Musing – How would you approach a pagan sacrifice in progress?

 

Hebraic Musing – How would you approach a pagan sacrifice in progress?

Here is a scenario question from a friend that challenged me years ago.   One morning you walk out front to get your newspaper and you see that your pagan next-door neighbor has built an altar on his front lawn and is preparing to rip the heart out of his young daughter's chest as a gift to his gods.  Will you rescue the child -- and thereby "impose" your monotheistic religious values on your "devout" neighbor -- or are you a "pluralist"?  Will your religion govern all of your life (including what’s going on in your neighbor’s front yard), or will you keep it in a spiritual compartment reserved for a church building on Sunday mornings (and/or the friendly confines of your home)?

Good question, so I shared this response which has been on my heart ever since we toured the Mayan ruins in Copan, Honduras.*

Friend, in response to your hypothetical ‘scenario’, I’ve contemplated a similar response to the Mayans who cut the heart out of the chief warrior to give to their god. The movie Apocalypto was a very graphic portrayal of the Mayan culture.  I’d strike up a conversation something like this:

·      Excuse me. I see you are about to sacrifice your child. If you don't mind my asking, why are you doing that?  ["My god says for me to do this."]  I know that you are sincere in your beliefs, but how do you know whether what you have been taught to believe is true? ["Yadayadayada."]  That's interesting, so please excuse me for being a little dense.  How can you be absolutely certain that sacrificing your child will make your god happy?

·      Before you rip the heart out of your child and thus lose him/her forever, would you consider an alternative?

·      My religion or belief system is actually quite similar!  I too believe we need to give our hearts to God, the creator of the universe.  It is an ultimate act of reverence to the God we worship.

·      Is this a little, or big, difference?  In our belief system we offer ourselves, our whole being to God. The difference is that we get to go on living a life for our God.  We certainly acknowledge Our God as the ultimate authority; and as a God of love, He does not want the physical life of our children.  He does not want us to die but to live, and to live a life more abundantly!

·      Your child can remain here with you but give him/her to God spiritually rather than physically. 

·      You obviously recognize the importance of spiritual life, don’t you?

·      (Trust the Holy Spirit to guide the rest of the conversation and, hopefully, during the conversation the neighbor would in turn ask us what we believe and why, and we could cite your testimony and/or relevant Scripture.)

Thus, we have initiated a friendly, helpful salvation opportunity which is far better than finding ourselves in a hostile promotion or defense or argument over a political or religious agenda.

Points to ponder

Might some of this approach work when witnessing to a non-believer?

Which is more important?
To justify our belief?  Or to preach the Good News and save souls?

Or would you call the police first!?!?  And lose a salvation opportunity?

“For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” Matt.16:25                                                                       

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                      June 18, 2024
Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith”
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”     Weekly “Hebraic Musings”

* Recommended reading -- Eternity in their Hearts: Startling Evidence of Belief in the One True God in Hundreds of Cultures Throughout the World – by Don Richardson