Concerning lusting

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jp2.0
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
J

Jp2.0

Guest
Is list only a mortal sin when acted upon? As in finding ways to seduce the people you’re lusting after? Or is merely looking at someone with lust enough?
 
My take: Add malice and intent to normal human desire, and you have lust. Lust is an interior movement of the mind and soul toward an action that is evil. Simple normal everyday desire that naturally occurs is not lust. The word “seduce” is an action word, it isn’t really only a thought. Looking at someone isn’t necessarily lust, wanting and/or attempting to seduce them is.
My two cents.
 
I would offer you the following from the Scripture:

[Jesus said] “You have heard the commandment, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ What I say to you is: anyone who looks lustfully at a woman has already committed adultery with her in his thoughts.” Matthew 5: 27 - 28.

The sense here is that it is the interior motivation that causes the sin. If you freely entertain thoughts about lust, you have already desired the action. Even if, for whatever reason, you cannot physically commit the deed, you still have already committed the sin.

The last point is that it must be freely entertained. If the thought comes to your mind and you immediately dismiss it, then you have not sinned.

Blessings
 
So what you are saying is that it is the matter of not through seeing and looking, but it is through the thoughts of wanting to do it and playing with the thoughts in your head that is sinful?
 
Dear Jp2.0

I’m not sure what you are asking in your last post and am hesitant to respond to it.

I note that you are Roman Catholic. I would suggest that you talk these matters over with a priest who can direct you. I am concerned that I might misunderstand what you are asking and not give you the correct advice. Please understand that I want to assist you, I’m just not sure this is the proper forum.

Blessings
 
Lust is not only a mortal sin when acted upon. Harboring lustful thoughts is also a mortal sin.

Matthew 5:28- “But I say to you, that whosoever shall look on a woman to lust after her, hath already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

Here are a few more helpful quotes:

“More souls go to hell because of sins of the flesh than for any other reason.” - Our Lady of Fatima

"In the realm of evil thoughts none induces to sin as much as do thoughts that concern the pleasure of the flesh.” - St. Thomas Aquinas

“In temptations against chastity, the spiritual masters advise us, not so much to contend with the bad thought, as to turn the mind to some spiritual, or, at least, indifferent object. It is useful to combat other bad thoughts face to face, but not thoughts of impurity.” - St. Alphonse Liguori

“Chastity is the lily of virtues, and makes men almost equal to Angels. Everything is beautiful in accordance with its purity. Now the purity of man is chastity, which is called honesty, and the observance of it, honor and also integrity; and its contrary is called corruption; in short, it has this peculiar excellence above the other virtues, that it preserves both soul and body fair and unspotted.” - St. Francis de Sales
 
So what you are saying is that it is the matter of not through seeing and looking, but it is through the thoughts of wanting to do it and playing with the thoughts in your head that is sinful?
Many times thoughts will just pop into our heads. We can’t completely control when this happens, so having the thought in the mind may not be a sin. It’s what you do after the thought that determines whether it is sinful or not. If you shut the thought out, pray for help, and refocus on what you were doing before, there is no sin. On the other hand, if you recognize the thought and foster it or do nothing about it (sin of omission), it would be a sin. Every situation is going to be different. As fredystairs wrote, you should follow the advice of your priest in confession.
 
Playing with the thoughts in your head implies lust so yes. If you just have the desire and you try to distract yourself, it’s fine.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top