In last week’s reading of the Hebrew scriptures…

…I came across one of my favorite passages, the throw-down between Elijah and the 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of the goddess Asherah — or, more accurately, the throw-down between God, and Baal and Asherah. Baal is a continual annoyance and worse for the early kingdoms, and the Israelites are continually warned away …