Is Sodom and Gomorrah Really About God Condemning Gays? What Is The Real Story?

By Mike Edwards

This story in the Bible is often used to condemn gay relationships. I believe this passage along with other “clobber” passages (see here) are wrongly used to claim God condemns gay relationships. Whether one believe this story is historically accurate, the moral of this passage is used to defend that God destroyed this city because of one’s sexual orientation. Please see for insights below Josh Scott book Context Chapter 6

Lack of hospitality is the moral of the story

It may be foreign to our way of life, but cultural expectations during these times were to greet and care for strangers who may come to your city/door. See Josh Scott for more details. So, Lot extends his hospitality to strangers visiting in Genesis 19. Then, people of Sodom surround his home and insist his visitors be sent out for their own sexual pleasures.

It’s crazy to read though maybe not for a patriarchal society that Lot offered his daughter instead to be raped, but this story is more than about sex. It appears even after his horrific offer by Lot, the crowd outside felt judged by Lot not accepting their invitation to prey on strangers (19:9). I guess the only good news in this story is that these possible divine visitors (19:15) offered protection for Lot and family to leave before the city was destroyed by God.

Further evidence Sodom and Gomorrah about lack of hospitality or love in general

In other OT passages the writers emphasized the lack of hospitality, not being gay, as the moral concern regarding Sodom and Gomorrah. The prophet Isaiah in Chapter 1 condemns the Judah people by calling them “rulers of Sodom.” (1:10) They are then called out for their lack of justice for the oppressed not sexual sins (1:16-17). Isaiah didn’t understand Sodom and Gomorrah as a condemnation against homosexuality. Other passages agree the sin in Sodom and Gomorrah was about the lack of love toward the oppressed (Amos 4, Ezekiel 16). Even Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew, when referring to Sodom and Gomorrah, speaks of lack of hospitality as the sin. (10:9-15).

Besides, visitors came to rape not have a relationship

This story is about hostility and hate toward outsiders. Do we really think only gay men showed up to Lot’s doorstep to pry on male guests or did straight men suddenly become gay? And then Lot offers these supposed gay men his daughters for sex.  Didn’t Lot know they were gay? This story obviously is not about consensual sex – straight or gay. This story is also not about a desire to be in a monogamous same-sex relationship.

God would surely condemn nonconsensual sexual relationships, but why would God condemn any relationships based on mutual love and respect. It doesn’t make moral sense why God would condemn gays when they can no more chose who they love than straights can. Ask your gay friends! Why would anyone choose to be gay based on the condemnation and bigotry they face? Please be careful picking a Bible story or passage to definitively speak for God.

Mike Edwards has been writing for Done with Religion for some time and has been a great addition to the site. He couldn’t find enough people to discuss God openly so he started blogging years ago. Mike also has his own site where he writes that can be found at What God May Really Be Like  He can be contacted by email at: medwar2@gmail.com

Allow Each Other to Follow Their Path

by Michael Donahoe

Is it aggravating to anyone else, or is it just me? I mean the fact that no matter what you believe, what your interpretation, someone always has a completely opposite view.

You get excited about hearing some truth that really connects, and the next thing you read an article by another Christian person that completely disagrees with what you just heard.

Even more than that, most of us Christians get mad when someone disagrees with us and is different. We get on Facebook and make ourselves look crazy because we talk about brotherly love, then we fight and argue with someone because they interpret things differently….and mostly about things we cannot prove one way or the other.

We really have to stop and think that whatever it is we believe, whatever our interpretation, not everyone is going to agree with us. There is no reason for us to get mad at someone else for being different.

Some of the things we believe in life are basically all a matter of faith. We have our opinions and beliefs, but normally we cannot prove them as fact. Yet, we will argue our point and get mad at others because they do not accept our views. Just because someone has a different viewpoint does not mean we cannot accept them and listen to their views.

We need to keep our ears open to the leading of the Spirit, and follow on our own path looking to Jesus. That does not mean any and every path is the right one, but we cannot be the judge of who is right and who is wrong.

Jeremy Myers, in his book ‘Dying to Religion and Empire’ states, “The beautiful thing about following Jesus is that while he leads us all in the same direction, there are millions of different paths he can take to get us there. His goal, of course, is to advance the Kingdom of God on earth through the people of God who are being conformed into the image of God”. We need to follow Christ as he leads us, and then be ready to love all people, no matter if they are on the same path or not.

Let’s stop arguing, fighting, and demanding that everyone agree with us, and love those we meet along the journey. Enjoy the diversity and differences in others and use it as an opportunity to learn new things and accept people who are different than us.

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Michael Donahoe was added as a writer as his views fit perfectly with those of Done with Religion. He also writes on Substack at https://personalmeanderings.substack.com/