Sacrifice: Dining with the Divine

Abstract

The title of my research paper is Humanity: Coping with Divinity. By studying several documents from Ancient Near East civilizations, including; The Epic Of Gilgamesh, The Hebrew Bible, The Odyssey, Egyptians and Babylonian documents, it appears that humanity has been using this idea of a Divine Power as a means of coping. This coping mechanism appeals to a handful of basic human needs; food, leisure, sex, answers, protection, and guidance. Holding large worship banquets by practice of sacrifice and festivals, humanity can live vicariously with the Divine. Feasting can bring people together and help to distract them from their daily life giving momentary bliss or alleviation from upset. Along with keeping religious tradition as a daily practice, it strengthens the mental fortitude, pushes for moral excellence, and gives humanity guidance through life’s obstacles. If the need to worship and practice good health is of no concern anymore for humanity, they will be sure to experience major stages of grief and at some drastic points the supreme wrath of the Divine. These fears make sure each person stays righteous to practices and continues to pass on healthy traditions. By embracing religious experiences and interacting with the divine, humanity has found a way to reach a state of mental euphoria. Rituals and practice help place the mind in a chamber of well-being, removing us from doubt, while being protected by the faith in a Divine hierarchy.