On 14 November 2020 India Today reported that Suman Negasia sacrificed his six-year-old daughter on advice of a black magician to get a male child. King of Israel Ahaz also did a wretched thing. “He even burned his son as an offering, according to the despicable practices of the nations whom the Lord drove out before the people of Israel.” (II Kings 16:3,4)
1) Appeasing God? Many have a wrong notion that ‘appeasing god’ is essential to escape wrath or judgement of god. Sacrifices appease god, and child sacrifice is considered special in many religions.
2) Abomination: Bible clearly states that child-sacrifice is abomination, that God hates. (Jeremiah 32:25)
3) Abusive Self-love: Only people who have such self-love that they could abuse others to please themselves. Selfish motives overwhelm the natural love for children.
4) Arrogance: Like Ahaz, arrogant people, who are covetous for power or wealth or long-life are willing to sacrifice even their children. Sadly, it happens even today.
5) Absolute authority over child? People like Ahaz have a flawed understanding that parents (father or mother) have absolute authority over children and they can do whatever they like with them.
Sadly, today child sacrifice happens in different forms. Many unborn children are killed in the wombs. Painful truth is wombs becomes tombs. First, they appease their own lusts of flesh or desire for wealth. Second, this is abomination in the eyes of God. Third, self-love leads parents to take such sadist decisions. Some women do it because of their sinful relationships which they wish to hide or to preserve their beauty. Four, arrogant people think that they have power to decide about death or life of others including unborn babies. Five, ‘freedom of woman’ or ‘freedom of parents’ is valued more than the life of a child. Their right to live is denied.
Do I see all life as sacred created in the image of God?