agrarian civilizations spanning an approximately 3,000-year period before the African discovery of the New World by Columbus. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... By ancient tradition, the Sun is the light in the heavens whose presence is day and whose absence is night. ... Plan of Tenochtitlan (Dr Atl) Mexico City statue commemorating the foundation of Tenochtitlan Tenochtitlan (pronounced ) or, alternatively, Mexico-Tenochtitlan, was the capital of the Aztec empire, which was built on an island in Lake Texcoco in what is now central Mexico. ... Conquistador (meaning Conqueror in the Spanish language) is the term used to refer to the soldiers, explorers, and adventurers who achieved the Conquista (this Spanish term is generally accepted by historians), i. ...

In Scandinavia, the old Scandinavian religion contained human sacrifice and both the Norse sagas and German historians relate of this, see e.g. Temple at Uppsala and Blót. Scandinavia, Fennoscandia, and the Kola Peninsula. ... Norse mythology, Viking mythology or Scandinavian mythology refer to the pre-Christian religion, beliefs and legends of the Scandinavian people. ... The Norse sagas or Viking sagas (Icelandic: sögur), are stories about ancient Scandinavian and Germanic history, about early Viking voyages, about migration to Iceland, and of feuds between Icelandic families. ... The Temple at Uppsala was a Temple in Gamla Uppsala (Old Uppsala), near modern Uppsala, Sweden, created to worship the Norse gods of ancient times. ... The Blót was the pagan Germanic sacrifice to Norse gods and Elves. ...

There is evidence to suggest Pre-Hellenic Minoan cultures practised human sacrifice. Sacrificed corpses were found at a number of sites in the citadel of Knossos in Crete. One such find at the North house in Knossos numbered 337 bones of children who appear to have been butchered. It is possible they may have been for human consumption as was the tradition with sacrificial offerings made in Pre-Hellenic Civilization.The evidence that this practice was widespread throughout Minoan culture is not strong. It is also possible that the human sacrifices at Crete were one-off occurrences as Knossos did befall an epic tectonic natural disaster around the time at which these sites would have been preserved. Hence these human sacrifices could be explained in terms of the Minoans desperation in the situation and being far from routine procedures. The temple of Anemospilia at Knossos exemplifies this view. Here they found the sacrifice of a teenager which was interrupted by the temple collapsing on the participants due to the tectonic activity at the time. The myth of Theseus and the Minotaur (set in the labyrinth at Knossos) provides evidence that Human sacrifice was commonplace. In the myth we are told that Athens sent seven young men and seven young women to Crete as human sacrifices to the Minotaur. This ties up well with the archaeological evidence that most sacrifices were of young adults or children. This view contrasts with the Utopian view of the Minoans propagated by the archaeologist Arthur Evans. Map of Minoan Crete The Minoans were a pre-Hellenic Bronze Age civilization in Crete in the Aegean Sea, prior to Helladic or Mycenaean culture (i. ... This article is about a type of fortification. ... Knossos Knossos (35°18′ N 25°10′ E; alternative spellings Knossus, Cnossus, Gnossus, Greek Κνωσσός) is the largest Bronze Age archaeological site on Crete, probably the ceremonial and political center of the Minoan culture. ... Greece and Crete Crete, sometimes spelled Krete (Greek Κρήτη / Kriti) is the largest of the Greek islands and the fifth largest in the Mediterranean Sea. ... A civilization or civilisation has a variety of meanings related to human society. ... Knossos Knossos (35°18′ N 25°10′ E; alternative spellings Knossus, Cnossus, Gnossus, Greek Κνωσσός) is the largest Bronze Age archaeological site on Crete, probably the ceremonial and political center of the Minoan culture. ... ... Kihryuzan Senjo-ji Temple, by Toyota Kokai (1780-1850) The word temple has different meanings in the fields of architecture, religion, geography, anatomy, and education. ... Theseus (Θησευς) was a legendary king of Athens, son of Aegeus (or of Poseidon). ... In Greek mythology, the Minotaur was a creature that was half man and half bull. ... The Acropolis in central Athens, one of the most important landmarks in world history. ... Archaeology or sometimes in American English archeology (from the Greek words αρχαίος = ancient and λόγος = word/speech) is the study of human cultures through the recovery, documentation and analysis of material remains, including architecture, artefacts, biofacts, human remains, and landscapes. ... For Arthur Evans, the recipient of the Victoria Cross, see Arthur Evans (VC) Sir Arthur John Evans (July 8, 1851 – July 11, 1941) was an English archaeologist. ...

Human sacrifice still happens today as an underground practice in some traditional religions, for example in muti killings. Human sacrifice is no longer officially condoned in any country, and these cases are regarded as murder. Muti is a generic term for medicine in Southern Africa. ...

Some people in India are adherents of a religion called that westerners refer to as Tantrism; a small percent of unscrupulous Tantric practitioners engage in human sacrifice, often with the promise of inducing childbirth in a sterile couple (see Further Reading). Tantra (Sanskrit: loom), tantric yoga or tantrism is any of several esoteric traditions rooted in Hindu and Buddhist philosophy. ...

In the Aeneid by Virgil the character Sinon claims that he was going to be a human sacrifice to Poseidon to calm the seas (of course Sinon was lying). The Aeneid is a Latin epic written by Virgil in the 1st century BC that tells the legendary story of Aeneas, a Trojan who traveled to Italy where he became the ancestor of the Romans. ... For other uses see Virgil (disambiguation). ... In Greek mythology, Sinon was a Greek warrior during the Trojan War. ... Andrea Doria as Neptune by Agnolo Bronzino: a potent allegory of Genoas hegemony in the Tyrrhenian Sea In Greek Mythology, Poseidon (Ποσειδῶν) was the god of the sea, known to the Romans as Neptune, and to the Etruscans as Nethuns. ...

Human sacrifice is a common theme in the religions and mythology of many cultures. It has been suggested that Myth be merged into this article or section. ...

Sacrifice in Christianity

Christians believe that the death of Jesus the `Lamb of God` was a self-sacrifice for people`s sins. Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament writings of his early followers. ... // Jesus, or Jesus of Nazareth, also known as Jesus Christ, is Christianitys central figure, both as Messiah and as God incarnate. ... The title Lamb of God may refer to: Lamb of God (religious), one of the titles given to Jesus in Christianity. ... // Sin has been a term most usually used in a religious context, and today describes any lack of conformity to the will of God; especially, any willful disregard for the norms revealed by God is a sin. ...

Sacrifices in games

Sacrifice is also used metaphorically to describe a number of plays in games. Sacrifices, in this sense, are plays that deliberately lose pieces or opportunities in order to obtain some other advantage. A game is a recreational activity involving one or more players. ...

In chess, a number of plays are described as sacrifices: these typically involve losing a piece or a pawn to disrupt the opponent's formation and open up an attack. Chess openings that involve sacrifices are usually called gambits by chess players; in these gambits, usually a pawn is deliberately lost; gambits that lose a piece are rare and risky. In baseball, a sacrifice fly is a play in which a batter deliberately allows himself to be called out so as to enable another player on base to score. Likewise, a sacrifice bunt in baseball is one in which a batter allows himself to be put out while advancing a team mate, usually to second, but sometimes to third base, from where he has a greater chance to score. Players who commit either a sacrifice fly or bunt are not charged with a "time at bat," thus the out that they sacrificed is not charged against their batting average. In Magic: The Gathering, "sacrifice" means to intentionally destroy one's own card, typically to produce some effect. A chess table is a table with a chessboard painted or engraved on it. ... In the game of chess, a sacrifice is the deliberate giving up of a chess piece by a player, allowing or even forcing the opponent to capture it. ... See: Pawn (chess) for the piece used in the board game chess. ... The first moves of a chess game are the opening moves, collectively referred to as the opening. ... A gambit is a chess opening, where something is sacrificed in order to achieve a better position. ... Baseball is popular in the Americas and East Asia. ... In baseball, a batted ball is considered a sacrifice fly (denoted by SF) if the following four criteria are met: There are fewer than two outs. ... In baseball, a sacrifice hit is the act of deliberately striking the ball in a manner that allows a runner on base to advance to another base, while the batter is himself put out. ... Magic: The Gathering (colloq. ...

Sacrifice is also the name of a computer game released by Shiny entertainment in the year of 2000. For more information about the computer game, see Sacrifice (PC game). Sacrifice is a 3D real-time strategy game with strong RPG elements, developed by Shiny Entertainment, the creators of the Earthworm Jim franchise. ...

See also

• Human sacrifice, Child sacrifice, Ritual murder, Sati
• Propitiation
• Martyrdom
• Scapegoat
• Immolation
• Celts and human sacrifice
• Ashvamedha
• Quetzalcoatl
• Jephthah
• Greek mythology, Lycaeus, Iphigenia
• Nordic religion (Norse mythology)
• Behanzin
• Sacrifice (band)

Human sacrifice was practiced in many ancient cultures. ... Child sacrifice is the ritualistic killing of children in order to please, propitiate or force supernatural beings in order to achieve a desired result. ... Ritual murder is murder performed in a ritualistic fashion. ... Sati may refer to any of the following: The Hindu Goddess Sati, daughter of Daksha and wife of Shiva A social practise in some parts of India in past centuries, often spelt Suttee The Buddhist Sati; see mindfulness. ... Propitiation is a theological term describing an atoning sacrifice. ... Historically, a martyr is a person who dies for his or her religious faith. ... The scapegoat was a goat that was driven off into the wilderness as part of the ceremonies of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, in Judaism during the times of the Temple in Jerusalem. ... Immolation is destruction by fire, that is, burning something to destroy it. ... The Celts practised human sacrifice on a limited scale as part of their religious rituals. ... The Ashvamedha, or the horse-sacrifice is one of the most important royal rituals from Vedic India, described in detail in the Yajurveda (books 22–25) and the pertaining commentaries. ... Quetzalcoatl (feathered snake, in Nahuatl: Ketsalkoatl, in Spanish: Quetzalcóatl) is the Nahuatl name for the Feathered-Serpent deity of ancient Mesoamerica, one of the main gods of many Mexican and northern Central American civilizations. ... Jephtha יפתח -- one of the so called Judges in Israel between the conquest of Canaan and the first king. ... Greek mythology comprises the collected narratives of Greek gods, goddesses, heroes, and heroines, originally created and spread within an oral-poetic tradition. ... Lycaeus (Mons Lycaeus, mod. ... 112 Iphigenia is an asteroid. ... Nordic religion is a termed used to abbrevate the religion preferably amongst the Germanic tribes living in Nordic countries under pre-Christian period that are supported by archaeology findings and early written materials. ... Norse or Scandinavian mythology refers to the pre-Christian religion, beliefs and legends of the Scandinavian people, including those who settled on Iceland, where the written sources for Norse mythology were assembled. ... Behanzin in 1894 Behanzin is considered (if Adandozan is not counted) eleventh King of Dahomey (now Benin). ... Sacrifice formed in Toronto in 1985 with Rob Urbinati on vocals and guitar, Joe Rico on guitar, Scott Watts on bass and Gus Pynn on drums. ...

Further Reading

• Human Sacrifice: In History and Today Nigel Davies; Dorset Press, 1981 ISBN 0-88029-211-3
• In India, case links mysticism, murder John Lancaster, Washington Post, 11/29/2003

External links

• BBC news story about muti killings
• Indian human sacrifice bid in Kamakhya temple foiled
• Police have arrested a village priest in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh for allegedly carrying out a human sacrifice
• Hindu monks in India pledge to fight human sacrifice
• Killing for 'Mother' Kali: A spate of ritual killings in India shows that human sacrifice lives on - TIME Asia magazine