Despite Mormon’s unsympathetic tone, Noah’s actual record would have painted a much different picture, and his people would have regarded these activities in a much different light. Although Mormon accuses Noah of setting his heart upon riches, the people probably did the same and approved this manifestation of conspicuous consumption, from which they were also benefiting. The “wives, concubines, and harlots” is also subject to interpretation. Many ancient societies, including the Israelites, acknowledged both wives and concubines as having legal and social (not immoral) status. “Harlots” definitely connotes sexual unions outside marriage or other illegal arrangements, but the Book of Mormon is unclear on terminology for sexual relations. In Jacob, taking multiple wives was equated with “whoredoms” even though they would have been legal unions. (See commentary accompanying Jacob 2:32–34.)
In the old world, some priestesses performed such acts as part of religious service, particularly in fertility rites. Victor Ludlow describes some of these practices during Isaiah’s times:
Ancient idol worship was inseparably connected with ritual prostitution and fertility cults. Since ancient economies were founded upon agriculture, the people’s dependence upon the fertility of the ground was absolute. As the pagan worship developed in ancient cultures, the belief developed that if a farmer had intercourse with a priestess at a local temple and she became pregnant, this was a sign that the fertility god would look favorably upon his crops.
Also, ancient man believed that the lives and interactions of the gods were reflected in the life of man. That is, if man acted out certain activities on earth then this would facilitate their taking place in heaven. So, if people involved themselves in fertility acts in their pagan temples, then their gods would bless the land with productivity. Thus, the pagan temples usually became centers of ritual or religious prostitution.
Nibley has read Alma 30:18 and 39:5 as possible references to a similar practice in the New World. That practice is not known for Mesoamerican cultures, perhaps because it did not exist and perhaps because it simply was not recorded.
Certainly, this does not mean that Mormon’s disapproval is incorrect. It simply suggests that the translation of the Book of Mormon may obscure culturally significant categories.