The Truth About Sodom
Why was Sodom destroyed?
Why was Gomorrah destroyed?
Why were Admah and Zeboim destroyed?
Please note that this discussion is
based on the King James Version of the bible. This version was written
by God at the command of King James. All other versions (from the Dead
Sea Scrolls to the CEV) are the corrupt works of men.
Passages referenced (except Genesis 19) are quoted below, in case you
don't have a bible handy. Just click the link, use the "BACK" button in
your browser to return to your starting point.
Introduction
The story of Sodom is recounted in Genesis 19. Despite the detail in
the story, the meaning is not clear and has sparked many debates. Many
prawn-eating fundamentalists use this story to condemn male
homosexuality, and (despite no hint of biblical condemnation) female
homosexuality. This study aims to show the true biblical reason for the destruction of Sodom.
I'll summarize the Gen19 account, you can read the full version for
yourselves: Resident aliens in Sodom (Lot and his family) were visited
by strangers one evening. The city's citizens demanded to 'know' the
visitors, but were offered Lot's daughters to rape instead. They
refused and God destroyed Sodom and several neighbouring cities.
I'll not dispute the existence and destruction of Sodom, there is
archaeological evidence for this. This article delves into the reasons
for God's action. There are several lines of argument which are often
used, and can quickly be eliminated, leaving the raw truth exposed.
The main explanations offered for the destruction are :
Natural Disaster
What an atheist cop-out! The Bible clearly says that Sodom was
destroyed by God. Nature was not involved. Some people will deny the
existence of hellfire until they are a charred and smoking heap!
Inhospitality
There is an argument is that the sin of Sodom was inhospitality. The Hebrew custom was to welcome travellers, and
the citizens of Sodom did not do so. They point to the comparison in Mark 6:11, in which Jesus mentions Sodom when talking about inhospitality.
However the sin of inhospitality has a worse punishment than given to Sodom (Mark 6:11).
And the behaviour was not inhospitable or preventing Lot's hospitality.
As Lot was a resident alien, the citizens of Sodom were justified in
asking about these furtive visitors (who could have been spies or
saboteurs; members of the Yakult).
Pride
Pride goeth before a fall (but not a fall of fire and brimstone). Only Ezekiel 16:49
mentions pride as the sin of Sodom. But this is in reference to the
pride of harlotry committed by Jerusalem. It is a condemnation of
whoredom, of the sexual immorality of Israel.
Sexual Immorality
The commonest false denial of an explanation based on sexual immorality revolves around the meaning of the verb 'to know'.
The anti-fundamentalists claim that this word is similar to the one we
use today: become acquainted with, or learn the identity of, someone.
Thus, they say, the citizens were justified in seeking to find the
identity of these visitors. Resident aliens receiving anonymous
visitors could be harbouring spies, especially when the cities of the
region were constantly at war. They further say that Lot was the evil
one for offering his virgin daughters as bribes to keep the secret.
What is the sexual immorality in refusing to rape two virgins?
However it is plain that God wrote the bible, and he used the term in the Biblical sense. And as you should know by now, the biblical sense is the smutty sense - to know = have rumpy-pumpy with - in Gen 19:5. And the same word is used to indicate the virgin state of his daughters in Gen 19:8. Even the perverted Hebrew translation uses the same word in both places.
There is no way to escape it, the sin of Sodom is sexual. But what sort?
Fertility Ritual
The 'pagan' cults in the area of Canaan were fertility based. In an
arid area, fertility was paramount. Fertility and sexuality were
linked, so the fertility rituals were sexual in nature. Young
virile/nubile (ie fertile) worship objects were used by the
congregation (of both sexes and for payment) as a method of ritual
offering. The sodomy mentioned in the Bible is this male temple
prostitution. This is shown in Deu 23:17-18 where the practice is outlawed in Israel.
Apart from the similarity of names, there is no direct link to the Gen
19 incident. This form of worship was common all over the region. It
could explain why so many other towns were destroyed along with Sodom.
We can't reject this completely.
Homosexuality
The Hebrew culture took great pains to promote the male as the sexually
dominant partner (the seed was provided by man, woman provided the
incubator). Thus a man could not take the woman's role (Lev 18:22);
and the sign of usurpation of authority (as in the defeat of a king)
was anal rape. Had there been any hint of homosexual immorality at
Sodom, that would surely have been mentioned elsewhere in the morality
codes as an example. But there is none.
Heterosexuality
Yes, this may indeed be the case! But surely not the every-day missionary position! The clue comes from Jude 7 'strange flesh'; and 1 Cor 15:39
where men are classified as one flesh. So it is not the same flesh
(homosexuality) but 'strange' (or, as written in the perverted Greek
translation 'heteros') sexuality.
But not even a Sister of Perpetual Indulgence could get away with this
(for long). However I think we are getting close to the crux of the
matter now. Let us combine the concepts of ritual sex and
heterosexuality and see what the Bible says. We must look a little more
carefully at these passages.
Worse
The clues are indeed in Jude and 1 Corinthians. And they do point to 'hetero'sexuality.
The main clue is in Jude 6-7. The inhabitants of Sodom went after 'strange flesh'. That this is a type of heterosexuality is shown in 1 Corinthians 15:39
where men are described as 'one kind of flesh' - so it cannot be
homosexuality that is the sin. Here, also, beasts and fishes are
described as other flesh - but I don't think these are the problem. 1 Corinthians 15:40 gives a hint, referring to 'bodies celestial'. And we see in Jude 6 reference to angels that 'left their own habitation'.
Further indication of what is happening is found in Genesis 6:4-7
In which 'the sons of God' (angels) came to earth 'unto the daughters
of men' (women) and bred with them to create the race of giants. It was
this abomination that caused God to destroy the world by flood. This
abomination was being repeated in Sodom and had to be stopped.
To summarize:
The people of Sodom worshipped in a fertility cult. Fertility of the
land and people was assured by ritual sex with beings of symbolic power
(young temple prostitutes) or, better, real power (heavenly creatures).
Remember that anal rape was a usurpation of power, to have this sort of
relation with a being of power transferred the power to you. A visitor
in the city was harbouring two celestial visitors, and not sharing them
with the people. This affront to their religion caused the people to
become unruly (there was a shortage of angels, and crops were failing).
God was incensed at the repetition of the extreme heterosexuality of
the people of Sodom (sex with angels) for which he had already
destroyed the world at least once. In a fit of pique he destroyed the
centre of this cult by fire and brimstone, and all the cities nearby.
So, it is finally clear. Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah,
Zeboim and the rest were destroyed for rampant heterosexuality of the
worst kind. Worse than sex with the opposite sex, worse than sex with
different species - sex between different Orders. Sex between earthly
and celestial beings, almost as bad as sex with God (and you know what
abomination that produced). So take care when you next see an angelic
face across a crowded bar, not only check your supply of condoms and
lube, but also check your asbestos underwear and brimstone-proof hat.
Bible Quotes
Genesis 19:24 Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven;
Genesis 6:4 There were giants in the earth in
those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the
daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became
mighty men which were of old, men of renown.
5
And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that
every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil
continually.
6
And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it
grieved him at his heart.
7
And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face
of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the
fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.
Mark 6:11 And whosoever shall not receive you,
nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet
for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more
tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that
city.
Leviticus 18:22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.
Deuteronomy 23:17 There shall be no whore of
the daughters of Israel, nor a Sodomite of the sons of Israel.
18
Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore, or the price of a dog into
the house of the Lord thy God for any vow; for even both these are
abomination unto the Lord thy God.
Ezekiel 16:49 Behold, this was the iniquity of
thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness
was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of
the poor and needy.
1 Corinthians 15:39 All flesh is not the same
flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts,
another of fishes, and another of birds.
40 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies
terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of
the terrestrial is another.
Jude 6 And the angels which kept not their first
estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting
chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. 7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about
them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going
after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the
vengeance of eternal fire
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