Sodom
The term "sodomy" was created by Christians who blamed the behavior of the residents of the ancient city of Sodom for the destruction of their city by God.
The exact behavior of the citizens of Sodom that led to the city's downfall is disputed. Some claim that the wrath of God was brought about due to their inhospitable behavior towards visitors. (See the Biblical description of Lot) Others claimed that it was the sexual activity -- which was never specified -- that caused their destruction.
Derivation of the term
Sodomy is a strongly-emotive term of religious origin, derived from the story of Sodom and Gomorrah in chapters 18 and 19 of the Book of Genesis in the Bible of the Hebrews, or the so-called Old Testament of the Christian Bible. It is generally a useless term, used mainly by erotophobes, though it is commonly found in law, in the mass media, and in other publications. Curiously, the whole question of what was sodomy and what did it mean was not present in Muslim culture prior to the arrival of European colonizers.
In Christian-influenced cultures, sodomy usually refers to some unspecified - or poorly specified - act of socially-disapproved sexual behavior.
Sodom is also the origin of the Modern Standard Arabic term for homosexuality, liwāt - the people of Lot.
Symbolism of sodomy prior to the twentieth century
For the purposes of this discussion "sodomy" and "anal intercourse" are taken to be synonyms. This was unquestionably what sodomy was taken to be in the Christian West. Oral sex was far less popular than today; the question of whether oral sex, or masturbation, constituted sodomy was a late detail. "Sodomy" did not mean anything in the Arabic-speaking world; the word did not exist.
It was "unnatural"
The penis and the vagina were intended to join; that is necessary for the survival of the human race. This was part of nature. It is our nature as human beings.
The penis and the anus were not intended to join. The anus expels.
It's misusing our equipment to engage in sodomy. It's not natural.
Yes, many people did it. But they were sick people. Sometimes evil people.
Sodomy was un-Christian
Those heathens who didn't have access to the Christian Bible or Christian preaching didn't know that some sex was natural and some was not natural. So sodomy flourished outside of Christianity. The Ottoman Empire and New World (Western hemisphere) "Indians" were the sodomites most commonly cited.
So engaging in sodomy was an un-Christian, maybe even anti-Christian, thing to do.
Sodomy was unpatriotic
If you're not supporting Christianity, you're not supporting your country. Do you support your country? Then why the hell would you commit sodomy?
Sodomy was really cool
If the Catholic Church was against it, then it's got to be cool (fashionable, enjoyable). The Church, before the Council of Trent, had little prestige. They had always been against premarital sex (and extramarital sex, but premarital sex was the big issue). The new "clean-up", imposing clerical celibacy, was intensely and angrily opposed by all the many priests with "girlfriends" and "housekeepers". (Several hundred converted to Islam and decamped with lady friends to Algiers.) So they're against sodomy? What do you expect out of a group of nutcases? We oughta check sodomy out.
Sodomy is the philosopher's delight
For the Marquis de Sade sodomy, specifically including passive sodomy, was the best kind of sex by far. One Hundred Days of Sodomy Violently antichristian
Usage in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries
In common usage, it may refer to:
- anal sexual intercourse
- oral sexual intercourse
- sexual intercourse with a non-human animal (bestiality)
- any non-procreative sexual activity
- any sexual act deemed to be "unnatural" or immoral
As can be seen from the above listing, "sodomy" could be used to describe almost any kind of sexual activity (other than adult human penile-vaginal procreative sex).
Most people (wrongly) assume that "sodomy" means "anal sexual intercourse". The terms "sodomy", "sodomize" and "sodomites" have been used historically to condemn homosexuality. Current usage is often found in the media to mis-characterize, attack, and demonize "pedophiles" who "sodomize" minors.
To "sodomize" a minor may mean:
- to have anal sex with a male minor, either as the passive or active partner
- to have anal sex with a female minor, the man being the "active" partner (the one inserting his penis), and the girl the "passive".
- to have oral sex with a minor male or female, either as the passive or active partner (fellatio or cunnilingus)
- to engage in any kind of sexual activity with a male minor, as this activity can never be "procreative" sex or result in pregnancy.
- to engage in any sexual act of any kind with a male minor, as sexual activity between males is deemed to be "unnatural" or immoral
- to engage in any sexual act of any kind with a minor female which some may choose to describe as being "unnatural" or immoral
From Wikipedia
Sodomy is generally anal or oral sexual activity between people or sexual activity between a person and a non-human animal (bestiality), but may also include any non-procreative sexual activity. Originally, the term sodomy was commonly restricted to anal sex, and is derived from the story of Sodom and Gomorrah in chapters 18 and 19 of the Book of Genesis in the Bible. Sodomy laws in many countries criminalized not only these behaviors, but other disfavored sexual activities as well.[...]
A sodomy_lawis a law that defines certain sexual acts as crimes. The precise sexual acts meant by the term sodomy are rarely spelled out in the law, but are typically understood by courts to include any sexual act deemed to be "unnatural" or immoral. Sodomy typically includes anal sex, oral sex and bestiality.[...]
One should remember while reading any inflammatory articles in the media about "a man sodomizing a minor" that there is no way from that description to know exactly what kind of sexual activity took place. The possibility even exists that no genuine sexual activity took place at all!
Journalists are, after all, intent on increasing readership which will then lead to greater advertising revenue for their publication. They are not interested in providing accurate portrayals of events which occur in real life - they wish instead to inflame passions and thereby earn greater profits for their companies, and to improve their chances of promotion in their chosen field - just as do politicians, feminists, right-wing Christians (and others) who "demonize" intergenerational sexual activity for their own political purposes.
Another definition follows:
sodomy. (from the biblical city of Sodom) Obsolete religious term, still used in some unreformed criminal codes, for anal intercourse. Originally, the term was much broader and encompassed all "unnatural" sexual activity, i.e. also oral intercourse and sexual contact with animals. Obviously, this Christian term of condemnation, being based on very specific beliefs not shared by Buddhism, Shintoism, and many other religions, has no place in science. (See also "unnatural").
See also
External links
http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erotophobia
