Then you move into two passages (Matthew 10:15 & Matthew 11:22-24) where Jesus references the destruction of Sodom & Gomorrah … First of all, it is important to realize that Jesus was not justifying the destruction of those cities in these verses, nor was he advocating a similar destruction of other cities in the future.  Indeed, in Luke 9:51-55 we see Jesus actually openly rebuking his disciples for wanting to do the same to a Samaritan village who had rudely rejected them.  No, here in the verses at hand Jesus is merely warning the residents of other towns that their immoral behaviors would have commensurately unpleasant consequences (in the case at hand, very unpleasant consequences).

 

And yet what were the actual sins of Sodom & Gomorrah?  Well, contrary to popular belief, Sodom & Gomorrah were not destroyed due to homosexuality or any type of gay lasciviousness whatsoever, but rather because “She and her daughters were arrogant and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and the needy” (Ezekiel 16:49) … Jesus himself also never mentioned homosexuality or moral depravity at all when speaking of the sins of Sodom & Gomorrah, and yet he did speak of their arrogance & their callousness & their lack of hospitality when speaking of their downfall (see Matthew 10:5-15) …
And this brings us to the rub – namely, that once again you have quoted verses that actually condemn yourself more than they do others, for at least in the case at and, it is you & yours who are being cold & callous & inhospitable; it is you & yours who are committing the sins of Sodom & Gomorrah!

 

(Jesus would probably add a loud “Repent!” here, but I think I’ll leave that to him.)

 

 

“The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast Love.  The Lord is good to all, and His compassion is over all that He has made.” ~ Psalm 145:8-9

Filed under: Burnishing Bigotry by Scaughdt