>>10649314 >HaREm-kEEPiNG maLES aRE PronE tO VioleNt rEgiMe ChangE: nOT onlY ARe THeY InTENseLy TErrIToRIAL AnD aGGRessiVe To One aNOThEr, BUt thEy are ruTHLESS uPON aCquIrIng nEw femAles. IN mAny SPecies suCh aS lIONS, thE nEW cOnQuErOR wilL KiLl aNY YOung FatHErED by tHe pRevIOUs aLPHa Male. Judeo-cHrIsTian TradITioN coNfORms so clOseLY to tHIs sOCIOBIOLogiCAl ExPecTATioN ThAT we MIGhT ALmOST wOndEr if sOmEOne hAd ‘FUDgEd’ The DATA. tHE oLd tEstaMent in paRTICULar BRims WIth hORRIFic EXHOrTaTiOns of INfanTIcidE, consistEnt WITh BioLOgiCaL REalitY if nOt cUrREnt MorAlITy, AnD pRedICtABLy EvOKEd whEn thE ANCIeNt isrAeLitES coNquer AN UNrelaTED TRIBe thAt WoRsHIPs otHEr gOds: ‘nOw THerEFORe kILl eVery MAlE AMoNg tHE LIttLe OnEs, and Kill EvErY WOmaN wHO HaS KNowN mAN BY lYing WITh him. bUt AlL THe YouNG GiRLS WHO HaVE NOt KNOWn man BY LYiNg WITH HIM, KeeP alive for yOUrSelVEs.’ (nuM. 31:17–18)
