Fear and Love

[Diana]

It reminds me to Abraham and Ismael (according to the Islam) or Isaac. Was Abraham STS oriented? I never understood this whole sacrifice story.

That story is about blindly following and obeying, even if the directive is to cruelly slaughter (and lie to) your own little son. It's horrible, and yet another example of extreme and reprehensible violence in the bible. The kicker for that story is the ending—the lamb in the thicket. Oh, thank God! We don't have to kill our children because a wrathful God told us to and we must obey or else. Look, he sent us a cute little innocent lamb so we can slit its throat instead. (As though that is a good thing.) What is this God, who requires life sacrifices and so much blood? 

There is, in my opinion, value in ritual, as it focuses intention. But to take life—any life—for one's own gain goes against something very fundamental in existence. I imagine there is power in it, as taking life force and directing it with intention could conceivably be very powerful in a negative and selfish way.