Is it possible to think about sex without lust?

[DeoJuventute]

For example, if you’re merely thinking about intercourse in a purely academic way, without deriving any sort of pleasure or excitement from the thought, is it necessarily lust? I actually willed myself to think about sexual intercourse–not with any person, mind you, just the act itself–not because it was pleasurable but because I was sort of thinking about it in an academic way.

John Paul II’s book, Love and Responsibility, contains very frank discussions about orgasms and arousal. And I know that gynecoligists are not committing lust every day they go to work. But what if you’re just thinking about sex without thinking about any single person or trying to get any enjoyment out of it?

 

[Bookcat]

There can be just reasons to think about the topic in certain ways. For example the study of Catholic sexual morality.

One is though to seek to take care in so doing (ie seek to make occasions more remote…etc).

But this being a tender box…(due to concupscience etc) one needs good circumspection and prudence in judging if or what to think about… even if one is studying sexual morality.

Also it is important to note that just cause a thought occurred to one of a sexual nature…does not mean there is any sin. Even the strongest temptations that come out of the blue … when not consented to…are not sins…and can be even be occasions for acts of virtue when one turns ones mind elsewhere.

 

[DeoJuventute]

Well, I only raise the question because I was thinking about the boundaries between lust and harmless sexual thoughts, and I wanted to prove to myself that you could indeed think about sex in a purely biological way without actually committing any sort of sin against lust. So for a few second I thought about the actual sex act between two faceless persons (I wasn’t concerned about who was doing it, only the “mechanics” of the actual act of intercourse). It gave me absolutely no pleasure, and I wasn’t thinking of anybody in particular. It was more or less like listening to your high school biology teacher prattle on about anatomy or something similar to that. After four or five seconds my mind started to drift into more morally unsafe territory, so I stopped immediately and thought about something else. Later I started to worry that I had entertained and willed improper thoughts, and thus thought about the same thing (again without pleasure or lustful intent).

I certainly willed and entertained (if only briefly) thoughts about sex. But I didn’t intend to lust, per se, and I honestly found no pleasure in the thought. Is that still lust?

 

[Bookcat]

Discuss the matter with your confessor …he can ask questions particular to you …and he knows your soul.

 

[Paul_theApostle]

What about people who publish books about sex positions and there are plenty of pics of couples naked in the act

 

[Bookcat]

What about people who publish books about sex positions and there are plenty of pics of couples naked in the act

I would not think Christians should be making use of such.

 

[Paul_theApostle]

I would not think Christians should be making use of such.

im just saying for the people who make the book,would they be lusting over the pictures while they are putting the book together

 

[Bookcat]

im just saying for the people who make the book,would they be lusting over the pictures while they are putting the book together

I do not know. I do not think such should be made…(not that you do either).

 

[Seatuck]

im just saying for the people who make the book,would they be lusting over the pictures while they are putting the book together

It depends upon the people. It certainly could incite lust or they might be capable of being clinical about it.

 

[silicasandra]

It’s also possible to experience sexual desire without lust. One can desire one’s spouse (and probably should ), but one should not lust after them, which turns them only into an object for one’s pleasure.

But I think it’s entirely possible to think about sex in a general way that lacks either desire or lust. Think about explaining “where babies come from” to children. That kind of discussion usually doesn’t provoke lust in parents but rather an intense feeling of embarassment. (Not for all parents, I’m sure, but I can remember my dad trying to talk to me about it. My mom was much better about the subject. )

 

[DeoJuventute]

I suppose what caused me anxiety is the fact that I was briefly imagining the actual act of intercourse. As I mentioned, I wasn’t imagining any particular people engaging in intercourse, and it wasn’t like I was trying to get any sort of pleasure or enjoyment ouf of the thought. I was quite simply trying to prove to myself that there is nothing intrinsically wrong without thinking about sex.

And, correct me if I’m wrong, but wouldn’t the intent to think about the sex act without lusting make the thought, if sinful at all, only venial–because my intent was to avoid mortal sin?