“With Israel thus committed to the Baal of Peor, the anger of Yahweh blazed out against them.

“Yahweh said to Moses, ‘Take all the leaders of the people. Impale them for Yahweh here in the sun; then the burning anger of Yahweh will turn away from Israel.’ Moses said to the Judges in Israel, ‘Every one of you must put to death those of his people who have committed themselves to the Baal of Peor.’

If we are correct in our interpretation of impaling, this was the most barbarous, and inhuman, form of fatal torture known to man. Its description, let alone its practice, should have no place in a civilized document....

We cannot stress too strongly that by this one declaration of intent, Yahweh put himself beyond the pale of civilized behavior; all his cruel acts, all his murders, were insignificant beside this one, appalling judgement. It is true that, as far as we know, there is no record of the order being carried out; but the mere contemplation of such acts is as wicked as their execution. That they should fall within the repertoire of an advanced and self-styled compassionate Being gives reason for a very uneasy concern. And if I were given one wish — it would be that every priest who called on his congregation to worship the ‘Great Jehovah’ should be called before his Bishop, and instructed to place the real facts concerning this monster in front of his congregation.¹⁹⁸