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The Killing Of A Sacred Son And Daughter?
God, Abraham, Agamemnon, Sons & Daughters
“The only good human being is a dead one.”
― George Orwell, Animal Farm
“All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others.”
― George Orwell, Animal Farm
Humanity is not equal.
“But you simplify the narrative of the divine demand for sacrifice. Abraham will kill his son on God’s command and is just about to execute the order (as shown in one or two of the greatest visceral masterpieces in art) when divine intervention intercedes and a substitute is allowed by God. But what is this ‘mercy’? An arbitrary inhuman command is followed by the slaughter of the innocent animal. As an atheist, I find it profoundly disturbing that Abraham is rewarded for almost doing the same to his son as had been done to Jesus the other Son. It is arbitrary Authority flexing its power.”
— Marc Barham
But I have never been satisfied with just this rather mild response from myself. I knew I would have to return to the discussion that had so profoundly fermented in me since my article on Agamemnon’s compliance to a divine command and his slaughter of Iphigenia, his only daughter. I have two daughters and a son and the slaughter of sons and…
