Editing Sodomy (section)

=== Benedictus Levita and the ''Pseudo-Isidore ===
Justinian's interpretation of the story of Sodom would be forgotten today (as it had been along with his law novellizations regarding homosexual behavior immediately after his death) had it not been made use of in fake [[Charlemagne|Charlemagnian]] [[capitularies]], fabricated by a [[Frankish]] monk using the pseudonym Benedictus Levita ("Benedict the Levite") around 850 AD, as part of the [[Pseudo-Isidore]]. Benedict's three capitularies particularly dealing with Justinian's interpretation of the story of Sodom were:

* ''XXI. De diversis malorum flagitiis.'' ("No. 21: On manifold disgraceful wrongs")
* ''CXLIII. De sceleribus nefandis ob quae regna percussa sunt, ut penitus caveantur.'' ("No. 143: On sinful vices due to which empires have crumbled, so that we shall do our best to beware of them")
* ''CLX. De patratoribus diversorum malorum.'' ("No. 160: On the perpetrators of manifold evil deeds")

It was in these fake capitularies where Benedictus utilized Justinian's interpretation as a justification for ecclesiastical supremacy over mundane institutions, thereby demanding burning at the stake for carnal sins in the name of Charlemagne himself. Burning had been part of the standard penalty for homosexual behavior particularly common in Germanic [[protohistory]] (as according to Germanic folklore, sexual deviance and especially same-sex desire were caused by a form of malevolence or spiritual evil called ''[[nith]]'', rendering those people characterized by it as non-human fiends, as ''nithings''), and Benedictus most probably was of the Germanic tribe of the Franks.

Benedict broadened the meaning for ''sodomy'' to all sexual acts not related to procreation that were therefore deemed ''counter nature'' (so for instance, even solitary masturbation and anal intercourse between a male and a female were covered), while among these he still emphasized all interpersonal acts not taking place between human men and women, especially homosexuality.

Benedict's rationale was that the punishment of such acts was in order to protect all Christianity from divine punishments such as natural disasters for carnal sins committed by individuals, but also for heresy, superstition and heathenry. According to Benedictus, this was why all mundane institutions had to be subjected to ecclesiastical power in order to prevent moral as well as religious laxity causing divine wrath.{{Fact|date=August 2007}}