Fact and myth

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That's it. I'm done.

I am no longer interested in this argument.

Now that's putting it up front. Sex is bad. The alternative reproduction methods of cloning and artificial insemination were not available at the time so I wonder how people were supposed to manage reproduction.

Sex isn't bad. But it can be misused. Everything that Sodom & Gomorrah did to incur the wrath of God had one thing in common: it was all immoral and evil. We're told that they did everything wrong. Any kind of sin that was possible for humans to do in those days, they were doing it. And no one was repenting.

Even if Sodom & Gomorrah didn't actually exist, it remains a story with a lesson.

Look, life is never all black vs. all white. There is no such thing as total, iredeemable depravity, just as there is no such thing as immaculate, shiny sainthood. People are much more complex and interesting than that. A society where absolutely everybody were the epitome of evil would self-destruct long before any god had had time to notice and send the first firestorm. No human society behaves that way. People may be dumb sometimes, but you'll never find 100% corruption. The lessons to be learned from the story of Sodom and Gomorrah are 1) some primitive peoples had a narrow black vs. white view of moral issues, 2) primitive gods were notable for their short temper, 3) our greater climate of tolerance is a value we should be thankful for in our current times.

Right. But does that mean sainthood is a fraud? I'd like to think that saints do exist.

Heck, I think saints would be the first to admit that they weren't perfect! (If you meet someone who thinks they are, it's a fair bet they're nowhere near sainthood. Saints don't pontificate about how great they are, they just get on with...being saints.)

As far as Sodom and Gomorrah goes, I believe the Talmud's explanation of their sin was that they were inhospitable and mean. I find it interesting that the Jews, who actually wrote the Old Testament, often have such different explanations of parts of it than the ones Christians have.

I'd just love to hear some comment about the other piece of unacceptable behavior in this passage. When Lot realizes he and his male guests are about to be gang-raped by the townsmen...what's his reaction? 'Don't do such a horrible thing! Here, take my virgin daughters!'

Please, exactly how does this make Lot the good guy in all this?