When ritual is overly relied upon, it may imbue an aura of sanctity not matched by deeds or wisdom. Ritual is no substitute for authentic piety, love of one’s neighbor, and personal realization of God. Nearly every religion has its own internal critique of ritualism.
Even when the founder of one religion is apparently criticizing the ritualism of another religion, the passage was originally a prophetic word to his own people.
Father Moon concurs in these critiques and adds two more: First, ritual can create a barrier between different denominations and faiths, which runs contrary to the will of God for religious unity.
In this time of coming together, the barriers of ritual should be transcended.
Second, acts of pious devotion to God and Jesus do not often grant the inner knowledge to know their hearts and wills.
For example, many Christians revere the cross as the sign of salvation, when for Jesus it was the accursed instrument of his death and the source of millennia of grief and frustration that he could not have lived to complete his mission to build God’s Kingdom on earth.
Chief among the religious rituals in ancient times was animal sacrifice, yet, with a few exceptions, animal sacrifice is rare in religion today. Religions have come to regard acts of devotion, study, and charity as the essence of the ancient ritual sacrifices that are required by scripture but no longer practiced.
Thus, the Talmud regards charity to one’s neighbor as the equivalent of sacrificing a lamb as a sin offering. In a similar vein, the Buddha criticizes animal sacrifice as creating evil karma by killing life and instead teaches a spiritual meaning of sacrifice as fulfilled in honoring parents, caring for family, and giving charity to monks.
Sun Myung Moon
Better than Ritual Is a Loving Heart and Righteous Deeds
With what shall I come before the Lord?
And bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil?
Shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has showed you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6.6-8
Even three times a day to offer Three hundred cooking pots of food Does not match a portion of the merit Acquired in one instant of love. Nagarjuna, Precious Garland 283 (Buddhism)
One sabbath [Jesus] was going through the grainfields; and as they made their way his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. And the Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the sabbath?” And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God, when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?” And he said to them, “The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath; so the Son of man is lord even of the sabbath.” Mark 2.23-28
Of old, one of the ancestral gods was roaming through the land of his descendant gods, and he came to Mount Fuji in the province of Suruga, just as it was becoming evening, so he went to the home of the gods of Mount Fuji and begged to be provided with a place to stay for the night. The god of Mount Fuji, however, replied, “Unfortunately, today is the day that the first fruits are being offered to the gods, and all of my family are under taboos of purification and abstinence. As a result, it would not be fitting for us to put up an unknown stranger. On this day of all days, please excuse me from being more courteous to you.” With this, the other deity was filled with resentment and said, “I am your ancestor! Even so, will you not put me up? For this I will make it snow both winter and summer on this very mountain in which you live, cover it with mist and cold the year long, so that no person may climb it to give you offerings!” And with these words, he ascended instead Mount Tsukuba in the province of Hitachi, and begged there for a place to stay the night. The god of Tsukuba replied, “Tonight we are keeping the abstinence of the first fruits, but we cannot refuse your request.” And so he respectfully provided the visiting deity with food and a place to stay. Thereupon, the ancestor deity was filled with joy, and said, “How dear, my child, you are to me, and how majestic your shrine. Here, may you prosper forever with the heavens and earth, with the sun and moon, and may people gather here forever to present you with food offerings, so that your generations continue in ease without end.” As a result, Mount Fuji became covered with snow year-round so that it could not be climbed. Mount Tsukuba, on the other hand, is a gathering place for many people, who enjoy themselves with singing and dancing to this day.59 Hitachi Fudoki (Shinto)
The Master said: A man who is not humane, what can he have to do with ritual? Analects 3.3 (Confucianism)
Not by sacred water is one pure, although many folk bathe in it. In whom is truth and dhamma, he is pure; he is a brahmin. Udana 6 (Buddhism)
The evildoers who pursue Devotion held sacred by thine initiate, because they have no part in the Good Mind, O Lord, from them she shrinks back, with Righteousness, as far as the wild beasts of prey shrink back from us! Avesta, Yasna 34.9 (Zoroastrianism)
People under delusion accumulate tainted merits but do not tread the Path. They are under the impression that to accumulate merits and to tread the Path are one and the same thing. Though their merits from alms-giving and offerings are infinite, they do not realize that the ultimate source of sin lies in the three poisons within their own mind.60 Sutra of Hui Neng 6 (Buddhism)
Undiscerning men, theologians preoccupied with scriptural lore, Who claim there is nothing else, utter words with ephemeral results. Their words promise better births through cultic acts, dwell at length on various rites, And aim at pleasure and power. These men are full of desire, zealous for heaven. They cling to pleasures and power and are fooled by their own discourses. They have no knowledge consisting in commitment, fixed in concentration.61 Bhagavad-Gita 2.42-44 (Hinduism)
Sun Myung Moon
Teachings of Sun Myung Moon
The living God wants to relate with us not merely in the context of scriptures and rituals, but rather by dwelling in the hearts of people who keep God’s will in their minds and live it in daily life. (135:222, November 16, 1985)
You may gaze adoringly at Jesus’ face and even touch it. You may walk with Jesus and live with Jesus, as you think he would want you to live. But unless your heart is connected with Jesus’ heart, it is of no use. You have to touch Jesus through the connection of the heart and live with Jesus through the heart. (10:200, October 2, 1960)
Many people worship Heaven, but few say they will take responsibility for Heaven’s sake. Many people know that the way of Heaven is good, but want to avoid the thorny path that lies along the way.
Father, you have toiled for our sake through countless ages, but humankind wants to avoid the path of toil, which must be traversed along the true way, the way of Heaven.
They even think to entrust the sorrow and suffering of humanity to Thee— Please pardon them. (16:15, December 26, 1965)
With the Changing of the Age, Old Rituals Are Replaced by Purer Forms of Devotion
Once, as Rabbi Yohanan ben Zakkai was coming forth from Jerusalem, Rabbi Joshua followed after him and beheld the Temple in ruins. “Woe unto us,” Rabbi Joshua cried, “that this, the place where the iniquities of Israel were atoned for, is laid waste!” “My son,” Rabbi Yohanan said to him, “be not grieved. We have another atonement as effective as this. And what is it? It is acts of loving-kindness, as it is said, ‘For I desire mercy and not sacrifice’ [Hosea 6.6].” Talmud, Abot de Rabbi Nathan 6 (Judaism)
Once, when the Exalted One dwelt near Savatthi in Anathapindika’s Park at Jeta Grove, a great sacrifice was being prepared for brahmin Uggatasarira: five hundred bulls, five hundred steers, and as many heifers, goats, and rams were brought to the post for sacrifice. Now brahmin Uggatasarira went and visited the Exalted One, greeted him, exchanged the usual polite talk and sat down at one side. He said, “I have heard that the laying of the fire and the setting up of the pillar are very fruitful, very advantageous… I am indeed anxious, Master Gotama, to lay the fire, to set up the pillar; let Master Gotama counsel and instruct me for my happiness and welfare for many a day.” “Brahmin, even before the sacrifice, a man who lays the fire, who sets up the pillar, sets up three swords, evil, ill in yield, ill in fruit. Even before the sacrifice, a man laying a fire, setting up a pillar, causes to rise such thoughts as, ‘Let there be slain for the sacrifice so many bulls, steers, heifers, goats, rams!’ Thinking to make merit, he makes demerit; thinking to do good, he does evil; thinking he seeks a way of happy going, he seeks a way of ill going. He sets up firstly this thought-sword, which is evil, ill in yield, ill in fruit. Again, brahmin, even before the sacrifice…he speaks such words as, ‘Let there be slain so many bulls, steers, heifers, goats, rams!’… He sets up secondly this word-sword… Moreover, brahmin, even before the sacrifice, he himself first sets foot on the business, saying, ‘Let them slay.’… He sets up thirdly this deed-sword… “Brahmin, these three fires, when esteemed, revered, venerated, respected, must bring best happiness. What three? The fires of the venerable, the householder, the gift-worthy. And what is the fire of the venerable? Consider the man who honors his father and mother—this is called the fire of the venerable… Consider, brahmin, the man who honors his sons, womenfolk, slaves, messengers, workmen—this is called the fire of the householder… Consider, brahmin, those recluses and godly men who abstain from pride and indolence, who bear things patiently and meekly, each taming self, each calming self, each cooling self—this is called the fire of the gift-worthy… These three fires, when esteemed, revered, venerated, respected, must bring the best happiness.”62 Anguttara Nikaya 4.41-45: The Great Sacrifice (Buddhism)
Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Add your burnt offerings to your sacrifices, and eat the flesh. For in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, I did not speak to your fathers or command them concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices. But this command I gave them, ‘Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people; and walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.’ But they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels and the stubbornness of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward.”63 Jeremiah 7.21-24
“And in every place offerings are burnt and presented unto My name” [Malachi 1.11]. “‘In every place!’ Is this possible?” Rabbi Samuel ben Nahmai said in the name of Rabbi Jonathan, “This refers to the scholars who devote themselves to the study of the Torah in whatever place they are: [God says], ‘I account it to them as though they burned and presented offerings to My name.’…” “Bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, who stand in the house of the Lord in the night seasons” [Psalm 134.1]. “What is the meaning of ‘in the night seasons’?” Rabbi Johanan said, “This refers to the scholars who devote themselves to the study of the Torah at nights: Holy Writ accounts it to them as though they were occupied with the Temple service.”64 Talmud, Menahot 110a (Judaism)
But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the Holy Place, taking not the blood of goats and calves but his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the sprinkling of defiled persons with the blood of goats and bulls and with the ashes of a heifer sanctifies for the purification of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify your conscience from dead works to serve the living God… And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, then to wait until his enemies should be made a stool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,” then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their misdeeds no more.” Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin. Hebrews 9.11-14, 10.11-18
There are five great sacrifices, namely, the great ritual services: the sacrifice to all beings, sacrifice to men, sacrifice to the ancestors, sacrifice to the gods, sacrifice to Brahman. Day by day a man offers sustenance to creatures; that is the sacrifice to beings. Day by day a man gives hospitality to guests, including a glass of water; that is the sacrifice to men. Day by day a man makes funerary offerings, including a glass of water; that is the sacrifice to the ancestors. Day by day a man makes offerings to the gods, including wood for burning; that is the sacrifice to the gods. And the sacrifice to Brahman? The sacrifice to Brahman consists of sacred study.65 Satapatha Brahmana 11.5.6.1-3 (Hinduism)
Teachings of Sun Myung Moon
If people commit sin, they must cleanse themselves of sin with a degree of intensity equal to the sin. To wash off the stains of sin, people must put in their personal effort and offer of their possessions.
In particular, people need to make an offering in order to pay indemnity. People of every age have made such offerings, even though they did not clearly understand their function as objects by which to make indemnity conditions. Based on their level of understanding, primitive people sacrificed animals and even human beings as offerings. That was why they did these horrible things.
All the earth’s creatures should be embraced in God’s love and live harmoniously together with God, yet because of the Fall they had to shed blood. They had to shed blood! Because false love, false life, and false lineage came into this world, the things of creation had to shed blood. (374:21, April 4, 2002)
In prayer, we offer our mind and body before God. Rather than offering material things [animals] before God, we offer our time of devotion, dedicating our mind and my body completely, in prayer. (28:25, January 1, 1970)
Symbolic offerings, [animal sacrifices] were objects for the condition made necessary as substitutes for the Word, because after the first human ancestors lost God’s Word at the Fall, people were unable to receive God’s Word directly.
Hence, during the Age of the Providence to Lay the Foundation for Restoration (the age from Adam to Abraham), sacrifices had been offered as objects for the condition in laying the foundation of faith.
However, by Moses’ time, that age had come to a close. Humanity had entered a new era, the Age of the Providence of Restoration (Old Testament Age), when they could once again receive God’s Word directly.
Thus, there was no longer any need for a symbolic offering in laying the foundation of faith. (Exposition of the Divine Principle, Moses and Jesus 2.1.1.2)
[In this age], it is a problem that Christianity has so many denominations. It is time for Christians to start a movement to burn their denominational identities, take down their denominational signboards, and remove all their crosses. (399:100-01, December 21, 2002)
Sun Myung Moon