Sodom and Gomorrah

A great story, ... and the truth of it is that wanton lust and sin will lead to destruction. We know it is true because it is in the bible, inspired by God. Is it factual? ... Probably not.

There was probably a story of a couple cities that no longer existed, maybe destroyed in an earthquake and/or fire, in any case they were totally destroyed and their inhabitants, or most of them, destroyed with them. It happened in the distant past and a few survivors related the horror and total destruction to their children and they to theirs. Someone asked why. After all, ... only God could wield such power, or so they believed. The gods were thought to control everything that could not be explained any other way.  

Many years, maybe centuries later, the people were falling into sinful ways, rebelling against religious authority. Religious leaders who were aware of the old story knew that evil ways always led to death of the soul and damnation. They may not have been thinking in those terms but they knew it was against all they believed. And so, they were inspired to link the tale of the destruction of these cities and their people to punishment for sin.  Hence, the story of  Sodom and Gomorrah.

Is it then, all bunk? Is it not to believed? There may or may not have been two cities. They may or may not have been destroyed. I doubt if they were destroyed by a direct act of God. It may or may not be true that God warned a few good people of the impending (natural) disaster, possibly in a dream. So, the "facts" may not be there.

But there is a TRUTH in the story, and the truth of it is that wanton lust and sin will lead to destruction. We will be deprived of heaven if we continue to live immorally.  The Bible story was inspired to relate this truth. 

The story is not meant to be a justification for using force and destruction to enforce morality or goodness in others. That is not supported by fact, nor included in the truth of the tale. The writers of the story in the bible reflected the knowledge of the time and inadvertently contributed to the notion of a vindictive God. Let us look for the TRUTHS in the Bible and not be so concerned with the facts, or the lack thereof..