If I use the word "sodomite," you know what I mean, don't you? It's a disparaging term usually aimed at male homosexual activity. In many places, there are sodomy laws criminalizing such activity.
These words have Biblical roots from the story about destruction of the towns of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18-19). Because of the wickedness of these cities, God rained down "sulfur and fire"and utterly destroyed them. Their names have become a byword for destruction and desolation.
But what was the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah? Centuries of popular folklore claims that their sin was homosexual behavior. Centuries of condemnation and judgement has fallen upon gay people in the name of Sodom. Let's look at the story.
God sent two angels to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah because of notorious sin. The angels arrived at Sodom in the guise of ordinary strangers. Abraham's nephew Lot welcomed them with customary Middle Eastern hospitality, offering them food and shelter.
Before Lot's guests could rest, the men of Sodom surrounded Lot's house demanding that he surrender the strangers. "Bring them out to us, so that we may know them." The Hebrew word "yada" translated as "know" sometimes means sexual knowing. ("Now Adam knew his wife Eve, and she conceived and bore Cain." Genesis 4:1) Lot refuses to surrender his guests, "for they have come under the shelter of my roof." Eventually the crowd starts to attack Lot. The angels rescue him, striking the mob with blindness. The next day, the angels send Lot and his family out from Sodom. Then the angels utterly destroy the cities.
So again, what is the sin of Sodom?
When we read the story in Genesis, it is clear that the sin of Sodom is first of all a violation of the laws of hospitality due the stranger.
The Biblical prophets go on further to say that the sin of Sodom is pride and a failure to care for weak, the poor, the oppressed and the stranger.
The prophet Ezekiel declares, "This was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess 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 16:49-50)
Isaiah opens his prophecy accusing the people of Jerusalem of behaving like Sodom and Gomorrah. "Cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow." (Isaiah 1:16b-17)
How tragically ironic it is that for centuries gay people have been threatened and abused in the name of Sodom. What does forcible rape to do with loving gay relationships? Thank God that more and more Christians are recognizing "the fruit of the Spirit" in the loving relationships of our LGBT+ neighbors. St. Paul says, "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and temperance. Against such things, there is no law." (Galatians 5:22-23)
The law of the Bible reminds us of our responsibility for "the widow, the orphan and the alien," a catch phrase that embodies God's demand for compassion and justice toward the vulnerable. God holds the wealthy and the powerful responsible for the well being of strangers and foreigners. God commands that we pay special attention to the needs of the poor, the marginalized and the oppressed. That's what the Bible means when God demands "justice" and "righteousness."
Who are today's Sodomites? Maybe it's the people who create inhospitable structures that victimize strangers and refugees. Maybe it's those who wall off borders and refuse hospitality to the alien and the poor. Maybe it's all of us who are proud and at ease, but do not attend to the plight of the weak and marginalized. Maybe it's us when we cut taxes for the comfortable and fail to find relief for the needy and suffering.