Genesis 19:4-7, 24-25 But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter: 5 And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know (sexually) them. 6 And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him, 7 And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly...24 Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; 25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground. It is a tragedy that so many have been sold a bill of goods, been coerced, ridiculed, and threatened into accepting sodomy as acceptable and tolerable in our ever declining culture. Terms such as "homosexual", "gay", and the like are misrepresentations of what the Word of God refers to "sodomites". It refers to the judgment that fell upon Sodom because of their sins, particularly the sin of sodomy or homosexuality as some may call it.
Our Creator is the best Judge as to what is sin and the severity of it. This is shown in Leviticus 20:13 If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
Other misrepresentations appear as there are those who label people who are against sodomy as being hateful towards the sodomite. There is nothing further than the truth for a true Christian who is in fellowship with God. We love the sinner, but hate their sin, whether we are speaking of a liar, thief, murderer, or sodomite, we express our love by telling them the truth. Can you imagine a friend who says he loves and cares about you, but upon noticing a sparking short in your house, never telling you that you had a deadly electrical problem in your house? It would be unthinkably unchartiable! In like manner, it would be unloving if we know our Creator's warnings against sodomy, but not tell these poor sodomites of their damning sinful lifestyle.
This issue is not only an Old Testament issue but many references are in the New Testament which should not surprise the person who recognizes that the moral standards of God do not change. Note these New Testament references:
Luke 17:29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
2 Peter 2:6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;
Jude 1:7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
Revelation 11:8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
Romans 1:25-27 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
Yes, there will always be those who will lie, misrepresent, ridicule, and refuse to reason in a calm and gracious manner. Let not their threatenings dissuade us, nor their misrepresentations discourage us. The hate crime is not that one would speak against sodomy, but rather that one wouldn't speak out against it when it is damning people to an eternal hell. It is a hate crime against God to commit sodomy. It is a hate crime against humanity to promote the sin of sodomy which sends those guilty of this sin to the everlasting flames of hell.
Let us, by God's sovereign grace, be an instrument in His hands, to help end this tragedy in the lives of our fellow human beings by showing their sin to be an abomination to God and that the judgment of God shall fall upon them if they don't repent and belive the gospel of Christ. May we speak the truth in love, to God, and to others, to the sodomites who pitifully enslaved themselves to such an awful, destructive, and damning sin.
If you are involved with this sin, I urge you to investigate, research, and seek out the truth as it is in Christ as He is revealed in the Holy Scriptures, and may you turn from this sin, and turn to the Lord Jesus Christ Who died for sinners to deliver them from their sins and the eternal wrath to come.