In ancient times, superstitions were rampant and responsible for horrendous practices. One of these was a belief in the god Baal and among the most heinous of practices was that of human sacrifice. The place of Asherah, wife of Baal, was a main point of Baal temple worship that engaged the attractive young women as priestesses in "sacred" prostitution with those who brought their tithes and offerings to Baal. Offspring of the priestess-prostitutes were sometimes used as human sacrifices to Baal and Molech. Thus the convenient fix for the first vile practice grossly compounded the depravity.
We might suppose that ours is a time of enlightenment, science and truth. But Baal worship was never so prevalent; human sacrifice never so common as in our day of conveniences. Only the names have been changed.You can recognize the modern priests and priestesses of Baal, Molech and Asherah promoting responsible sex (with a condom) and freedom of choice (when the condom doesn't work or is not convenient) for human sacrifice in the temples of abortion. They don't call it religion nor think of themselves as priests, but it's the same superstition (human sacrifice serves a greater good) and it's the same depravity.
D. Carlos Adams
Salt Lake City