How to stop thinking about sex?

[IQ170]

But also there is scandal to consider, leading the weak into sin, by something that in itself is not sinful.

No one is responsible for other people’s thoughts.

I could not answer specifically since Rodin made a lot of sculpture. Do any depict sexual acts?

I was talking about the “Kiss”. The point is that “porn” is in the eyes of the beholder. For some people even simple nudity is pornographic.

 

[Vico]

Vico:

But also there is scandal to consider, leading the weak into sin, by something that in itself is not sinful.

No one is responsible for other people’s thoughts.

I could not answer specifically since Rodin made a lot of sculpture. Do any depict sexual acts?

I was talking about the “Kiss”. The point is that “porn” is in the eyes of the beholder. For some people even simple nudity is pornographic.

A person can give scandal to the weak, and that can be intentional, so even a mortal sin. From the definitions I posted, if it is a simulated sexual act then it can be called pornography per the Catechism. There are many beautiful things and it may be a sin to enjoy them.

 

[IQ170]

A person can give scandal to the weak, and that can intentional, so even mortal sin. From the definitions I posted, if it is a simulated sexual act then it can be called pornography per the Catechism. There are many beautiful things and is may be a sin to enjoy them.

So Rodin’s sculpture can be declared “porn” by someone who is overly scrupulous. I hope it will NOT suffer similar fate as the “victims” of the “Great Castration”. I had the opportunity to visit the Vatican and saw those beautiful Greek sculptures with their original “parts” chiseled off and replaced with some “leafs”.

I understand your point, but the intent of the person is only known to God, and not to anyone else. So no one, not you (or anyone else) has the sufficient information to declare that a text, a picture, a sculpture is a porn. And the “scandal” is in the eyes of the beholder.

Don’t forget, there are three requirements for a mortal sin: it must be a grave (or serious) act, one must be aware that it is a grave act, and it needs to be done with full intent. Any one of these missing, it is not a mortal sin. Venial sins are not important.

 

[TheLittleLady]

The Kiss is a sculpture of two people kissing, not of two people in the marital act.

 

[Vico]

Vico:

A person can give scandal to the weak, and that can intentional, so even mortal sin. From the definitions I posted, if it is a simulated sexual act then it can be called pornography per the Catechism. There are many beautiful things and is may be a sin to enjoy them.

So Rodin’s sculpture can be declared “porn” by someone who is overly scrupulous. I hope it will NOT suffer similar fate as the “victims” of the “Great Castration”. I had the opportunity to visit the Vatican and saw those beautiful Greek sculptures with their original “parts” chiseled off and replaced with some “leafs”.

I understand your point, but the intent of the person is only known to God, and not to anyone else. So no one, not you (or anyone else) has the sufficient information to declare that a text, a picture, a sculpture is a porn. And the “scandal” is in the eyes of the beholder.

Don’t forget, there are three requirements for a mortal sin: it must be a grave (or serious) act, one must be aware that it is a grave act, and it needs to be done with full intent. Any one of these missing, it is not a mortal sin. Venial sins are not important.

Subjectivity is used to determine culpability for sin, known by the person themselves, but the definition in the Catechism of pornography is not subjective but objective – not about culpability. Foreplay is a sexual act and it is shown in art such as The Kiss. Today it is commonly shown on broadcast television in dramas, both heterosexual and homosexual.

Also, scandal is not in the eyes of the beholder, rather scandal is given to others.

Catechism

2284 Scandal is an attitude or behavior which leads another to do evil. The person who gives scandal becomes his neighbor’s tempter. He damages virtue and integrity; he may even draw his brother into spiritual death. Scandal is a grave offense if by deed or omission another is deliberately led into a grave offense.

2285 Scandal takes on a particular gravity by reason of the authority of those who cause it or the weakness of those who are scandalized. …

2287 Anyone who uses the power at his disposal in such a way that it leads others to do wrong becomes guilty of scandal and responsible for the evil that he has directly or indirectly encouraged. “Temptations to sin are sure to come; but woe to him by whom they come!”

 

[IQ170]

The Kiss is a sculpture of two people kissing, not of two people in the marital act.

Where does the foreplay end and the act begin? Since the two people are naked, for scrupulous people it would be porn, for others it is not.

Also, scandal is not in the eyes of the beholder, rather scandal is given to others.

I have absolutely no idea what you mean. Scandal is a state of mind, and I cannot “give” it to anyone. The same thought or act makes someone feel scandalized and others just shrug it off.

And you did not reflect on the problem of scrupulosity, which makes everything subjective.

 

[Vico]

TheLittleLady:

The Kiss is a sculpture of two people kissing, not of two people in the marital act.

Where does the foreplay end and the act begin? Since the two people are naked, for scrupulous people it would be porn, for others it is not.

Also, scandal is not in the eyes of the beholder, rather scandal is given to others.

I have absolutely no idea what you mean. Scandal is a state of mind, and I cannot “give” it to anyone. The same thought or act makes someone feel scandalized and others just shrug it off.

And you did not reflect on the problem of scrupulosity, which makes everything subjective.

Being very intelligent you should be able to understand how scandal is given to others by your example. Homework:

Catechism: 2284-2287. http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm

Summa Theologiae, II, II, Q. 43 Scandal: http://www.newadvent.org/summa/3043.htm

The Catechism qualifies pornography as “sexual acts” not just the latter portion. In my college major I learned about sexuality and physical psychology that the human mating is in four stages, beginning with he excitement phase. The four states are only ordered for those that are married.

 

[IQ170]

Being very intelligent you should be able to understand how scandal is given to others by your example .

The scandal is the perception by SOME people. For highly scrupulous people lots of things are scandalous, for others they are not. That is why it is similar to the perception of “beauty”.

 

[Vico]

Vico:

Being very intelligent you should be able to understand how scandal is given to others by your example .

The scandal is the perception by SOME people. For highly scrupulous people lots of things are scandalous, for others they are not. That is why it is similar to the perception of “beauty”.

Again from St. Thomas:

… scandal is of two kinds, passive scandal in the person scandalized, and active scandal in the person who gives scandal, and so occasions a spiritual downfall.

Sometimes therefore it happens that there is active scandal in the one together with passive scandal in the other, as when one commits a sin being induced thereto by another; sometimes there is active without passive scandal, for instance when one, by word or deed, provokes another to sin, and the latter does not consent; and sometimes there is passive without active scandal, as we have already said. [he that acts rightly does not, for his own part, afford the occasion of the other’s downfall.]

 

[IQ170]

Again from St. Thomas:

… scandal is of two kinds, passive scandal in the person scandalized, and active scandal in the person who gives scandal, and so occasions a spiritual downfall.

Sometimes therefore it happens that there is active scandal in the one together with passive scandal in the other, as when one commits a sin being induced thereto by another; sometimes there is active without passive scandal, for instance when one, by word or deed, provokes another to sin, and the latter does not consent; and sometimes there is passive without active scandal, as we have already said. [he that acts rightly does not, for his own part, afford the occasion of the other’s downfall.]

I am sorry, we speak two different languages. Let me give an example.

There is an empty beach and a couple decides to have sex in open sight. Just for the fun of it, let them be married. They believe that they are not observed. Unbeknownst to them there is someone who observes them, and feels “scandalized”. The couple did not “give” scandal. The observer creates the scandal in his or her mind.

It seems that our languages are so different that it is impossible to communicate.

 

[John10]

First do not despair there is nothing the Lord cannot do, if you allow Him.

Then I would encourage you to :

1.- Do not trust yourself - The number one way to fall in your struggle against sexual sin is to depend upon yourself

2.- Get help - You cannot win this battle alone.

3.- Go to confession, or if you cannot yet, attend to Mass and spend time with Jesus in the Eucharist.

4.- Keep yourself always busy, that way you will not have time to think about other things.

5.- Be patient and never give up. Beating lust requires more than human effort, it is also a grace that we must ask Jesus to provide.

The key is to never minimize the danger that lust can do in a person. Many have seen their marriage destroyed, become financially ruined, and unable to form meaningful relationships with others who have now become “mere” objects of pleasure to a lustful person.

 

[VeryBlessed]

I was single until 39, and I really tried to follow and live up to God‘s standards, which was & is very difficult in this age of the world, of course. This one perspective was helpful. Don’t get so obsessed with the various rules that you lose sight of the bigger picture. God is calling us to holiness in every area of our lives including the sexual part of us. I prayed daily over and over for sexual holiness. Don’t lose sight of the rules, but also, Keep praying for and pursuing holiness and purity in your mind, where nobody can see, and measure and see if you are making progress, even if it seems so very slow. God is so patient and he is just crazy about you - don’t lose sight of that amidst the struggle! Refuse to give up. I almost felt as if God were asking me, “Are you willing to keep trying even after failing 1000 times?” Be stubborn in pursuit of holiness in this area of your life, and learn to be ok knowing it is a lifelong journey.

 

[Vico]

Vico:

Again from St. Thomas:

… scandal is of two kinds, passive scandal in the person scandalized, and active scandal in the person who gives scandal, and so occasions a spiritual downfall.

Sometimes therefore it happens that there is active scandal in the one together with passive scandal in the other, as when one commits a sin being induced thereto by another; sometimes there is active without passive scandal, for instance when one, by word or deed, provokes another to sin, and the latter does not consent; and sometimes there is passive without active scandal, as we have already said. [he that acts rightly does not, for his own part, afford the occasion of the other’s downfall.]

I am sorry, we speak two different languages. Let me give an example.

There is an empty beach and a couple decides to have sex in open sight. Just for the fun of it, let them be married. They believe that they are not observed. Unbeknownst to them there is someone who observes them, and feels “scandalized”. The couple did not “give” scandal. The observer creates the scandal in his or her mind.

It seems that our languages are so different that it is impossible to communicate.

So you are not using the Christian Theological definition that is earlier and from Church Latin scandalizare, from late Greek skandalizein “to make to stumble”. That meaning is used in Summa Theologiae and in the Catechism. So then if you do not use that meaning then another must be substituted such as to tempt and is tempted.

Scandal is a word or action, evil in itself, which occasions another’s spiritual ruin. So there must be some evil – in this case public sex acts – no doubt illegal, or else there is no scandal (temptation by example).

 

[Scott84]

I wonder if there are some who would consider the sacred art and statues of the Maria Lactans to be pornographic?

 

[That_Flint_Guy]

Sexual urges are completely natural and are the product of hormones produced in your body. Some of us have more active hormones than others. It’s all in how you deal with it. Perhaps you should get married so that these urges can be indulged as God intended?

 

[cwsbanana]

I’m 19 so I don’t even see the point in dating yet since I’m so young and dating is supposed to be for marriage right? Most guys I’ve talked to won’t wait until marriage

 

[Vico]

I wonder if there are some who would consider the sacred art and statues of the Maria Lactans to be pornographic?

It is not pornography by the Catechism definition. Public breastfeeding has caused some outcry in the past.

 

[Vico]

The Kiss is a sculpture of two people kissing, not of two people in the marital act.

The Catechism gives the definition referring to sexual acts. Human mating has been broken down into four phases which starts with arousal. So a depiction of foreplay is a sexual act.

2354 Pornography consists in removing real or simulated sexual acts from the intimacy of the partners, in order to display them deliberately to third parties. …

 

[IQ170]

So you are not using the Christian Theological definition that is earlier and from Church Latin scandalizare, from late Greek skandalizein “to make to stumble”. That meaning is used in Summa Theologiae and in the Catechism. So then if you do not use that meaning then another must be substituted such as to tempt and is tempted .

I have no problem with the usage in the Catechism. “Temptation” is also in the eyes of the beholder. Some words have several meaning, for example “to sin” is sometimes used in the sense of “to miss the mark”.

Scandal is a word or action, evil in itself, which occasions another’s spiritual ruin. So there must be some evil – in this case public sex acts – no doubt illegal, or else there is no scandal (temptation by example).

Public sex acts are not necessarily illegal. In some societies it might be. But we are not talking about legality.

It is not pornography by the Catechism definition. Public breastfeeding has caused some outcry in the past.

An excellent example, highlighting the question of scrupulosity. In nudist colonies people walk around stark naked, and everyone is comfortable with it. However, for someone else it might be a “scandalous” behavior - or might not be. This is the point. The behavior is neutral, the perception of the onlooker makes the difference.

The basic problem in our mutual understanding is the concept of “evil in itself”. Regardless of the intent, regardless of the circumstances, regardless of the outcome. I agree with the idea that all three must be evaluated in order to make a decision. (I am not an expert, but quite familiar with the catechism.) But I do not agree that the three “prongs” can be evaluated individually, leading to the concept of “intrinsically evil” acts. This is the problem with our communication. I see no solution. Do you?

 

[francisca.chapter3]

You are 19. Your hormone is active, your mind is curious, your conscience questioning where the limit is. Above all, u r not baptized yet. You just start a journey in life.

First thng first. Lord Jesus Christ is the one work to redeem us from the slavery of sin. Eventhough u r not baptized yet, u r allowed to pray to Jesus.

Pray like this: Jesus, guide me to your salvation. I believe you can save me. I am at the begining of my journey as a person. Please guide me so I can become the person you want me to be. My mind is preoccupied with impure thoughts. If it is your will, please set me free from it, so I can do my work/ sleep/ so on ( u can add what u want to do here). Remove my desire to read those books, and protect my eyes from watching porn & violent movies & my mouth from blesphemy. Amen.

Then accordingly, in your real life, make changes: throw away those books and do as you ask in your prayers just as much as you are able to. Everytime it comesback, pray again, and believe that Jesus hear your prayers. Follow Jesus path in your life, then you will be alright