avevale_intelligencer (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
avevale_intelligencer) wrote2014-02-28 03:47 pm
avevale_intelligencer) wrote2014-02-28 03:47 pm
Human sacrifice
I had Dracul von Ryan touch on this subject towards the end of Oonaverse, and I think I agree with most of what he said. I'm thinking specifically of the point that you can't just sacrifice any old body and expect it to matter. The sacrifice has to be precious, has to be important to you. And the perfect sacrifice, of course, perhaps the only meaningful sacrifice, is yourself.
Of course, nobody in this country flings themselves into volcanoes or ceremoniously eviscerates themselves on altars these days. We have other ways of propitiating those with whom we deal in the manner of gods; other ways of offering up part or all of our lives in the service of something greater than ourselves. Whether the entities that receive our sacrifices are those we would actually choose to worship...is another matter.
I'm watching the Jeremy Brett Sherlock Holmes series at the moment. I've just got as far as The Sign Of Four. I don't think there's any doubt that he gave his life to that character, as Milligan gave his sanity to the Goon Show, as William Hartnell poured all that was good in the essence of himself into Doctor Who. It may not have been showy, ritualised, obviously heroic or magical...but that it was an act of sacrifice, on some level, is, I think, undeniable.
And maybe there are worse gods, gods that are honoured in no church and named in no holy text, still accepting sacrifice as we speak.
Of course, nobody in this country flings themselves into volcanoes or ceremoniously eviscerates themselves on altars these days. We have other ways of propitiating those with whom we deal in the manner of gods; other ways of offering up part or all of our lives in the service of something greater than ourselves. Whether the entities that receive our sacrifices are those we would actually choose to worship...is another matter.
I'm watching the Jeremy Brett Sherlock Holmes series at the moment. I've just got as far as The Sign Of Four. I don't think there's any doubt that he gave his life to that character, as Milligan gave his sanity to the Goon Show, as William Hartnell poured all that was good in the essence of himself into Doctor Who. It may not have been showy, ritualised, obviously heroic or magical...but that it was an act of sacrifice, on some level, is, I think, undeniable.
And maybe there are worse gods, gods that are honoured in no church and named in no holy text, still accepting sacrifice as we speak.
no subject
And yes, he definitely gave himself to the role. He became kind of possessed. And maybe it was a sacrifice, but to whom or what?
no subject
And by worse gods, I mean gods of commerce and industry, gods of politics and economics, that chew up people's lives on a daily basis. Given the choice between the two, I would certainly rather honour Holmes than Homebase, Athos than Asda.