Been there, done that. I’ve read near every attempt at explanation there is and it’s all pagan mysticism. You see, it was the pagans who actually thought they were eating the literal physical flesh of their gods also. I’ll bet you believe the Jesus, in the upper room, performed transubstantiation also right?
Do you think it is impossible for God to do that too?
You really put a lot of "CynicalBear limitations" on God, don't you?
Your theory which holds that if pagans also do some action, it cannot possibly be a good and valuable thing for real Christians to do, is, quite frankly, pretty strange too.
Pagans OFTEN did human sacrifices in their various "religious rites and rituals". Since that is true, your theory (to be logically consistent) would have to be that the sacrifice of Jesus Christ at Calvary would be silly and meaningless and worthless, since pagans performed human sacrifices too, a very long time before Calvary.
Do you hold that belief also?