U.S.A.

"This was the guilt of your sister Sodom, she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy." Ezekiel 16:49 (NRSV)

No mention of homosexuality.

And yet this sounds strangely familiar.

It describes the U.S.A..

Pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease.
Not aiding the poor and needy.

In the U.S.A. the minimum wage is so low that people have to work 3 and 4 jobs just to survive.

They have little unemployment relief and no public health system.

"Was not your sister Sodom a byword in your mouth in the day of your pride."  Ezekiel 16:56 (NRSV)

And yet the religious right in the U.S.A. has made homosexuality a scapegoat.  Claiming that the Bible condemns it.

I would suggest that they look to their own sins before pointing the finger at minority groups like gays and lesbians.

"I will restore their fortunes, the fortunes of Sodom and her daughters and the fortunes of Samaria and her daughters, and I will restore your own fortunes along with theirs."  Ezekiel 16:53 (NRSV)

"As for your sisters, Sodom and her daughters shall return to their former state, Samaria and her daughters shall return to their former state, and you and your daughters shall return to your former state."  Ezekiel 16:55 (NRSV)

This is the promise of God - to restore the fortunes of Sodom.

So don't make homosexuality a scapegoat based on Biblical injunctions.

It may not mean what you think.


[Scripture quotations (marked NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission.  All rights reserved.]

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