Sacrifices

By Brave Author Ruth WuWong

I recently traveled to Bali, Indonesia, and found out that most of the people there believe in Hinduism, not Islam. Indian temples can be found in abundance, exhibiting a variety of sizes, ages, and architectural styles.

When visiting a famous temple in Uluwatu, I noticed many faithful men and women came to offer sacrifices at the small altar next to the entrance. They always carried a stick with them. I didn’t know why at first. But after observing for a while, I realized it was used to drive away monkeys. The vicinity of the temple was brimming with mischievous monkeys, causing a considerable nuisance. Our tour guide kept reminding us to be careful with our eyeglasses and mobile phones, as monkeys in the area have a knack for stealing them. In just half a day, I witnessed two unfortunate incidents where tourists had their eyeglasses snatched away right from their faces.

Let’s come back to the matter of sacrifice.

While the believers remained at the altar, the presence of a stick in their hand acted as a deterrent, keeping the mischievous monkeys at bay. Yet, five minutes after the ceremony concluded and the sacrificial offerings were left unattended, a swarm of monkeys rushed in. They rummaged through the carefully arranged sacrifices, savoring their preferred delicacies such as bananas, etc. After enjoying a lavish feast, they walked away. This spectacle was repeated three times within the brief span of my half-hour break there.

Another person sitting next to me seemed equally captivated by the intriguing scene. We forged a connection through our shared curiosity and engaged in a lively conversation. In the end, we concluded that religious sentiment is exclusive to humans, and monkeys don’t possess any semblance of such emotions.

Many articles on the Internet discuss the essential differences between humans and animals. They often mention the following points: humans, but not animals, bear the image of God. Humans possess a spirit, an intangible element that sets them apart from animals. Furthermore, humans, but not animals, have a complex personality. My experience in Bali made me realize that religious sentiment is another essential difference between humans and monkeys.

No matter which deity individuals, guided by religious sentiments, place their faith in, I can’t help but ask, why do people pursue spiritual existence beyond themselves, but animals do not?

Author bio:

Dr. Wuwong (PhD in biochemistry, MBA in finance) has published 120+ scientific books and papers (under her legal name) and a few Christian fiction books (Love at the Garden Tomb, The Way We Forgive, Blazing China, and Detour to Agape, under R. F. Whong). She lives in the Midwest with her husband, a retired pastor. They served together at three churches from 1987 to 2020. Her grown son works in a nearby city.

She currently runs a small biotech company (www.vidasym.com) and has raised more than twenty million US dollars during the past few years for Vidasym.

In addition to her weekly newsletter and the platform (www.ruthforchrist.com), she’s active in several writers’ groups, including ACFW, Word Weavers, Facebook, and Goodreads. Through these connections, she plans newsletter/promotion swaps with others and has writers endorse her books, write forewords, and host her on guest blogs.