Anthropology of gift (2000) by Alain Caillé, especially chapter VI, is very interesting for readers who want to discuss now some relevant questions in religious anthropology. Though, this theory refers implicitly to an essay on rivalry and competition Homo ludens (1938), written by Johan Huizinga. In order to complete the frame which was suggested there, we have tried out the interpretation on several sacred rites in ancient cultures. Sacrifices, e.g., appear as puzzling games, especially when it has been claimed that life and death are non contradictory, which, of course, is paradoxical for common sense and ordinary beliefs. Rivalry and competition mean challenge and refer to what we could call “agonistic spirit.” This seems to be the main point of several rites which arises around ethnological research. The interpretation of classical texts leads to the conclusion that rites must be understand as a form of provocative communication with natural beings and various representatives, that give often rise to challenge. The hypothesis of agonistic spirit shows some way to answer the question why murder is such recurrent in this kind of culture.