Sodom and Gomorrah - Jasa Harris

The city of Sodom was filled with sin, so God was set to destroy it, but Abraham pleaded with God not to if he could find 50 righteous people that lived there. God agreed, and eventually even agreed to spare the city if there were 10 righteous people. So two angels arrived at the city of Sodom to search for these righteous beings, but when they arrived they found only Lot who fed and housed them. Soon, however, a group of young and old men came to Lot’s door and demanded the two angels so that they could have sex with them. Lot instead offered his virgin daughters; this enraged the group of men. The men came for Lot, but the angels protected him and told Lot to bring anyone that belonged to him, including his daughters, wife, and son-in-laws, so they may be spared, God was set to destroy the city. The son-in-laws laughed at Lot’s ridiculous plea, and stayed behind. The angels told Lot to take his daughters and wife, flee the city, don’t look back and do not stop. Then God proceeded to rain down sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah, but Lot’s wife looked back and therefore was turned into a pillar of salt. Lot and his daughters arrived at the city of Zoar the next morning. Both daughters slept with their father and each had a baby, both of whom ruled over cities.

I believe there is a lot of unfair punishment in the world. This story shows unfair punishment as the entire city was destroyed for the men’s sinful acts. I thought it was a bit extreme to kill them. Their sinful acts could have been punished less severely. I believe that every act has a consequence, but often times the consequence doesn’t fit the crime. Sometimes it is too harsh and other times too lenient; this story is an example of the former. And you see this in our criminal system today, as some people are punished less severely because of the title they hold, what race they are, what gender they are, etc. The same crime is not always punished the same because nothing in life is ever really fair.