After writing my blog about adoption, the word ‘sodomy’ has spun around in my head. I thought I knew what sodomy was, but honestly, I was not sure. So, I looked for a definition of sodomy and read a little about sodomy laws.
Because I am not trying to simply offend people, I won’t talk too much about what I found. The Merriam Webster on-line dictionary says that sodomy originates from the homosexual proclivities of the men of the city (Sodom) in Genesis 19:1-11. There seems to be some vague definitions on what sodomy actually is, and the easiest way to describe it is, in general, it refers to sexual acts which do not lead to procreation. I read a little on anti-sodomy laws and some of the words that came up are ‘acts against nature’, ‘unnatural’, and buggery.
I read the Genesis account. I have always found this story interesting, and most interesting, I find, is the willingness of Lot to hand his virgin daughters over to the men of the city. In the seventh verse of Jude, he (Jude, the brother of James, and most likely the brother of Jesus) writes that Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed for their sexual immorality and perversions, to set an example, and Jude says that these types of people have slipped into the church. Godless men who use grace as a license for immorality.
It is not the sexual immorality of Sodom, or the church, that has caught my attention. It is Ezekiel’s description of immorality in chapter 16 verse 49 that hit me.
“Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy”. (New International Version)
The Contemporary English Version states it this way: “They were arrogant and spoiled; they had everything they needed and still refused to help the poor and needy.”
I grew up in a conservative American Baptist church, just outside Boston, MA. I attended Liberty University, Jerry Falwell’s school on the hill in Lynchburg, VA (then I transferred to University of Massachusetts in Lowell, a bit of a culture change). I grew up surrounded by conservative politics and even as a young adult liked to listen to people like Rush Limbaugh, and I would read (still do) conservative publications. My brain was formed around many right-wing ideas. I really believed that Jesus was a republican. I hated Bill Clinton and Al Gore. I still struggle with the Kennedys and Massachusetts politics in general. However, as I mature (hopefully not just growing older, I hope the white hairs in my head are proof of wisdom gained) my views have changed quite a bit.
If Blaise Pascal is right, and I agree with him,that “All men seek happiness.” I have learned to stop looking to politics for answers or for happiness. I try to understand who I am voting for, and on this Fourth of July, I am trying to be patriotic and support our president, whom I voted for, but am a little jaded by his administration (one perk of being in South Africa is I am as far removed from american politics as I choose to be). I am trying to learn to follow Jesus, who did not spend much time discussing earthly politics, he seemed to like to speak of His Kingdom. I am saying all this, because I am jaded by politics and don’t pretend to be anything but ignorant on many of these issues. I have chosen to spend my limited reserves (time, energy, finances) on investments in eternity. But there is one topic that these thoughts on sodomy has raised, that I can’t resist tackling.
The former head of Liberty University, Jerry Falwell (I believe he truly loved Jesus and his now home with Him), got himself in a little hot water over a few comments. Mr. Falwell had courage to speak his mind and has had a huge impact on the country and the world, he has left an immense legacy on the world, and I respect him as a man. I just want to use one of his comments (I think he is one of the few people I have ever met, [yeah, I shook that big meaty hand, and the first time I got kicked out of Liberty, I actually appealed directly to him, and he supported my cause, who doesn’t play with BB guns in their dorm room anyway?] who has tasted more shoe leather than I have, but I am still young and in the race! One of our leaders, Andrew Shearman, says he is trying to compete with the Apostle Paul in who spoke in tongues the most. I am not sure how they will compare in heaven, but maybe we can keep stats on who spent the most time with their foot in their mouth, me or Falwell…his foot was immense, mine is so small) to make a point, again, of my own.
I believe after 9/11, Falwell said something about this tragedy being God’s judgment on our country for our (sexual/homosexual) immorality. I believe we are living in an age of God’s grace to man, and a final judgment is coming, that wars and these tragedies are not God’s judgments on us, simply man’s evil ambitions. But if God were to judge the United States on her SODOMY, I believe the church might be to blame.
I don’t know anyone who enjoys paying taxes. I don’t like to think that the first half of my income goes to the government, and have especially always hated that so much money went to the welfare lines, food stamps, Medicare. I especially disliked the democrats because of these liberal programs.
Now I am not so sure. I read those sins: arrogance, being overfed and unconcerned -according to the NIV, or as the New Living Translation puts it: pride, gluttony and laziness. The poor and needy suffering outside her doors.
I realize the church in general spends herself on behalf of the poor and needy, but I wonder if we actually give until it hurts… I would answer that the church in general could give more (because people around the world still die everyday of starvation), could care more for the poor and needy. The church could spend more time and energy and money addressing social concerns (perhaps more on pro-life issues like starvation and less on anti-abortion, unless of course anti-abortion means investing in young people before they get themselves in this situation, less time on anti-gay agendas…).
Is it possible that our pride, laziness, and gluttony are as repugnant in God’s eyes as sexual immorality is in our eyes (meaning mainstream Christianity)?
I wonder out loud, or type my thoughts, maybe what is saving our country from judgment IS some of the liberal politics?
Maybe God’s judgment is aimed at a proud, fat, and lazy church…of which I am a member and a chief sinner.
