SODOMITES
I have been doing a fair amount of youtube in the last few months on the “can you be gay and Christian?” issue mostly. I get many comments and a fair amount of personal mail; the bulk of it is kind and even greatly encouraging. Some of it, however, is sad and lonely and defeated and it makes my cry. Then, there are the detractors and they are all too often mean. They may not see themselves that way; I do. The internet allows people to hide behind an avatar or text message and that shield can evoke such meanness that people may not have the courage to share in one on one conversations. In response, I try to educate and direct people to an opposite viewpoint with web links and words. Some just keep coming back with the same rhetoric, not caring to investigate. There are those that contentedly spend more time pushing their venom than trying to learn or look at themselves.
I have been doing a fair amount of youtube in the last few months on the “can you be gay and Christian?” issue mostly. I get many comments and a fair amount of personal mail; the bulk of it is kind and even greatly encouraging. Some of it, however, is sad and lonely and defeated and it makes my cry. Then, there are the detractors and they are all too often mean. They may not see themselves that way; I do. The internet allows people to hide behind an avatar or text message and that shield can evoke such meanness that people may not have the courage to share in one on one conversations. In response, I try to educate and direct people to an opposite viewpoint with web links and words. Some just keep coming back with the same rhetoric, not caring to investigate. There are those that contentedly spend more time pushing their venom than trying to learn or look at themselves.
So, this month I decided to give you , the readers in the GLBT community, some background and even a defense when assaulters come at you with one particular phrase of hate speech. How many of you have been called “sodomites” or “sodomists”? Nice terminology . . . not. I regret that a turn of words from the book I most cherish, the Bible, is used to hurt you, to keep you away from church, away from God. This will be a lesson then in counter-discussion from a section of the Bible commonly misunderstood by so many.
Here is the gist of the story of Sodom and Gomorrah so frequently heard about and not as often understood in and out of churches. It is found in Genesis 18 and 19. In about 2100 BC, God was pretty fed up the sister cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and several others in the area south of the Dead Sea around the Jordan River; a region that is now Jordan. Paraphrased, God had heard that the people of the region were so evil and their sin was “so grievous”. God spoke to Abraham and told him He was about to destroy the cities and all the people in them. Abraham pleads with God and asks Him to spare the towns if he, Abraham, can find 50, well, maybe 45, how about 40, make that 30, perhaps 20, will you take 10 righteous people there? “Righteous” at that time meant that they believed in God and lead their lives as though they believed in Him. Ten good people, not too tough you think, in a whole city. I am confident I could round up ten good people in my living room with a few phone calls. But, back to 4000 years ago. God sends two angels down to Sodom to check out the situation and they go to Abraham’s house. The good host insists the visitors spend the night with him because the city is too dangerous. An ancient law of hospitality is in operation here and Abraham protects his guests with his own life. Some men of the city bang on Abraham’s door and demand that the guests be brought out with the intent of gang rape. Gang rape, rape. This is still seen as an act of subjugation in war today. This is important here. Rape is agreed to be a crime of violence, not a mutual sexual act. So the men of Sodom wanted to gang rape the angels.
The next day, the angels blind the men, leave and report to God. Ten righteous men could not be found. The city was destroyed by a violent earthquake and volcano. So what was the issue; why did God deem the people of Sodom so evil? Was it because gang rape was going on? Because homosexuals lived there? All one ever needs to do to find out answers is read and cross reference. Jump ahead in the Bible a few books and 1500 years to a well known prophet Ezekiel and he says, “This was the sin of you sister city of Sodom, she had pride, excess of food and prosperous ease, but did not help the poor and needy. They were arrogant.” What, no mention of homosexuality here? None. The reason Sodom was destroyed was they were arrogant and did not care for their poor. The city was not destroyed because of homosexuals living there.
Another piece of the story: in the Bible, Sodomites are not inhabitants of Sodom even though that would following logical thinking. Sodomites were male and female worshipers of the Canaanite fertility goddess, not homosexuals and not lesbians. They were paid prostitutes used in cult worship in the temples. Sodomites were not homosexuals in loving relationships.
I hope you find this interesting. Unfortunately, the words for sodomite and homosexual have been used interchangeably in culture, tradition and some Bible translations. I want to show that they are not reciprocal. False assumptions repeated and believed have been used to label people in a destructive manner. I hear this fallacy repeated so often and I try to educate, but youtube may not be an effective institution of great learning. But, if I can educate here in RENO OUT so that you can learn to defend yourselves with real information maybe that will be effective. Hate speech is not only hurtful to the hearer; it is hurtful to the speaker. If you are up on your Ekert Tolle on your nightstand, you will know this to be true.
When someone comes at you with unkindness and the story of Sodom in particular, challenge the facts and the thinking. Oh, but please do it kindly. You know, the whole catching bees with honey thing. . . it really does work. I don’t think I have stoop to being mean or cutting in any of my reproaches. No need to, I have information, I have passion, I have a directive and faith that I am certain of.
Recently, your editor, Laura, hosted the showing of “For the Bible Tells Me So.” Wonderful, open discussion followed. If you are wondering if God really can love you and start a dialogue with you just the way you are, rent it and start the journey in your head. I am not saying God is ever pleased with bad behavior. The rules for you are the same rules for me. I find it much easier to be calm when I have knowledge; that is what I wish to extend to you here. Knowledge and truth straight from the source that is misquoted and misused. When things get repeated over and over, they may seem true. Don’t let people label you, don’t let people libel you. Progress can be made with thoughtful, intelligent discussion and kindness. Information can be very powerful and freeing. Intelligent conversation may elevate the understanding beyond the youtube forum. Please don’t let this label stick to you; it is not accurate and it is offensive. So, if someone is rude enough to actually call you a “sodomite”, perhaps you can say, “Can we talk about what the really means?” You might even get an apology.
Kathy Baldock
May 11, 2008
Kathybaldock@helloworld.com
