Is it a sin? Please help

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Exoplanets

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Ok so I have a problem ( which I am eagerly trying to stop) where whenever I hear a word that could be related to something lustful, I open my eyes and look where others are looking. It’s a gut reaction, and I don’t really think about whether or not what I did was sinful until after the action happened.
 
I noticed you’ve had other threads asking abiut things related to lust. And I think you would benefit from an in-person discussion with a priest abiut this to help you understand what lust would be better.
 
I think it is good that you fighting against this tendency. Until you meet with a priest, may I suggest that each day in your morning prayers you add a petition of help for this from God and from your guardian angel? And then during the day, try not to do it, and just sent a quick apology to God if you do.

In my own personal lay opinion, I do not think it is a sin, but it’s not a good thing either. It’s good of you to notice and have the desire to stop.
 
This sounds like an impulse to me. My advice is that next timethe situation occurs, keep clam, dont think about the subject, and continue. It maybe a habit of yours, and with the right amount of perseverance, you can overcome this. But do not gather anxiety over this because that will give it too much power; at your next confession though, ask the confessor what to do. Because it seems habitual and impulsive, I would assume venial and also because you regret it right after, but ask your confessor first instead of right away confessing it.
 
i think things like that are a “natural curiosity” and even that lust/sexual attraction is natural

however, we have to keep in mind that since the Fall, human nauture is warped and not correct anymore. Things like feelings and hormones and etc are not exactly as they should be, and how we feel might be natural, but not necessarily good or right.

i don’t think it is a sin to simply be curious or interested in the topic. It is good that you are mindful of it, too!

Just make sure that you think “ok, that’s what it was.” and let it go and not think wandering sexual thoughts about it.
 
I get what you mean by the anxious part. After I do it I feel bad and start saying in my head, oh no oh no and then it spends the next week trying to figure what I did was a sin or not and it takes over my life.
 
God does not want us to be troubled although He wants us to hate and fear sin, this dishevelment does not benefit your soul. the next time such situation occurs and you end up messing up, apologize and continue preserving. Do not overthink it or you will grow nervous next time you are tempted; and next time you are, continue in your own business and ask for strength from God in your prayer time. But Once again, ask a priest for more resssuring advice.
 
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It is hard to stop our impulses at times but I think the question you should be asking here is not “is this a sin?” but rather “why am I doing this?”

This quick glance that you are doing when you hear something sexual, might be a sign that you have some trauma/damage from pornography and/or masturbation usage. We want to overtime train ourselves to not indulge every impulse we may have.

For example, if a mid-20s couple was walking down the street holding hands and the guy heard something sexual across the street where two mid-20s females are, it would be bad for him to glance over for a few reasons:
  1. He is probably not looking over to see if these people are okay or to view them as humans with value. He is probably looking at them as objects for pleasure which is bad.
  2. This glance would be disrespectful and hurtful to the women the guy is walking and holding hands with. This glance sends a message to her that she isn’t good enough for him (which isn’t true, never think that!) and also that he doesn’t have self-control and could do worse in the future.
Please don’t get down on yourself when you do this though, I went through a period of a year or so where I thought I ruined my brain and I was damaged because I couldn’t stop impulses and “curiosity.” The real answer here is very blunt and it’s that we all have the power to be conquer our struggles and impulses if we choose to. God only gives us crosses that He knows we can bear. But it is up to us to decide to pick up this cross.

It is good that you have noticed you do this, please pray about it and work on fighting this temptation. You will be in my prayers
 
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Friend, this sounds like a case of scruples. Please consult with a priest and/or therapist in real life so that you can get help from the pros, rather than getting dubious advice from random internet folk like myself and the rest of the posters on this thread. May the Lord give you his peace 🙂
 
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