How many have actually read the story of Sodom and Gemorah?

Question

Sodom and Gemorah was about much more than homosexuality. The town was chastised for being arrogant and being unjust to the poor and disadvantaged. They were into gang raping people to show power and intimidate strangers. The way I read the story, these are the reasons Sodom was destryed. Any observations?

Answer 1

I have.

To know them means to lie with them.

Hence the word sodomy.

Answer 2

If you read the story in the original Hebrew, the story is not necessarily about homosexuality. What Scriptures tell us is that the sin of Sodom and Gemorrah was -- was just what you said, unjust treatment of the poor.

The part that gets interpreted as gang rape can actually mean something different. Remember the city was fortified and Lot was sitting in the gate when the story begins--apparently he was one of those in charge of monitoring comings and goings, so there was some military tension at the time. The townspeople are asking Lot to send these people out so that they may "know them" the word is yadah --which means to know, or recognize (in addition to the other meaning of have sexual relations). So, they may just have been demanding to know who these foreign people were that Lot took in.

There is more I could go into regarding this story, but I hope I have given you enough to consider that there are other interpretations besides the most common one. And most of all, if we are only thinking about sex, we aren't paying attention to what God calls us to consider, the poor and disadvantaged in society.

Answer 3

I have. You are correct, there are many reasons why Sodom and Gomorrah was destroyed. Homosexuality was not their only sin, however it was one of the major ones (the men of the city wanted to have relations with the two men-actually angels-who were visiting Lot). It is therefore incorrect to say that the only reason Sodom and Gomorrah was destroyed was homosexuality, there were definitely other sins as well. This does not change the fact that homosexuality is an abomination to God, however, as it is clearly stated in many other passages of Scripture.

Answer 4

You're absolutely right. Although most people know Sodom and Gemorah for being sexually perverse, there were murderers, thieves, and all sorts of sin in the eyes of God, who yes, did destroy the cities. However, the most rampant and common of these things were probably sexual in nature. I'm sure you know this, but this is where we get the word "sodomy."

Hope this helps!

Answer 5

The "sin" of Sodom & Gomorrah was their selfish behavior and rudeness towards strangers.

That was the great sin.

Homosexuality is so little mentioned in the bible because it was not considered particularly important. Usury is mentioned far more often than homosexuality. As is rudeness and unkindness towards strangers.

Answer 6

Well I have read it and I guess the entire Christian community around the world has.

I believe that the lesson in the story is that God does not tolerate "SINNING". It may thrive for a while but in time God will do something to make the people realize that what they're doing is against His will.

Answer 7

yes, I have read the account of Sodom and Gomorrah. you are right about the activities that went on there. what amazes me is that so much of the same activities live right here in America today. and what about Lot and his family? that also surprises me, they had compromised so much just by being there (Lot had even became the gate keeper of the city) that the sin that went on around them got to be everyday life, and it didn't occur to them to move. I see this happening in churches today. first comes compromise then acceptance of the grossest sins become everyday life. nothing outrages some Christians anymore. it's actually very sad.

Answer 8

I don't recall much details about the story from reading it, it is only I think a small part of one chapter of the book of Genesis, the Bible itself is about 2000 times longer, as I think the story is slightly less than one column on one page if I remember accurately.

Read the book of Ezekiel to see how God feels about the abomination of sins. Ezekiel is at least a very sizable book on this subject.

Answer 9

You are correct. I have not heard before that it was any different.

The entire towns were full of self rightous people, having no need for a GOD who's rules were not what they wanted. Yes, there was wide spread homosexuality, along with any other deviation away from GOD that they could give into.

Disobeience caused the downfall of the two towns, in their hearts they had no fear of their own creator.

Answer 10

You left out part of the story--specifically, the part where Lot offers his own virgin daughters to those gang-rapists to do with as they please. Luckily, the angels took over and got them all out of there, but the point is that Lot, whom God said was the ONLY righteous person in the entire city, was just as reprehensible as everyone else!

Oh, and there's a follow-up. The family flees to the mountains (where, apparently, the angels simply abandon them). Lot's daughters, distressed because they're living in a cave with no chance of meeting any decent men, get their father drunk and get pregnant by him. Don't believe me? Read it in Genesis 19! So, God's idea of the most righteous family in Sodom consists of a man who is willing to throw his daughters to a bunch of gang rapists; and two daughters who engage in incest without a second thought.

One final reminder: both cities contained children, infants, and unborn babies as well as sinful adults, yet God burned them all to death, claiming that NONE in the cities were righteous. In chapter 18, Abraham argues with God, saying that it is wrong for God to destroy the wicked with the good, and God says that he will spare the city for as few as ten righteous people. I guess he wasn't counting anyone under the age of 18. Isn't this a great story to teach in Bible School?

Answer 11

I agree that the story was much more involved than the surface information. The account was more for Lot and his family to realize that they were not where they were supposed to be in the first place. A lesson that we can learn - sometimes we have lost children and loved ones because they were in a place they were not supposed to be and when the wrath of death comes down, if you have no protection and you are out of the will of God, you can be destroyed. We have to realize that our bodies will be destroye, but thank God, not our spirits. Thank you for your question.