Sodom and Gomorrah

In Biblical times, Sodom and Gomorrah were two cities that, along with the cities of Admah, Zeboim, and Bela, comprised what was known as the "cities of the plain," a region located in the southern part of Canaan. Although the land itself was compared to the Garden of Eden, with its lush fields and abundant vegetation, Sodom and Gomorrah were nonetheless cesspits of impenitent sin and immorality. It was only a matter of time, then, until God would level them in his wrath. According to chapter 18 of Genesis, three angels sent by God, appeared before Abraham in the plains of Mamre. Through these angels, God revealed to Abraham that He would destroy Sodom and Gomorrah since "their sin [was] very grievous." However, Abraham was able to convince God to spare the two cities if ten righteous people were found to be living within their boundaries. Thus, two of the angels were sent to Sodom, where they met Abraham's nephew Lot. However, that night, a few of the residents of Sodom, who were described as fervent homosexuals, came to Lot's house and asked to see the two men (the residents did not know they were angels) who had entered Lot's house earlier so that they "may know them," or in other words, so that they could "engage in intercourse with them." Lot refused to them his guests, but he did offer them his two virgin daughters, whom the crowd promptly rejected. The people attempted to force their way into Lot's house but were blinded by Lot's guests, who revealed to him that they were actually angels sent by God to judge the city and its inhabitants. After failing to find at least ten righteous, moral people in the city, the angels then proceeded to advise Lot to gather his wife and two daughters and leave before God destroyed the city. Lot willingly complied, and as he and his family escaped from Sodom, God began to unleash fire and brimstone upon both Sodom and Gomorrah. The angels commanded Lot and his family to avert their gaze from the destruction, but Lot's wife did not heed this command. She looked back at the city and was instantly transformed into a pillar of salt. Lot and his daughters then took refuge in the mountains, where they practiced incest.

What can I say about impenitent punishment? It is justified in the case of serial killers who demonstrate no remorse for their crimes or pity for their victims. Nonetheless, as it applies to the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, the extent to which the citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah were punished probably was not exactly necessary. Punishment for crimes is only justified when those responsible for the crime are made to pay for their actions and not when innocent civilians are made to pay as well. While there were indeed bad people within, the entire population most likely was not guilty of any particular crime and therefore should not have had to die along with the actual sinners. In the world today, there are countless good people among the few bad, yet people can only see the bad.