Knjiga Urantije
DIO III. Povijest Urantije
POGLAVLJE 89: GRIJEH, ŽRTVA I OKAJANJE
Paper 89
Sin, Sacrifice, and Atonement
Sin, Sacrifice, and Atonement
Sections
- Introduction
- § 1. The Taboo
- § 2. The Concept of Sin
- § 3. Renunciation and Humiliation
- § 4. Origins of Sacrifice
- § 5. Sacrifices and Cannibalism
- § 6. Evolution of Human Sacrifice
- § 7. Modifications of Human Sacrifice
- § 8. Redemption and Covenants
- § 9. Sacrifices and Sacraments
- § 10. Forgiveness of Sin
PRIMITIVNI čovjek vjerovao je da je uvijek nešto dugovao duhovima te da mora naći način da isplati te dugove. Divljaci su smatrali da su im duhovi lako mogli nanijeti veliku nesreću. Kako je vrijeme prolazilo, ovaj se pojam razvio u doktrinu grijeha i spasenja. Vjerovalo se da duša dolazi na svijet pod zalogom — izvornim grijehom. Dušu je trebalo otkupiti; stoga se tražilo žrtveno jare. Uz to što su prakticirali kult lubanja, lovci na glave tražili su žrtvu koja bi položila život za njihove grijehe — nastojeći ponuditi tuđi život umjesto svoga.
89:0.1 (974.1)
PRIMITIVE man regarded himself as being in debt to the spirits, as standing in need of redemption. As the savages looked at it, in justice the spirits might have visited much more bad luck upon them. As time passed, this concept developed into the doctrine of sin and salvation. The soul was looked upon as coming into the world under forfeit—original sin. The soul must be ransomed; a scapegoat must be provided. The head-hunter, in addition to practicing the cult of skull worship, was able to provide a substitute for his own life, a scapeman.
Divljak je rano bio prožet mišlju da se duhovi raduju čovjekovim patnjama, nesreći i poniženju. Isprva se čovjek bojao samo grijeha činjenja, a potom i grijeha propuštanja. Iz tih dviju ideja proizašao je cjelokupan žrtveni sustav. Ovaj se novi ritual odnosio na obrede umilostivljenja duhova prinošenjem žrtava. Primitivni čovjek vjerovao je da mora učiniti nešto posebno kako bi stekao naklonost bogova; tek napredna civilizacija priznaje Boga koji je dosljedno uravnotežen i dobrohotan. Umilostivljenje je bilo osiguranje protiv neposrednih nevolja, a ne nastojanje da se steknu buduća blaženstva. I nije lako povući granicu između obreda kojima su ljudi nastojali izbjeći, istjerati, prisiliti i umilostiviti duhove.
89:0.2 (974.2)
The savage was early possessed with the notion that spirits derive supreme satisfaction from the sight of human misery, suffering, and humiliation. At first, man was only concerned with sins of commission, but later he became exercised over sins of omission. And the whole subsequent sacrificial system grew up around these two ideas. This new ritual had to do with the observance of the propitiation ceremonies of sacrifice. Primitive man believed that something special must be done to win the favor of the gods; only advanced civilization recognizes a consistently even-tempered and benevolent God. Propitiation was insurance against immediate ill luck rather than investment in future bliss. And the rituals of avoidance, exorcism, coercion, and propitiation all merge into one another.
Poštivanje tabua predstavlja čovjekovo nastojanje da izbjegne lošu sreću, da se kani svega što bi uvrijedilo duhove-utvare. Tabu isprva nije imao religioznu narav, no kako je vrlo brzo stekao tobožnje odobrenje utvara i duhova, postao je utemeljitelj zakona i osnivač ljudskih institucija. Tabu je izvor ceremonijalnih standarda i preteča primitivnog oblika samokontrole. Bio je najraniji i dugo vremena jedini oblik društvene kontrole; i danas počiva u samim temeljima društvenog poretka.
89:1.1 (974.3)
Observance of a taboo was man’s effort to dodge ill luck, to keep from offending the spirit ghosts by the avoidance of something. The taboos were at first nonreligious, but they early acquired ghost or spirit sanction, and when thus reinforced, they became lawmakers and institution builders. The taboo is the source of ceremonial standards and the ancestor of primitive self-control. It was the earliest form of societal regulation and for a long time the only one; it is still a basic unit of the social regulative structure.
Poštovanje koje su ove zabrane uživale u umu divljaka bilo je jednako njegovu strahu od moći za koje se vjerovalo da ih nameću. Tabu se isprva javljao zbog slučajnih epizoda zle sreće; kasnije su ga nametali poglavari i vračevi — ljudi koji su postali predmetom obožavanja jer se smatralo da su u dodiru s duhovima-utvarama, pa čak i s bogovima. Bilo je slučajeva u kojima su ljudi toliko strahovali od osvete duhova da su, vjerujući da su prekršili tabu, znali izgubiti život od samog straha, a takvi su događaji u očima drugih samo potvrđivali snagu tabua.
89:1.2 (974.4)
The respect which these prohibitions commanded in the mind of the savage exactly equaled his fear of the powers who were supposed to enforce them. Taboos first arose because of chance experience with ill luck; later they were proposed by chiefs and shamans—fetish men who were thought to be directed by a spirit ghost, even by a god. The fear of spirit retribution is so great in the mind of a primitive that he sometimes dies of fright when he has violated a taboo, and this dramatic episode enormously strengthens the hold of the taboo on the minds of the survivors.
Među najranijim zabranama ubrajali su se zakoni koji su ograničavali prisvajanje žena i druge imovine. Kako je religija počela igrati sve značajniju ulogu u evoluciji tabua, ljudi su počeli vjerovati da su sva bića i predmeti koji su bili pod zabranom nečisti, a potom i nesveti. Židovski zapisi obiluju zakonima o čistom i nečistom, svetom i nesvetom, ali su njihova vjerovanja u tom pogledu bila daleko manje opsežna i restriktivna nego kod mnogih drugih naroda.
89:1.3 (974.5)
Among the earliest prohibitions were restrictions on the appropriation of women and other property. As religion began to play a larger part in the evolution of the taboo, the article resting under ban was regarded as unclean, subsequently as unholy. The records of the Hebrews are full of the mention of things clean and unclean, holy and unholy, but their beliefs along these lines were far less cumbersome and extensive than were those of many other peoples.
Sedam zapovijedi Dalamatije i Edena, kao i deset židovskih naloga, predstavljali su određene tabue, svi izraženi u negativnom obliku svojstvenom najstarijim zabranama. No ova su nova pravila bila istinski emancipativna jer su zamijenila tisuće ranijih tabu vjerovanja. Štoviše, jasno su obećavala određenu nagradu za poslušnost.
89:1.4 (975.1)
The seven commandments of Dalamatia and Eden, as well as the ten injunctions of the Hebrews, were definite taboos, all expressed in the same negative form as were the most ancient prohibitions. But these newer codes were truly emancipating in that they took the place of thousands of pre-existent taboos. And more than this, these later commandments definitely promised something in return for obedience.
Iz fetišizma i totemizma razvila su se rana tabu vjerovanja vezana uz različite vrste hrane. Svinja je bila sveta životinja Feničanima, a krava Indusima. Tabu protiv svinjetine iz drevnog Egipta prenesen je u hebrejsku i islamsku vjeru. Prema jednom obliku tabu vjerovanja, trudnica bi mogla toliko priželjkivati određenu hranu da bi dijete, po rođenju, postalo njezin odraz. Takva bi namirnica potom bila tabu za dijete.
89:1.5 (975.2)
The early food taboos originated in fetishism and totemism. The swine was sacred to the Phoenicians, the cow to the Hindus. The Egyptian taboo on pork has been perpetuated by the Hebraic and Islamic faiths. A variant of the food taboo was the belief that a pregnant woman could think so much about a certain food that the child, when born, would be the echo of that food. Such viands would be taboo to the child.
Način jedenja uskoro je postao tabu, iz čega su proizašla pravila ponašanja za stolom. Različite kaste i društveni slojevi predstavljaju ostatke starih zabrana. Premda je bio težak teret ljudima, tabu je imao značajnu ulogu u organizaciji društva; negativnim sustavom zabrana održavana su ne samo korisna i konstruktivna pravila nego i zastarjela, otrcana i beskorisna tabu vjerovanja.
89:1.6 (975.3)
Methods of eating soon became taboo, and so originated ancient and modern table etiquette. Caste systems and social levels are vestigial remnants of olden prohibitions. The taboos were highly effective in organizing society, but they were terribly burdensome; the negative-ban system not only maintained useful and constructive regulations but also obsolete, outworn, and useless taboos.
Ipak, ne bi bilo civiliziranog društva koje bi danas moglo kritizirati primitivnog čovjeka da nije bilo tih široko rasprostranjenih i raznolikih tabua, a tabu ne bi opstao bez potpornih sankcija primitivne religije. Mnogi od bitnih čimbenika čovjekove evolucije bili su izuzetno skupi, zahtijevali su golema ulaganja napora, žrtve i samoodricanja, ali upravo su ta postignuća samokontrole bila stvarne prečke po kojima se čovjek uspinjao ljestvama civilizacije.
89:1.7 (975.4)
There would, however, be no civilized society to sit in criticism upon primitive man except for these far-flung and multifarious taboos, and the taboo would never have endured but for the upholding sanctions of primitive religion. Many of the essential factors in man’s evolution have been highly expensive, have cost vast treasure in effort, sacrifice, and self-denial, but these achievements of self-control were the real rungs on which man climbed civilization’s ascending ladder.
Strah od slučaja i bojazan od loše sreće doslovno su potaknuli čovjeka na stvaranje primitivne religije kao svojevrsnog osiguranja protiv takvih nevolja. Iz magije i vjerovanja u utvare religija se razvijala preko duhova i fetiša sve do tabua. Svako je primitivno pleme imalo svoje stablo zabranjenog ploda, doslovno jabuku, ali u prenesenom smislu sastavljeno od tisuću grana opterećenih svim vrstama tabua. A to je zabranjeno stablo uvijek govorilo: “Ne smiješ.”
89:2.1 (975.5)
The fear of chance and the dread of bad luck literally drove man into the invention of primitive religion as supposed insurance against these calamities. From magic and ghosts, religion evolved through spirits and fetishes to taboos. Every primitive tribe had its tree of forbidden fruit, literally the apple but figuratively consisting of a thousand branches hanging heavy with all sorts of taboos. And the forbidden tree always said, “Thou shalt not.”
Kako se um divljaka razvijao do stupnja na kojem je mogao zamisliti i dobre i zle duhove, te kada je tabu zadobio svečanu potvrdu religije u razvoju, pozornica je bila spremna za pojavu novog pojma grijeha. Ideja grijeha bila je općeprihvaćena u svijetu i prije nego što se pojavila objavljena religija. Tek je pojam grijeha učinio prirodnu smrt razumljivom primitivnom umu. Grijeh je bio prijestup tabua, a smrt je bila kazna za grijeh.
89:2.2 (975.6)
As the savage mind evolved to that point where it envisaged both good and bad spirits, and when the taboo received the solemn sanction of evolving religion, the stage was all set for the appearance of the new conception of sin. The idea of sin was universally established in the world before revealed religion ever made its entry. It was only by the concept of sin that natural death became logical to the primitive mind. Sin was the transgression of taboo, and death was the penalty of sin.
Grijeh je bio ritualan, a ne racionalan; čin, a ne misao. I cijeli je ovaj pojam grijeha bio potican opstalim predajama o Dilmunu i danima malog zemaljskog raja. Predaja o Adamu i Edenskom vrtu također je dala sadržaj snu o nekadašnjem “zlatnom dobu” u osvit rasa. Sve je to potvrdilo kasnije izražene ideje o čovjekovu porijeklu iz posebnog stvaranja, o tome da je započeo svoj put u savršenstvu i da ga je prijestup tabua — grijeh — doveo do njegova kasnijeg jadnog stanja.
89:2.3 (975.7)
Sin was ritual, not rational; an act, not a thought. And this entire concept of sin was fostered by the lingering traditions of Dilmun and the days of a little paradise on earth. The tradition of Adam and the Garden of Eden also lent substance to the dream of a onetime “golden age” of the dawn of the races. And all this confirmed the ideas later expressed in the belief that man had his origin in a special creation, that he started his career in perfection, and that transgression of the taboos—sin—brought him down to his later sorry plight.
Učestalo kršenje tabua postajalo je porok; primitivni zakon učinio je porok zločinom, a religija grijehom. Među ranim plemenima kršenje tabua bilo je istodobno zločin i grijeh. Nesreća zajednice uvijek se smatrala kaznom za plemenski grijeh. Ljudi koji su vjerovali da blagostanje slijedi pravednost nisu mogli pomiriti očitu imućnost zlotvora, pa su izmislili pakao kako bi kaznili takve prijestupnike tabua; broj takvih mjesta kazne kretao se od jednoga do pet.
89:2.4 (976.1)
The habitual violation of a taboo became a vice; primitive law made vice a crime; religion made it a sin. Among the early tribes the violation of a taboo was a combined crime and sin. Community calamity was always regarded as punishment for tribal sin. To those who believed that prosperity and righteousness went together, the apparent prosperity of the wicked occasioned so much worry that it was necessary to invent hells for the punishment of taboo violators; the numbers of these places of future punishment have varied from one to five.
Ideja ispovijedi i oprosta rano se pojavila u primitivnoj religiji. Ljudi su tražili oprost na javnim skupovima za grijehe koje su namjeravali počiniti u sljedećem tjednu. Ispovijed je bila tek obred oprosta, ali i javna objava nečistoće, ritualno uzvikivanje: “Nečist, nečist!” Nakon toga slijedili su razni obredi očišćenja. Svi su drevni narodi prakticirali takve besmislene ceremonije. Mnogi naizgled higijenski običaji ranih plemena bili su u velikoj mjeri obredne naravi.
89:2.5 (976.2)
The idea of confession and forgiveness early appeared in primitive religion. Men would ask forgiveness at a public meeting for sins they intended to commit the following week. Confession was merely a rite of remission, also a public notification of defilement, a ritual of crying “unclean, unclean!” Then followed all the ritualistic schemes of purification. All ancient peoples practiced these meaningless ceremonies. Many apparently hygienic customs of the early tribes were largely ceremonial.
Samoodricanje je predstavljalo sljedeći korak u religijskoj evoluciji; post je bio uobičajena praksa. Ubrzo je postalo uobičajeno odricati se mnogih oblika tjelesnog užitka, osobito spolne naravi. Obred posta bio je duboko ukorijenjen u mnogim drevnim religijama i prenio se u gotovo sve suvremene teološke sustave mišljenja.
89:3.1 (976.3)
Renunciation came as the next step in religious evolution; fasting was a common practice. Soon it became the custom to forgo many forms of physical pleasure, especially of a sexual nature. The ritual of the fast was deeply rooted in many ancient religions and has been handed down to practically all modern theologic systems of thought.
Otprilike u vrijeme kada se barbarski čovjek počeo oslobađati rasipne prakse spaljivanja i pokapanja imovine s mrtvima, na početku formiranja ekonomske strukture ljudskog roda, pojavila se ova nova religijska doktrina samoodricanja, i deseci tisuća ozbiljnih ljudi počeli su svjesno birati siromaštvo. Imovina se smatrala duhovnom zaprekom. Ova su shvaćanja o duhovnim opasnostima materijalnog posjedovanja bila široko rasprostranjena u doba Filona i Pavla te sve do danas vrše znatan utjecaj na europsku filozofiju.
89:3.2 (976.4)
Just about the time barbarian man was recovering from the wasteful practice of burning and burying property with the dead, just as the economic structure of the races was beginning to take shape, this new religious doctrine of renunciation appeared, and tens of thousands of earnest souls began to court poverty. Property was regarded as a spiritual handicap. These notions of the spiritual dangers of material possession were widespreadly entertained in the times of Philo and Paul, and they have markedly influenced European philosophy ever since.
Siromaštvo je bilo tek dio obreda umrtvljivanja tijela, koji je, nažalost, ušao u spise i učenja mnogih religija, osobito kršćanstva. Pokora je negativan oblik ovog često nerazumnog obreda samoodricanja. No sve je to primitivnog čovjeka učilo samokontroli, a to je bio vrijedan napredak u društvenoj evoluciji. Samoodricanje i samokontrola bile su među najvećim društvenim dobitcima rane evolucijske religije. Samokontrola je čovjeku dala novu filozofiju života; naučila ga je umijeću uvećavanja životnog omjera smanjivanjem nazivnika osobnih zahtjeva, umjesto stalnog nastojanja da poveća brojnik sebičnog zadovoljenja.
89:3.3 (976.5)
Poverty was just a part of the ritual of the mortification of the flesh which, unfortunately, became incorporated into the writings and teachings of many religions, notably Christianity. Penance is the negative form of this ofttimes foolish ritual of renunciation. But all this taught the savage self-control, and that was a worth-while advancement in social evolution. Self-denial and self-control were two of the greatest social gains from early evolutionary religion. Self-control gave man a new philosophy of life; it taught him the art of augmenting life’s fraction by lowering the denominator of personal demands instead of always attempting to increase the numerator of selfish gratification.
Ove su drevne ideje samodiscipline uključivale bičevanje i sve vrste tjelesnog mučenja. Svećenici kulta majke bili su osobito aktivni u poučavanju vrline tjelesne patnje, izlažući se kastraciji kako bi vlastitim primjerom potkrijepili svoja učenja. Hebreji, Hindusi i budisti bili su gorljivi sljedbenici ove doktrine tjelesnog poniženja.
89:3.4 (976.6)
These olden ideas of self-discipline embraced flogging and all sorts of physical torture. The priests of the mother cult were especially active in teaching the virtue of physical suffering, setting the example by submitting themselves to castration. The Hebrews, Hindus, and Buddhists were earnest devotees of this doctrine of physical humiliation.
Kroz cijelo staro doba čovjek je na te načine nastojao navesti bogove da mu priznaju dodatne zasluge za svako samoodricanje. Ljudi su nekoć imali običaj, pod emocionalnim pritiskom, davati zavjete budućeg samoodricanja i samokažnjavanja. S vremenom su ti zavjeti poprimili oblik ugovora s bogovima te su predstavljali stvaran evolucijski napredak, jer su podrazumijevali određene božje uzvrate na čovjekovo samokažnjavanje i umrtvljenje žudnji. O takvim štetnim i ekstremnim zavjetima danas najbolje svjedoče običaji određenih skupina u Indiji.
89:3.5 (976.7)
All through the olden times men sought in these ways for extra credits on the self-denial ledgers of their gods. It was once customary, when under some emotional stress, to make vows of self-denial and self-torture. In time these vows assumed the form of contracts with the gods and, in that sense, represented true evolutionary progress in that the gods were supposed to do something definite in return for this self-torture and mortification of the flesh. Vows were both negative and positive. Pledges of this harmful and extreme nature are best observed today among certain groups in India.
Bilo je posve prirodno da se kult samoodricanja i poniženja usmjeri na spolno zadovoljenje. Kult suzdržljivosti nastao je kao obred među vojnicima prije stupanja u bitku; kasnije je postao praksa “svetaca.” Ovaj je kult brak tolerirao samo kao manje zlo u odnosu na blud. Mnoge velike svjetske religije bile su nepovoljno obilježene ovim drevnim kultom, ali nijedna izrazitije od kršćanstva. Apostol Pavao bio je njegov sljedbenik, a njegova osobna stajališta odražavaju se u učenjima koja je ugradio u kršćansku teologiju: “Dobro je čovjeku ne doticati žene.” “Htio bih da svi ljudi budu kao ja.” “Stoga kažem neoženjenima i udovicama: dobro im je da ostanu kao i ja.” Pavao je dobro znao da takva učenja nisu dio Isusova evanđelja, a to potvrđuje i njegova izjava: “Ovo govorim po dopuštenju, a ne kao zapovijed.” No ovaj je kult naveo Pavla da gleda s visoka na žene. Žalosno je što su njegova osobna mišljenja dugo utjecala na učenja jedne velike svjetske religije. Kad bi se savjeti toga učitelja i krojača šatora doslovno i općenito provodili, ljudski bi rod naglo i neslavno nestao. Nadalje, povezanost religije s ovim drevnim kultom suzdržljivosti podriva brak i dom, istinske temelje društva i osnovnu ustanovu ljudskog napretka.
89:3.6 (977.1)
It was only natural that the cult of renunciation and humiliation should have paid attention to sexual gratification. The continence cult originated as a ritual among soldiers prior to engaging in battle; in later days it became the practice of “saints.” This cult tolerated marriage only as an evil lesser than fornication. Many of the world’s great religions have been adversely influenced by this ancient cult, but none more markedly than Christianity. The Apostle Paul was a devotee of this cult, and his personal views are reflected in the teachings which he fastened onto Christian theology: “It is good for a man not to touch a woman.” “I would that all men were even as I myself.” “I say, therefore, to the unmarried and widows, it is good for them to abide even as I.” Paul well knew that such teachings were not a part of Jesus’ gospel, and his acknowledgment of this is illustrated by his statement, “I speak this by permission and not by commandment.” But this cult led Paul to look down upon women. And the pity of it all is that his personal opinions have long influenced the teachings of a great world religion. If the advice of the tentmaker-teacher were to be literally and universally obeyed, then would the human race come to a sudden and inglorious end. Furthermore, the involvement of a religion with the ancient continence cult leads directly to a war against marriage and the home, society’s veritable foundation and the basic institution of human progress. And it is not to be wondered at that all such beliefs fostered the formation of celibate priesthoods in the many religions of various peoples.
Prinošenje žrtava kao dio religijskog štovanja, poput mnogih drugih obrednih praksi, nije imalo jednostavno i jedinstveno porijeklo. Sklonost da se prigne pred izvorom moći i da se u činu štovanja padne ničice pred tajanstvenom silom naslućuje se već u dodvoravanju psa svome gospodaru. Samo je jedan korak od poriva štovanja do čina prinošenja žrtava. Primitivan čovjek procjenjivao je vrijednost svoje žrtve prema boli koju je trpio. Kada se ideja žrtve prvi put povezala s religijskim obredom, nije se razmatrao nijedan prinos koji ne bi uzrokovao bol. Prve su žrtve bile čupanje kose, rezanje tijela, sakaćenje, izbijanje zuba i odsijecanje prstiju. Kako se civilizacija razvijala, ove su sirove predodžbe žrtve uzdignute na razinu obreda samoodricanja, asketizma, posta, odricanja i kasnije kršćanske doktrine posvećenja kroz žalost, patnju i umrtvljenje tijela.
89:4.1 (977.3)
Sacrifice as a part of religious devotions, like many other worshipful rituals, did not have a simple and single origin. The tendency to bow down before power and to prostrate oneself in worshipful adoration in the presence of mystery is foreshadowed in the fawning of the dog before its master. It is but one step from the impulse of worship to the act of sacrifice. Primitive man gauged the value of his sacrifice by the pain which he suffered. When the idea of sacrifice first attached itself to religious ceremonial, no offering was contemplated which was not productive of pain. The first sacrifices were such acts as plucking hair, cutting the flesh, mutilations, knocking out teeth, and cutting off fingers. As civilization advanced, these crude concepts of sacrifice were elevated to the level of the rituals of self-abnegation, asceticism, fasting, deprivation, and the later Christian doctrine of sanctification through sorrow, suffering, and the mortification of the flesh.
Čovjek je kasnije razvio ideju da njegova žrtva, kakve god naravi bila, može poslužiti kao glasnik bogovima; mogla je biti kao ugodan miris u nosnicama božanstva. To je dovelo do uporabe tamjana i drugih estetskih obilježja žrtvenih obreda, koji su se razvili u žrtvene gozbe, s vremenom postajući sve složeniji i raskošniji.
89:4.3 (977.5)
Man still later conceived that his sacrifice of whatever nature might function as a message bearer to the gods; it might be as a sweet savor in the nostrils of deity. This brought incense and other aesthetic features of sacrificial rituals which developed into sacrificial feasting, in time becoming increasingly elaborate and ornate.
Najranija predodžba žrtve bila je ona o svojevrsnom nametu kojim se osiguravala neutralnost duhova predaka; tek se kasnije razvila ideja okajanja. Kako se čovjek udaljavao od shvaćanja evolucijskog porijekla ljudskog roda, a predaje o danima Planetarnog Princa i boravku Adama prenosile iz generacije u generaciju, širile su se ideje o grijehu i izvornom grijehu, tako da se žrtva za slučajni i osobni grijeh razvila u doktrinu žrtve za okajanje grijeha čovječanstva. Žrtva okajanja predstavljala je sveobuhvatnu zaštitu čak i od zlovolje i ljubomore nepoznatih bogova.
89:4.5 (978.2)
The earliest idea of the sacrifice was that of a neutrality assessment levied by ancestral spirits; only later did the idea of atonement develop. As man got away from the notion of the evolutionary origin of the race, as the traditions of the days of the Planetary Prince and the sojourn of Adam filtered down through time, the concept of sin and of original sin became widespread, so that sacrifice for accidental and personal sin evolved into the doctrine of sacrifice for the atonement of racial sin. The atonement of the sacrifice was a blanket insurance device which covered even the resentment and jealousy of an unknown god.
Okružen tolikim mnoštvom osjetljivih duhova i pohlepnih bogova, primitivni čovjek bio je suočen s čitavim nizom božanstava u ulozi vjerovnika, pa su mu bili potrebni svi svećenici, obredi i žrtve tijekom cijeloga života kako bi podmirio svoje duhovne dugove. Zahvaljujući doktrini izvornog grijeha — krivnje cijelog ljudskog roda — svaka je osoba započinjala život kao veliki dužnik duhovnim silama.
89:4.6 (978.3)
Surrounded by so many sensitive spirits and grasping gods, primitive man was face to face with such a host of creditor deities that it required all the priests, ritual, and sacrifices throughout an entire lifetime to get him out of spiritual debt. The doctrine of original sin, or racial guilt, started every person out in serious debt to the spirit powers.
Darovi i mito daju se ljudima; ali kada se prinose bogovima, opisuju se kao posvećeni, učinjeni svetima ili se nazivaju žrtvama. Samoodricanje je bilo negativni, a žrtvovanje pozitivni oblik udobrovoljenja duhova. Čin umilostivljenja uključivao je pohvalu, veličanje, laskanje, pa čak i zabavu. Ostaci tih pozitivnih praksi drevnog kulta umilostivljenja čine suvremene oblike božanskog štovanja. Današnji oblici štovanja zapravo su ritualizacija tih drevnih žrtvenih tehnika pozitivnog umilostivljenja.
89:4.7 (978.4)
Gifts and bribes are given to men; but when tendered to the gods, they are described as being dedicated, made sacred, or are called sacrifices. Renunciation was the negative form of propitiation; sacrifice became the positive form. The act of propitiation included praise, glorification, flattery, and even entertainment. And it is the remnants of these positive practices of the olden propitiation cult that constitute the modern forms of divine worship. Present-day forms of worship are simply the ritualization of these ancient sacrificial techniques of positive propitiation.
Žrtvovanje životinja značilo je mnogo više primitivnom čovjeku nego što ikada može značiti modernim ljudima. Ti su barbari životinje smatrali svojim stvarnim i bliskim srodnicima. Kako je vrijeme prolazilo, čovjek je postajao domišljatiji u prinošenju žrtava, prestajući žrtvovati radne životinje. U početku je prinosio najbolje od svega, uključujući i svoje pripitomljene životinje.
89:4.8 (978.5)
Animal sacrifice meant much more to primitive man than it could ever mean to modern races. These barbarians regarded the animals as their actual and near kin. As time passed, man became shrewd in his sacrificing, ceasing to offer up his work animals. At first he sacrificed the best of everything, including his domesticated animals.
Nije bila prazna hvalisavost kada je jedan egipatski vladar izjavio da je žrtvovao: 113.433 robova, 493.386 grla stoke, 88 brodova, 2.756 zlatnih kipova, 331.702 posude meda i ulja, 228.380 posuda vina, 680.714 gusaka, 6.744.428 kruhova i 5.740.352 vreće žita. A da bi to učinio, morao je teško oporezovati svoje napaćene podanike.
89:4.9 (978.6)
It was no empty boast that a certain Egyptian ruler made when he stated that he had sacrificed: 113,433 slaves, 493,386 head of cattle, 88 boats, 2,756 golden images, 331,702 jars of honey and oil, 228,380 jars of wine, 680,714 geese, 6,744,428 loaves of bread, and 5,740,352 sacks of corn. And in order to do this he must needs have sorely taxed his toiling subjects.
Suvremeni ljudi imaju pogrešne predodžbe o ranom kanibalizmu; on je bio dio običaja ranog društva. Premda se suvremena civilizacija užasava kanibalizma, bio je sastavni dio društvene i religijske strukture primitivnog društva. Bio je rezultat skupnih interesa. Nastao je iz nužde i održao se zahvaljujući ljudskoj neukosti i praznovjerju. Bio je to društveni, ekonomski, religijski i vojni običaj.
89:5.1 (978.8)
Modern ideas of early cannibalism are entirely wrong; it was a part of the mores of early society. While cannibalism is traditionally horrible to modern civilization, it was a part of the social and religious structure of primitive society. Group interests dictated the practice of cannibalism. It grew up through the urge of necessity and persisted because of the slavery of superstition and ignorance. It was a social, economic, religious, and military custom.
Sklonost prema ljudskom mesu raste. Jednom započeto iz gladi, prijateljstva, osvete ili religijskog obreda, jedenje ljudskog mesa prelazi u uobičajeni kanibalizam. Kanibalizam je nastao zbog nestašice hrane, iako to rijetko predstavlja glavni uzrok. Eskimi i rani Andoniti rijetko su, međutim, bili kanibali osim u vrijeme gladi. Američki domoroci, osobito u Srednjoj Americi, bili su kanibali. Nekoć je bila uobičajena praksa da primitivne majke ubijaju i jedu vlastitu djecu kako bi nadoknadile snagu izgubljenu rađanjem, a u Queenslandu se prvo dijete još uvijek često ubija i proždire. U novije vrijeme mnogi su afrički narodi svjesno pribjegavali kanibalizmu kao ratnoj mjeri, svojevrsnom zastrašivanju kojim su terorizirali svoje susjede.
89:5.4 (979.3)
The taste for human flesh grows. Having been started through hunger, friendship, revenge, or religious ritual, the eating of human flesh goes on to habitual cannibalism. Man-eating has arisen through food scarcity, though this has seldom been the underlying reason. The Eskimos and early Andonites, however, seldom were cannibalistic except in times of famine. The red men, especially in Central America, were cannibals. It was once a general practice for primitive mothers to kill and eat their own children in order to renew the strength lost in childbearing, and in Queensland the first child is still frequently thus killed and devoured. In recent times cannibalism has been deliberately resorted to by many African tribes as a war measure, a sort of frightfulness with which to terrorize their neighbors.
Neki oblici kanibalizma proizašli su iz degeneracije nekoć naprednijih skupina, ali je bio najrašireniji među evolucijskim rasama. Kanibalizam se pojavio u razdoblju kada su ljudi gajili snažne i ogorčene osjećaje prema svojim neprijateljima. Jedenje ljudskog mesa postalo je dio svečanog obreda osvete; vjerovalo se da se na taj način može uništiti ili sjediniti duh neprijatelja s duhom onoga koji ga jede. Nekoć je bilo rašireno vjerovanje da čarobnjaci stječu svoje moći jedenjem ljudskog mesa.
89:5.5 (979.4)
Some cannibalism resulted from the degeneration of once superior stocks, but it was mostly prevalent among the evolutionary races. Man-eating came on at a time when men experienced intense and bitter emotions regarding their enemies. Eating human flesh became part of a solemn ceremony of revenge; it was believed that an enemy’s ghost could, in this way, be destroyed or fused with that of the eater. It was once a widespread belief that wizards attained their powers by eating human flesh.
Neke skupine kanibala jele su samo pripadnike vlastitog plemena, što je predstavljalo oblik pseudoduhovne endogamije koja je trebala poticati plemensku solidarnost. No jeli su i neprijatelje iz osvete, vjerujući da tako prisvajaju njihovu snagu. Smatralo se čašću za dušu prijatelja ili sunarodnjaka ako bi njegovo tijelo bilo pojedeno, dok je za neprijatelja to predstavljalo tek zasluženu kaznu. Um divljaka nije težio dosljednosti.
89:5.6 (979.5)
Certain groups of man-eaters would consume only members of their own tribes, a pseudospiritual inbreeding which was supposed to accentuate tribal solidarity. But they also ate enemies for revenge with the idea of appropriating their strength. It was considered an honor to the soul of a friend or fellow tribesman if his body were eaten, while it was no more than just punishment to an enemy thus to devour him. The savage mind made no pretensions to being consistent.
U nekim su plemenima ostarjeli roditelji tražili da ih pojedu njihova djeca; u drugima je bio običaj suzdržati se od jedenja bliskih rođaka, pa su se njihova tijela prodavala ili mijenjala za tijela stranaca. Postojala je znatna trgovina ženama i djecom koji su bili utovljeni za klanje. Kada bolest ili rat nisu uspijevali ograničiti broj stanovništva, višak bi se bez mnogo obzira konzumirao.
89:5.7 (979.6)
Among some tribes aged parents would seek to be eaten by their children; among others it was customary to refrain from eating near relations; their bodies were sold or exchanged for those of strangers. There was considerable commerce in women and children who had been fattened for slaughter. When disease or war failed to control population, the surplus was unceremoniously eaten.
1. Ponekad bi postao zajednički obred, kada bi cijela zajednica preuzela odgovornost za izvršenje smrtne kazne nad svojim suplemenikom. Ubojstvo se više nije smatralo zločinom kada su u njemu sudjelovali svi, cijelo društvo. Jedenje tijela pogubljenih zločinaca predstavljalo je posljednji oblik kanibalizma u Aziji.
89:5.9 (979.8)
1. It sometimes became a communal ceremony, the assumption of collective responsibility for inflicting the death penalty upon a fellow tribesman. The blood guilt ceases to be a crime when participated in by all, by society. The last of cannibalism in Asia was this eating of executed criminals.
6. Na kraju je postao tabu među naprednijim plemenima. Tabu koji je zabranjivao jedenje ljudskog mesa potječe iz Dalamatije i postupno se proširio cijelom svijetom. Noditi su poticali kremiranje kao sredstvo suzbijanja kanibalizma, budući da je nekoć bila uobičajena praksa iskopavati i jesti pokopana tijela.
7. Prinošenje ljudskih žrtava označilo je kraj kanibalizma. Budući da je ljudsko meso postalo hrana uzvišenih ljudi, naposljetku je bilo rezervirano za još uzvišenije duhove; i tako je prinošenje ljudskih žrtava učinkovito uništilo kanibalizam, osim među najnižim plemenima. Kada je ljudska žrtva bila potpuno uspostavljena, jedenje ljudskog mesa postalo je tabu; ljudsko meso bilo je hrana samo za bogove, dok je čovjek smio pojesti tek mali obredni dio, sakrament.
89:5.15 (980.4)
7. Human sacrifice sounded the death knell of cannibalism. Human flesh having become the food of superior men, the chiefs, it was eventually reserved for the still more superior spirits; and thus the offering of human sacrifices effectively put a stop to cannibalism, except among the lowest tribes. When human sacrifice was fully established, man-eating became taboo; human flesh was food only for the gods; man could eat only a small ceremonial bit, a sacrament.
Ljudska žrtva bila je neizravna posljedica kanibalizma, ali i njegovo sredstvo suzbijanja. Kad su ljudi počeli redovito slati pratitelje s pokojnikom u svijet duhova, kanibalizam je postajao sve rjeđi, jer se takve žrtve više nisu jele. Nijedna rasa nije bila potpuno oslobođena prakse ljudskih žrtava u nekom obliku i u nekom razdoblju, iako su Andoniti, Noditi i Adamiti bili najmanje skloni kanibalizmu.
89:6.1 (980.6)
Human sacrifice was an indirect result of cannibalism as well as its cure. Providing spirit escorts to the spirit world also led to the lessening of man-eating as it was never the custom to eat these death sacrifices. No race has been entirely free from the practice of human sacrifice in some form and at some time, even though the Andonites, Nodites, and Adamites were the least addicted to cannibalism.
Ljudska žrtva bila je gotovo opće rasprostranjena; ulazila je u sastav religijskih običaja Kineza, Hindusa, Egipćana, Hebreja, Mezopotamaca, Grka, Rimljana i mnogih drugih naroda, pa sve do novijih vremena među zaostalijim afričkim i australskim plemenima. Kasniji američki domoroci imali su civilizaciju koja se tek uzdizala iz kanibalizma i stoga je bila prožeta ljudskim žrtvama, osobito u Srednjoj i Južnoj Americi. Kaldejci su među prvima napustili prinošenje ljudskih žrtava u uobičajenim prilikama, zamjenjujući ih životinjama. Prije otprilike dvije tisuće godina jedan je suosjećajni japanski car uveo glinene figure kao zamjenu za ljudske žrtve, ali prošlo je manje od tisuću godina otkako su takve žrtve iščezle u sjevernoj Europi. Među nekim zaostalijim plemenima ljudske se žrtve još uvijek vrše dobrovoljno, kao svojevrsno religijsko ili obredno samoubojstvo. Jedan je šaman nekoć naredio da se žrtvuje vrlo poštovan starac iz njegova plemena. Ljudi su se pobunili i odbili poslušati. Tada je starac dao svome sinu da ga usmrti; drevni su ljudi doista vjerovali u takve običaje.
89:6.2 (980.7)
Human sacrifice has been virtually universal; it persisted in the religious customs of the Chinese, Hindus, Egyptians, Hebrews, Mesopotamians, Greeks, Romans, and many other peoples, even on to recent times among the backward African and Australian tribes. The later American Indians had a civilization emerging from cannibalism and, therefore, steeped in human sacrifice, especially in Central and South America. The Chaldeans were among the first to abandon the sacrificing of humans for ordinary occasions, substituting therefor animals. About two thousand years ago a tenderhearted Japanese emperor introduced clay images to take the place of human sacrifices, but it was less than a thousand years ago that these sacrifices died out in northern Europe. Among certain backward tribes, human sacrifice is still carried on by volunteers, a sort of religious or ritual suicide. A shaman once ordered the sacrifice of a much respected old man of a certain tribe. The people revolted; they refused to obey. Whereupon the old man had his own son dispatch him; the ancients really believed in this custom.
Nema tragičnijeg i potresnijeg primjera koji tako jasno prikazuje srceparajuće sukobe između drevnih i uvaženih religijskih običaja i suprotnih zahtjeva napredujuće civilizacije od hebrejskog izvještaja o Jeftahu i njegovoj jedinoj kćeri. Kao što je bio običaj, ovaj je dobronamjerni čovjek dao nerazuman zavjet; pogodio se s “bogom bojeva,” pristavši platiti određenu cijenu za pobjedu nad svojim neprijateljima. Ta je cijena bila da prinese kao žrtvu ono što prvo iziđe iz njegove kuće u susret njemu kada se vrati kući. Jeftah je mislio da će ga dočekati jedan od njegovih vjernih slugu, ali se dogodilo da je njegova kći, njegovo jedino dijete, izašla da ga pozdravi. I tako je, čak i u to kasno doba i među navodno civiliziranim narodom, ta lijepa djevojka, nakon dva mjeseca žalovanja nad svojom sudbinom, doista bila prinesena kao ljudska žrtva od strane vlastitog oca, uz odobrenje njegovih suplemenika. Sve se to dogodilo unatoč Mojsijevim strogim odredbama protiv prinošenja ljudskih žrtava. No muškarci i žene skloni su davanju nerazumnih i nepotrebnih zavjeta, a ljudi starine smatrali su takva obećanja izuzetno svetima.
89:6.3 (980.8)
There is no more tragic and pathetic experience on record, illustrative of the heart-tearing contentions between ancient and time-honored religious customs and the contrary demands of advancing civilization, than the Hebrew narrative of Jephthah and his only daughter. As was common custom, this well-meaning man had made a foolish vow, had bargained with the “god of battles,” agreeing to pay a certain price for victory over his enemies. And this price was to make a sacrifice of that which first came out of his house to meet him when he returned to his home. Jephthah thought that one of his trusty slaves would thus be on hand to greet him, but it turned out that his daughter and only child came out to welcome him home. And so, even at that late date and among a supposedly civilized people, this beautiful maiden, after two months to mourn her fate, was actually offered as a human sacrifice by her father, and with the approval of his fellow tribesmen. And all this was done in the face of Moses’ stringent rulings against the offering of human sacrifice. But men and women are addicted to making foolish and needless vows, and the men of old held all such pledges to be highly sacred.
U davna vremena, kada bi se započinjala gradnja neke važne građevine, bio je običaj ubiti čovjeka kao “temeljnu žrtvu.” Time se osiguravao duh-utvara koji bi nadgledao i štitio građevinu. Kada su Kinezi pripremali lijevanje zvona, običaj je nalagao žrtvovanje barem jedne djevojke kako bi se poboljšao njegov zvuk; izabrana djevojka bila bi živa bačena u rastaljeni metal.
89:6.4 (981.1)
In olden times, when a new building of any importance was started, it was customary to slay a human being as a “foundation sacrifice.” This provided a ghost spirit to watch over and protect the structure. When the Chinese made ready to cast a bell, custom decreed the sacrifice of at least one maiden for the purpose of improving the tone of the bell; the girl chosen was thrown alive into the molten metal.
Dugo je bio običaj mnogih naroda da žive robove ugrađuju u važne zidove. U kasnijim vremenima sjevernoeuropska su plemena ovaj običaj zamijenila simboličnim “zazidavanjem sjene” prolaznika umjesto pokapanja živih ljudi u zidove novih građevina. Kinezi su u zid ugrađivali one radnike koji su umrli tijekom njegove izgradnje.
89:6.5 (981.2)
It was long the practice of many groups to build slaves alive into important walls. In later times the northern European tribes substituted the walling in of the shadow of a passerby for this custom of entombing living persons in the walls of new buildings. The Chinese buried in a wall those workmen who died while constructing it.
Jedan manji kralj u Palestini, gradeći zidine Jerihona, “položio je njegov temelj u Abiramu, svome prvorođencu, a vrata je postavio u svome najmlađem sinu, Segubu.” U to kasno doba ovaj otac ne samo da je položio svoja dva sina živa u temeljne jame gradskih vrata, nego je njegovo djelo bilo zabilježeno kao učinjeno “po riječi Gospodnjoj.” Mojsije je bio zabranio takve temeljne žrtve, ali su se Izraelci ubrzo nakon njegove smrti vratili tim običajima. Današnji običaj polaganja sitnih predmeta i uspomena u temeljni kamen nove zgrade podsjeća na te primitivne temeljne žrtve.
89:6.6 (981.3)
A petty king in Palestine, in building the walls of Jericho, “laid the foundation thereof in Abiram, his first-born, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son, Segub.” At that late date, not only did this father put two of his sons alive in the foundation holes of the city’s gates, but his action is also recorded as being “according to the word of the Lord.” Moses had forbidden these foundation sacrifices, but the Israelites reverted to them soon after his death. The twentieth-century ceremony of depositing trinkets and keepsakes in the cornerstone of a new building is reminiscent of the primitive foundation sacrifices.
Dugo je među mnogim narodima postojao običaj da se prvine posvećuju duhovima. Ti su obredi danas više-manje simbolični, ali predstavljaju ostatke ranijih ceremonija koje su uključivale ljudske žrtve. Ideja prinošenja prvorođenca kao žrtve bila je raširena među drevnim narodima, osobito među Feničanima, koji su je posljednji napustili. Nekoć se prilikom žrtvovanja govorilo: “život za život.” Danas se pri smrti kaže: “prah prahu.”
89:6.7 (981.4)
It was long the custom of many peoples to dedicate the first fruits to the spirits. And these observances, now more or less symbolic, are all survivals of the early ceremonies involving human sacrifice. The idea of offering the first-born as a sacrifice was widespread among the ancients, especially among the Phoenicians, who were the last to give it up. It used to be said upon sacrificing, “life for life.” Now you say at death, “dust to dust.”
Prizor Abrahama prisiljenog da žrtvuje svoga sina Izaka, iako šokantan za osjećaje civiliziranog čovjeka, nije bio ni nov ni neobičan ljudima toga vremena. Očevi su dugo imali običaj, u trenucima snažnog emocionalnog pritiska, žrtvovati svoje prvorođene sinove. Mnogi narodi imaju predaje slične ovoj priči, jer je nekoć postojalo rašireno i duboko uvjerenje da je potrebno prinijeti ljudsku žrtvu prilikom svakog neuobičajenog i čudnog događaja.
89:6.8 (981.5)
The spectacle of Abraham constrained to sacrifice his son Isaac, while shocking to civilized susceptibilities, was not a new or strange idea to the men of those days. It was long a prevalent practice for fathers, at times of great emotional stress, to sacrifice their first-born sons. Many peoples have a tradition analogous to this story, for there once existed a world-wide and profound belief that it was necessary to offer a human sacrifice when anything extraordinary or unusual happened.
Mojsije je nastojao dokinuti ljudske žrtve uvođenjem otkupa kao zamjene. Uspostavio je sustavni raspored prema kojem su se njegovi ljudi mogli osloboditi najtežih posljedica svojih nepromišljenih i nerazumnih zavjeta. Zemlja, imovina i djeca mogli su se otkupiti prema utvrđenim pristojbama koje su se plaćale svećenicima. Skupine koje su prestale žrtvovati svoje prvorođence ubrzo su stekle velike prednosti nad manje naprednim susjedima koji su nastavili s tim strašnim običajima. Mnoge su takve zaostale skupine bile ne samo ozbiljno oslabljene gubitkom sinova nego je često bio narušen i kontinuitet vodstva.
89:7.1 (981.6)
Moses attempted to end human sacrifices by inaugurating the ransom as a substitute. He established a systematic schedule which enabled his people to escape the worst results of their rash and foolish vows. Lands, properties, and children could be redeemed according to the established fees, which were payable to the priests. Those groups which ceased to sacrifice their first-born soon possessed great advantages over less advanced neighbors who continued these atrocious acts. Many such backward tribes were not only greatly weakened by this loss of sons, but even the succession of leadership was often broken.
89:7.2 (982.1)
An outgrowth of the passing child sacrifice was the custom of smearing blood on the house doorposts for the protection of the first-born. This was often done in connection with one of the sacred feasts of the year, and this ceremony once obtained over most of the world from Mexico to Egypt.
Čak i nakon što je većina skupina prestala s obrednim ubijanjem djece, ostao je običaj da se novorođenče ostavi samo, u divljini ili u maloj lađici na vodi. Ako bi dijete preživjelo, smatralo se da su bogovi intervenirali kako bi ga spasili, kao u predajama o Sargonu, Mojsiju, Kiru i Romulu. Zatim se razvio običaj posvećivanja prvorođenih sinova kao svetih ili žrtvenih, dopuštajući im da odrastu, a zatim ih prognati umjesto da ih se usmrti; iz toga je proizašla kolonizacija. Rimljani su se držali ovog običaja u svojoj politici kolonizacije.
89:7.3 (982.2)
Even after most groups had ceased the ritual killing of children, it was the custom to put an infant away by itself, off in the wilderness or in a little boat on the water. If the child survived, it was thought that the gods had intervened to preserve him, as in the traditions of Sargon, Moses, Cyrus, and Romulus. Then came the practice of dedicating the first-born sons as sacred or sacrificial, allowing them to grow up and then exiling them in lieu of death; this was the origin of colonization. The Romans adhered to this custom in their scheme of colonization.
Mnoge neobične povezanosti spolne razuzdanosti s primitivnim štovanjem potječu iz veza s ljudskim žrtvama. U davnim vremenima, ako bi žena naišla na lovce na glave, mogla je otkupiti svoj život spolnim prepuštanjem. Kasnije je djevojka posvećena bogovima kao žrtva mogla otkupiti svoj život tako da svoje tijelo doživotno posveti svetoj spolnoj službi hrama; na taj je način mogla steći sredstva za svoj otkup. Drevni su ljudi smatrali vrlo uzvišenim imati spolne odnose sa ženom koja je na taj način otkupljivala svoj život. Bio je to religijski obred stupiti u odnos s tim svetim djevojkama, a cijeli je ovaj ritual ujedno pružao prihvatljiv izgovor za uobičajeno spolno zadovoljenje. To je bio suptilan oblik samoobmane u kojem su i djevojke i njihovi partneri rado sudjelovali. Društveni običaji uvijek zaostaju za evolucijskim napretkom civilizacije, pružajući tako opravdanje ranijim i primitivnijim spolnim praksama evolucijskih rasa.
89:7.4 (982.3)
Many of the peculiar associations of sex laxity with primitive worship had their origin in connection with human sacrifice. In olden times, if a woman met head-hunters, she could redeem her life by sexual surrender. Later, a maiden consecrated to the gods as a sacrifice might elect to redeem her life by dedicating her body for life to the sacred sex service of the temple; in this way she could earn her redemption money. The ancients regarded it as highly elevating to have sex relations with a woman thus engaged in ransoming her life. It was a religious ceremony to consort with these sacred maidens, and in addition, this whole ritual afforded an acceptable excuse for commonplace sexual gratification. This was a subtle species of self-deception which both the maidens and their consorts delighted to practice upon themselves. The mores always drag behind in the evolutionary advance of civilization, thus providing sanction for the earlier and more savagelike sex practices of the evolving races.
Hramovna prostitucija s vremenom se proširila po južnoj Europi i Aziji. Novac koji su zarađivale hramovne prostitutke smatran je svetim među svim narodima — visokim darom koji se prinosio bogovima. Najviši slojevi žena okupljali su se na hramovnim spolnim tržnicama i posvećivali svoju zaradu raznim svetim službama i djelima općeg dobra. Mnoge žene iz uglednijih slojeva prikupljale su svoje miraze privremenom spolnom službom u hramovima, a većina muškaraca takve je žene smatrala poželjnima za supruge.
89:7.5 (982.4)
Temple harlotry eventually spread throughout southern Europe and Asia. The money earned by the temple prostitutes was held sacred among all peoples—a high gift to present to the gods. The highest types of women thronged the temple sex marts and devoted their earnings to all kinds of sacred services and works of public good. Many of the better classes of women collected their dowries by temporary sex service in the temples, and most men preferred to have such women for wives.
Žrtveno otkupljenje i hramovna prostitucija bili su u biti preobrazbe ljudske žrtve. Zatim se pojavila prividna žrtva kćeri. Ovaj je obred uključivao puštanje krvi uz zavjet doživotnog djevičanstva i predstavljao je moralnu reakciju na raniju hramovnu prostituciju. U novije vrijeme djevice su se posvećivale službi održavanja svetih ognjeva hrama.
89:8.1 (982.5)
Sacrificial redemption and temple prostitution were in reality modifications of human sacrifice. Next came the mock sacrifice of daughters. This ceremony consisted in bloodletting, with dedication to lifelong virginity, and was a moral reaction to the older temple harlotry. In more recent times virgins dedicated themselves to the service of tending the sacred temple fires.
Ljudi su potom došli na ideju da prinošenje dijela tijela može zamijeniti raniju potpunu ljudsku žrtvu. Tjelesno sakaćenje također se smatralo prihvatljivom zamjenom. Prinosili su se kosa, nokti, krv, pa čak i prsti na rukama i nogama. Kasniji, gotovo univerzalni drevni obred obrezivanja proizašao je iz kulta djelomične žrtve; bio je isključivo žrtvene naravi, bez ikakve povezanosti s higijenom. Muškarci su se obrezivali, a ženama su se probušivale uši.
89:8.2 (982.6)
Men eventually conceived the idea that the offering of some part of the body could take the place of the older and complete human sacrifice. Physical mutilation was also considered to be an acceptable substitute. Hair, nails, blood, and even fingers and toes were sacrificed. The later and well-nigh universal ancient rite of circumcision was an outgrowth of the cult of partial sacrifice; it was purely sacrificial, no thought of hygiene being attached thereto. Men were circumcised; women had their ears pierced.
Kasnije je postao običaj vezivati prste umjesto da ih se odsijeca. Brijanje glave i rezanje kose također su bili oblici religijske pobožnosti. Stvaranje eunuha isprva je bilo preobrazba ideje ljudske žrtve. U Africi se još uvijek buše usne i nosnice, dok se tetoviranje kao umjetnost razvilo iz ranijih oblika grubog ožiljavanja.
89:8.3 (983.1)
Subsequently it became the custom to bind fingers together instead of cutting them off. Shaving the head and cutting the hair were likewise forms of religious devotion. The making of eunuchs was at first a modification of the idea of human sacrifice. Nose and lip piercing is still practiced in Africa, and tattooing is an artistic evolution of the earlier crude scarring of the body.
89:8.4 (983.2)
The custom of sacrifice eventually became associated, as a result of advancing teachings, with the idea of the covenant. At last, the gods were conceived of as entering into real agreements with man; and this was a major step in the stabilization of religion. Law, a covenant, takes the place of luck, fear, and superstition.
Čovjek nije mogao ni pomisliti na sklapanje ugovora s Božanstvom sve dok se njegov pojam Boga nije razvio do razine na kojoj su se upravitelji svemira zamišljali kao pouzdani. A čovjekova rana predodžba Boga bila je toliko antropomorfna da nije mogao zamisliti pouzdano Božanstvo sve dok i sam nije postao relativno pouzdan, moralan i etičan.
89:8.5 (983.3)
Man could never even dream of entering into a contract with Deity until his concept of God had advanced to the level whereon the universe controllers were envisioned as dependable. And man’s early idea of God was so anthropomorphic that he was unable to conceive of a dependable Deity until he himself became relatively dependable, moral, and ethical.
Ipak, naposljetku se pojavila ideja sklapanja saveza s bogovima. Evolucijski čovjek napokon je stekao takvo moralno dostojanstvo da se usudio pregovarati sa svojim bogovima. Tako se čin prinošenja žrtava postupno razvio u svojevrsnu filozofsku pogodbu čovjeka s Bogom. Sve je to predstavljalo novi način osiguranja od loše sreće ili, točnije, usavršeniju tehniku sigurnijeg stjecanja blagostanja. Ne treba misliti da su te rane žrtve bile besplatan dar bogovima, spontani izraz zahvalnosti ili zahvaljivanja; one nisu bile izraz istinskog štovanja.
89:8.6 (983.4)
But the idea of making a covenant with the gods did finally arrive. Evolutionary man eventually acquired such moral dignity that he dared to bargain with his gods. And so the business of offering sacrifices gradually developed into the game of man’s philosophic bargaining with God. And all this represented a new device for insuring against bad luck or, rather, an enhanced technique for the more definite purchase of prosperity. Do not entertain the mistaken idea that these early sacrifices were a free gift to the gods, a spontaneous offering of gratitude or thanksgiving; they were not expressions of true worship.
Primitivni oblici molitve nisu bili ništa drugo nego pregovaranje s duhovima, rasprava s bogovima. Bila je to neka vrsta razmjene u kojoj su molbe i uvjeravanja zamjenjivali nešto opipljivije i skuplje. Razvoj trgovine među narodima usadio je duh razmjene i razvio vještinu pregovaranja; i sada su se te osobine počele pojavljivati i u čovjekovim načinima štovanja. A kako su neki ljudi bili bolji trgovci od drugih, tako su neki smatrani boljim moliteljima. Molitva pravednog čovjeka bila je visoko cijenjena. Pravedan čovjek bio je onaj koji je podmirio sve svoje dugove prema duhovima, koji je u potpunosti ispunio sve obredne obveze prema bogovima.
89:8.7 (983.5)
Primitive forms of prayer were nothing more nor less than bargaining with the spirits, an argument with the gods. It was a kind of bartering in which pleading and persuasion were substituted for something more tangible and costly. The developing commerce of the races had inculcated the spirit of trade and had developed the shrewdness of barter; and now these traits began to appear in man’s worship methods. And as some men were better traders than others, so some were regarded as better prayers than others. The prayer of a just man was held in high esteem. A just man was one who had paid all accounts to the spirits, had fully discharged every ritual obligation to the gods.
Rana molitva jedva da je bila štovanje; bila je pregovaračka molba za zdravlje, bogatstvo i život. I u mnogim se pogledima molitve nisu mnogo promijenile tijekom vremena. Još se uvijek čitaju iz knjiga, formalno izgovaraju i zapisuju kako bi se postavljale na kotače ili vješale na drveće, gdje će puhanje vjetra poštedjeti čovjeka truda da troši vlastiti dah.
89:8.8 (983.6)
Early prayer was hardly worship; it was a bargaining petition for health, wealth, and life. And in many respects prayers have not much changed with the passing of the ages. They are still read out of books, recited formally, and written out for emplacement on wheels and for hanging on trees, where the blowing of the winds will save man the trouble of expending his own breath.
Ljudska žrtva, kroz tijek evolucije urantijskih obreda, napredovala je od krvave prakse jedenja ljudskog mesa do viših i simboličnijih oblika. Rani obredi žrtvovanja iznjedrili su kasnije sakramentalne ceremonije. U novije je vrijeme samo svećenik sudjelovao uzimanjem malog dijela kanibalističke žrtve ili kapi ljudske krvi, nakon čega bi svi sudjelovali u jedenju životinje kao zamjene za ljudsku žrtvu. Ove rane ideje otkupa, iskupljenja i saveza razvile su se u kasnije sakramentalne službe. Cijela ova obredna evolucija snažno je utjecala na oblikovanje društva.
89:9.1 (983.7)
The human sacrifice, throughout the course of the evolution of Urantian rituals, has advanced from the bloody business of man-eating to higher and more symbolic levels. The early rituals of sacrifice bred the later ceremonies of sacrament. In more recent times the priest alone would partake of a bit of the cannibalistic sacrifice or a drop of human blood, and then all would partake of the animal substitute. These early ideas of ransom, redemption, and covenants have evolved into the later-day sacramental services. And all this ceremonial evolution has exerted a mighty socializing influence.
89:9.2 (984.1)
In connection with the Mother of God cult, in Mexico and elsewhere, a sacrament of cakes and wine was eventually utilized in lieu of the flesh and blood of the older human sacrifices. The Hebrews long practiced this ritual as a part of their Passover ceremonies, and it was from this ceremonial that the later Christian version of the sacrament took its origin.
Drevna društvena bratstva temeljila su se na obredu pijenja krvi; rano židovsko bratstvo bilo je povezano sa žrtvenom uporabom krvi. Pavao je započeo graditi novi kršćanski kult na “krvi vječnog saveza.” I premda je možda nepotrebno opteretio kršćanstvo učenjima o krvi i žrtvi, jednom zauvijek dokinuo je doktrine iskupljenja putem ljudskih ili životinjskih žrtava. Njegovi teološki kompromisi pokazuju da čak i objava mora biti podložna postupnoj kontroli evolucije. Prema Pavlu, Krist je postao posljednja i posve dostatna ljudska žrtva; božanski sudac sada je u potpunosti i zauvijek zadovoljen.
89:9.3 (984.2)
The ancient social brotherhoods were based on the rite of blood drinking; the early Jewish fraternity was a sacrificial blood affair. Paul started out to build a new Christian cult on “the blood of the everlasting covenant.” And while he may have unnecessarily encumbered Christianity with teachings about blood and sacrifice, he did once and for all make an end of the doctrines of redemption through human or animal sacrifices. His theologic compromises indicate that even revelation must submit to the graduated control of evolution. According to Paul, Christ became the last and all-sufficient human sacrifice; the divine Judge is now fully and forever satisfied.
I tako se, nakon dugih stoljeća, kult žrtve razvio u kult sakramenta. Tako su sakramenti suvremenih religija legitimni nasljednici onih šokantnih ranih obreda ljudske žrtve i još starijih kanibalističkih rituala. Mnogi i dalje ovise o krvi za spasenje, ali je ona barem postala figurativna, simbolična i mistična.
89:9.4 (984.3)
And so, after long ages the cult of the sacrifice has evolved into the cult of the sacrament. Thus are the sacraments of modern religions the legitimate successors of those shocking early ceremonies of human sacrifice and the still earlier cannibalistic rituals. Many still depend upon blood for salvation, but it has at least become figurative, symbolic, and mystic.
Prastari narodi jedino su prinošenjem žrtava mogli steći svijest o Božjoj naklonosti. Suvremeni čovjek mora razviti nove načine postizanja samosvijesti spasenja. Svijest o grijehu i dalje postoji u smrtnom umu, premda su ideje o iskupljenju postale zastarjele i otrcane. Stvarnost duhovne potrebe i dalje traje, unatoč tome što je intelektualni napredak uništio stare načine postizanja mira i utjehe uma i duše.
89:10.1 (984.4)
Ancient man only attained consciousness of favor with God through sacrifice. Modern man must develop new techniques of achieving the self-consciousness of salvation. The consciousness of sin persists in the mortal mind, but the thought patterns of salvation therefrom have become outworn and antiquated. The reality of the spiritual need persists, but intellectual progress has destroyed the olden ways of securing peace and consolation for mind and soul.
Mogućnost spoznaje osjećaja krivnje predstavlja transcendentalnu osobinu ljudskog roda. Ona ne označava čovjeka kao niskog, nego mu daje potencijal za veličinu i sve uzlazniju slavu. Takav osjećaj nedostojnosti početni je poticaj koji može voditi brzom i sigurnom postignuću onih pobjeda vjere koje uzdižu smrtnički um na uzvišene razine moralne plemenitosti, kozmičkog uvida i duhovnog življenja; tako se sva značenja ljudske egzistencije preobražavaju iz vremenskih u vječna, a sve se vrijednosti uzdižu s ljudskih na božanske.
89:10.4 (984.7)
The possibility of the recognition of the sense of guilt is a badge of transcendent distinction for mankind. It does not mark man as mean but rather sets him apart as a creature of potential greatness and ever-ascending glory. Such a sense of unworthiness is the initial stimulus that should lead quickly and surely to those faith conquests which translate the mortal mind to the superb levels of moral nobility, cosmic insight, and spiritual living; thus are all the meanings of human existence changed from the temporal to the eternal, and all values are elevated from the human to the divine.
Oprost grijeha od strane Božanstva nije ništa drugo nego obnova odnosa odanosti nakon prekida tog odnosa koji je nastao kao posljedica svjesne pobune. Čovjek ne mora tražiti oproštenje grijeha, nego ga treba primiti kao svijest o obnovljenoj uspostavi odnosa odanosti između stvorenog bića i Stvoritelja. I svi su Božji sinovi sretni, predani službi i sve napredniji na putu uspona prema Raju.
89:10.6 (985.1)
The forgiveness of sin by Deity is the renewal of loyalty relations following a period of the human consciousness of the lapse of such relations as the consequence of conscious rebellion. The forgiveness does not have to be sought, only received as the consciousness of re-establishment of loyalty relations between the creature and the Creator. And all the loyal sons of God are happy, service-loving, and ever-progressive in the Paradise ascent.