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From: barry@ames.UUCP (Kenn Barry)
Newsgroups: net.religion
Subject: Re: Black's ravings (comment about Sodom)
Message-ID: <863@ames.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 11-Mar-85 02:54:02 EST
Article-I.D.: ames.863
Posted: Mon Mar 11 02:54:02 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 12-Mar-85 21:09:43 EST
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Organization: NASA-Ames Research Center, Mtn. View, CA
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> Regarding R. Brower's comment to Black about "where do you see
> homosexuality mentioned in the story about Sodom...", Genesis
> 19:5 says,
> 
>    "They called to Lot, `Where are the men who came to you
>    tonight?  Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with
>    them.'" (NIV)
> 
> The passage goes on to say that the angels struck all of the men
> blind, told Lot to gather up his people, and nuked the city.
> Seems pretty clear, ja?

	It's less clear in other translations. The RSV says "And they
called to Lot, 'Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them
out to us, that we may know them.'". And the King James also says "know
them" rather than "have sex with them". A bit more ambiguous, I would
say.
	But the really interesting part of the story comes in the following
verses. Remember, according to the Bible, Lot is a righteous man, and
he and his family are the only ones saved when Sodom is destroyed. So,
what does he do about his demanding neighbors?

		"Lot went out of the door to the men, shut the door after
	him, and said, 'I beg you, my brothers, do not act so wickedly.
	Behold, I have two daughters who have not known man; let me bring
	them out to you, and do to them as you please; only do nothing
	to these men, for they have come under the shelter of my roof.'"
	[RSV, Genesis 19:6-8]

	My thanks to Robert A. Heinlein, who pointed out this interesting
example of Lot's upright ways in STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND.

-  From the Crow's Nest  -                      Kenn Barry
                                                NASA-Ames Research Center
                                                Moffett Field, CA
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