Was immorality a part of pagan idol worship?
Immorality was indeed part of pagan idol worship. Paganism and idolatry were always steeped in abject immorality, and that immorality was part of their worship. At the golden calf, the people offered sacrifices, ate, drank, rose up to play, and engaged in seductive, lascivious dances, descending into human depravity.
Les teaches that paganism and idolatry were always steeped in the most abject immorality, and he says that immorality was part of their worship. In the golden calf incident, after burnt offerings and peace offerings, the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play. Les explains that the Hebrew phrase “rose up to play” meant they were naked and put on seductive, lascivious dances. He notes this was not merely a Hollywood invention; the Israelites brought this practice out of Egypt and went down into a lower level of human depravity.