~ * Sodom and Gomorrah * ~

a.  Read Genesis 13:10-12; 14:1-12; 19:1 and write your answers to the following questions:

• Why do you think Lot chose to live where he did?
  
  I think he chose to live on the plains of Jordan because he was greedy.  He saw how beautiful and flourishing that land was, and he wanted it.  I think it was also partially out of laziness.  I don't think he wanted to put in the effort it would have taken to make the land of Canaan as beautiful as Jordan already was.  He should have let Abraham choose first which land to take, but he was so focused on what he saw that he didn't want to risk Abraham choosing what he wanted.
  
• What do you think it meant to pitch his tent "toward" Sodom?
  We commonly hear about pitching your tent toward Sodom as a bad thing, and pitching your tent toward the temple as a good thing.  But what do these phrases actually mean?  I think it refers more to your thoughts and your focus than physically pitching your tent or whatever toward a specific place.  Sodom was a city full of wicked people.  When Lot pitched his tent toward Sodom, he woke up, looked out his front door, and saw the people doing bad things every day.  Every night when he went to bed, it was one of the last things he saw, too.  Being exposed to such wickedness that often affects the person being exposed.  Everyone has a breaking point, whether they lash out in retaliation to try to make it stop or give in and join whatever is going on, depending on the personality of the person being exposed to it.  With the level of exposure Lot had to the wickedness in Sodom, it was just a matter of time before he broke and joined in, I think because he had the type of personality that would have a tendency to give in to those temptations.  Seeing that wickedness so often eventually seeped into his thoughts, and what you think about will determine your focus.  Your focus determines where your tent is pitched.  If your thoughts are good, your tent will be pitched toward the temple; if they're bad, it will be pitched toward Sodom.
  
• How does 2 Nephi 28:7-9 pertain to Lot's choice to pitch his tent "toward Sodom?"
  These verses talk about how some people will say that some sin is okay or that you can do whatever you want, and it'll be okay with the Lord.  He will forgive us, so no worries.  It reminds me of the people these days who talk about how it's by grace alone that we are saved and we can do whatever we want, it doesn't matter, because the grace of Christ's atonement will just cover it.  I think Lot had this same mentality.  He thought that watching others sin would be okay because it's not like he was doing it.  But eventually, he got closer and closer to Sodom to the point where he was actually living among them and probably even sinning with them.  He probably thought the same thing that so many people today think, that we can do whatever we want and we will be forgiven and that the grace of God will cover it.
  
• At first Lot lived "in the cities of the plain" outside Sodom, but he "pitched his tent toward Sodom" (Genesis 13:12).  Later he lived in the city of Sodom itself (see Genesis 14:12).  In what ways do people today "pitch their tents toward Sodom?"
  Elder Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles gave a talk in general conference (I don't remember when) where in part of it he talked about how inappropriate thoughts will come knocking, but we don't have to invite them in for tea and entertainment.  I think it really does start with our thoughts.  Thoughts become words and actions, actions become habits, habits become character, and character becomes our destiny, whether it be the Celestial Kingdom or somewhere else.  I think the main way that people pitch their tent toward Sodom is by inviting thoughts into their head and entertaining them.  People get ideas to do something, and if they know it's wrong in some way, they logic it out to make it sound okay in their head.  Our bodies have strong natural urges that can and should be used at the right time, but some people choose not to wait.  Some things might not be very good or nice, but they are easier to do that the right or even good thing.  Some people choose to go with what's easier than what's right.  The right thing isn't always easy, but it's worth it.
  
• Read Genesis 19:2-11; Romans 1:24-27, 31, and the institute student manual commentaries for Genesis 19:4-11, "Why Did Lot Offer His Daughters to the Wicked Sodomites?" (pg. 76) and for Genesis 19:13, "What Was the Wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrah?" (pg. 76).  Explain in writing the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah.  Write a list of words from the scriptures and the Institute Student Manual describing how the Lord feels about homosexuality.
  

  It seems to me that the main sins in both Sodom and Gomorrah were homosexuality, pride, and not helping their fellow men (Old Testament Institute Student Manual pg. 76).  "...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 towards another..." (Romans 1:26-27).  According to the scriptures, the Lord feels that homosexuality is as follows:
  • wicked
  • unclean
  • dishonorable to their bodies
  • not in worship or service of God and His truths (Romans 1:25)
  • a vile affection
  • unnatural
  • unseemly
  • implacable
  • unmerciful
  • without understanding
  • breaks God's covenant with us
  • extremely immoral
  • prideful
  • idle
  • selfish
  • haughty
  • abomination
  • filthy
  • evil and depraved

b.  Contrast Lot's choices with Abraham's by reading Genesis 13:7-9, 18; 14:13-16, 21-23 and responding in writing to the following questions:

• Where did Abraham choose to live?
  Abraham chose to live wherever Lot chose not to.  In Genesis 13:9 Abram said to Lot, "...if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left."  He basically told Lot to choose where he wanted to live and go that way, and then he would go and live in the other direction.
  
• What did he do when he heard that Lot had been captured?
  He gathered his men who had been trained, I'm guessing to fight, and rescued Lot.  He and his men found out where Lot was being held captive, pursued his captors, and, at night, smote them, pursued them more, and eventually got Lot, his people, and his goods back and took them home.
  
• What does Genesis 14:22-23 reveal  about Abraham's values and commitment to God?
  Abraham's values were the same as the Lord's.  His commitment to God was his highest priority.  If the Lord told him to or not to do something, he would follow it perfectly and without question.  The Lord told him not to accept anything from the king of Sodom, and he, knowing there was a really good reason for that commandment, didn't.  He might not have known or understood why the Lord gave the commandments He did, but it didn't seem to matter to him.  He trusted the Lord and had faith that everything would turn out for the better.
  
• The city of Sodom was known for having wealth, abundance of worldly pleasures, and great wickedness.  What could Abraham have gained from the king of Sodom?  How does Moroni 10:30 relate to Abraham's actions?
  Abraham could have become even more rich than he already was, and he could also have lived out the rest of his life very comfortably.  Moroni teaches that we should strive to have good gifts and leave bad ones alone.  If Abraham had accepted gifts from the king of Sodom, the king probably would've expected something in return.  This being said, I don't think that anything Abraham would have received from the king would really have been a good gift, though it probably looked great when the king offered it to him.  Abraham chose to stick with the gifts he knew were good; he chose to keep the commandments of the Lord and therefore chose the gifts of God.
  
• What can you do to be more like Abraham, who did not even desire a "thread" of what the king of Sodom had to offer?
  I think I could be more like Abraham by remembering my covenants more often.  When faced with a tough decision, I think it would be helpful to me to remember the basics of the covenants I made with Heavenly Father.  Some of the choices I'm faced with in my life are whether to follow one commandment or another.  I need to remember that Heavenly Father is there for me, and I don't have to make any decisions alone.  That's kind of hard for me to remember sometimes, but I think it would help me become a better person if I remembered His help being available to me in all things.