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To: Biggirl; All
120 posted on 3/28/2013 8:17:28 AM by Biggirl: “Was it homosexuality that destroyed both Sodom and Gomorrah?”

Yes, among other things.

I believe it is important when discussing these matters to go back to the biblical text and see what the Bible actually says. Many in modern America, even professing Christians, simply do not read Scripture. We have become too comfortable with sin and even if we oppose it, we don't fight against it as hard as we should.

Perhaps you are thinking of Ezekiel 16:49-50, which says, “Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good.”

Nobody argues that the only sin in Sodom was homosexuality. But it certainly was among the sins that led to their destruction.

The simple fact is that God's word refers to Sodom over and over again as a key example of wickedness that leads to utter destruction. God says that “the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly” (Genesis 13:13).

What was that wickedness?

Men trying to commit homosexual rape against angels of God makes pretty clear what the “final straw” wickedness was which led to the utter destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah:

“But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter: And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them. And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him, And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly. Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof. And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door. But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door. And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door. And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place: For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the Lord; and the Lord hath sent us to destroy it.” (Genesis 19:4-13).

We find additional references to “Sodomites” in I Kings 14:24, 15:12, 22:46, and II Kings 23:7 which pretty clearly refer to homosexuality. We also see in Jude 6-9 that the sin of Sodom involves “strange flesh,” with, interestingly enough, additional references to the good angels and the fallen angels: “And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.”

Some might argue that homosexual rape is forbidden by God, but not consensual homosexuality. That's not what God says in I Corinthians 6:9-11, using two Greek words translated as “effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind” that refer to the passive and active partners in homosexual acts: “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”

Note carefully the final verse: “and such were some of you.”

Sodom didn't repent. Some homosexuals do. Without that repentance no homosexual can enter the Kingdom of God, but God can and does convert even the worst of sinners.

The bottom line, as Romans 1:18-32 says, is that when a nation abandons God, He abandons that nation and turns it over to horrible evils, including but not limited to homosexuality.

Homosexuality is not like many other sins. It is a curse that comes about as a result of prior disobedience. There can be no compromise with it by Christians.

Romans 1:18-32: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

127 posted on 03/28/2013 6:48:30 AM PDT by darrellmaurina
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To: darrellmaurina

This is going futher deeper into the Bible. Even the miniseries on the Bible is just a slice of a pie with regards to the Bible.


134 posted on 03/28/2013 7:09:47 AM PDT by Biggirl ("Jesus talked to us as individuals"-Jim Vicevich/Thanks JimV!)
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To: darrellmaurina

“We find additional references to “Sodomites” in I Kings 14:24, 15:12, 22:46, and II Kings 23:7 which pretty clearly refer to homosexuality.”

The traditional definition of sodomy includes any “unnatural” sex act, including homosexuality and oral sex. Nowadays, we have changed the definition to only include homosexuals.


183 posted on 03/28/2013 11:06:22 AM PDT by Owl558 (Think twice before speaking once)
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