Atheist Nexus
Politics, Economics, and Religion
Religion has so many connections to political and economic beliefs, there needs to be a place to identify linkages, problems, goals, options, action plans and evaluation criteria.
Skulls From Sacrificial Rituals Found In Temple
SKULLS FROM SACRIFICIAL RITUALS FOUND IN TEMPLE
Cultural belief systems around the world provide evidence of cruel slaughtering of humans and animals in the name of their gods. Using traditions of sacrifice enable a whole group of people to participate in such savagery. We may not kill people in modern religions, but many bind the minds of their followers to think the highest good is to submit, to obey, to sacrifice oneself for the good of others. A healthy culture provides opportunity for individuals and societies to flourish. If one flourishes and makes provisions to see that all have opportunities to flourish, the culture can thrive. It is a sense of community that builds trust and respect and all attitudes that mutually support each other.
via John Jubinsky
Sentient Biped
Life in those days was brutal and short. Certainly among the Aztecs, whose human sacrifice was widely reported.
Then again, during the same era, what were the Europeans doing?
1502: First reported African slaves in The New World ultimately, I read, about 5 million africans were killed by the slave trade, in addition to the 7 million who were hunted down and transported. (#s from my poor memory)
1506: At least two thousand converted Jews are massacred in a Lisbon riot.
1519–21: Hernán Cortés leads the Spanish conquest of Mexico.
and basically lots and lots of wars.
wikipedia
and of course the SPanish Inquisition, which to me is just another drawn out form of human sacrifice....García Cárcel estimates that the total number processed by the Inquisition throughout its history was approximately 150,000; applying the percentages of executions that appeared in the trials of 1560–1700—about 2%—the approximate total would be about 3,000 put to death. Nevertheless, very probably this total should be raised keeping in mind the data provided by Dedieu and García Cárcel for the tribunals of Toledo and Valencia, respectively. It is likely that the total would be between 3,000 and 5,000 executed. again, wiki.
Oct 8, 2012
Pat
And what's the Christian religion founded on? A human sacrifice! And in honor of that slaughter, every Sunday, good Christians around the world engage in ritual cannibalism - or, if you're a Catholic, actual cannibalism. How much more "spiritually" advanced than the Aztecs, are we?
Oct 9, 2012