Baal worship

Baal worship refers to the ancient practice of venerating Baal, a Canaanite god associated with fertility, weather, and agriculture. Prominent in the ancient Near East, particularly among the Phoenicians and Israelites, Baal was often depicted as a storm god who could bring rain and good harvests. Worship involved rituals, sacrifices, and, controversially, sometimes child sacrifice. It was seen as a competing religion to the worship of Yahweh in the Hebrew Bible, leading to significant conflict and condemnation from biblical prophets, who viewed it as idolatrous and morally corrupting. Baal worship symbolizes the tensions between different ancient religious traditions.