Why does God demand blood sacrifices?

Question

I just don't get what killing an animal has to do with a relationship with a god. Why do you follow a religion that demands blood sacrifices, whether you follow Christianity or Santoria??

Answer 1

The Bible (which you know is the standard for our faith) tells us that God's justice demands blood as a sign that the people that sinned has died for the crime.
Hebrews 9:22
And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

Jim

Answer 2

Christians today rationalize that animal sacrifices are no longer necessary because of the "sacrifice" of Christ.

It's amazing to me that anyone can possibly think that a being powerful enough to create the universe and immortal souls would have ever even considered animal sacrifice as a means of 'atonement'. To me, it is far more believable that the Old Testament is simply the myths of the ancient Hebrews. Primitive peoples all over the world believed animal and human sacrifice was demanded by their gods. We know universally believe all of those other gods were never real. Why do we think that Jehovah was ever real?

Answer 3

When you see blood, you know that something serious happened. Even your own blood, in a hospital, or a boo-boo on the playground, ... some people will faint at the mere sight of their own or others' blood.

Blood is important to all of us. Without it, we die. Without a belief in the afterworld, though, such a sacrifice is meaningless.

In the beginning, when Adam sinned, all of creation was punished, and suffered mortality. That was the scope of the transgression. And God wants us to be serious, and not laugh about it.

There's a time to grow up and be mature, to bring all your wild desires under control. We are like wild animals, yet we have an intelligence in order to control the world and those around us. We have accomplished many things, yet still, we are far from perfect.

There are many aspects to this thing. It is a good question.

Answer 4

All the old testament sacrifices were simply a reminder of the one time, once for all perfect sacrifice that what was eventually to come.

The animals that were sacrificed were always subsequently consumed by either the priests or the people, so it wasn't like all the killing was done just for fun.

The simple fact is ... Jesus' death on the cross was indeed a bloody one ... and there could be no forgiveness of sin without it ... so without the shedding of (Christ's) blood, there is no remission of sins.

Ever since Calvary, there was no longer any need of animal sacrifices, so anyone who's still doing it is wrong.

Answer 5

Sacrifices of animal bloods in the early times were given to the Jews who went against the commands of God that were returning and being sorry for their sins.
In the latter writings of the the major prophets, God was no longer happy with offering and sacrifices and He said that all that He wants from people is "mercy" towards one another.
If present day religions are still doing what you said, perhaps they have not read the complete Book of God or if ever, they did not understand what they have read.

Answer 6

Since Jesus Christ came and died on the cross, He was the ultimate sacrifice and after He rose on the third day and told Mary that she could not touch Him because He hadn't been to the Father yet, then ascended into Heaven and now sits at the right hand of God making intersession for us, God no longer demands a blood sacrifice. The price has been paid for our sins and all we have to do is accept that free gift.

Answer 7

Life is in the blood...and without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin...the old testament or covenant people used the blood of animals and they had to be perfect animals however God would forgive the sins of the people it never really solved the sin condition...when Christ came and took on the form of man and lived a perfect life he became the perfect sacrifice for all man, being tempted that which is common to man yet never sinning. So he was sacrificed to reconcile man to God...having dying once for all...anyone who believes can now come to God through the blood of Jesus

Answer 8

Since everything what is written is human work, there is no proof that God asks for blood. Humans think, that, when they show God that they kill for him something they need (to eat), he thinks that they will eat less to worship him. Wrong, they eat as normal.
Other idea, humans believe that God needs food like them, but he needs no cooking.
Some religions burn the sacrificed animals, then God gets the smell of these.
Conclusion: blood sacrifices existed always and are man made.

Answer 9

I can understand, from human nature, why sacrifice (murder)
was once considered a spiritual act. You can see an attitude like this today with children. It is simply about the most extreme behavior one can express, and the more primal parts of our brain tend to confuse extreme behavior with exteme meaning (thus in the Ancient world, 'might' really did make 'right'). It is obviously more predominant in less civilized and objective cultures, and dissapears as societies progress (during the golden age of Athens, the enlightenment/rennasiance in europe, the confucian 'religion' in China, the early cults of Shiva in India dissapearing during India's development, etc.)

What confuses me is why people still cling to religions when their source came from a culture which is more primative that our own, and requires a person to think like a barbarion, basically, in order to accept its foundation (the human sacrifice of Jesus). It shows the power of tradition, the ability for humans to be in denial and/or conveniently ignore the basic tenents of a philosophy which they are used to beleiving, while clearly its foundantion....would be unacceptable.
We are civilized today, and capable of abstract, objective thinking. This includes Christians. Yet we seem to only be aware of limited things at one time. This is why christians must be reminded, over and over, thats Jesus Christ was a human sacrifice...and human sacrifice is a savage, unacceptable thing- even in their own concept of ethics. Hopefully, when a christian realizes this, he/she will abandon this ancient and primative religion and take up a philosophy more appropriate for the culture in which they live.

Answer 10

I'm using ALL mine at present so he's going to have to wait Jac The Hat. Heaven don't care. Good Luck. Best Wishes. Mars Mission Soon In A Galaxy Near Yours.. Source(s): Studies..