Child Sacrifice with Religious Reasons
12th International Academic Conference in Humanities and Social Sciences (IACHSS), Madrid, İspanya, 24 - 26 Nisan 2026, cilt.3, sa.1, ss.1-15, (Tam Metin Bildiri)
- Yayın Türü: Bildiri / Tam Metin Bildiri
- Cilt numarası: 3
- Basıldığı Şehir: Madrid
- Basıldığı Ülke: İspanya
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.1-15
- Akdeniz Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Child sacrifice has been documented in a limited number of ancient societies and is generally understood by scholars as a practice rooted in early religious belief systems that sought to appease deities or influence natural and social events. Anthropological and historical research suggests that such practices were often connected to beliefs about divine control over fertility, agriculture, warfare, or communal survival. In these contexts, the act was interpreted as a religious obligation rather than an act of cruelty, although this reflects historical belief systems rather than modern ethical standards. Importantly, most religious traditions that existed in societies where child sacrifice occurred later developed explicit prohibitions against it. Ancient religious texts and theological reforms increasingly emphasized the sanctity of human life and condemned human sacrifice, particularly the killing of children. This shift represents a critical moment in the moral and religious evolution of societies. In the modern world, child sacrifice is universally condemned and recognized as a severe violation of human rights. Contemporary religious institutions reject such practices entirely, and acts claimed to be religiously motivated are understood by scholars and legal systems as criminal abuse rather than legitimate religious expression.Keywords: Child Sacrifice, Violence, Ritual, Myth, Symbol 1.Introduction Whether or not child sacrifice rituals are practiced in primitive and traditional societies is a significant issue. Although this question remains historically significant, it captures only one dimension of the phenomenon. Equally important is the observation that accusations of child sacrifice frequently circulated in contexts where evidence was weak, polemically framed, exaggerated, symbolic, or entirely fabricated (Quinn, 2018; Stavrakopoulou, 2004). In these contexts, the discourse surrounding child sacrifice functioned less as empirical description than as a strategy of religious and political propaganda, often mobilized to depict opponents as barbaric, impure, or morally corrupt (Said, 1979). This article argues that accusations of child sacrifice constitute a recurring rhetorical strategy through which communities construct enemies as morally monstrous and therefore subject to exclusion, domination, conversion, or even eradication. By examining selected historical cases this study shifts analytical attention from the question of sacrificial practice to the politics of sacrificial discourse (Cohen, 2011; Smith, 1982). The child sacrifice carries exceptional
Child sacrifice has been documented in a limited number of ancient societies and is generally understood by scholars as a practice rooted in early religious belief systems that sought to appease deities or influence natural and social events. Anthropological and historical research suggests that such practices were often connected to beliefs about divine control over fertility, agriculture, warfare, or communal survival. In these contexts, the act was interpreted as a religious obligation rather than an act of cruelty, although this reflects historical belief systems rather than modern ethical standards. Importantly, most religious traditions that existed in societies where child sacrifice occurred later developed explicit prohibitions against it. Ancient religious texts and theological reforms increasingly emphasized the sanctity of human life and condemned human sacrifice, particularly the killing of children. This shift represents a critical moment in the moral and religious evolution of societies. In the modern world, child sacrifice is universally condemned and recognized as a severe violation of human rights. Contemporary religious institutions reject such practices entirely, and acts claimed to be religiously motivated are understood by scholars and legal systems as criminal abuse rather than legitimate religious expression.Keywords: Child Sacrifice, Violence, Ritual, Myth, Symbol 1.Introduction Whether or not child sacrifice rituals are practiced in primitive and traditional societies is a significant issue. Although this question remains historically significant, it captures only one dimension of the phenomenon. Equally important is the observation that accusations of child sacrifice frequently circulated in contexts where evidence was weak, polemically framed, exaggerated, symbolic, or entirely fabricated (Quinn, 2018; Stavrakopoulou, 2004). In these contexts, the discourse surrounding child sacrifice functioned less as empirical description than as a strategy of religious and political propaganda, often mobilized to depict opponents as barbaric, impure, or morally corrupt (Said, 1979). This article argues that accusations of child sacrifice constitute a recurring rhetorical strategy through which communities construct enemies as morally monstrous and therefore subject to exclusion, domination, conversion, or even eradication. By examining selected historical cases this study shifts analytical attention from the question of sacrificial practice to the politics of sacrificial discourse (Cohen, 2011; Smith, 1982). The child sacrifice carries exceptional