Honoring of pagan sacrifices?

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StephenBales

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Perhaps this is in the right section…?

So I have a purely hypothetical question. Hypothetical because I don’t think any answer would even apply today:

Would God have honored the intention of pagan sacrifices in pagan societies before the time of Christ?
Say there was a tribe or even whole society of virtuous pagans, who knew not God but knew of a god or gods. Like the Greeks St. Paul talked with, who had a shrine to the “unknown god,” whom Paul then elaborated on. Even without knowing the whole monotheistic truth, would sacrifices from pagan ministers with the intent of reparation/atonement/redemption for sin be honored by God? The intent is there, the sorrow for sin, they just don’t have the proper doctrines. And yes, I know, there is an organic connection between proper doctrine and proper religion and faith, but all things being equal.
Thoughts?
 
No, there are many references in the Old Testament about avoiding any sort of pagan sacrifice.
 
Well, for Jews, anyway, that’s correct. What I was asking is whether pagans’ sacrifices would be honored. Not whether pagan sacrifice was as good or better as Jewish temple sacrifice, but whether God would honor the intent and bestow grace and forgiveness because of it
 
I feel inclined to say no. In the simplest possible terms I’d say the sacrifice wasn’t offered to God, so why would He take it.
 
The Old Testament is the Christian Testament too. God says NO do not honour pagan sacrifice, in fact, reject it absolutely.
 
The Catholic Church rejects nothing that is true and holy in these religions. She regards with sincere reverence those ways of conduct and of life, those precepts and teachings which, though differing in many aspects from the ones she holds and sets forth, nonetheless often reflect a ray of that Truth which enlightens all men. Indeed, she proclaims, and ever must proclaim Christ “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6), in whom men may find the fullness of religious life, in whom God has reconciled all things to Himself.

The Church, therefore, exhorts her sons, that through dialogue and collaboration with the followers of other religions, carried out with prudence and love and in witness to the Christian faith and life, they recognize, preserve and promote the good things, spiritual and moral, as well as the socio-cultural values found among these men.
Nostra Aetate, V2’s Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions
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There might have been some pagan rituals that were not typical. But the essence of paganism is to perform some formulary act which COMPELS the god or goddess to do one’s will. It is a manipulation of the divine and profoundly wrong for that reason. Witchcraft is the same way, which is why paganism and witchcraft are closely associated.

In both Christianity and Judaism there is supplication of God, but nothing purporting to compel Him to do anything. In both, there is a strong directive to do God’s will, not to compel Him to do one’s own.
 
StephenBales said:
Thoughts?
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I believe God is most interested in intent, especially in a society which predates the life of Jesus and which may well have been isolated from others. They are not responsible for what they believe if no revelation has been offered. I have no doubt that within many pagan societies there lived very loving families who lived with compassion and mercy as best they could. God honors all who seek him, even when they don’t know who he is.
 
Ridgerunner said:
There might have been some pagan rituals that were not typical. But the essence of paganism is to perform some formulary act which COMPELS the god or goddess to do one’s will. It is a manipulation of the divine and profoundly wrong for that reason. Witchcraft is the same way, which is why paganism and witchcraft are closely associated.
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I mostly agree. I don’t know that I agree that this kind of “forcing” of the Divine is the “essence” of paganism, but it appears to be a big feature of many pagan religions. It is also often what people mean by “magic”. Unfortunately, Christians are not immune to this same kind of magical thinking and we should avoid the tendency to think of our own rituals as “forcing” God to do one thing or another.
 
TMC said:
Unfortunately, Christians are not immune to this same kind of magical thinking and we should avoid the tendency to think of our own rituals as “forcing” God to do one thing or another.
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Some of the evangelical sects succumb to this particular aspect of paganism now and then.
 
Not sure this is the essence of paganism. From the Hindu perspective, insofar as people think of it as “pagan,” this would not be a typical belief. No one can “compel” God to do anything.
 
Indeed, the Prophets spoke against this very tendency often. The hypocrites were treating YHWH like the pagan deities around them, whether or not they personally engaged in idolatry. The message was that sacrifices without charity and repentance mean nothing; God is not pleased by shedding of blood for its own sake, nor can sacrificing animals compel Him to pardon sin. Though animal sacrifices have passed away, this message is not lessened, but rather strengthened. Under the New Law, whoever treats God this way not only takes His Name in vain, but shows contempt for the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ. Woe to those who confess insincerely! Woe to those who take Communion based on sham Confessions!
 
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