When I hear the word cult, what comes straight to mind is a group that follows different beliefs than what we commonly see, believes in where it affects the way people see the world or how they would resolve a problem. Believe it or not, a cult has a big effect on their life’s their way of thinking isn’t as usual. Cults can be good or bad. The film “Apocalypto“ directed by Mel Gibson brings you back to an ancient time in Mexico when the Mayans and Aztecs were around. In this film, they focus more on the cult the Mayans followed, the cult that Mayans followed were gods, many gods like the god of the sun, the god of cropping, etc, and their way of satisfying their gods was by sacrificing humans. The sacrifices were decapitation, heart excision, dismemberment, hanging, and skin flaying. They believed the gods were thirsty for human blood and would not stop until the god gave them a sign that they were satisfied. In the film the Mayans would go to villages and attack peaceful tribes they would burn down their village take the men and women, and leave the children all alone without their families. They were taken to the Mayan city where they were sold as slaves or for human sacrifice to their gods. In the film, we see how the men were escorted to the top of the pyramid to be sacrificed before the Mayan king and queen. we see two captives are sacrificed by tearing their beating hearts from their chests, once the primary character jaguar paw is laid on the altar a solar eclipse pauses the priest from scarifying him next, the Mayans took this event as the god-speaking back stating they are satisfied and conclude the ceremony. In the film, we see the difference between the two cults, the first cult who lived in the rain forest believed in their gods too but their way of satisfying their god was taking care of the land they were given and staying as a whole group, everyone would be equal, unlike the Mayans they would scarify humans and had the rich and the poor and would treat people unequal. There wouldn’t be any steps to avoid the cult people were already brainwashed into this cult it’s all they knew their whole life, I would be more part of the tribe that lived in the rain forest where I would appreciate all the things around me.
