We prefer to dwell on God’s love and forgiveness, but we cannot ignore his warnings about the consequences of evil. 

To do this, let’s turn to the Old Testament story about Sodom and Gomorrah.  These ancient cities were deeply involved in sexual sin, and God announced his intention to destroy them.  Abraham, knowing his nephew to be a resident, intercedes for the righteous citizens of Sodom. Unfortunately, it appears there were very few of them.  As it develops, Lot’s and his daughters were the only ones to escape.  Perhaps few or none escaped Gomorrah.

Before the destruction, two of God’s angels visited Sodom.  The Sodomites were angry about being judged, and they hated the angels, God’s messengers. The men of Sodom defied God and recognized no law except one that justified their demand for sensual gratification.

Many scholars describe this Bible story as being nothing more than a cautionary tale – a myth.  But Biblical archaeologist Joel Kramer and others have uncovered evidence of its truth.

It seems there were five ancient cities located in the plain on the southeastern side of the Dead Sea.  Sodom, Gomorrah,  Zoar, Admah, and Zeboim.  All were slated for destruction by God; but Zoar was spared as Lot’s place of refuge.

Kramer found evidence that, excepting Zoar, these ancient cities were incinerated by fire and never reoccupied.  Zoar, which was located in the middle of this line of cities, continued to exist into Roman times.

I believe the destruction of these cities was a warning to us.   God will tolerate only so much evil.  Unless there is a remnant of righteous inhabitants in a land or in a city, there is the danger of disaster.

In 1978 Ronald Reagan nominated Robert Bork to the United States Supreme Court.  Bork was a distinguished conservative jurist and a Constitutional scholar along the lines of the late Anthony Scalia.  The so-called liberals, fearful of attacks on women’s freedom of choice (abortion), were horrified.  Bork was mercilessly attacked.  The attack was so intense so that a new term was added to our political lexicon – to “bork” someone.

Here are some of the words Senator Ted Kennedy used in his attack on Bork:

“Robert Bork’s America is a land in which women would be forced into back-alley abortions, blacks would sit at segregated lunch counters, rogue police could break down citizens’ doors in midnight raids, and schoolchildren could not be taught about evolution, writers and artists would be censored at the whim of the Government, and the doors of the Federal courts would be shut on the fingers of millions of citizens.”

Bork responded that there was not a word of truth in Kennedy’s charges, and I believe there was not a shred of evidence to back them up.  Nevertheless, the damage had been done.  Other liberal senators piled on.  Even Bork’s basic character was viciously maligned, and his confirmation was denied.

A few years later, in 1996, Bork wrote a book entitled “Slouching Toward Gomorrah.”  He expressed his conviction that the dual forces of radical egalitarianism (a demand for equality of outcomes rather than equality of opportunity) and radical individualism (eliminating any limits to personal gratification) have undermined our culture, our intellect, and our morality. 

Let’s examine these dual forces more deeply.  Demanding an equality of outcomes instead of an equality of opportunity means taking from the achievers and giving to non-achievers.  It’s a hallmark of Communist theory, and it can only achieved through a bureaucratic police state.  Radical individualism results in the dissolution of society as people elevate their own search for sensual pleasure above anything else – above love and respect for their fellow human beings, above patriotism, etcetera.

In 2003, shortly before his death, Bork wrote a preface to a new edition of his 1996 book. He expressed his growing concern over disturbing trends in our laws and society, with special attention to matters of sex and censorship, race relations, and the relentless erosion of American moral values.

One last note.  remember the rage of the Sodomites against God’s angels when they visited their wicked city.  They didn’t want to be judged.  Today, members of the LGBT community rage against those of us who proclaim the Christian message.  They want to kill us.  On September 10^th they struck down one of our own. 

Charlie Kirk was a martyr for his Faith – for God’s truth.