L U S T

[Skwim]

Lust: The sex drive. The craving for sexual gratification.
National Geographic documentary

Matthew 5:28

“You have heard it said do not commit adultery, but I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
​

So here's an emotional response, created in man by god, that people are suppose to immediately turn off whenever it appears, and if one doesn't want to or can't there's dire consequences. As Matthew goes on to tell it, it amounts to adultery. In fact, according to Matthew 5:29 if a person does lust, they should rip their eyes out.

29 So if your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your body parts than to have your whole body thrown into hell.​

Pretty drastic don't you think for possessing a god-given emotion that happens to get shifted into gear through no fault of one's own.

So, is it wrong to crave (have a powerful desire for) sex, god's insurance that animals continue to propagate their species? My suspicion is that god foresaw that simple desire wasn't going to be a strong enough emotion to get people into a mating mood--few people are all that attractive to bump bare bodies together. Sure, some would get it on, but a lot wouldn't. Hence lust, the top gear of sexual desire, was built into our machinery. And recognizing this I don't believe it deserves the bad rep the Bible tries to lay on it. Which brings us to its treatment of lust itself. Matthew doesn't say it's bad to lust and act on it. NO! He says lusting is simply bad in of itself. Don't dare have this god-given emotional response or you'll have to rip your eyes out. Crazy? Sure it is.

Of course, if anyone here believes lust is bad enough reason to rip one's eyes out please share.


.


.

 

[Jonathan Ainsley Bain]

Lust: The sex drive. The craving for sexual gratification.
National Geographic documentary

Matthew 5:28

“You have heard it said do not commit adultery, but I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
​

So here's an emotional response, created in man by god, that people are suppose to immediately turn off whenever it appears, and if one doesn't want to or can't there's dire consequences. As Matthew goes on to tell it, it amounts to adultery. In fact, according to Matthew 5:29 if a person does lust, they should rip their eyes out.

29 So if your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your body parts than to have your whole body thrown into hell.​

Pretty drastic don't you think for possessing a god-given emotion that happens to get shifted into gear through no fault of one's own.

So, is it wrong to crave (have a powerful desire for) sex, god's insurance that animals continue to propagate their species? My suspicion is that god foresaw that simple desire wasn't going to be a strong enough emotion to get people into a mating mood--few people are all that attractive to bump bare bodies together. Sure, some would get it on, but a lot wouldn't. Hence lust, the top gear of sexual desire, was built into our machinery. And recognizing this I don't believe it deserves the bad rep the Bible tries to lay on it. Which brings us to the nature of lust itself. Matthew doesn't say it's bad to lust and act on it. NO! He says lusting is simply bad in of itself. Don't dare have this god-given emotional response or you'll have to rip your eyes out. Crazy? Sure it is.

Of course, if anyone here believes lust is bad enough to rip one's eyes out please share.


.


.

I guess many rapists on reflecting at the end of their life
would have preferred to lose an eye than sit in prison for decades or live a loveless life
or themselves get raped.

It is a matter of degree and balance.
I can look at a girl and think she is sweet to look at without wanting more than that.

Society often teaches men that they are less if they do not conquer women physically.
Most of sexual desire is psycho-social in origin.
It may not seem to be like that when one is immersed in an over-sexual sub-culture;
when one knows little else beyond the western pub/flirt compulsion.

There are just so many greater pleasures that one misses out on by not realizing how much
one is conditioned into sexuality. Next time you bonk a girl, do yourself a favor.
Don't tell any one of your friends about it at all.
Does it still feel just as good?
Are you still the man?

 

[lostwanderingsoul]

God says that everyone has sinned. But He sent His son Jesus to pay the price for those sins. You might say Jeus's eyes were ripped out because of your lust. All you have to do is believe in Him and try not to sin anymore and your sins are forgiven.

 

[bobhikes]

Lust is probably the worst thing I tackle with in this world. I find women attractive and imagine them in all sorts of lustful ways. I am sure this effects how I behave and treat them. Overall with others like me it is probably why women don't share an equal status with men in this world. Is this a sin even though it probably comes from a natural impulse? I would like to say no but I can't for I feel I would be lying. Even when I am lustful it feels wrong which sometimes make me feel good in the moment.

If I were a God, you would have to be able to overcome(lustful thought) your natural impulses to achieve greatness. The only different with most of today's Gods is that I wouldn't eternally punish you for not being able to overcome(smirk).

 

[Neo Deist]

Lust: The sex drive. The craving for sexual gratification.
National Geographic documentary

Matthew 5:28

“You have heard it said do not commit adultery, but I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
​

So here's an emotional response, created in man by god, that people are suppose to immediately turn off whenever it appears, and if one doesn't want to or can't there's dire consequences. As Matthew goes on to tell it, it amounts to adultery. In fact, according to Matthew 5:29 if a person does lust, they should rip their eyes out.

29 So if your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your body parts than to have your whole body thrown into hell.​

Pretty drastic don't you think for possessing a god-given emotion that happens to get shifted into gear through no fault of one's own.

So, is it wrong to crave (have a powerful desire for) sex, god's insurance that animals continue to propagate their species? My suspicion is that god foresaw that simple desire wasn't going to be a strong enough emotion to get people into a mating mood--few people are all that attractive to bump bare bodies together. Sure, some would get it on, but a lot wouldn't. Hence lust, the top gear of sexual desire, was built into our machinery. And recognizing this I don't believe it deserves the bad rep the Bible tries to lay on it. Which brings us to its treatment of lust itself. Matthew doesn't say it's bad to lust and act on it. NO! He says lusting is simply bad in of itself. Don't dare have this god-given emotional response or you'll have to rip your eyes out. Crazy? Sure it is.

Of course, if anyone here believes lust is bad enough reason to rip one's eyes out please share.


.


.

You sure do make a lot of posts using talking points plucked from the Bible, and then bashing them. If I didn't know any better, I'd have to suspect that you weren't agnostic, but rather a Christian that has lost his grace and is trying to justify a downward spiral. Perhaps this is a transitional period for you?

 

[Drolefille]

You sure do make a lot of posts using talking points plucked from the Bible, and then bashing them. If I didn't know any better, I'd have to suspect that you weren't agnostic, but rather a Christian that has lost his grace and is trying to justify a downward spiral. Perhaps this is a transitional period for you?

While many agnostics in the west are former Christians I think the portrayal as a "downward spiral" is certainly a biased one.

 

[Drolefille]

Lust is just part of life. How you handle that emotion and how you act on it are like every single other emotion we have. Just like anger being natural doesn't excuse assaulting someone, lust being natural doesn't either. Nor is obsessing over lust or anger healthy for someone.

I think the 'eye plucking' is metaphorical, personally.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

I guess many rapists on reflecting at the end of their life
would have preferred to lose an eye than sit in prison for decades or live a loveless life
or themselves get raped.

It is a matter of degree and balance.
I can look at a girl and think she is sweet to look at without wanting more than that.

Society often teaches men that they are less if they do not conquer women physically.
Most of sexual desire is psycho-social in origin.
It may not seem to be like that when one is immersed in an over-sexual sub-culture;
when one knows little else beyond the western pub/flirt compulsion.

There are just so many greater pleasures that one misses out on by not realizing how much
one is conditioned into sexuality. Next time you bonk a girl, do yourself a favor.
Don't tell any one of your friends about it at all.
Does it still feel just as good?
Are you still the man?

How exactly do you go from regular lust straight to rape? I'm not seeing the connection. Rape isn't really about sexual attraction, but about power, control and humiliation.

Actually, your post doesn't make a whole lot of sense, period.

 

[Neo Deist]

While many agnostics in the west are former Christians I think the portrayal as a "downward spiral" is certainly a biased one.

I never said the downward spiral was a bad thing.

 

[Brickjectivity]

This is a nuanced discussion, and in the context of Christian atonement it certainly does not mean a person is supposed to pluck their eyes out. They are supposed to give up their lives altogether, and that is the point Jesus wants to make. He describes it as denying yourself and taking up your cross referring to Matthew 16:24 as a reference. Plucking the 'Eye' is just part of his argument, and his point is you must pluck your whole self. In Torah, if an eye is lost during employment it is a terrible thing, and the person must be paid heavily as their career is ruined. The nuance is clear that Jesus implies lust has cost you your entire life, so give up your entire life to join Christ. That is what is being discussed, not that people should start poking out their eyes. There is a lot more to it as its about embracing logos and becoming more real. His point is that your whole body fights against everything permanent, true and worthwhile. His comment is also part of a much larger system of teachings, so it is not really useful for pitting Jesus against Lust and nature.

 

[Drolefille]

I never said the downward spiral was a bad thing.

It's sort of implied, but I'll grant that if you're willing to expand.

 

[Skwim]

You sure do make a lot of posts using talking points plucked from the Bible, and then bashing them. If I didn't know any better, I'd have to suspect that you weren't agnostic, but rather a Christian that has lost his grace and is trying to justify a downward spiral. Perhaps this is a transitional period for you?

So, do you go along with what the Bible says in Matthew, that "lust is bad enough reason to rip one's eyes out," or not?

I think the 'eye plucking' is metaphorical, personally.

A metaphor for what?
.

 

[Neo Deist]

So, do you go along with what the Bible says in Matthew, that "lust is bad enough reason to rip one's eyes out," or not?
.

I am a deist. I reject the Bible as anything other than a collection of stories that are metaphorical or allegorical.

 

[Drolefille]

A metaphor for what?
.

Stop lusting.

 

[YmirGF]

How exactly do you go from regular lust straight to rape? I'm not seeing the connection. Rape isn't really about sexual attraction, but about power, control and humiliation.

Actually, your post doesn't make a whole lot of sense, period.

Whew. Here I thought it was only me that couldn't make a lick of sense out of it.

 

[YmirGF]

Lust: The sex drive. The craving for sexual gratification.
National Geographic documentary

Matthew 5:28

“You have heard it said do not commit adultery, but I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
​

So here's an emotional response, created in man by god, that people are suppose to immediately turn off whenever it appears, and if one doesn't want to or can't there's dire consequences. As Matthew goes on to tell it, it amounts to adultery. In fact, according to Matthew 5:29 if a person does lust, they should rip their eyes out.

29 So if your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your body parts than to have your whole body thrown into hell.​

Pretty drastic don't you think for possessing a god-given emotion that happens to get shifted into gear through no fault of one's own.

So, is it wrong to crave (have a powerful desire for) sex, god's insurance that animals continue to propagate their species? My suspicion is that god foresaw that simple desire wasn't going to be a strong enough emotion to get people into a mating mood--few people are all that attractive to bump bare bodies together. Sure, some would get it on, but a lot wouldn't. Hence lust, the top gear of sexual desire, was built into our machinery. And recognizing this I don't believe it deserves the bad rep the Bible tries to lay on it. Which brings us to its treatment of lust itself. Matthew doesn't say it's bad to lust and act on it. NO! He says lusting is simply bad in of itself. Don't dare have this god-given emotional response or you'll have to rip your eyes out. Crazy? Sure it is.

Of course, if anyone here believes lust is bad enough reason to rip one's eyes out please share.


.


.

We should count ourselves as fortunate that not too many Christians take the Bible literally anymore. The real problem is viewing these ancients writings through the lens of modern understanding. Good luck on that.

 

[Katzpur]

Lust is probably the worst thing I tackle with in this world. I find women attractive and imagine them in all sorts of lustful ways.

Wow. How does it feel to have something in common with our new POTUS? Are you able to get away with what he can get away with?

 

[allfoak]

Of course, if anyone here believes lust is bad enough reason to rip one's eyes out please share.

Here we go again.
I love this stuff.


Paint It Black
The Rolling Stones
I see a red door and I want it painted black
No colours anymore, I want them to turn black

I see the girls walk by dressed in their summer clothes
I have to turn my head until my darkness goes

I see a line of cars and they're all painted black
With flowers and my love, both never to come back

I see people turn their heads and quickly look away
Like a newborn baby, it just happens everyday

I look inside myself and see my heart is black
I see my red door and must have it painted black
Maybe then I'll fade away and not have to face the facts
It's not easy facing up when your whole world is black

No more will my green sea go turn a deeper blue
I could not foresee this thing happening to you

If I look hard enough into the setting sun
My love will laugh with me before the morning comes
I see a red door and I want it painted black
No colours anymore, I want them to turn black

I see the girls walk by dressed in their summer clothes
I have to turn my head until my darkness goes

I wanna see it painted, painted black
Black as night, black as coal
I wanna see the sun blotted out from the sky
I wanna see it painted, painted, painted, painted black
Yeah

Songwriters: Keith Richards / Mick Jaggers
Paint It Black lyrics © Abkco Music, Inc

 

[bobhikes]

Wow. How does it feel to have something in common with our new POTUS? Are you able to get away with what he can get away with?

I can control it better than he can but it is still a vice that I have. Admitting it is another step in my understanding it and perhaps controlling it better. Denying it exists accomplishes nothing.

 

[Madhuri]

Lust is natural. I think that lust is fine if a person is strong enough to control it rather than let it control them.

As this is a religious debate, I'll add a religious perspective..

In the Gita, Krishna says that lust, anger and greed are the gateways to hell. If left unchecked, they can lead to destructive consequences. Through spiritual practice such as meditation, one can learn to control the mind and redirect these energies. If successful, one can lead a more balanced life.

Note that this doesn't mean eliminating sex desire (unless the individual wishes to) but to simply gain a control of our body and mind so that we do not become consumed and make bad decisions.