In the NYT article I sent you, there is the following
passage:
"It's true that the story of Sodom is treated by both modern
scholars and by ancient Ezekiel as about hospitality,
rather than homosexuality. In Sodom, Lot puts up two male
strangers for the night. When a lustful mob demands they be
handed over, Lot offers his two virgin daughters instead.
After some further unpleasantness, God destroys Sodom."
I got curious about Ezechiel; in chapter 16 of Ezechiel,
Ezechiel is accusing his fellow Jews of having fallen away,
and of playing a harlot with nearby countries and religions
(at this time, they are weak, and are basically paying
tribute to Egypt, Babylonia and/or Assyria in order to avoid
being taken over).
With Jerusalem as a harlot, there is a discussion of Sodom
as her "sister" city:
16:49 " '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. 50 They were haughty and
did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with
them as you have seen.
--
Mike Kruger
"If English was good enough for Jesus Christ, it's good
enough for us." - Former Texas Governor Miriam Ferguson