Primative Religion

There is a lot of discussion about Islam being a primative religion with many practices that are not acceptable to out modern days sensitibilities.

Seems there are other religions with primative practices that don't receive as much scrutiny.

Rabbi Alleges Threat Over Chicken Ritual

New York City police are investigating a rabbi's complaint that threatening e-mails were sent in connection with the slaughter of chickens to atone for sins before Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement.

Rabbi Shea Hecht of the National Committee for Furtherance of Jewish Education says the e-mails were sent by supporters of a People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals campaign opposing the ritual, known as kapparot. He says some people added threatening and anti-Semitic comments to an online PETA form letter.

The Brooklyn-based Jewish organization slaughters about 4,000 chickens.

A PETA spokesman says the ritual is abusive and unnecessary.

4000 Chickens??? This is a description of the process:

First, selections from Isaiah 11:9, Psalms 107:10, 14, and 17-21, and Job 33:23-24 are recited; then a rooster (for a male) or a hen (for a female) is held above the person's head and swung in a circle three times...

Kapparot is not mentioned in the Torah or in the Talmud. The custom is first discussed by Jewish scholars in the ninth century. They explain that since the Hebrew word gever means both "man" and "rooster", punishment of the bird can be substituted for that of a person.

Wow. That is very ... childish?!? Yes, childish is the word that comes to mind.

It is something I could see coming from the mind of an 8 year old.

Lots of religions have strange practices, although some are more strange than others. But none should be above criticism (or mockery).