Sodom And Gomorrah

Was Los Angeles Sodom or Gomorrah?

Good day to each of you reading this column on the raging fires in Los Angeles. As I write, please take some moments out of your day and pray for our fellow brothers and sisters in peril in Los Angeles and surrounding areas.. 

God is not vindicative, nor is God One who finds pleasure in destroying cities, people and nations. 

I am here not to judge nor stereotype those in the areas affecting Los Angeles, but I offer similarities of Sodom and Los Angeles.

The name Sodom, interesting enough, means “burning” and what did God do to destroy Sodom? You got it, fire from heaven.

So, let’s examine Sodom. The Wycliffe Bible Commentary breaks down Genesis 18:16-22 with the following information that Sodom was to be destroyed to purge the cesspools of iniquity. Sodom, a city of human depravity, vile, full of wickedness, grievous, perverted, villainous and where the most unspeakable brand of sin was practiced audaciously and openly.

The Lord, in Genesis 18:21, went down to Sodom to see if what the Sodomites were doing was as bad as the outcry that had reached him. In fact, the Lord was giving the Sodomites one last chance to repent and turn from their wicked ways before the city was destroyed.

Yet, the Sodomites would not give up their wicked ways and went about their business. We read on further in Genesis 18 that Abraham, went to bat for Sodom by asking the Lord if the for the sake of ten people, I will not destroy Sodom. 

A significant lesson here is that you and I can ask for anything from the Lord, but the understanding is that the Lord’s answers are from the Lord’s perspective and not ours.

Genesis 19 gives us the outcome of Sodom—complete destruction including all those who lived in the city and the vegetation in the land.

Abraham describes Sodom in Genesis 19:28 (NIV) ²⁸ He looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah, toward all the land of the plain, and he saw dense smoke rising from the land, like smoke from a furnace.

Under the AI Overview: In the Bible, God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah because of their sexual wickedness, including rape, child sexual abuse, indecent assault, and homosexuality. 

When thinking about Sodom, the word “sodomy” comes to mind where “sodomy” or sex acts between two men whether they be consenting or not were being performed openly. But was this the only reason the Lord destroyed Sodom? Turn to Ezekiel 16:49-50 (NIV)“‘Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore, I did away with them as you have seen”.

Sodom was a city where people were full of themselves, haughty, disdainfully proud, conceited, looked down on the poor and the needy, egotistic, full of gluttony and apathetic financially, economically, or morally to those that were poor and without food, shelter, and transportation. 

Sodom was destroyed because they gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. Sodom was labeled as a cesspool of iniquity where sodomy was openly practiced with no fear of the consequences.

Is this a warning to a city like Los Angeles? You must agree that movies are being produced in Los Angeles where sodomy is performed on the big screen. Indeed, Los Angeles is a large LGBTQ area where sodomy is being practiced openly and accepted as an accepted lifestyle. As a Christian, do you not agree that Sodom did “detestable things?”

Would you not agree that sodomy is a detestable or an accepted lifestyle? Is not the Hebrew word “detestable” morally disgusting or are you of the thought that it is “ok” as long as it does not affect me.

Fellow Christians, why are we so afraid to speak that sin detestable—I do not hate the LGBTQ people, but I do hate the sin—that’s why we have repentance. Have we become so complacent as Christians as to not accept this lifestyle? Why support movies or television that support sodomy?

I would hope and I pray that the destruction in Los Angeles has come to a halt and that further damage will not be done. We must pray for those in peril, for those who have lost all their worldly goods, their houses, their belongings.

Yes, Sodom was guilty of many other sins as written in Ezekiel 16:49-50, but God makes it very clear in Genesis 18 & 19 that sodomy was the principal cause that the city was destroyed. 

As we fast forward, one looks no further than Los Angeles as the media capital of the United States. Between television and motion pictures, one can tune in to any show that he or she fancies. As for the progression of the media, one must say that those in Hollywood are “pushing the envelope” to see what the general public will accept and what they will not accept.

Do you think the Andy Griffith show, Lassie, Gunsmoke, Rin, Tin, Tin, the Honeymooners, the Munsters, Petticoat Junction, Green Acres, the Beverly Hillbillies, The Waltons or shows back in the 50’s and 60’s would have a chance today?

Would comedians and comedy make it without sex and vulgarity? Would music sell if no sex, vulgarity, violence is mentioned? Could Hollywood, make a TV show that is rated “G”, a movie made by Walt Disney and not an adaptation or an old-fashioned cartoon? I think not.

You can call me a dreamer, but I’m not the only one who still watches shows that entertain, enlighten and make me laugh without the sex, vulgarity and the political correctness. So, Los Angeles, why are you burning? Look no further than Hollywood and the media that you produce? Are you any different than Sodom? Do you not see that sodomy and the detestable things that Hollywood produces is against what God has taught us.

Do you not see that history repeats itself and that God is not amused? Just my observations as welcome in 2025. Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.