Sodom and Gomorrah and it's parallels with modern day Western Society

Sodom and Gomorrah, those words whether you are Religious or not, read the Bible or not, or are a Christian or follow another Religion, those words or even just Sodom alone conjures up images in the mind. It's a historical place and event that most people are aware of. People are also aware of what Sodom and Gomorrah represents and why it was ultimately destroyed in quite spectacular and undeniable fashion by God. The question is, has the lesson been learnt, OR, is our world heading into a similar Sodom and Gomorrah scenario but with a modern day twist and what lessons can be learnt from it?

In these modern times, our Western societies are walking down the same road as the infamous times of S&G . This same trend of flaunting sin openly and publicly just like back in those Biblical days without a care is becoming increasingly prevalent in our times to the extent it's almost becoming acceptable or even "Cool".. A lot of parallels are being drawn with Western Society with America leading the way into a Sodom and Gomorrah style judgement. Not only in numerous religious circles is it a shared view that a "Judgement" is coming and that quite visible warnings as we speak are being given but just like in the Bible they are being ignored. Even in Politics,  Russia the promoter of traditional society values that refuses to adopt Western Society ethics and morals has pointed the finger at America and said they are heading down the S&G road in spectacular fashion as demonstrated in the Moscow Times in 2013

Sodom and Gomorrah is referenced 47 times in the Bible not just in the actual event that is mentioned in the Book of Genesis and mentioned many times also in The New Testament. It was an extremely important event. This article is an offshoot from the previous "The Breakdown of Modern Day Society and what is causing it" article  and also is very relevant and connected to The US Transgender Toilet Guidelines. Another step closer to chaos?

The History of Sodom and Gomorrah

Sodom and Gomorrah is mentioned not just in Christianity but also in Islam and Judaism. The cities were located in the same region as 3 other cities Admah, Zeboim and Bela. These five cities, also known as the "cities of the plain", were situated on the Jordan River plain in the southern region of the land of Canaan. The plain or region surrounded the dead sea and was of magnificent beauty and a land of super abundance and fertility, being a land well-watered, lush and green. (Genesis 14:2) and was compared to the garden of Eden[Gen.13:10]

In spite of this beautiful land and what appears to be blessings of abundance of good things in all those cities, the people of Sodom and Gomorrah were also renowned for their wickedness and sinfulness and the total rejection of God in every shape and form. Rather than living by God’s instructions, “the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the LORD” (Genesis 13:13).

What happened prior to the Judgement?

A straight lift from GotQuestions.org that explains in simple terms the Biblical Account of Sodom and Gomorrah that led to the judgement and the all important Bible Quotes that shed further light on what actually happened.

The biblical account of Sodom and Gomorrah is recorded in Genesis chapters 18-19. Genesis chapter 18 records the Lord and two angels coming to speak with Abraham. The Lord informed Abraham that "the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous." Verses 22-33 record Abraham pleading with the Lord to have mercy on Sodom and Gomorrah because Abraham's nephew, Lot, and his family lived in Sodom.

Genesis chapter 19 records the two angels, disguised as human men, visiting Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot met the angels in the city square and urged them to stay at his house. The angels agreed. A mob then arrived outside Lot's house. The Bible then informs us:

Gen 19:5-8: “and they called to Lot and said to him, ‘Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may have relations with them.’ But Lot went out to them at the doorway, and shut the door behind him, and said, ‘Please, my brothers, do not act wickedly. KJV

Lot in order to direct the mobs attention away from the Angels offers his two virgin daughters as detailed in this Bible quote below

“Now behold, I have two daughters who have not had relations with man; please let me bring them out to you, and do to them whatever you like; only do nothing to these men, in as much as they have come under the shelter of my roof,” (Gen. 19:8).

The angels then proceed to blind all the men of Sodom and Gomorrah and urge Lot and his family to flee from the cities to escape the wrath that God was about to deliver. Lot and his family flee the city, and then "the LORD rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah — from the LORD out of the heavens. Thus he overthrew those cities and the entire plain, including all those living in the cities..nothing survived."

Full article at GotQuestions 

To this day nothing exists or has survived in that area since, it is a desolate area where nothing grows............nothing! Further details in the video below called "Sodom and Gomorrah- proof of the supernatural"





Why did God punish or judge Sodom and Gomorrah?

God decided to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah because their sin was “very grave”

Genesis 18:20

And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;

They went in the face of God's statutes and commandments. It was in God’s perfect judgment that he destroyed these cities with fire and brimstone (sulfur) dumped from above.. It was done for good reason, letting them serve as sobering examples for all mankind to learn from. It was done as an example for those at the time and also burned into history for all future generations to be made aware of the danger of ignoring God's Statutes and Commandments

The five main reasons that God poured judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah

Because the people of Sodom had done the following:

1. Sodom’s society was steeped in widespread sexual immorality, including homosexual acts and vicious rapes. The residents of Sodom had become so evil that God could not find even 10 righteous people among them (Genesis 18:32).

2. The inhabitants were uncharitable and abusive to strangers, the poor, sick, and disadvantaged. In that society, a person had a very strong obligation to protect any guests in their home.

3. They wanted to humiliate their visitors by engaging in "an act of sexual degradation and male rape...These are acts of violence that are committed by parties seeking to show their hatred for those they are degrading. It is not an act of love or of caring"

4. Wanted to engage in bestiality -- having sex with members of another species such as Angels. The mob mentioned outside Lot's home where the Angels stayed may have wanted to rape the angels. Angels are not human beings; they are of a different species and in their minds was the going after of "other flesh" or "strange flesh."

5. Wanted to adsorb the power of the angels: In ancient times, sacred sex was very common. If the people of Sodom realized that angels sent by God were present in their city, the men of Sodom may have concluded that raping the angels might give them supernatural powers?

What was the real reason that God passed judgement on Sodom and Gomorrah?

The above five points are the main reasons touted that spring to mind which center around the question of immorality especially Homosexuality. Delve deeper and beyond Genesis and one of the Seven Deadly Sins, one that is not so obvious but still "grievous" none the less. (Ezek. 16:49-50) highlights the fact that God found Pride among the inhabitants of Sodom, one of the "Seven Deadly Sins and "sloth" mentioned as idleness as the other, which many cite as the real and one of the chief reasons for the  destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and judgement by God.

Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good. (Ezekiel 16:49-50)

What did Jesus and the The New Testament of the Bible have to say about Sodom and Gomorrah

Jesus Christ said that societies at the end of the age would parallel those in the days of Noah and Lot (Luke 17:26-30). Regarding the time of Lot, Jesus said, “They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all” (verses 28-29).

Paul called the period just before Christ’s return “perilous times.” He said they would be filled with pleasure-seeking, materialism, immorality, violence, idleness and rejection of the things of God (2 Timothy 3:1-5). Sound familiar.

(Romans 1:20-25). As mankind went astray, men and women began to exchange the wholesome, God-ordained use of sex for vile and shameful passions (verses 26-27). Paul also listed a number of other sinful behaviors that humans began practicing as they turned from God (verses 28-31).

God spoke about moral decline in Romans 1:18-32. here's some sample verses from the middle of that Chapter

21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four footed beasts, and creeping things. 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

Are Western World Leaders Responsible for the Modern Day Moral Decline?

Modern Day Western Society has democratically elected leaders. They lead and society follows. A Gay Marriage law is passed by a Government it sends out a signal that in these modern times Homesexuality is now  not a sin and all the Bible quotes that state otherwise have been overidden by man........... all in the name of modernity.

Those who lead you cause you to err, And destroy the way of your paths. (Isaiah 3:12)

For the leaders of this people cause them to err, And those who are led by them are destroyed (Isaiah 9:16).

Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall. (Proverbs 16:18)

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. (Romans 1:28-32)

Is America the Modern Day Sodom?
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America is a nation that had it all, you could say was blessed by God because of it's initial adopting of God's statutes and it's embracing of Israel and it's people into it's country and also the nation Israel itself and it became a Superpower that controlled the world. The rot started to set in when corruption started to enter the White house and the Abortion Law became reality allowing the mass murder of millions of lives. Things have progressively gone down hill ever since and 9/11 was the wake up call for the nation. The nation has carried on regardless slipping further away from God and now in these modern times seemingly turning it's back on God and embracing the darker side. Warnings have come in many forms since but the Nation carries on regardless.

These quotes from the Bible I personally think sum up the situation not only in America but in the Western World today. We are living in times where evil is considered good or hip and cool, sin is to be encouraged and enjoyed and who cares about the consequences. Those that are seen to be doing right or good are "upsetting the new status quo" and are "party poopers". Christian symbols are being torn down with "The Cross" and "The Ten Commandments" and the words "In God We Trust" being particular victims in these S&G times. With churches closing or being attacked and burnt down, Materialism and Promiscuity rampant, and with an openly encouraged embracing of the Seven Deadly sins, we are in the times mentioned in Romans 1:28-32 above.

We are seeing mass shootings, rampant pornography addiction and the rise of narcism and Selfie Culture and a society obsessed more with Celebrity than with God. Rampant Government debt and spending and financial markets that bear no semblance to economic reality with "market intervention" being the buzzword in financial circles but a bubble that is waiting to pop in spectacular fashion.

The current bizarre obsession over the LGBT community and their toilet rights?? above everything else by the current US administration speaks volumes in itself. Why they are not concentrating on more pressing issues that are affecting the broader population is a head scratching mystery? We are seeing the rapid erosion of moral values and privacy and civil liberties. Mothers killing new born babies with their own hands becoming a common headline, the breakdown of the family unit, Americas back turning on Israel, and that's just the tip of the iceberg. We are living in times where "what is wrong is right and what is right is wrong" with the attitude "what's wrong with that".

Is there a Sodom and Gomorrah style judgement coming. I think it's overdue, but the problem in these modern times is that unlike Sodom and Gomorrah the problem is not local in nature and contained within two cities, it is now rampant across much of the globe with the US leading the way merrily heading it's way into oblivion. We live in an interconnected world, but if a judgement is coming it will be interesting in what shape or form it will come..............and more to the point..... who will be affected and what the final outcome will be?

Some Bible quotes to ponder over

Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Isaiah 5:20

“‘Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? No! They were not at all ashamed; nor did they know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; at the time I punish them, they shall be cast down,’ says the LORD” (Jeremiah 6:15).

I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evil doers, that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.
(Jeremiah 23:14).

Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.
(Ecclesiastes 8:11).

Statements and Comments from Religious Events and Conferences on the Sodom and Gomorrah effect in our modern Times
via Scottwoodward.org

We live in a season when fierce men do terrible and despicable things. We live in a season of war. We live in a season of arrogance. We live in a season of wickedness, pornography, immorality. All of the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah haunt our society. Our young people have never faced a greater challenge. We have never seen more clearly the lecherous face of evil. (Ensign, Nov 2001, 4)

Boyd K. Packer (Quorum of the Twelve)
Nothing happened in Sodom and Gomorrah which exceeds in wickedness and depravity that which surrounds us now.

Words of profanity, vulgarity, and blasphemy are heard everywhere. Unspeakable wickedness and perversion were once hidden in dark places; now they are in the open, even accorded legal protection.

At Sodom and Gomorrah these things were localized. Now they are spread across the world, and they are among us. (Address to CES religious educators, Feb. 6, 2004, 4)

Spencer W. Kimball (President)

Because of this widespread tolerance toward promiscuity, this world is in grave danger. When evil is decried and forbidden and punished, the world still has a chance. But when toleration for sin increases, the outlook is bleak and Sodom and Gomorrah days are certain to return. (Faith Precedes the Miracle, 154)

Why is there life on Earth and nowhere else?

The Billion dollar Question. Why is planet earth the only planet that can support life? OR Why is there only life on earth? OR Why is earth the only planet to sustain life OR Why does life exist on earth and nowhere else? I don't have the answer, I don't think anybody really does but that doesn't mean you can't attempt to find an answer either via Science or Religion.

This is a personal question and open ended article, that has been on the back of my mind since writing the The Big Bang Theory V God Created the Universe?  where the question was raised near the end with mutterings on this very subject........ excerpt below

On a final note, If science says that our world and our universe were created via The Big Bang, why is it that even now after discovering planetary systems outside our solar system and knowing now all the planets within our solar system, Planet Earth is the only one that has the capability to sustain life and importantly human life. Why is that………….is there a scientific explanation for that or is it an act beyond human grasp and the realms of science in what can only be called “Divine Intervention” by a higher superior power??

I'm not a Scientist or Astronomer but this question has also become more prominent with the Juno probe getting closer to Jupiter as we speak with it's ETA being 4th July 2016 which just happens to be Independence Day in the US. What will it find (if anything) will it find life even in it's primitive form or evidence there was life millions or billions of years ago..........but not now? Do the Moons of Jupiter instead of the Planet itself maybe hold the key to the existence of life. Will it provide answers to many questions, or will it merely provide answers that generate more questions with no answers?



Theories about Life on Earth and whether there is life beyond earth?

There are many theories why Earth can sustain plant, animal and human life and other planets in our solar system cannot. Here's some of those theories starting with the simpler theories that anybody can understand and onto the more complex answers which most people can't understand or don't want to understand..

1. The Goldilocks Zone. If you know the Goldilocks and the Three Bears story then this principle can apparently be applied to Planet Earth. Basically it's not so far away from the Sun that it is too cold to support life nor is it too close to the Sun that everything get's burnt to a frazzle.

2. The "We Don't Know" Theory. Some say yes there is life on this planet and the other planets in our solar system apparently do not have life, but are we really sure that is the case. We haven't conclusively proved that there is no life on other planets neither have we proven that there is life either. We don't have at present the technology or means to find out such things in short "We Don't Know" enough to say there is or is not life beyond earth, but that doesn't mean that there is no other life out there.

3. The "There is an Earth in every Solar System" Theory. This theory states that every solar system has a Sun or Bright Star of which there are planets at varying distances orbiting around it. These planets in similar solar systems will demonstrate the same properties as our solar system with life only being supported on the planet in the sweet spot or in the "Goldilocks Zone" such as Earth or it's equivalent and the rest will not be able to support life in any form. The only problem is we have no proof of that fact or the technology to prove that fact either. A recent NASA discovery back in 2013 proves this point. These planets seem earth like in appearance but can they sustain life. See the video below, again there is a chance that these planets are capable of supporting life BUT there is no evidence at present to prove that fact.



4. The UFO Effect. If you believe in aliens and UFO's then with all the sightings (confirmed or otherwise) there just has to be other forms of life out there and Planet Earth is not the only planet to support plant, animal or human life. There could be undocumented forms of life out there in the form of Alien life that doesn't fit into the normal three categories but is still a form of life none the less. Again we have no answers on this?

5. The "Life Comes to Us" Theory. Humans have only FOUND one planet with life....the one we are on. There could be tens, hundreds, or thousands of planets with life...we just can't find them. We might never find them. Unless...they find us.

6. "The Fermi Paradox" Theory or Fermi's paradox, named after Enrico Fermi, is the apparent contradiction between the lack of evidence and high probability estimates, for the existence of extraterrestrial civilizations. The basic points of the argument, made by physicists Enrico Fermi (1901–1954) and Michael H. Hart (born 1932), are:

There are billions of stars in the galaxy that are similar to the Sun many of which are billions of years older than Earth.
With high probability, some of these stars will have Earth-like planets and if the Earth is typical, some might develop intelligent life.
Some of these civilizations might develop interstellar travel, a step the Earth is investigating now.
Even at the slow pace of currently envisioned interstellar travel, the Milky Way galaxy could be completely traversed in about a million years.
According to this line of thinking, the Earth should have already been visited by extraterrestrial aliens?

7. The "Drake Equation". Apparently to detect any form of life in Space it's all down to a certain formula called The Drake Equation which answers the question How can we estimate the number of technological civilizations that might exist among the stars? The Drake Equation, was first presented by Frank Drake in 1961 and identifies specific factors thought to play a role in the development of such civilizations. Although there is no unique solution to this equation, it is a generally accepted tool used by the scientific community to examine these factors. Within the limits of our existing technology, any practical search for distant intelligent life must necessarily be a search for some manifestation of a distant technology according to Drake.

Here's the equation

[caption id="attachment_1046" align="aligncenter" width="540"] The Drake Equation Where,[/caption]

N = The number of civilizations in The Milky Way Galaxy whose electromagnetic emissions are detectable.

R* = The rate of formation of stars suitable for the development of intelligent life.

fp = The fraction of those stars with planetary systems.

ne = The number of planets, per solar system, with an environment suitable for life.

fl = The fraction of suitable planets on which life actually appears.

fi = The fraction of life bearing planets on which intelligent life emerges.

fc = The fraction of civilizations that develop a technology that releases detectable signs of their existence into space.

L = The length of time such civilizations release detectable signals into space.

The Biblical Explanation?

The biblical explanation doesn't have any mathematical formulas, doesn't rely on any inconclusive theories or rely on UFO's to prove that there is or is not life beyond this planet. It's all there in black and white in the first Book of the Bible called Genesis and in Chapter 1. God created the World and the Universe in Six Days and rested on the Seventh.

BUT many Christians think, ‘God must have created life elsewhere, otherwise this enormous universe would be an awful waste of space.’ This seems to be the major underlying reason why people think that there must be other life 'out there'. However, our thinking should be based on what God said He did (in the Bible), and not what we think He would, should or might have done.

There is mention of other worlds in the Bible with this verse

Hebrews 11:3: ‘Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.’

There is mention of God's creation in Psalm 8:1,3,9 which states, “O Lord, our Lord, How majestic is Thy name in all the earth, Who hast displayed Thy splendor above the heavens! …When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, The moon and the stars, which Thou has ordained; …O Lord, our Lord, How majestic is Thy name in all the earth!”

But there is no mention of other life beyond our planet. The Old Testament refers only to the Earth and the Heavens and does not imply that stars are merely distant suns with other potential worlds in orbit, indeed, it does not even imply that there are other worlds in orbit around our own sun. There is no mention of other life in other worlds in the Bible, only on this planet. Did God plan it this way, is Earth really the only planet that has any form of life and that is how it was intended and no matter how hard we look, we will not find any other life for that reason?

Maybe you have the answer? Which brings us back to the original question. Why does life exist on earth and nowhere else?