“People always talk about human sacrifice as if it were an unusual and aberrant activity,†she said thoughtfully. “Over the centuries, it’s really been fairly common in a number of societies. Think about it. There’re a number of religions in the United States whose worship centers on a particular human sacrifice.†She glanced at me.
“Jesus Christ on the cross,†I said slowly.
“Certainly. Thousands of people consume Christ’s body and blood each Sunday.â€
“That’s different.â€
She shrugged. “Not really. Christ died long ago in a faraway place, and that might make it seem different. His worshipers claimed he was God incarnate, but the Aztecs claimed the same for the god-king they sacrificed. It happened only once, and that speaks for moderation on the part of the Christians, but that’s not a fundamental difference, just one of degree.â€
Pat Murphy