I struggle, you struggle, we all struggle, help?

[CopticChristian]

The Catechism is divided into 4 parts…after profession of Faith, Sacramental life comes this…

Recently I see complaints about threads on specific sins against Chastity and I thought that I would summarize some of the teachings and ask a question…

**LIFE IN CHRIST **

CHAPTER TWO
“YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF”
ARTICLE 6
THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT
You shall not commit adultery.113
You have heard that it was said, “You shall not commit adultery.” But I say to you that every one who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.114

• I. “MALE AND FEMALE HE CREATED THEM . . .”
  2335 Each of the two sexes is an image of the power and tenderness of God, with equal dignity though in a different way. The union of man and woman in marriage is a way of imitating in the flesh the Creator’s generosity and fecundity: "Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh."121 All human generations proceed from this union.122
  The tradition of the Church has understood the sixth commandment as encompassing the whole of human sexuality.
  II. THE VOCATION TO CHASTITY
  2337 Chastity means the successful integration of sexuality within the person and thus the inner unity of man in his bodily and spiritual being.
  The integrity of the person
  2338 The chaste person maintains the integrity of the powers of life and love placed in him. This integrity ensures the unity of the person; it is opposed to any behavior that would impair it. It tolerates neither a double life nor duplicity in speech.125
  2339 Chastity includes an apprenticeship in self-mastery which is a training in human freedom. The alternative is clear: either man governs his passions and finds peace, or he lets himself be dominated by them and becomes unhappy.
  2341 The virtue of chastity comes under the cardinal virtue of temperance, which seeks to permeate the passions and appetites of the senses with reason.
  2342 Self-mastery is a long and exacting work. One can never consider it acquired once and for all. It presupposes renewed effort at all stages of life.129
  2345 Chastity is a moral virtue. It is also a gift from God, a grace, a fruit of spiritual effort.132 The Holy Spirit enables one whom the water of Baptism has regenerated to imitate the purity of Christ.133

When I consider sins against Chastity in my life…as I study this area I ask you to avoid posting about content, in other words please do not say that your sin is…Fornication, Adultery, Homosexuality, Masturbation…

Level the playing field with…a statement like this…

When I reflect on sins against Chastity…NO CONTENT…don’t need to, don’t want to know…

I find that I can think about
I realize
I understand
I contemplate
I do this
I reflect on this

Whatever thought you can provide that is an aid to you that you feel is an aid to someone else without judging, because you cannot judge anything without content other than to admit you are or have been in it as well…

This is an attempt to avoid the usual focal discussion about any one particular issue as is seen in too many threads…

Struggling with
I know this man that
How do we deal with these

etc

We are all or have been with, or been that other or have had to be dealt with…

Give it a go…NO CONTENT…just

When I think about struggles with Chastity…I do this, I think this, I reflect on this, and then whatever you believe aids resolution…Ok…

 

[Lisa1967]

Great idea. I think there is too much sexual detail on this site.

I also would like to see people offer ideas on what has helped them.

 

[CopticChristian]

Great idea. I think there is too much sexual detail on this site.

I also would like to see people offer ideas on what has helped them.

Lisa,

I am not immune. Every now and again thoughts enter my mind…

I ask myself…what value is there in this thought…is it worth maintaining…if there is passion involved…what am I going to do with it and then I step back…look at it…think more…

Am I pleased with this thought
Is this thought consistent with my beliefs
does acting on this thought aid or deter my life in totality of what I want to be

If I were to act on this thought, how would I feel
If I choose not to act on this thought, how would I feel…

Sometimes just thinking about something allows that thought to dissipate…they come again and with habit I get better…

 

[Least]

Sometimes the fall-back position (rally point) has to come from your youth, when things were simpler ?].

I like the thought of something I remembered the other day from childhood, and that was the saying:

"If you think of doing wrong *, reach out your hand to the side and grasp the hem of the robe of your Guardian Angel. Your Guardian Angel will take your hand and put it into the hand of JESUS CHRIST.

I am older now considerably, but there are times that you still may catch me grasping.

; )*

 

[Lisa1967]

Lisa,

I am not immune. Every now and again thoughts enter my mind…

I ask myself…what value is there in this thought…is it worth maintaining…if there is passion involved…what am I going to do with it and then I step back…look at it…think more…

Am I pleased with this thought
Is this thought consistent with my beliefs
does acting on this thought aid or deter my life in totality of what I want to be

If I were to act on this thought, how would I feel
If I choose not to act on this thought, how would I feel…

Sometimes just thinking about something allows that thought to dissipate…they come again and with habit I get better…

Makes sense.

I think it’s best to avoid too much sexual detail on this site because a) we have young people here; and b) some of us struggle with impure thoughts and hearing in detail about the sexual thoughts/sins of others might contribute to that.

Paul said to set our minds on things above, not on things below.