Temple prostitutes devoted to Baal, the Canaanite god of fertility, did indeed serve a purpose other than keeping attendance high at their temples. The devotees of Baal believed their orgiastic practices would arouse him and result in rainfall, which was thought to be his seed pouring down from heaven. One reason the Hebrew people seem to have had a hard time staying away from these prostitutes is that they may have been afraid that Canaan was not the land of their god Yahweh and therefore he would not be able to protect them from drought and crop failure. So they wanted to please the native god of the land that he might allow their crops and animals to thrive.