The Bible and Sodomy

            Today, the word sodomy is almost always associated with sexual immorality. The word sodomy and the sexual connotation of the word are derived from an interpretation of the biblical account of Abraham’s nephew Lot. In the fore mentioned story, God destroys two cities due to their wickedness, often recognized as homosexual practice. However, such an interpretation is not the only one. Some early biblical scholars argue that the wickedness in Sodom had nothing to do with any sort of sexual practice, rather the people of Sodom were proud and wealthy yet they did not aid those in need. Today, the word sodomy is associated solely with sexual immorality. Despite evidence supporting the other schools of interpretation, and due to the acceptance of one interpretation, tradition teaches the idea of Sodom and Gomorrah destroyed by their practice of homosexual sodomy.

            “The correct definition of sodomy- then and now-is simply non-procreative sex, whether practiced by heterosexuals or homosexuals. It includes oral sex, masturbation, mutual masturbation, contraceptive sex, coitus interrupts, and anal sex” (Sullivan 3). Thus, what tradition would lead one to believe, Sodom and Gomorrah destroyed due to their homosexual practice, is not correct. If the interpretation that the two cities were destroyed due to sodomy is held as true, homosexuality is seen to be a synonym to sodomy. However, this is false since the above definition clearly states that sodomy and homosexuality are two inherently separate things. Therefore, the interpretation linking Sodom to homosexuality is problematic. If the sins which lead to the destruction of the two cities were sodomy, this only means that the citizens were sexually promiscuous not homosexuals. Yet, nowhere in the text are the sins of Sodom made known. Rather, evidence from the text seems to support a separate interpretation from early biblical scholars, which most modern scholars would be more closely aligned.

            This other interpretation argues the faults to be pride, stinginess, and the unwillingness to help the unfortunate. The basis for this interpretation can be found in the new testament text of Ezekiel, “ Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, surfeit of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy. They were haughty, and did abominable things before Me; therefore I removed them when I saw it” (Ezekiel 16:49).  Thus, due to their arrogance, pride in their wealth, and their hatred of foreigner resulting in inhospitality, God removed them for, “ insomuch that they no more remembered the benefits that they had received from Him” (Kugel 187). Such an interpretation changes the face of the story of Lot. If the sins were pride and inhospitality then Lot would most likely be a victim of the Sodomites since he would likely suffer from their lack of hospitality.