The Story Of Sodom & Gomorrah: What It Teaches Us
Scriptural texts have been known to establish various forms of misinterpretation that have only heightened as time has passed. Religious individuals may follow what their respective scriptures say is right or wrong even excessively even when it was written in ancient times. Religious aficionados have claimed throughout history that being gay is against the written sacred injunction. However, those that don’t challenge this notion are guilty of misinterpreting the Bible for what it truly is. But the Bible says emphasizes that “Catholic readers of the Scripture have a positive duty to avoid certain sorts of what authorities call “actualization” of the tests, by which they mean reading ancient texts as referring in a straightforward way to modern realities.” (James Alison Theology)
These misconceptions of sacred texts can lead to patterns of extremism. There is a divide that is presumed but isn’t typically recognized in the media and society. That is between conservatives who take the Bible very literally and who oppose gays and liberals who don’t and therefore aren’t opposed to gay individuals. This notion is clearly not always the case, but these conceptions are often stressed. The “obvious meaning” people place onto these texts can turn out to be entirely different from its original intentions. It is feasible to read the Bible in a way incorporating regard for the underlying principles of the text and demonstrate agreement without implying support or disagreement of homosexuality. The reconstruction of religion in modern times must take a different approach to include those that feel shunned from their respective religious communities.
As a society, there is the potential and ability to possess a certain wisdom that the original authors didn’t experience. We don’t know what the author’s pure intentions were due to scriptures being written in ancient times. The story of Sodom and Gomorrah has been falsely recognized as the official biblical narrative that condemns homosexuality. In spite of this, the Hebrew Bible does not criticize Sodom for its irregular sexual practices, but for its inhospitality and arrogance. This story is another critical component of people’s misinterpretations of the bible. It is claimed that “The prophet Ezekiel locates the sin of Sodom in its inhospitality, its cruelty, and perversion of justice, and not in homosexuality. He describes Sodom as arrogant and insensitive to human need.” (The Real Sin of Sodom, p. 20) The real sin of Sodom is fundamentally unwelcoming others or neglecting strangers and those in need.
The Bible never appears to condemn the LGBT community, although it does condemn people who avoid those who request guidance and aid. Individuals find what they wish in the Bible, and at times make sense of it through their pre-conceived judgments. One needs to understand the Bible in modern terms to get what desire from it, without employing homophobic tendencies. Times have evidently changed, this requires reframing devices in the interpretation of the Bible to keep up with our present-day society. The bible needs to be seen for what it is, not a condemnation of homosexuality, but something entirely different. An apparent case of this misunderstanding, “In Romans 1:26-27, Paul uses a Greek word, paraphysin, to describe women and men violating gender roles. That word has been translated as “unnatural,” and taken to mean that heterosexuality is natural and homosexuality is not.
