The Bible Slam: Genesis Chapter 19

Here's the chapter about Sodom and Gomorrah being destroyed, supposedly because of gay people — at least according to many Christians.   However, this chapter has inconsistencies and questionable moral values, such as the sexual relationship between the daughters and father of God's "righteous" family.

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Discussion Points: Shady Moral Values and Other Topics.

Chapters like this one make it very difficult to seriously consider   those who insist that the Bible is the "inerrant" word of God that should be followed literally and that it is a moral compass.

Inconsistency and Weird Morals – Lot offers his "virgin" daughters to placate the rapers.   Is this an example of the morals we should be learning from the Bible?   Tossing your kids to the wolves, so to speak?   Later in the very same chapter, at Genesis 19:14, the King James Version writes:

And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.

Why were the daughters virgins if they were married?

Possible Inconsistencies – This chapter gives two different accounts of how these cities were destroyed:   By the angels who were sent to destroy the cities (verse 13) and by the LORD, who rained fire and brimstone down upon it (verse 24).   The previous chapter talks about three angels headed to Sodom and Gomorrah as God's representatives; two show up in this chapter.   Maybe these two were part of the three talked about in the earlier chapter.   Chapter 18 actually calls them men, not angels.   Chapter 19 specifically calls them angels.

Moral Values – Presumably, innocent babies and little children were killed as part of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.   Lot's wife may have felt bad about this — or maybe she just heard a loud BOOM as brimstone was crashing onto a building — and looked back.   If one were to even believe this story, why would God turn her into a pillar of salt for this?

Inconsistencies – The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah is typically cited by Christian fundamentalists who are against civil rights for gay people.   However, as pointed out in the discussion for the previous chapter, there were many other reasons for the destruction.

Moral Values – The bible establishes that Lot, his wife (who God killed) and his daughters were the only righteous people in Sodom and Gomorrah that were worth saving.   Within days of losing their husbands and watching their mother turn into a pillar of salt, Lot's daughters get their father drunk and rape him.   Each become pregnant.   What kind of moral, family values are these?

Related Reading – Sleeping Around in the Bible.

Sphere: Related Content

Related posts:

1. The Bible Slam: Genesis Chapter 18
2. The Bible Slam: Genesis Chapter 13
3. The Bible Slam: Genesis Chapter 14
4. The Bible Slam: Genesis Chapter 20
5. The Bible Slam: Genesis Chapter 27
6. The Bible Slam: Genesis Chapter 23
7. The Bible Slam: Genesis Chapter 15
8. The Bible Slam: Genesis Chapter 16
9. The Bible Slam: Genesis Chapter 44
10. The Bible Slam: Genesis Chapter 11

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One Response to “The Bible Slam: Genesis Chapter 19”

1. The Bible Slam: Deuteronomy Chapter 02 - God Discussion says:

   February 28, 2010 at 3:18 pm

   [...] readers might recall that in Genesis Chapter 19, which is frequently cited by anti-gay Christians as a reason to justify hating gay people, when [...]

   Reply

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