Were the Aztecs a civilization of savages?

[mishkin]

He seemed like a pretty reasonable guy (Zalmoxis).

[Kyriakos]

Iirc Herodotos argued that Zalmoxis was a human (and moreover a student of Pythagoras) and then became revered as a god. Or maybe I don't recall correctly (?).

[Cyclops]

Look Mishkin I agree we are just barbarians in waiting, and future generations will scorn us for whatever.

A lot of the blood on the hands of the Churches is in their role as a political agent of the ruling dynasty. Those agents are still culpable but I feel there's a distinction to be made.

I did say the Spanish weren't nice, and it was in the service of their regime the church sanctioned (but never carried out) the massacre of non Christians. Likewise in Reformation Geneva French Johnny Calvin massacred swathes of Catholics (and others): his is not an example of bloody nature of reformed religion but of a psychopathic tyrant.

The Aztecs used their religion to oppress and slay foes and eat their bodies. Foul and barbaric, even to their American contemporaries.

[mishkin]

The Aztecs used their religion to oppress and slay foes and eat their bodies. Foul and barbaric, even to their American contemporaries.

As long as this is not used to justify colonialism and the atrocities that they and others in America suffered, I have no problem with this statement.

[conon394]

As long as this is not used to justify colonialism and the atrocities that they and others in America suffered, I have no problem with this statement.

The world tends toward a zero sum game. If you ran into the Aztecs and were strong enough to not be on the losing side you were probably oppressing somebody yourself to be such... not to far of a jump to develop rationals to use against the Aztecs as they no doubt would do themselves going the other way.