I have rewritten my page on animal sacrifice and Satanism (originally 2001). The new introduction to "Animal Sacrifice and Blood Rituals in Traditional World Religions and Satanism" by Vexen Crabtree (2008) reads:

World religions such as Christianity, Islam and Judaism all embody a traditional and sometimes bizarre set of animal sacrifice rituals in their holy texts. These practices, despite being borderline barbaric, not in keeping with animal welfare, and downright strange; are still in use today by religious leaders all over the world, in all countries including the most modern. Although it might seem reasonable in the West to allow butchers to sell halal food, for example, at the core of this familiar label is weird ritualistic behaviour that belongs in the ignorant dark ages, not in today's age. The ideals of pluralism have blinded us to the stark reality that some religious practices are simply unacceptable. Animal rights campaigners have joined forces with moral activists to try and curb religious ritual slaughter of animals. The general public associate blood rituals involving animals with Satanism, not realizing that they were all invented and are still practiced by mainstream religions - and that Satanism does not involve animal sacrifice. We will compare scriptures below and look at some of the gory and shocking rituals that God directly asks people to do in the Jewish Scriptures / Old Testament. As modern governments continue to legislate against cruelty to animals, we will find that it is the world's mainstream religions' adherents who retreat to shady basements and hidden locations to perform secret rituals to kill animals, not Satanists or modern Pagans.

1. Animal Sacrifice in World Religions (Judaism, Christianity, Mithraism, Paganism and Animism)
2. Halal Ritual Slaughter Controversies
3. Satanism
4. Appendix A: Animal Sacrifice in the Jewish Scriptures & Christian Old Testament

Current Mood: bored
Listening To: "Abyss" by Project Pitchfork