Abraham

The Book of Abraham, and many mentions and stories of his character are found throughout much Judeo-Christian religious books. Such as the Qu’ran of Islam, and Muslim traditional religion, the Bible, and its various apocryphal texts, mostly in the old testament, as well as the Pearl of Great Price, of the Latter Day Saints, or Mormons. The story of Abraham and Isaac is one of the most poignant tales of the Old Testament, and was also referenced, quite disturbingly, in the novel by Thomas Harrison, Hannibal Rising. More on that in just a moment; Abraham was known as an ancient of the Hebrew race, and was around 175 years old when he died, at least according to religious texts.

He was blessed by God to have “innumerable progeny”, and Judaism, Christianity and Islam are referred to generally as Abrahamic religions, because Abraham is referred to as the “Father”, because of his many children. The story of Abraham and Isaac is portrayed in a famous painting by Rembrandt, formally known as Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn. In the story, God commands Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac. Abraham and Isaac travel up to God’s altar, while Isaac carries on his back, the wood on which he is to be burned. Isaac asked Abraham where the animal to be sacrificed was, and Abraham said that God would provide one.

Just as Abraham was about to cut his son’s throat, an angel stopped him, and gave Abraham a fat ram, which Abraham sacrificed in the place of his son. From there comes the line, “On the mountain the Lord provides”. Thomas Harrison’s character Hannibal Lecter, as a young man viewed the Rembrandt scene of Abraham nearly cutting his son’s throat, and speculated as to whether or not Abraham would have eaten his son’s flesh, if the angel hadn’t stopped him. This particular story can be looked on metaphorically, but taking it at face value, it is nothing short of hypocrisy to call any other religion which practices human sacrifice, barbaric.