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The '''blood libel''' is the superstitious belief that [[Jewish]] people needed the blood of [[Christian]] babies for varied reasons. The [[Papacy]] has formally declared the blood libel to be untrue, and it no longer persists in the [[West]]. However, the blood libel has resurfaced in Islamic countries, and is even taught in Madrasahs in [[Saudi Arabia]]. [[Syria]], Saudi Arabia, [[Iran]], and [[Egypt]] have all had recent reports of the blood libel being promoted in books and/or state sponsored media.
The '''blood libel''' is the superstitious belief that [[Jewish]] people needed the blood of [[Christian]] babies for varied reasons. The [[Papacy]] has formally declared the blood libel to be untrue, and it no longer persists in the [[West]]. Indeed, many children venerated as Christian [[martyr|martyrs]] have been decanonised. However, the blood libel has resurfaced in Islamic countries, and is even taught in Madrasahs in [[Saudi Arabia]]. [[Syria]], Saudi Arabia, [[Iran]], and [[Egypt]] have all had recent reports of the blood libel being promoted in books and/or state sponsored media.
It originated first in the writings of the Graeco-Egyptian sophist and grammarian Apion, who alleged that Jews sacrificed Greeks in the Temple of Jerusalem. Later, the murder of [[Saint William of Norwich]] was blamed upon the local Jewish community, though a [[Sheriff]] intervened at the indictment of a group of suspects. The murder was never solved.
Some [[Roman|Romans]], prior to the rule of [[Constantine I]] and the general acceptance of Christianity, took exception to the ritual of the [[Eucharist]], believing that they literally drank blood instead of [[transubstantiation|transubstantiated]] wine. This was used in [[propaganda]] used to advocate the [[persecution of Christians]].
A kind of blood libel is also alleged to take place in [[China]]. It was claimed that doctors who perform [[abortion|abortions]] ate human foetuses. It was investigated by [[Senator]] [[Jesse Helms]], and was used by several [[pro-life]] campaigns.
[[category:Anti-Semitic Myth]]
[[category:Anti-Semitic Myth]]