Cannibalism

[Unexplained]

The beginnings of cannibalism is shrouded in the mists of time and more than likely we will never find out it's origins nor understand why some species, including humans, eat their own kind
Source

How much do you think cannibalism has played a role in history?

 

[Kevin Daly]

Played a role in what way?

It was certainly common in my country until after the 1860s, for reasons of religion, to humilate enemies and also simply as a food source (until European colonisation humans were the only large land mammal here other than the dogs that came with them...the dogs got eaten too, and were even bred to be more stupid than usual dogs for that very purpose).

Some cultures have also eaten their own dead as a sign of respect and for religious reasons (the Greeks accused the ancient Irish of this, although it may have been an exaggeration of the historically attested practice of drinking the blood of slain loved ones).

Whatever, you can count on the fact that we all have cannibalism in our past: recent studies showed that all human populations carry a mutation that is thought to have arisen in response to prion diseases contracted by eating human brains.
Perhaps that's the real mark of Cain...especially if the following means what it was assumed to mean:
There was a recent case of a Neanderthal jawbone found in a Homo sapiens site which showed signs of deliberate de-fleshing, as in butchery (although they might have done the same thing with heads taken as trophies).

But in any case remember, boys and girls: Soylent Green Is People!

 

[skunkape]

I can think of a few people who would look good roasting on a spit.
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[threed]

The ceremony of the bread and the wine is, essentially, cannibalism. And it seems to be motivated by the same kind of reasoning. By eating the fallen "god" (in this case) you take on his attributes (namely, eternal life).

 

[Kevin Daly]

The ceremony of the bread and the wine is, essentially, cannibalism. And it seems to be motivated by the same kind of reasoning. By eating the fallen "god" (in this case) you take on his attributes (namely, eternal life).

Treading gingerly (as someone who believes in the literal truth of transubstantiation) I'd say that cannibalism for purposes other than food (and we should not underrate the importance of cannibalism for food) can be broadly put into 2 categories: hostile and friendly.
Hostlile cannibalism is motivated by a desire to humiliate, to consume (in both a literal and figurative sense), to "grab all the marbles" if you will.
"Friendly" cannibalism has a lot to do with a desire to share in the essence of another - in this sense I'll concede that the Christian Eucharist shares a similar motivation - I just happen to believe it's for real (except it is not an act of mourning). This will naturally sound absurd, but it is not in the nature of things for the religious beliefs of others to make sense

This also provides some useful historical perspective: On the basis of garbled rumours the Roman public believed that Christians sacrificed babies and drank their blood, which is why they were so enthusiastic about the persecution of a minority they regarded as depraved and evil. It also gave them something to watch on their day off.

 

[tyder001]

I never think of it as cannabilism. My perspective: As a liberal Christian I take Commuinion as a very personal symbolic action. I am literally taking the reality of the blood (wine,juice) as I hold it and pray and meditate on the reality that my blood will and can at anytime be required on this earth. It (to me)symbolises my death just as all have died and also the death of Christ. I take the bread as the body of Christ. Not that I think I'm eating someone literally. But that in partaking of the bread and holding it and meditating on it I am again ready to die to my own desire to live on this planet. Ready to partake of my own mortality and watch the death of my own body and yet have the hope that although my body dies that I will again inhabit my spritual body in the presence of God and Christ. Now that is as close as I can get and like someone else said: A persons personal religous/spiritual belifes don't always make sense to others. But to me and my journey it's a very important and precious part of who I am.

 

[skunkape]

Here's a little cannibalism themed 70's rock for those in the mood.

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[CapnG]