OK, it's in self defense.?

Question

Judging from previous questions, killing a person in self defense is justifiable, but what if you do it in a ritualistic manner?

What I mean is If a thief robs a victim at knifepoint in a city park, if she manages to get the knife out of his hand using Tai-Bo moves learned watching a Billy Bland DVD after he comes from behind and holds it to her throat demanding that she gives him her underwear, which she does, can the victim then use one of the concrete tables as an altar to sacrifice the offender to pagan gods?

Of course the entire ritual would not be premeditated. The knife would be supplied by the attacker and the altar (concrete table) would be provided by the park)

And Billy Bland is... well, could he be implicated because he provided the skill with which you disarmed the attacker?

Answer 1

Wow......

Answer 2

Er... ritual sacrifice is, by its nature, not self-defense. Self-defense takes place in the heat of the moment. Ritual sacrifice involves much planning, ceremony and... well, ritual. It is by its nature and by necessity, pre-meditated. If it's not premeditated, it is not a ritual and that's all there is to it.

It is true that many ancient cultures who practiced human sacrifice used criminals and prisoners of war as their sacrifices, but... wouldn't you? I mean, if you're going to hang them anyway, you might as well give them to the Gods. And if you're going to give somebody, you might as well give someone you don't like particularly. The difference though is that these sacrifices were sactioned by the entire community and were believed to benefit the entire community. Performing ritual sacrifice for your own amusement is pointless and is simply murder, and that is how the Gods will see it. A human sacrifice is a gift of the community, not a gift of a single person.

Likewise, a single person cannot independantly carry out the death penalty against a transgressor. This decision must be made and the penalty carried out by the community, otherwise it is simply murder. Perhaps vengeance, but still murder.

Answer 3

Sounds like you're looking for someone to sacrifice... scary. You can defend yourself from attack but you can't kill the attacker in a ritual for any god. Once you've eliminated the danger to yourself it would become a question as to your motives in doing harm to the attacker. A ritual could be determined as premeditated.

Answer 4

That depends on the national laws - there are many countries where such things - provided they are being done by people that have a licence for that are o.k.

Answer 5

I wonder why it's so difficult to catch one of the few serious questions around here before it scrolls off the bottom of the screen?

Answer 6

Nope.

Answer 7

my vote-innocent...very inventive