(Eliade steps forward, his presence commanding. He raises his hand, silencing the others.)

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Eliade: Enough of this division. We are no longer bound by the illusions of the living world. This is a place of truth, where our existence hinges not on arguments but on readiness. We are not alive. Our spirits await judgment. Let us prepare to be summoned before God.

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(Freud and Jay exchange solemn glances before nodding in agreement.)

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Freud: (Adjusting his coat, his tone reflective) Perhaps you’re right. Quarreling over ideologies in this space feels... insignificant.

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Nancy Jay: (Arms folded, she exhales sharply) Then let’s focus. If we are to face divine judgment, what does God demand from us? What pleases Him?

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Freud: (Smiling faintly) An intriguing question. I suppose the answer would be... complex.

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Eliade: (Stepping forward, his voice resonant) It is not as complex as you think. Across ages, cultures, and beliefs, one answer emerges repeatedly: sacrifice. A bridge between the mortal and divine, a renewal of cosmic balance.

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Jay: (Snapping her fingers) Yes. Sacrifice is the thread that binds societies. But not just any sacrifice—the blood, the symbolism, the exclusion of women—these details matter.

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Freud: (Leaning in, curious) And why is it that women are excluded, Nancy? Surely, they play a role in the sacred.

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Jay: (Shrugging) Their exclusion sustains male continuity. Blood sacrifices, especially in patriarchal traditions, erase the maternal role. It’s about replacing the life-giving power of women—biological creation—with the symbolic power of male-dominated cultural creation. The shedding of blood purifies and renews, but what truly renews is the maternal role in childbirth, the continuation of the species, and the passing of generations. It’s no accident that women are barred from these acts (Jay, 1992, pp. 3-4).

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Eliade: (Interrupting gently) Sacrifice transcends gender. It is transformation—a bridge from chaos to order. Blood and body are symbols, yes, but they signify a renewal of life, a connection to the divine. In Aztec culture, for instance, sacrifices ensured cosmic balance. Victims were adorned, their deaths sustaining the universe itself (Encyclopedia of Religion, Vol. 6, pp. 520-521).

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Freud: (Raising an eyebrow) Cosmic balance, you say? Yet it seems to echo humanity’s ambivalence toward the father figure. Sacrifice both honors and reenacts rebellion. Remember the primal act of patricide I proposed—the collective guilt that birthed rituals (Pals, 2009, p. 73).

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Eliade: (Nodding) True. Rituals evolved to atone for transgressions and reinforce morality. In Vedic traditions, sacrifices acted as mediators between mortals and the divine, ensuring prosperity and immortality (Encyclopedia of Religion, Vol. 6, p. 516).

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Jay: (Smiling wryly) And yet, they also sustain hierarchy. Sacrifices reaffirm social order, excluding women and the impure. The act itself becomes a symbol of power (Jay, 1992, pp. 5-6).

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Freud: (Leaning back, contemplative) Perhaps. But don’t forget the emotional core. Sacrifice reconciles love and resentment toward authority. Even monotheism carries this duality—prayers replaced offerings, but the foundation remained guilt and reconciliation (Pals, 2009, p. 82).

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Eliade: (Speaking with conviction) Guilt, yes, but also unity. Sacrifices are communal, binding people through shared rituals. Even the Aztec feasts involved communal acts, reinforcing their connection to the divine (Encyclopedia of Religion, Vol. 6, pp. 516-517).

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Jay: (Sardonically) Unity at what cost? Blood spilled; women sidelined. Sacrifice is as much about exclusion as it is about inclusion (Jay, 1992, pp. 7-8).

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Freud: (Challenging) But it is also about survival—psychologically and socially. Sacrifices created taboos and moral codes. They were the foundation of civilization itself (Pals, 2009, pg. 77).

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Eliade: (Quietly) Then perhaps that is what pleases God: not the blood, but the act itself. The surrender, the transformation, the acknowledgment of a higher order.

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(A heavy silence falls. The three stand, their thoughts aligning in the sacred glow.)

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Jay: (Softly) Sacrifice as surrender. Perhaps you’re right, Eliade. Perhaps that’s what we’re preparing for.

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Freud: (Smirking) Facing God? Or sacrificing ourselves in acknowledgment?

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Eliade: (Resolutely) Both.

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(The lights dim further, the walls shifting to portray ancient, flickering flames. The faint sound of a gong echoes, signaling that the time of reckoning draws near.)