The sin of Sodoma (Genesis 19,7-25)
Reflection by Gabriella Lettini taken from the book Homosexuality , Claudiana Editrice, 1999, pp.24-25
What was Sodom's sin? A tradition wants there was homosexuality (hence the term sodomy). The cities of Sodoma and Gomorra would have been destroyed by God because they would have stained themselves with this sin. However, many contemporary biblical interpreters do not agree with this interpretation.
In chapter 18 of Genesis, God sends two angels to Sodoma, where Lot, Abraham's nephew, persuades them to accept the hospitality of his home. In the next chapter, Lot's neighbors ask him to get the two guests out, so that they "could know them". The Used Jewish term, Yadha, generally means "having complete knowledge"; It could refer to wanting to examine the visitors' credentials.
However, in many cases it indicates carnal knowledge. If this were the case - and it is the most attested interpretation - the story would refer to an attempt at group rape.
In antiquity, some companies submitted foreigners, populations won or those who had passed a certain frontier, to the phallic penetration, used as a sign of subordination and submission.
But Lot knows that Abraham already, entertaining two foreigners, had actually hosted two messengers of God (Genesis 18,1-15). In order not to allow this abject violation of the hospitality codes, Lot tries to protect his guests by offering his two daughters crazy. Certainly an unjustifiable and deplorable action according to our sensitivity, but which is not commented on the text.
However, sodom people reject the offer, and the angels make them blind. Lot and his family are rescued by angels, and Sodom and Gomorrah are destroyed.
Countless comments were made about this story. Why does God condemn these two cities even before this terrible accident? If the problem was purely sexual nature, a series of questions arises.
In the following chapters, Lot commits incest with the mugs (Genesis 19.30-38). The taboo towards the clutch is one of the strongest in many cultures, from antiquity to today. If God destroys Sodoma and Gomorrah because condemns homosexuality, and protects Lot who first offers virgin mugs to be raped by the displacement and then has sex with them, does it mean that violence against women and incest are acceptable sexual behaviors?
Furthermore, when in other biblical steps we refer to this text, we never talk about homosexuality. If even the sodomites wanted to rape the two foreigners, this act of violence in itself would have nothing to do with homosexuality in general. First of all, sexual violence is always an aberration of sexuality, which is accomplished by homosexuals or heterosexuals.
Secondly, we know well that rape has been, and is often used as an instrument of power, on an individual and collective level, as the tragedy of mass rapes reminds us in the former Yugoslavia.
Finally, it is good to remember that, even in modern times, in barracks, prisons, concentration camps, colleges, youth bands, the rape of straight or homosexual men by heterosexual males has been and is often practiced, not to satisfy a sexual instinct, but as a tool to inflict pain, cause shame, assert its contempt and affirm their power over the victim. The violence that sodomites wanted to practice on foreigners is an expression of their hatred for the different, than their sexual customs.
The book of the prophet Ezekiele refers to the story of the destruction of Sodoma: in chapter 16, God thus turns to the city of Jerusalem: «This was the fault Sodoma: he was proud to live in abundance and safety. He had no concerns, however he did not help the poor and oppressed. It has become arrogant and committed actions that I detest. Then I made him disappear from the face of the earth as you know "(Ezekiel 16, 49-50).
It is clear that the sin we talked about in these verses refers to injustice and idolatry.
