Tantum ergo, let’s travel back – back in time! Let’s go to the time of Lot and put ourselves in Lot’s shoes. Now we just invited in two strangers. Others have said that in that culture it was very important to bend over backwards to serve the needs of one’s guests. I have no reason to dispute such a notion, so we will accept that.
Now we see that every male young and old in town were outside and demanded the two strangers be brought out so the mob could rape them. By the society of then (and now and every point in between) we must do what we can to prevent that from happening. So far we are in agreement.
So here we are thinking about what we can do to protect these guests. I gave several suggestions.
Stalling:
Me: “I will do as you ask. Please be patient!”
Me (quietly to the wife): “I can hold them off for so long. Get some dresses for the sons-in-law and the guests and try to sneak them out if you can.”
Bribing:
Me: “I can not do as you ask, but I will give you any of my possessions, every schekel I have.”
Praying
After going on his journeys with Abraham Lot knows that Yahweh exists.
Threatening:
Me: “Go back to your homes! I can not stop all of you, but I can kill enough of you. Do you want to give up your life so someone else can get with the strangers?!”
Pleading:
Me: “I beg of you to reconsider. Don’t do this wicked thing. There may be grave consequences for all of us if you persist!”
Self-sacrifice:
Me: “The only thing I can offer you is myself.
Look, I have never slept with a man. Let me bring myself out to you, and you can do what you like with me.”
In that situation, in that time and place, there are several options available. More importantly, none of those options ignore something that rape apologists willingly forget:
A father has an obligation to protect his children just as a man is to protect his guests.
Show me where a man (at that time or any other) does not have such an obligation, where he is not to inconvenience himself for the good of his family, where is not to pray when in dire straits.