2006-07-30 09:21:31 · 20 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
More or less, yes. Christianity has nothing special to distinguish it from most Pagan religions (which it ripped off, by the way), except its popularity. For example, the Persian god Mithras (which is where we get the Xmas tree) died and rose three days later. And he was around a long time before Jesus.
2006-07-30 09:26:59 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The basis of Christianity is love.
John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son..."
Reconciling sin required a blood sacrifice all the way back in Genesis.
Jesus was the perfect sacrifice because God knew He would raise Jesus up again.
2006-07-30 16:27:16 · answer #2 · answered by Bob L 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sacrifice was a part of every religion in ancient times. Jesus gave up his own life in the place of others as a "once and for all sacrifice" Therefore there is no more need for any sacrifice of any kind.
Christianity is actually responsible for stopping the practice of human sacrifice in many places in the world, such as the Aztec's.
2006-07-30 16:28:49 · answer #3 · answered by thinkingriddles 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you go back and read in Exodus and Leviticus (at least) you'll see the specific blood sacrifices God (Yahweh, YHWH, Jehovah, the God of Abraham, etc) prescribed the Israelites to offer to Him as part of their worship and such. This God never ever said humans were to be sacrificed to Him. (Ok, He did tell Abraham to offer Isaac, as a test of Abraham's obedience, but He did not let Abraham really do it.) As for the regular sacrifices, they were all animals -- animals that were without spot or blemish. This sacrificial system was instituted because the humans could not follow God's holy law, and kept sinning. These sacrifices atoned for their sins and made the humans acceptable to a Holy God.
2006-07-30 16:37:46 · answer #4 · answered by thejanith 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There was a lot of sacrifice going on in the Old Testament because the people were showing their love for God. They sacrifices animals and whatever they raised at that time (lamb, sheep, wheat things like that) That had all change when the Lamb of God (Jesus) was crucified on the cross as the final sacrifice for all humanity. He that believes in Him will have eternal life.
2006-07-30 16:30:36 · answer #5 · answered by morris 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yep, god does love a good barbecue. But you are gonna get creamed. The Christians like to disregard the old Testament,and to pretend that when Jesus said that not a jot or tittle of the law should be changed he was talking about people paraphrasing scripture.
But yeah, the old Testament is full full full of sacrifice. It was the cause of the first murder in the bible, because god didn't want any plant sacrifice, he wanted meat, so jealousy raised it's ugly head and boom a rock to the skull, it was all over.
2006-07-30 16:27:48 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
When Adam and Eve sinned by eating the apple, God sacrificed an animal to make them clothes. That was the first sacrifice. Only innocent blood can cover/take away sins. Jesus was sent to be the perfect sacrifice so that we could fellowship with God for eternity, since Adam and Eve placed a barrier between us and God when they sinned.
2006-07-30 16:43:33 · answer #7 · answered by ???? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The animal and human sacrifices are the result of people refusing to get to God the easy way. Sacrificing their egos, attitudes, control and self-centeredness for al life of obiedence, respect and service. God offered the disgusting option of animal sacrifice as a way atone for their selfish behavior. God may have been gambling that they would have enough of God's heart within them to find it disgusting too. No such luck. So God did the ultimate disgusting act of human sacrifice to convince us that the original plan is best.
2006-07-30 16:32:04 · answer #8 · answered by mike g 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nope. Before Jesus, the Jews had to bring sacrifices of livestock and produce to atone for their sins and mistakes. But He changed that. Jesus paid our debt for sin and now we as followers of God do not have to pay with blood of animals anymore, as if that was ever adequate. God never required human sacrifices like other pagan religions did in Bible days. He abhorred it. Every human life is precious to him. The basis of Christianity is our acceptance of God's love and Jesus' sacrifice for us.
2006-07-30 16:28:24 · answer #9 · answered by smartee 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The basis of Christianity is that we are doomed (DOOOOOOOMED!! 80) to burn forever in Hell for our sins, but Jesus came down to die on the cross to atone for our sins and save us from this fate if we would just believe in him. Oh, and be perfect...and preach incessantly...and constantly remind people of how ticked off God is at them...and scare the living daylights out of children with such movies as "Image of the Beast".
This formula makes no sense without the concept of sacrifice.
2006-07-30 16:33:41 · answer #10 · answered by Kevin F 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋