Looking at people

[Zenkai]

Looking at people who you think are attractive is not lust, correct? Because sometimes if I see someone who I think is attractive, it’s difficult to look away.

What about going somewhere where you think there’s a strong possibility that you will see someone who you think is attractive?

 

[Nonsmoker]

It turns into lust, when you start to fantasize about having sex with them. If you simply think they look attractive, thats human.

**2514 ** St. John distinguishes three kinds of covetousness or concupiscence: lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and pride of life.301 In the Catholic catechetical tradition, the ninth commandment forbids carnal concupiscence; the tenth forbids coveting another’s goods. (377, 400)

Lust of the eyes, meaning fantasizing about a person, more or less coveting their body. Lust of the flesh is the actual sex.

 

[Ad_Orientem]

It turns into lust, when you start to fantasize about having sex with them. If you simply think they look attractive, thats human.

Lust of the eyes, meaning fantasizing about a person, more or less coveting their body. Lust of the flesh is the actual sex.

This is not correct.

Lust, in this context, is “an inordinate desire for or enjoyment of sexual pleasure” (cf. Modern Catholic Dictionary by Fr. John A. Hardon). It need not involve fantasy.

Lust of the eyes is an inordinate desire for wealth, luxury, and external material goods.

Lust of the flesh is an inordinate desire for bodily pleasure (in general, not just sexual).

The other lust (or concupiscence) is the pride of life, the inordinate love of our own excellence.

cf. Garrigou-Lagrange, Three Ages, PII, Ch. 21.

 

[Ad_Orientem]

To answer the OP, there’s great wisdom in this passage in the Bible:

Turn away your eyes from a shapely woman,
and do not look intently at beauty belonging to another;
many have been misled by a woman’s beauty,
and by it passion is kindled like a fire.

Sirach 9:8