Sin of Sodom

Then the Lord said, “How great is the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah and how very grave their sin! I must go down and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me, and if not, I will know.” ~ Genesis 18:20-21

What exactly was it that Sodom was so sinful about that it had to be destroyed?

Their reputation of course is that they engaged in acts that we now refer to as "sodomy," meaning acts of same gender (especially male) copulation. That idea comes from the story of Lot which appears directly after this one.

However, Sodom's sin can't be traced simply to what a group of men wanted to do to the two visitors or both Lot (and before him, Abraham).

More than once we are told - both in the Old and New Testaments - about the general wickedness of Sodom. The prophet Ezekiel didn't mention same gender sex as the sin of the place. Instead, he said that their sins were pride, gluttony, laziness, and neglect of the poor.

So maybe we need a better definition of "sodomy."

It is Pride Month and I can think of no better time to redefine a word that has been used unjustly about a group of human beings - especially since it is a word that truly doesn't mean what scripture indicated.

If we use the sin of Sodom - sodomy - more faithfully, then perhaps we all have been guilty of it at one time or another.

Holy One, forgive us when we use "clobber" words against others - especially when we could just as easily use those words against ourselves. Amen