What is sacretism?

Answer 1

Mayans and Aztecs:

Bible readers are aware that human sacrifices have often been a part of false worship. The Canaanites, and sometimes even apostate Israelites, sacrificed their children to demon gods. (2 Kings 23:10; Jeremiah 32:35) The Aztecs, too, practiced child sacrifice. We read about this in the book El Templo Mayor: "The remains of sacrificed children were found in one of these [pits] along with representations of the rain god. Would this be a special offering because of famine?"

On page 219 the same books adds: "Fray Juan de Torquemada tells us something about this in the book Monarquía Indiana (Indian Monarchy): 'The children would be taken to the sacrificial place richly dressed, atop portable platforms or litters, abundantly decorated with flowers and feathers, and these would be carried along on the shoulders of priests and ministers. Others would go before them playing instruments and singing and dancing. This is the way they would be conducted to the place where they would be sacrificed and offered to the demon.'"

Pointing up further resemblances between the religion of the Aztecs and the religions of the Old World, it is reported that the god Tláloc was also the god of fertility. One of the main altars is dedicated to him. Also represented in the temple are two huge snakes, the snake being a fertility symbol. Similarly, many of the ancient pagan religions of the Old World had a god of fertility, and the serpent was a widespread religious symbol. Interestingly, too, Huitzilopochtli was said to be born to Coatlicue, and this mother goddess was later called the "mother of all the gods."

Did such practices please Jehovah God? Decidedly not. As the Israelites were about to enter the land of Canaan, Jehovah gave them the command recorded at Leviticus 20:2, 3: "You are to say to the sons of Israel, 'Any man of the sons of Israel, and any alien resident who resides as an alien in Israel, who gives any of his offspring to Molech, should be put to death without fail.