[Destro]

aristeides, the Thugs were (was?) an organized cult. These seem to be independent isolated cases. Thugs killed strangers to rob them of their purses and killed by strangulation, it was forbidden to draw blood.

By the way (no flames please-and no I'm no Hindu lover) but what is the Christian crucifixion but a human sacrifice and what is the Christian mass but a pantomime of that sacrifice, complete with the drinking of the blood and cannibalism? Substitute the pumpkin for Kali with wine and bread. Even the rule that the victim be a willing one for the Kali-Hindu's has parallels to Christ's willingness to sacrifice himself for our sins.

But Christ came to end such practices. His was the last human blood sacrifice God was willing to accept from humanity.

[Restorer]

But Christ came to end such practices. His was the last human blood sacrifice God was willing to accept from humanity.

Actually, God never accepted such practices. He dramaticly rejected them a couple of thousand years earlier when he rejected Abrahams' attempted sacrifice of his son Isaac and replaced it with a ram. The Jews then practiced animal sacrifice for many centuries.

Christians don't believe Jesus was the last valid human sacrifice, they believe he was the final valid sacrifice of any type.

[maro]

No intent to malign Hinduism per se; there are no doubt many fine people who happen to be Hindu. But this Kali cult strikes me, and I gather you as well, as different from typical Hinduism.

[LoneRangerMassachusetts]

...what is the Christian crucifixion but a human sacrifice and what is the Christian mass but a pantomime of that sacrifice, complete with the drinking of the blood and cannibalism?

If I remember my history correctly, crucifixion was a common means of public execution in Roman territories and not a religious sacrificial rite. One of those crucified with Crist was a thief.

Do you mean Catholic Mass? As a protestant, I never went to mass although I am a Christian. I believe the Catholics don't drink blood. I do think wine was a common drink in Chist's times. I think Christ may have metaphorically used the term of taking wine in an oath as drinking his blood meaning that those with him were with God through him or something like that.

Any attempt to equate the practice of human sacrifice with Christianity stretches my experience beyond belief.