The Early Church and Infant Sacrifice

[michaelsherlock]

Whilst doing research for my book series, ‘I Am Christ,’ I came across this rather curious admission within the works of the 3rd century Church Father, Tertullian.

In his ‘Ad Nationes’ (‘Address to the Nations’), in which he attempted to answer some of the criticisms laid against the Christian religion, by the non-Christians of his day, Tertullian said:

Since we are on a par in respect of the gods, it follows that there is no difference between us on the point of sacrifice, or even of worship, if I may be allowed to make good our comparison from another sort of evidence. We begin our religious service, or initiate our mysteries, with slaying an infant. As for you, since your own transactions in human blood and infanticide have faded from your memory, you shall be duly reminded of them in the proper place…. Meanwhile, as I have said, the comparison between us does not fail in another point of view….Yet there is no great difference between us, only you do not kill your infants in the way of a sacred rite, nor (as a service) to God.

What this church father seems to be admitting is that the early church, in like manner to other surrounding religious traditions, killed babies at the beginning of their services. If in fact this be the case, in Tertullian’s defence, they were killing babies for Jesus’ sake and no matter how savage and barbaric their custom, their motivations were pure! Upon this rationale however, most serial killers in prison today would be exonerated and released by the likes of these bloodthirsty Christians, so long as the killer heard the voice of their god telling him to kill. But, to be fair, it must be conceded that no longer do Christians brutally sacrifice children to their god (exceptions do apply), instead they merely rape them repeatedly!

1. Philip Schaff. Ante-Nicene Fathers. Vol. 3. Latin Christianity; Its founder, Tertullian. Christian Classics Ethereal Library. (1885). Pg. 192

[Godscreated]

Whilst doing research for my book series, ‘I Am Christ,’ I came across this rather curious admission within the works of the 3rd century Church Father, Tertullian.

In his ‘Ad Nationes’ (‘Address to the Nations’), in which he attempted to answer some of the criticisms laid against the Christian religion, by the non-Christians of his day, Tertullian said:

Since we are on a par in respect of the gods, it follows that there is no difference between us on the point of sacrifice, or even of worship, if I may be allowed to make good our comparison from another sort of evidence. We begin our religious service, or initiate our mysteries, with slaying an infant. As for you, since your own transactions in human blood and infanticide have faded from your memory, you shall be duly reminded of them in the proper place…. Meanwhile, as I have said, the comparison between us does not fail in another point of view….Yet there is no great difference between us, only you do not kill your infants in the way of a sacred rite, nor (as a service) to God.

What this church father seems to be admitting is that the early church, in like manner to other surrounding religious traditions, killed babies at the beginning of their services. If in fact this be the case, in Tertullian’s defence, they were killing babies for Jesus’ sake and no matter how savage and barbaric their custom, their motivations were pure! Upon this rationale however, most serial killers in prison today would be exonerated and released by the likes of these bloodthirsty Christians, so long as the killer heard the voice of their god telling him to kill. But, to be fair, it must be conceded that no longer do Christians brutally sacrifice children to their god (exceptions do apply), instead they merely rape them repeatedly!

1. Philip Schaff. Ante-Nicene Fathers. Vol. 3. Latin Christianity; Its founder, Tertullian. Christian Classics Ethereal Library. (1885). Pg. 192

I do not know of child sacrifice by the church at anytime in it's history, though some little known sect could have, and it would have been a sect influenced by another religion, there is no Biblical support for this.

[Forsaken]

I do not know of child sacrifice by the church at anytime in it's history, though some little known sect could have, and it would have been a sect influenced by another religion, there is no Biblical support for this.

The whole Christian religion was influenced by another religion. Get real mate.

[dtango]

What this church father seems to be admitting is that the early church, in like manner to other surrounding religious traditions, killed babies at the beginning of their services. If in fact this be the case,…
[…]
1. Philip Schaff. Ante-Nicene Fathers. Vol. 3. Latin Christianity; Its founder, Tertullian. Christian Classics Ethereal Library. (1885). Pg. 192

Infanticide was a common practice in the archaic, ancient and modern world. Most probably first-borns are still killed in some remote corner of the planet.
The ancient Greeks did, the Israelites did it, so why not the Christians too.

The point is: do you know how this inhuman custom begun?

P.S. Can you furnish some address where the passage you are citing can be found on line?
What is the language of the original?

[michaelsherlock]

What this church father seems to be admitting is that the early church, in like manner to other surrounding religious traditions, killed babies at the beginning of their services. If in fact this be the case,…
[…]
1. Philip Schaff. Ante-Nicene Fathers. Vol. 3. Latin Christianity; Its founder, Tertullian. Christian Classics Ethereal Library. (1885). Pg. 192

Infanticide was a common practice in the archaic, ancient and modern world. Most probably first-borns are still killed in some remote corner of the planet.
The ancient Greeks did, the Israelites did it, so why not the Christians too.

The point is: do you know how this inhuman custom begun?

P.S. Can you furnish some address where the passage you are citing can be found on line?
What is the language of the original?

It is not online, I have the collection of ante-Nicene and Post Nicene Fathers by Philip Schaff, but the original language, I am pretty sure, was Latin, as Tertullian was the founder of the Latin Church.

---

I do not know of child sacrifice by the church at anytime in it's history, though some little known sect could have, and it would have been a sect influenced by another religion, there is no Biblical support for this.

In the beginning stages of my research, I too thought that such accusations laid against early Christians were more than likely propaganda from Pagan roman officials seeking to outlaw a religion which they did not profit from. However, after looking into it abit, I have found some evidence to support some of the accusations made against early Christians.

Further, what we want to be true (via belief and confirmed expectancy) and what actually is true are usually two seperate matters. Tertullian was not some fringe Christian, he was the founder of the Latin Church, a Pauline, Proto-Orthodox Church Father, from whom you and every other Christian today, derive thier doctrines of faith. He was the mainstream.

Moreover, infant sacrifice was not the only evil this Church has done, as I am sure you are well aware. Both Catholics and Protestants have a very dark history, one which has seen more blood shed and persecution, vice and immorality than almost any other religion on earth. Stick around and I will continue to share some of this dark history with you, from the first few centuries to the 21st century, and all I report is not some half cocked nonsense or conspiracy theory, but facts taken from credible sources, sources which are often linked directly to the perpetrators themselves.

[dtango]

It is not online, I have the collection of ante-Nicene and Post Nicene Fathers by Philip Schaff, but the original language, I am pretty sure, was Latin, as Tertullian was the founder of the Latin Church.

Thanks!
If you are going to use such passages in your book I suggest that you also provide the original. Sometimes credible sources cease being credible in the translations. I’ve done my own research, which is based mostly on Egyptian texts, and I know very well what translations can do to a text.

We begin our religious service, or initiate our mysteries, with slaying an infant.

Are the words “slaying” and “infant” used literally?

As for you, since your own transactions in human blood and infanticide have faded from your memory, you shall be duly reminded of them in the proper place…

From the above we are to understand that pagans had stopped the custom of infanticide a long time ago and that the Christians started it anew.

I am not convinced. You need at least one more passage dealing with the same subject. One occurrence is not enough.

[Phil]

I am not convinced either. Truth be told, this being true wouldn't surprise me one bit but I really would like to see the entire chapter this passage appears in. Remember, a text taken out of context is nothing but a pretext.

[michaelsherlock]

It is not online, I have the collection of ante-Nicene and Post Nicene Fathers by Philip Schaff, but the original language, I am pretty sure, was Latin, as Tertullian was the founder of the Latin Church.

Thanks!
If you are going to use such passages in your book I suggest that you also provide the original. Sometimes credible sources cease being credible in the translations. I’ve done my own research, which is based mostly on Egyptian texts, and I know very well what translations can do to a text.

We begin our religious service, or initiate our mysteries, with slaying an infant.

Are the words “slaying” and “infant” used literally?

As for you, since your own transactions in human blood and infanticide have faded from your memory, you shall be duly reminded of them in the proper place…

From the above we are to understand that pagans had stopped the custom of infanticide a long time ago and that the Christians started it anew.

I am not convinced. You need at least one more passage dealing with the same subject. One occurrence is not enough.

I know you Tdango, we have spoken on another forum. Yes, I realize that translations can be obscure, but this is one I am researching at present.

[Minimalist]

Here is the online translation of Ad Nationes. Tertullian is such an obnoxious little fuckwad that I can't be bothered reading him but anyone else who wants to can go ahead.

http://earlychristianwritings.com/text/t...ian06.html