Sodomy

Sodomy is a term used in sodomy law for various forbidden sex acts. It is commonly used to describe the specific act of anal sex, but can also include non-coital sexual acts such as oral sex, bestiality and paedophilia.

Etymology

The term sodomy derives from the name of the ancient city of Sodom, which according to the Bible was destroyed by God for its misdeeds (see Sodom and Gomorrah). In today's common language it identifies the practice of anal intercourse between gay men, even if Sodom in the Bible was not primarily or exclusively condemned for homosexual acts.

Traditionally, the misdeeds of Sodom have been understood to be male homosexual anal intercourse, but it should be noted that the primary crime stated in the narrative in the book of Genesis was attempted homosexual gang rape, not simply homosexual behavior. Furthermore, in the book of Ezekiel, God speaks through his prophet saying, "Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy. They were haughty and did an abomination before me. So I removed them, when I saw it" (16:49-50, ESV). Clearly from the Biblical perspective, the sins of Sodom were many, though not all were explicit in the narrative account, and the attempted homosexual gang rape serves to emphasize the Sodomites' depravity rather than uniquely characterize it.

The epistle of Jude in the New Testament, however, echos the Genesis narrative and recalls mainly the sexually immoral aspects of Sodom's sins: "...just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire" (v. 7, ESV). The phrase rendered "unnatural desire" is literally translated "strange flesh," but it is not entirely clear what it refers to. The ESV translators supply one plausible paraphrase in making the phrase refer to the illicit sexual activity of the Genesis account (cf. the language of the epistle to the Romans 1:21-32), but another theory is that it is a simply reference to the "strange flesh" of the intended rape victims, who were angels not men.

The first known use of the term sodomy used in a more general sense to mean "crimes against nature" is found in the writings of Jewish historian Josephus (circa A.D. 96) as he summarizes the Genesis narrative: "About this time the Sodomites grew proud, on account of their riches and great wealth; they became unjust towards men, and impious towards God, insomuch that they did not call to mind the advantages they received from him: they hated strangers, and abused themselves with Sodomitical practices" (Antiquities 1.11.1). Note that the final element of his assessment goes beyond the Biblical data, even in the New Testament. Despite the inaccuracy, this meaning is the primary one that we use today.