40 Days and 40 Nights?

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I don’t know if this is under the right Forum but, lets give it a try. In the Movie “40 days and 40 Nights” (I think that that is the correct title) a guy gives up Sex in all various forms (i.e. Sex, Masterbation, ect.) and the story goes on from there. But, my question is that scince, if I am not mistaken, that those things are sins, shouldn’t that be a thing we shouldn’t be giving up completly as apposed to just for lent? Please do not critique Movie, just keep within the realm of question, Thanks. Thanks and God bless.
 
Yes indeed.

To lust over one woman is to commit adultery.

To actually commit the act itself is even worse.

Chastity is your goal.

In Christ.

Andre.
 
Montie Claunch:
I don’t know if this is under the right Forum but, lets give it a try. In the Movie “40 days and 40 Nights” (I think that that is the correct title) a guy gives up Sex in all various forms (i.e. Sex, Masterbation, ect.) and the story goes on from there. But, my question is that scince, if I am not mistaken, that those things are sins, shouldn’t that be a thing we shouldn’t be giving up completly as apposed to just for lent? Please do not critique Movie, just keep within the realm of question, Thanks. Thanks and God bless.
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Any sexual act outside marriage is a mortal sin.
 
yes but if it is a habitual sin that you know you are going to do again anyways, it is a nice test to see if you can last the 40 days and then sin less once Lent is over. One, especially in the younger gerneration, is probably not going to be able to avoid all forms of these sins, especially masterbaton for long periods of time. Therefore, going 40 would be a real hardship in itself and a good thing to give up even if you know you mostlikely will sin again after Lent sometime in the future in that way.
 
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wjp984:
yes but if it is a habitual sin that you know you are going to do again anyways, it is a nice test to see if you can last the 40 days and then sin less once Lent is over. One, especially in the younger gerneration, is probably not going to be able to avoid all forms of these sins, especially masterbaton for long periods of time. Therefore, going 40 would be a real hardship in itself and a good thing to give up even if you know you mostlikely will sin again after Lent sometime in the future in that way.
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I don’t agree. The choice is clear: sin or do not sin. Sinning less is not something to strive for as it doesn’t help as you remain in a state of mortal sin and your immortal soul is at risk.
Addicts or habitual sinners should seek help; prayer is powerful and really can help, speak to a priest and maybe other counsellors that a priest can suggest.
 
Lent is for Sacrifices in order to work towards purity.

Of course we don’t “sacrifice” our sins. Sacrifices must be worth somthing.

😃
It’s a movie - Since when does Hollywood get the Church Teachings right ?

Besides, It’s a silly comedy that I heard had a positive message at the end.

I think that at some point the character is told that “just giving up something sinful” is not exactly how it works.

😉
We should give up goo things - in lew of better things ---- Chocolate Dessert for 5 mins of prayertime.

A more realistic Lenten Duty would have been :

Pray that you are delivered from your impure temptations by fasting from lunch everyday during Lent and spend that time saying the Rosary.

Then, Abstain from going on “Dates” during Lent. Instead spend some time with some good Christian friends instead.

Just some thoughts.

todd
 
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thistle:
I don’t agree. The choice is clear: sin or do not sin. Sinning less is not something to strive for as it doesn’t help as you remain in a state of mortal sin and your immortal soul is at risk.
Addicts or habitual sinners should seek help; prayer is powerful and really can help, speak to a priest and maybe other counsellors that a priest can suggest.
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There was a Carmelite brother that was the drug counselor at my old school and he taught that masterbation was not a sin at our age and what I think he means is that if you are a teenager, then it is not much of a sin and I am not much older than a teen. So I would disagree with you there as well. You are going to get different opinions even with priests or in his case a brother. Every time I confess a sin and ask about it I get a different answer regarding the same sin and none of them have told me I was in a state of mortal sin. Therefore I just kindly disagree with you and maintain my original opinion that giving a sinful act up for 40 days is still a wonderful thing to do even if you know you are going to once again sin in that way again after the 40 days, but hopefully not as much.
 
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wjp984:
There was a Carmelite brother that was the drug counselor at my old school and he taught that masterbation was not a sin at our age and what I think he means is that if you are a teenager, then it is not much of a sin and I am not much older than a teen. So I would disagree with you there as well. You are going to get different opinions even with priests or in his case a brother. Every time I confess a sin and ask about it I get a different answer regarding the same sin and none of them have told me I was in a state of mortal sin. Therefore I just kindly disagree with you and maintain my original opinion that giving a sinful act up for 40 days is still a wonderful thing to do even if you know you are going to once again sin in that way again after the 40 days, but hopefully not as much.
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The Catechism says, in section 2352, “Both the Magisterium of the Church, in the course of a constant tradition, and the moral sense of the faithful have been in no doubt and have firmly maintained that masturbation is an intrinsically and gravely disordered action.”
It goes on to say that the degree of sin may be affected by the immaturity of the person, the force of acquired habit, and other factors that may lessen culpability. Maybe that’s what the brother was referring to.

It’s better to sin less rather than more, but it sounds very defeatist to say you’re going to sin in that way again, but “hopefully not as much.” Why not strive for holiness? We are all capable of it, with God’s help. We’re all called to be saints. Why sell yourself short and settle for less?
 
God tells us “Turn away from sin.” He doesn’t tell us “Try to cut down a little” or “Don’t sin for a while, then you can start again”.

I haven’t seen this film but there was an episode of a popular TV show a few years ago with a similar plot. It seems to be pushing the all-too-common false idea that chastity is unnatural or superhuman, and that to achieve it for even a short while, and then resume, is a remarkable feat, even a notable “religious” act.

Of course chastity is difficult, like anything worthwhile is difficult. It’s more difficult with the current commidification of sexuality ubiquitous in Western countries, but probably no more so than it was for the early Christians surrounded by pagan depravity.

When we commit ourselves to turn away from sin, we know we will most likely sin again, and in the same way, but that is a very different thing from PLANNING to sin again in future. If we have allowed a sin to become habitual, it may take many attempts to finally rid ourself of it completely, but that must be our aim every time.

The idea that a purely temporary chastity is “religious” reminds me of that other amazingly common false idea in the media and society - that if you fornicate, but don’t use contraception, you are “being a good Catholic” - frequently followed by the Church being blamed for the subsequent pregnancy and abortion! Yet Christ and His Church have always taught us clearly: do not fornicate, AT ALL. It’s amazing how so many can twist this simple command for their own ends.
 
What annoys me about sex/adultery is an example with my grandmother * I know she isn’ the only one*

I live with her, she is in her sixties, and when she was younger (think about it growing up in the 60’s), she wasn’t a devout catholic. She fooled around with boys, did drugs…etc. But now she is a very much devout catholic. That’s great and everything, but God has forgiven her.

But God for bid I do anything like that? I wouldn’t take drugs, but having sex is something every teen thinks about/does. And for myself, it wouldn’t be lust, it would be love for someone. That’s the only way I would do it.

I just find it quite unfair, you know?
 
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wjp984:
Therefore I just kindly disagree with you and maintain my original opinion that giving a sinful act up for 40 days is still a wonderful thing to do even if you know you are going to once again sin in that way again after the 40 days, but hopefully not as much.
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I totally agree with you on this one. Here is a list of things I’m giving up for 40 days.
  1. I will give up meeting my lover at the local hotel for 40 days.
  2. I will give up taking the name of the Lord in vain for 40 days.
  3. I will give up shoplifting for 40 days.
  4. I will give up telling lies for 40 days.
  5. I will give up using my Tarot cards and Quiji board for 40 days.
 
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Actress101:
What annoys me about sex/adultery is an example with my grandmother * I know she isn’ the only one*

I live with her, she is in her sixties, and when she was younger (think about it growing up in the 60’s), she wasn’t a devout catholic. She fooled around with boys, did drugs…etc. But now she is a very much devout catholic. That’s great and everything, but God has forgiven her.

But God for bid I do anything like that? I wouldn’t take drugs, but having sex is something every teen thinks about/does. And for myself, it wouldn’t be lust, it would be love for someone. That’s the only way I would do it.

I just find it quite unfair, you know?
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If you lived then you would know the ugliness of it all. Today of course its even uglier and because your grandmother lived back then she is more educated on whats out there and of course will try and protect you from it. WIll God always forgive absolutely but as a mother and a grandmother I would rather cut off my own hand than watch my children or grandchildren go through the life I lived. You never know if God will take you or when he will take you.
As far as the 40 days and 40 nights yes the ideal would be to give up sin forever but some have to crawl before they can walk.🙂
 
Peace be with you!

I think it’s a valid thing to do–give up a sin you’re struggling with for Lent. But please read on and don’t just quote me on that! The reason I say this is because if there is a sin that one is struggling with, be it sexual or whatever, Lent would be as good of time as any to begin giving it up for good. Because imagine if you can go for 40 days without committing that certain sin…wouldn’t it be easier to avoid it after those first 40 days? Lent seems to be a more powerful time for giving up sin and so if you make a vow not to do it for 40 days, then you could start to form that good habit of not doing it at all, and that would help carry over after Lent.

As far as the movie goes it is different because he just gives it up for 40 days and then goes back to it. Of course, it is only with one girl (that he falls in love with) rather than the many girls it had been before, so I guess that’s better than just sleeping with a bunch of people. Anyway, I thought it was a pretty funny movie and I wouldn’t necessarily say it was bad. I did like that line where he’s leaving the church after telling his brother about his vow and the older priest sees him running out happy and asks his brother, “What is he so happy about.” His brother says, “He just took a vow of celibacy.” And the older priest says something like, “God help him!”

In Christ,
Rand
 
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Actress101:
What annoys me about sex/adultery is an example with my grandmother * I know she isn’ the only one*

I live with her, she is in her sixties, and when she was younger (think about it growing up in the 60’s), she wasn’t a devout catholic. She fooled around with boys, did drugs…etc. But now she is a very much devout catholic. That’s great and everything, but God has forgiven her.

But God for bid I do anything like that? I wouldn’t take drugs, but having sex is something every teen thinks about/does. And for myself, it wouldn’t be lust, it would be love for someone. That’s the only way I would do it.

I just find it quite unfair, you know?
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What’s unfair? You think your grandmother had her “fun”, and now she won’t let you have the same “fun”? Trust me, your grandmother is telling you this because she loves you and she doesn’t want you to have to endure the MISERY which her sins brought her. She doesn’t want you to make the same mistakes she did, but to learn from her mistakes. I’ll bet she looks back on the sins of her youth with bitter regret.

“Having sex” might be something every teen THINKS about, but don’t fall for the popular culture lie that “everybody is doing it”. They’re not. And most of them are much happier for it.

If you love someone, you don’t abuse their bodies and encourage them to sin. If you love them you want to bring out the best in them.
 
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Marquette:
I totally agree with you on this one. Here is a list of things I’m giving up for 40 days.
  1. I will give up meeting my lover at the local hotel for 40 days.
  2. I will give up taking the name of the Lord in vain for 40 days.
  3. I will give up shoplifting for 40 days.
  4. I will give up telling lies for 40 days.
  5. I will give up using my Tarot cards and Quiji board for 40 days.
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You know, unlike you, I kindly disagreed in the nicest way since I think it is a wonderful thing to try to sin less during Lent. I really don’t appreciate the sarcasm but you did remind me that I better go do some sinning since I only have a little time left before Lent starts. Do you have any idea it would be to give up such a thing for Lent? I think not. You know, you are right. Giving up a sinful act is a bad idea. After all, if I somehow succeed it disproves my habitual and therefore not a sin excuse. Don’t want that to happen now do I. By looking at your proifile I can make a few other points but I don’t want to start a huge fight.
 
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wjp984:
You know, unlike you, I kindly disagreed in the nicest way since I think it is a wonderful thing to try to sin less during Lent. I really don’t appreciate the sarcasm but you did remind me that I better go do some sinning since I only have a little time left before Lent starts. Do you have any idea it would be to give up such a thing for Lent? I think not. You know, you are right. Giving up a sinful act is a bad idea. After all, if I somehow succeed it disproves my habitual and therefore not a sin excuse. Don’t want that to happen now do I. By looking at your proifile I can make a few other points but I don’t want to start a huge fight.
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I was trying to make a point. To go into Lent with the ATTITUDE that you will give up a certain SIN for 40 days but KNOW that you will go back to it is neither mortification nor penance.

According to my Catholicism for Dummies book, page 157, “Catholics are asked to do modest mortifications and acts of penance during Lent for the purification of the body and soul.”

The Catholic Encyclopedia defines penance and mortification as:

penance - heartfelt sorrow with the firm promise of sinning no more

mortification - renounce sin and rise through grace to a new life of holiness

To have the ATTITUDE that you will “give up” sinning for 40 days but know you will go right back to it was bad enough, but now you are saying you “better go do some sinning?” You know,

JESUS HUNG ON THAT CROSS UNTIL HE DIED FOR YOU.

"Therefore, since Christ has SUFFERED IN THE FLESH, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God." 1 Peter 1:1,2
And by the way, what exactly is it about my profile that would cause you to want to make points that would cause a huge fight? You don’t like it that I’m a grandma? live by a lake? like to study my Bible? am in RCIA class? Ah ha!!! I’m an EVIL protestant? :bigyikes:
 
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