| The Biblical story of Sodom is not the story of a | | | | there, the initial stages of conception put the |
| town that happened to be 100% gay, men and | | | | fetus clearly in the female camp. Torture the |
| boys, for this is a ludicrous assumption. This would | | | | Taliban with this fact! It is only after the fetus is |
| have to be the conclusion if God, vowing to save | | | | bathed in the chemistry of testosterone after the |
| it for ten righteous men, did not. It would also | | | | fourth to sixth week does it literally start it trip |
| mean that "righteous" meant heterosexual, while | | | | toward maleness. Without that chemical miracle |
| unrighteous meant homosexual and, well, I doubt | | | | and it can be interrupted by many factors, |
| that alone qualifies men to be righteous.The story | | | | including stress in the mother at the time, and the |
| that unfolds in Genesis 19 is a hospitality story | | | | male born can be highly feminized in both thinking |
| and not a story based on homosexuality. Sodom's | | | | and body. We all know men who act very |
| problems as remembered by Ezekiel were that | | | | feminine who in fact are not homosexual but are |
| the people were prideful, had too much food, too | | | | oft accused of it. This would reflect such a |
| much time, neglected the poor, were haughty and | | | | deficiency in the womb. It's a big topic medically, |
| committed abominations (Ez. 16:49-50). Not ANY | | | | environmentally and socially and I do not mean to |
| mention of mass homosexuality. Abominations can | | | | address them in any detail. The information is out |
| be just about anything not in tune with the law | | | | there.I know many gay men and women (I am |
| and in this case was a reference to idol worship. | | | | not gay), and there is not one that I could see |
| Another common Israelite trait all through their | | | | being anything but who they are. I have asked |
| history. Why would papa Lot offer his virgin | | | | each one when they knew their leanings sexually |
| daughter's to a crowd of homosexuals, in place of | | | | were toward their own sex and it is ALWAYS |
| his guests? What interest would homosexuals | | | | between 8 and 12 years old. They then, (I live in |
| have in virgin women? ZERO, unless the girls | | | | Fundamentalist Land), spend the next twenty |
| were being offered as an appeasing virgin sacrifice | | | | years having it prayed out, Bibled out, preached |
| ("for they have not known a man.") This would | | | | out and counseled out with massive doses of |
| qualify as an abomination to be sure, and also | | | | fear, shame and guilt. At about age 30, they tend |
| idolatry. Human sacrifice was still an option it | | | | to finally give up and admit, "I seem to be what I |
| appears with Abram and Lot.Another factor is | | | | am." And accept themselves even if others don't. |
| that in that culture the protection of guests under | | | | One gay friend and their partner of 20 years |
| one's roof to a male host was a matter of honor. | | | | recently met a pregnant teen who was going to |
| This is why Lot scrambled to come up with a | | | | abort her child and long story short, they paid for |
| solution to the problem. In Lot's mind, it was | | | | the birth, attended it and adopted the little girl as |
| about Lot's reputation and honor. Not an | | | | their own. At the infant baptism ceremony she |
| uncommon modern theme in Middle Eastern men | | | | was taken to by the one of the partners, a |
| to this day. Strangers were not taken kindly to in | | | | member "outed" them to the new Pastor (the old |
| small clannish towns. They could be spies and | | | | one was more don't ask don't tell), and the next |
| were always suspect.The way to put a stranger | | | | day the Pastor gave them a video to reform |
| in his place was to humiliate them sexually, and | | | | them. They were not not interested in reform. |
| send the warning that they had best have no ill | | | | To a gay person becoming heterosexual on |
| intentions in the town. In that culture, the most | | | | command would be the same as a heterosexual |
| horrific way to humiliate a stranger and have | | | | becoming gay on command. The next day they |
| power over him was to mistreat him as one | | | | were disfellowshipped from a life long church |
| might mistreat a woman. Symbolic or literal rape. | | | | affiliation by the new pastor. So, you be the |
| The rape would not be a homosexual act, it would | | | | judge. A gay couple saves a nearly aborted child, |
| be a warning and a putting of strange man in his | | | | raises her like a princess and gets bounced from |
| place as a warning. "In our town, you are just like | | | | their church after 30 years. WWJD?What's the |
| any other woman, property to be used as | | | | point here? I think, leave people alone. No one can |
| needed and disposed of if necessary" It may only | | | | live the life of another. Thought control and |
| have been a threat to humiliate and control as the | | | | obedience to organizations and leadership, to me, |
| original request was for them to come out "that | | | | is suspect and not a path that serves the |
| we might know them".There are two schools of | | | | individual in the long run. In the 250 peak years of |
| thought on "know them". One is sexual and one is | | | | the Inquisition, the Catholic Church successfully |
| to simply interrogate and get to know. Few ever | | | | murdered as "witches" (you shall not suffer a |
| question Lot's evil counteroffer. But it does show | | | | witch to live), tens of thousands of women. |
| that Lot was a product of his culture and personal | | | | These were mostly midwives, herbalists, and |
| ego protection. Eastern hospitality issues were at | | | | some men who simply were not interested in |
| stake here and not homosexuality. EVERY | | | | Catholic control and "truth". Like Lot, women were |
| sermon I ever heard on the topic stops short of | | | | expendable to the Church to preserve honor and |
| explaining Lot's egregious behavior as a father. I | | | | the patriarchal, literalist, goddess smashing politic.I |
| doubt this ever really literally happened, but if it | | | | have always chuckled at Leonardo da Vinci's |
| did, Lot would be no hero of mine. I seriously | | | | painting of the Lord's Supper. Everyone "knows" |
| doubt he had much of a relationship with the girls | | | | what they are looking at. 12 Men and One Jesus in |
| after this stunt, not to mention Mrs. Lot! Perhaps | | | | the middle. Ah... but look again. Sitting on the right |
| she did not so much look back to Sodom as | | | | hand of Jesus is a woman, looking like a woman |
| refused to look ahead at him leaving town!I have | | | | and in fact, probably being Mary, "the prostitute". |
| always found it amusing to inform fundamentalist | | | | Leonardo had his own opinions about WWJD and |
| males who literally believe that "women come | | | | who He might honor in a society that would not |
| from men and not men from women" as Paul | | | | agree. Perhaps we should be just as kind and |
| ignorantly noted, that the human fetus starts out | | | | respectful and not let the misuse of scripture taint |
| female. While the genetics to be male or female is | | | | our view of real human beings. |