Horrendous Readings at Morning Prayer

HORRENDOUS READINGS FROM GENESIS

Wow. All week long at Morning Prayer we have been subjected to a flood of deeply moving and disconcerting stories from the oldest layers of the Old Testament. To mention just one, on Monday we heard about the infamous city of Sodom, where “the men of Sodom, both young and old”, surrounded the house of Lot, Abraham’s brother, with the intention of raping the two mysterious male visitors whom he had invited to spend the night. This presents an appalling and disgraceful scene, and has been used as a primary proof-text by those who regard homosexuality as an abomination in the eyes of God.

The most shocking element in this story, however, is one that ancient scribes and story-tellers may not even have noticed, because of their assumptions regarding the subservience of women. It occurs when 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. Look, I have two daughters who have not known a 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.” (Italics mine). (Genesis 19:6)

I also have two daughters. Given that Lot is as close to being a “good” man as there is in this story, hearing it makes me feel ashamed to be a male.

I hear this as a story about the horrendous evil of sexual violence, whoever perpetrates it. I also hear it as an early example of how God identifies with those who, like Lot’s daughters, are the most vulnerable and powerless.

In The Book of Genesis the path to redemption involves Angels who use divine power to strike their would-be rapists blind, and then proceed to nuke the City and everyone in it (even the women who had no part in the perverse shenanigans at Lot’s house). These ancient stories need Christ to complete them, and Christ needs us to complete his story. How do we do that?

For me, it means

1) taking advantage of every opportunity to hug my daughters;

2) do what I can to assure that no one’s daughter (or son) is victimized, commodified, brutalized, or exploited;

3) do what I can to ensure that the sacred text of the Bible not be used by those in power to dominate and abuse those who have less of it.

Other thoughts…?