GregCav wrote:
I take it from the comments so far, that no one actually believes that God is real. You're all trying to explain the event via humanistic cause and effect.
If you were to accept that God is real and re-read the account, it would probably make more sense.
Trying to imagine a place like Sodom and Gomorra is difficult for us today. I guess a free love hippy camp where nothing is prohibited, beast, children, each other, and whatever drugs you can get hold of, is as close as I can get.
Towns/cities of any size needed walls, as they were both strategic and a generator of your enemy’s armies. Small towns wouldn't have needed walls, as they are neither. There is always a risk of being robbed or destroyed. I guess it comes down to lifestyle choice.
Actually, I'm a practicing Lutheran, so yes, I'm a believer. I just happen to disagree with my particular church body on certain matters not pertaining to grace and salvation, such as homosexuality (I'm pro gay rights, if my posts hadn't made that clear).
Imagining Soddom and Gomorah is easy for us moderns because there are plenty of places like it now (like Bangkok Thailand). But you dont see God smiting Bangkok. And Hurricane Kartrina laid waste to all of New Orleans EXCEPT the French Quarter (the sodom-and-gomorah-like part of town). So even if you're religous the story needs some elucidation.