"The sin of Sodom and Gomorrah was not homosexuality"

-
The argument suggests that Sodom and Gomorrah was not destroyed because of homosexuality, but because of gang rape and lack of hospitality including failure to provide help to the poor and needy (Ezekiel 16:48-49).


Actually, homosexuality IS the major issue of Genesis 19 and Ezekiel 16.


First, consider Genesis 19:5 when the people of the city demand Lot’s visiting men in order that they may “know” them. If homosexuality was not the issue then why would Lot say, “don’t do this evil, here are my daughters” (19:7). No rape has yet occurred, but the implication is clear that 1) inhospitality is not the issue; and 2) giving the daughters seems to be a solution to the evil. Certainly gang rape is another difficulty that can be addressed, but don’t let this escape notice: Lot’s attempt to thwart the crowd from “knowing” the men inside is that they would instead “know” his daughters.


Second, what exactly are the “haughty and detestable things” (abominations) being judged in Ezekiel 16:50? We may certainly include arrogance as well as failure to help the poor and needy, but is that all God calls “detestable?” What is called “detestable/abomination” in Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13? The word in Hebrew here refers to an offense to ritual as well as moral order and since God is the author of morality, He is offended.


Finally, consider the response of the crowd to Lot’s solution: “they pressed hard against Lot and came near to break the door” (19:9). They were making very specific and intentional bodily contact with Lot, literally pressing their bodies against him.

Homosexuality is included among the other sins of Sodom and Gomorrah, and the crowd admits and rejects the moral judgment of Lot (19:9).

(notes from a seminar discussion)

Popular posts from this blog

The Island-Fish

-
Image
  “O ye passengers, whom may God preserve! come up quickly in to the ship, hasten to embark, and leave your merchandise, and flee with your lives, and save yourselves from destruction; for this apparent island, upon which ye are, is not really an island, but it is a great fish that hath become stationary in the midst of the sea, and the sand hath accumulated upon it, so that it hath become like an island, and trees have grown upon it since times of old; and when ye lighted the fire upon it, the fish felt the heat, and put itself in motion, and now it will descend with you into the sea, and ye will all be drowned: then seek for yourselves escape before destruction, and leave the merchandise.—The passengers, therefore, hearing the words of the master of the ship, hastened to go up into the vessel, leaving the merchandise, and their other goods, and their copper cooking-pots, and their fire-pots; and some reached the ship, and others reached it not. The island had moved, and descended...
Read more

“And so, about this tomb of mine . . . “

-
Image
  “VANITY, saith the preacher, vanity!  Draw round my bed: is Anselm keeping back?  Nephews—sons mine … ah God, I know not! Well—  She, men would have to be your mother once,  Old Gandolf envied me, so fair she was!  What’s done is done, and she is dead beside,  Dead long ago, and I am Bishop since,  And as she died so must we die ourselves,  And thence ye may perceive the world’s a dream.  Life, how and what is it?  As here I lie In this state-chamber, dying by degrees,  Hours and long hours in the dead night,  I ask “Do I live, am I dead?”  Peace, peace seems all.  Saint Praxed’s ever was the church for peace;  And so, about this tomb of mine.  I fought With tooth and nail to save my niche, ye know:  —Old Gandolf cozened me, despite my care;  Shrewd was that snatch from out the corner  South He graced his carrion with,  God curse the same!  Yet still my niche is not so cramped...
Read more