1) I think I answered that question. Since there was already a strong culture of animal sacrifice, the message might have been to maintain the tradition in a way that benefits the poorest layers of society.
2) I don’t know about paganism that well. But I know that the issue of “energy” is very important in these traditions. Not only as animal blood. In India and ancient Egypt they had rituals that would in some cases take weeks to perform. There was always this thought of “bribing the Gods” that was entirely abolished in monotheistic religions. In fact, it wasn’t so in early Paganism either. But this is the subject of another discussion.
3) I’m not sure I understood your point on this. The “magic book” is to be seen as a “user’s manual”. Sometimes strict obedience is needed, but in most cases you have the duty “to ask yourself and God” about the reason of the guideline (whichever guideline might that be). So all of these issues are (and should be) the subject of a constant debate.
As an explainer: I know that there are some benefits in the consumption of pork meat. But in middle age Europe sheep and cattle were the preferred meat of aristocrats while pig was the preferred protein source for the peasants. Anyhow, I am reducing my consumption of meat altogether because most doctors agree on the fact that a plant-based diet with a limited amount of animal protein is the ideal way of nutrition.
2) I don’t know about paganism that well. But I know that the issue of “energy” is very important in these traditions. Not only as animal blood. In India and ancient Egypt they had rituals that would in some cases take weeks to perform. There was always this thought of “bribing the Gods” that was entirely abolished in monotheistic religions. In fact, it wasn’t so in early Paganism either. But this is the subject of another discussion.
3) I’m not sure I understood your point on this. The “magic book” is to be seen as a “user’s manual”. Sometimes strict obedience is needed, but in most cases you have the duty “to ask yourself and God” about the reason of the guideline (whichever guideline might that be). So all of these issues are (and should be) the subject of a constant debate.
As an explainer: I know that there are some benefits in the consumption of pork meat. But in middle age Europe sheep and cattle were the preferred meat of aristocrats while pig was the preferred protein source for the peasants. Anyhow, I am reducing my consumption of meat altogether because most doctors agree on the fact that a plant-based diet with a limited amount of animal protein is the ideal way of nutrition.
