Sodom and Gomorrah
By Archimandrite Sarantis Sarantou, parish priest
of the Dormition of the Theotokos Greek Orthodox Church in Marousi, Greece;
published on the official website of the Holy Metropolis of Kifisia, Amoros and
Oropos on June 16th, 2013.
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. 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.
[Rom 1:26-27]
† † †
Our holy Apostle Paul, according to
the Holy Fathers, is the voice of Christ, and divine Chrysostom is the mouth of
Apostle Paul. Commenting on the very important epistle to the Romans, St. John
Chrysostom gives a divinely inspired analysis of homosexuality, among other
issues.
All passions degrade humanity, but
especially the mania of men for men. He summarily characterizes homosexuality as
an unforgivable passion; this is not just because it really is, but also because
the entire male personality becomes so distorted that a chronic allegiance to
this abomination sets in; it thus becomes an immensely difficult passion to
restrain by the fallen.
The golden words of Chrysostom are
remarkably balanced. His unshakable logic, which he uses to spiritually support
his flock, is universally acknowledged to be inspired by the Holy Spirit. Not
even foreign rationalist Protestant researchers challenge him. It is precisely
his rock of faith and deep love in Christ that are needed for all of us, in
these difficult days that we are going through; thus, it is vital that we very
carefully listen to him. Here is the order he chose for his compelling argument:
1. The holy Apostle first places the
entire problem of homosexuality on a spiritual basis. In the twenty-fifth verse
of the Epistle to the Romans of chapter one, he writes: They changed the truth
of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator,
who is blessed for ever... The divine Chrysostom points out that there was a
distortion in the creation of God. God did not prevent the natural relationship
between the sexes, so they "justifiably" fall into the strange madness of
males
having left the natural use of the female.
In the deep psyche of the homosexual
world there is an autonomy of individual and selfish choice against the truth of
God, a deep preference towards falsehood. It is for this reason that the way
homosexuals display and advertise their "diversity" is very provocative.
Arrogant attitudes and cocky appearances are displayed on television, and
inaccuracies and falsehoods are spread about their demonic way of life. This is
exactly why St. John Chrysostom boldly states: "Their ideology is satanic, and
their life demonic." Thus, God abandons these people, who twist the truth
concerning the creation of man and present falsehood with offensive boldness,
namely that their perversion is an issue of genes or free sexual choice. And,
"when God abandons, everything is turned upside down." A person’s entire mental
state is flipped, his entire psychology and bodily existence transgress towards
a psychopathological state. And it is exactly for all these reasons that the
problem of homosexuality is primarily of a spiritual nature.
2. Moreover, says St. John
Chrysostom, God put before them, the homosexuals, the "world" and "the mind of
man." The vast majority of people accept, admit and deterministically are given
over to the physical attraction between sexes and enjoy a lawful and proper
relationship. This is what is meant by the "world." The prototype of the "mind
of man," from his initial creation (and as implanted by his Creator), can
distinguish the natural relationship of man and woman and takes rest in it. The
other mental choice is one characterized by a voluntarily intentional
misunderstanding of what is natural; its resulting impact is quite tragic. Man
is dragged into the most dishonorable of passions, rejecting natural relations
with a woman and frantically seeking to be satisfied through another man,
autonomously, selfishly, without any preconditions, and entirely unblessed. This
is why according to the holy Father this passion is unforgivable, because
homosexuals do not engage in the natural human experience and the God-given
inclination of the mind.
It is very sad today that young boys
and girls are lured into silly and provocative so-called "homosexual programs"
on television that selfishly allege to want to "break away," as they say, from
their traditional parents, some of whom cannot hide the panic before such havoc
"choices" of their sons or daughters. No news channel lately mentions, however,
the ever lurking dangers of the AIDS disease. As a matter of fact, what were
frequently reported news stories have nowadays completely disappeared.
3. What is even more dishonorable
and disgraceful for mankind is that this degrading passion has infected women in
equally frightening proportions. Even though they should be ashamed, today under
the propaganda of the New Age, women find themselves more empowered than men,
becoming more confused and callous than ever, while concurrently insisting upon
their God-creating power of motherhood. The divine Father relies on the
archetypal creation of the couple, as is divinely inspired and emphatically
recorded in the Old Testament book of Genesis. God’s intent has been defiled;
man, as the wise head, first and foremost ought to help woman think wisely and
act correctly. Instead, he drags her to the godless and inhuman passion of
sodomy. From the outset in Paradise, he degenerates this blessed relationship
with abominable hostility. Though man was appointed a teacher of woman, and
woman a helpmate of man, in the end they ended up outside the Church and outside
the blessing of God, hostile on many levels and partaking in the shameful works
of darkness.
4. The divine Chrysostom claims that
prudence according to Christ dictated that the holy Apostle Paul was to speak
humbly, candidly and chastely, but his words must also sting the ears of his
audience. The divine Father says: "He does not say that they were enamored of,
and lusted after one another, but, ‘they burned in their lust one toward
another’." The verb "burned" does not denote a strong erotic desire, but
indicates an unrestrained and unsatisfied burning. This vague verb is passively
used to signify the constant unsatisfied erotic homosexual desire among women.
Later he uses it towards men to complete the word "unseemly," thus indicating
the violation of God’s law and the insult done to the male sex as well as the
opposite sex. Homosexual acts by both sexes demean, for these relationships are
completely perverted. They transgress God’s elect laws for natural eroticism,
bringing shame to their own and to the opposite sex which they despise. It is
for this reason that they are completely abandoned by God, reaching the worst,
the most unheard of and lamentable, supposedly erotic sexual behaviors.
According to St. John Chrysostom,
not even wild animals go beyond their heterosexual boundaries. They live
according to their erotic nature and compulsion which was granted to them by the
Creator, for the purpose of perpetuating their species. A relative reduction in
their ferocity is achieved during commingling, a certain intimacy, tameness and
relief.
5. According to the in the image and
likeness creation of the first couple by the personal will of God, they should
have lived in perfect marital unity. This most philanthropic will of the Triadic
God was envied by the devil and, when presented with the opportunity (and ever
since the time of the fall of man) he has zealously pursued unforeseen obstacles
in every married couple, for the sole purpose of overwhelming this blessed
union. As an extreme consequence of this deep hatred towards mankind, there has
appeared among men and women this disgraceful and ingrained passion of
homosexuality; consequently, those men and women who are subdued to this evil
passion do not come forward to the blessed sacrament of Marriage and thus
exclude themselves from the divine plan of creation, which is fulfilled in the
birth of children. (Ed., with the recent legalization of "marriage" among
homosexuals, the plans of the evil one are reaching new levels of "legalized
immorality.")
6. According to St. John Chrysostom,
homosexuals should be the most unhappy and pitiable of people even if they were
successful in all other levels of life. But their self-awareness is so deficient
and their conceit so inflated, that they consider themselves and put themselves
forward as the happiest of all, while others, those who live normally, are
according to them ill and oppressed. St. John Chrysostom unequivocally argues
that they already live in hell existentially and certainly the fire of Gehenna
awaits them. He has the deep and broad experience of the sacred confessional, in
which, no matter how much they want to pretend, eventually they cannot hide
their deep pain and blood which drips from every section of their heart. And
when sincerity finds them during their confessions, they easily and willingly
admit that this deceptive homosexual companionship has proven to be impossible
and unrealizable.
So that the Saint becomes more
believable, he describes two examples of two very strange people. Suppose I saw,
he says, a young man running around naked besmeared with mire and exulting that
he is clean and well washed. He also spoke of a young virgin, if she was
enclosed in a house and condemned to have intercourse with an animal, and
afterwards rejoiced in it. The one who compelled her, argued the Saint, is worse
than a murderer because he ruined her soul and her body. How truly twisted man
becomes when he distances himself from the true Triadic God and His saving
Church!
Young people today (as well men and
women of older age groups) are trapped in mindless ways, in the nets of charming
people, who sneakily lead them into sodomy. There is no more terrible thing than
such an attack, says the Saint. "And that you may learn what the real force of
this is, if any one were to come and assure you that he would make you a dog
instead of being a man, would you not flee from him as a plague? But, lo! You
have not made yourself a dog, but an animal more disgraceful than this. For a
dog is useful for service, but he that has thus given himself up is serviceable
for nothing." If somebody threatened men that he could make them able to
conceive, to become pregnant, to give birth, to go through the time of
postpartum, what would you do, how would you react? Would you turn yourself
upside down with your screams due to the strangeness of it, or would you bask
passively, with fears and complexes? What is then your reaction my man, to all
that you observe the homosexuals enable within your society?
7. In the inspired Old Testament,
the terrible situation that was created in the society of Sodom and Gomorrah is
described articulately and vividly, just before the pouring out of the just
wrath of God and the complete destruction of these ancient cities that once
flourished. Below we will provide excerpts that exemplify the level of
alienation for any homosexual, as well as their erotic companions, and the
entire social environment which tolerates, accepts or admits with every readily
available communication means with them and cooperates accordingly at all levels
of life. The defilement of it is contagious, if it is accepted for reasons of
"politeness" so that we are not considered bigots. The "immune system" in Christ
is sickened, the psychology of our youth is affected, and the demonic convention
finds grounding to corrupt places, souls, mentalities, and easy companions.
Genesis 19:1-11
And there came two angels to Sodom
at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet
them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground. And he said, Behold
now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant’s house, and tarry all
night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And
they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night. And he pressed upon
them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he
made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.
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. 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 them.
And Lot went out at the door unto
them, and shut the door after him, and said, I pray you, brethren, do not so
wickedly. Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I
pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes:
only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my
roof.
And they said, Stand back. And they
said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge:
now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the
man, even Lot, and came near to break the door. But the men put forth their
hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door.
And they smote the men that were at
the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied
themselves to find the door.
Saint John Chrysostom persistently
stands before the exemplary catastrophe of Sodom and Gomorrah and guides his
flock through education to strengthen their moral immune system in Christ; he
aims to accomplish this in a timely manner so that his spiritual children escape
this defilement before it takes on epidemic proportions. The fiery rain of Sodom
and Gomorrah was so catastrophic that it made their land barren and unable to
produce anything that could contribute to new life flourishing, a new human
society, a new civilization.
8. For educative purposes we should
distinguish homosexuals who have not fallen into carnal sin, and those men or
women who have "freed themselves from the taboos of the past" and are having
carnal relations and perhaps have even entered into a modern homosexual
cohabitation.
The first group struggle very hard
to get rid of the demon of homosexuality. The demon engages into a fierce battle
with the struggling homosexual, and his efforts are focused upon strong thoughts
in the mind of the struggling man or woman, to blacken his or her soul and thus
tear down his "competitor." The second, who have entangled themselves by consent
in carnal homosexual sin, should ask with inner pain for the mercy of God,
should go to confession frequently and with honesty, and eventually they will
benefit from Divine mercy. They will accomplish, together with the Lord, in
disbanding the "machinations of the enemy" and shake off the abominable carnal
homosexual sin and thus annul the wiles of the devil. The support of a spiritual
father beside them is needed, guiding them in Christ until they are able to
understand that correction and the straight path is not impossible, for what is
impossible with man, is possible with God.
I humbly agree that in this
contemporary "sinful and adulterous" generation, in which homosexuality seems to
be celebrated, spiritual fathers are the only ones who show true understanding
to those who sin heavily, and they help them come to the knowledge of their
situation, to repent, and to become living members of the Church and be saved.
9. It is understood that, in the
circle of priests, homosexuality is unthinkable. Even the simplest carnal sins
are obstacles to priesthood. The saints of our Church believe that even the
smallest hair in the eye of a person causes tingling and pain and it takes many
tears to remove it from the eye. It is likewise for any clergy candidate, and
much more for the active clergyman; if there is the slightest carnal sin, he
cannot rest in his priestly ministry, but is tormented and suffers.
Homosexuality is the greatest of
sins, which irrevocably prevents one from entering priesthood (and of course the
Church does not allow any homosexual to be elevated to priesthood, even if he
has stopped the sin for years). St. Basil the Great considers homosexuality or
lesbianism a beastly sin: "Abusers of themselves with mankind and with beasts,
just as is the case with murderers, wizards, adulterers, and idolaters, are
deserving of the same punishment" (Canon 7 of St. Basil the Great). Saint
Gregory of Nyssa characterizes homosexuality as "unnatural" in his 4th
Canon. Saint John the Faster observes in his 19th Canon, according to
the compilation of The Rudder by St. Nikodemos the Hagiorite, the following: "A
boy who has been ruined by any man cannot come into the holy priesthood. For
although on account of his immature age he did not sin himself, yet the vessel
of his body was rent and became useless in connection with the sacred
priesthood."
10. Unfortunately there exists
within our Holy Orthodox Church an organized group of homosexual clergy. These
men, by their provocative behavior and by their obscene insistence on mortally
sinning, take others by the neck and drag them to hell from this life, preparing
them, alas, for eternal hell, even though they ought to grab them from the abyss
of destruction and reconcile them once again with Christ.
The psychology of clergy possessed
by the deadly passion of homosexuality mutates essentially into having a
persecution mentality by the Church. The residual, ingrained faint voice of
their conscience cries out for them being on the wrong course and for their
daily exemplification of a loud but degraded persona. Incredible nervousness
bifurcates their personality, and there is obsessive antipathy towards specific
individuals, terrible negligence in their liturgical and pastoral duties,
disregard for their family (if by chance they are married), and a substantial
annihilation of their angelic schema (if they are unmarried). Manic behaviors,
with various sophistries regarding the sacred Canons and with hypocritical and
pious excuses, they endlessly try to modernize the Church.
Unfortunately within such a group of
homosexual clergymen there has developed an illusory and deceptive climate of
supposed love and support for one another. Young inexperienced candidate clergy,
if not guided by an experienced spiritual and pious Orthodox mindset, are likely
to be ensnared by the exaggerated zealous protectionism indicated above. They
are bound emotionally, and through a "friendship" with these patrons of theirs
(and if there is some tendency towards homosexuality) they basically become
victims of this homosexual network with devastating consequences, ultimately for
the former and the latter. The evil of these organized groups, or the ones that
are less methodical (i.e., more individualized), continues with scenarios and
pitfalls set up across the world by the wicked and cunning serpent, the devil.
If the candidate or young clergyman joins and stays within the circles of
homosexuals, he will certainly suffer the consequences of the corresponding
associative uniqueness of the homosexual circle as well as the terrible
alienation against the measures and molds which experienced and knowledgeable
homosexual patrons are imposing.
There are also rare exceptions
of repentant or remorseful homosexual clergymen, who are suffering spiritually,
psychologically, existentially and perhaps physically; nothing can grant them
rest and quiet from the relentless torture of their conscience.
If they do not deeply repent and
give up their high pastoral office, they will never rest and acquire the inner
experience of complete forgiveness by God.
11. The holy
elder Paisios often spoke of the power of spiritual laws. Because homosexuality
is an abominable sin before the Triune God and offends His all-wise and personal
creative care for people, the counsel of God allows, in the operation of
spiritual laws, to deregulate the immune system of the human body, resulting in
dire health consequences, which in time often leads to death. Why does the media
minimize the high risk of AIDS and over-advertise homosexuality? Or do they not
know the exponential increase of bearers and patients of AIDS across the world?
Disappointing are the descriptions
made to us in Holy Confession by homosexual patients with AIDS. Dissolved
personalities, sad ruins struggling to survive, alternating heavy treatments,
remorseful for reckless impassioned homosexual intercourse that have brought
them down to pathetic skeletons. Avid seekers of perversion, they lured into
demonic pleasure others as their supposed erotic partners, whom they initially
completely trusted and in the end were left miserably cheated, all alone, in
their existential loneliness.
For all of the above corruption to not occur, with its
terrible pathogenesis and unimaginably tragic side-effects, St. John Chrysostom
suggests active use of spiritual drugs in Christ. His primary therapeutic
guideline is awareness of the omnipresence of God. Nothing destroys people more
than unawareness and the criminal forgetfulness of God. But nothing saves him
more than seeing the All-good Lord noetically, Who was crucified for us and rose
from the dead, and to call upon His All-holy Name. Only in this way will the
corruption of homosexuality be forgiven...
Lord Jesus Christ have
mercy on us...
Most Holy Theotokos, save us!
Source:www.orthodoxheritage.org/MOM%2008%202013.htm
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