Question About The Beach and Lusting

[TheChosenOne]

So we are going to the beach soon and I know there are going to be plenty of girls in bikinis there. At what point does looking become lusting? Is it lusting to check-out a girl as she walks by?

The Catechism explains lust as:
*2351 Lust is disordered desire for or inordinate enjoyment of sexual pleasure. Sexual pleasure is morally disordered when sought for itself, isolated from its procreative and unitive purposes.
*
I guess I’m just confused, and I’ve been trying to make a strong effort to make sure I don’t do anything to offend the Lord. I know this is probably stupid, but any advice would be appreciated.

 

[VetA]

So we are going to the beach soon and I know there are going to be plenty of girls in bikinis there. At what point does looking become lusting? Is it lusting to check-out a girl as she walks by?

The Catechism explains lust as:
*2351 Lust is disordered desire for or inordinate enjoyment of sexual pleasure. Sexual pleasure is morally disordered when sought for itself, isolated from its procreative and unitive purposes.
*
I guess I’m just confused, and I’ve been trying to make a strong effort to make sure I don’t do anything to offend the Lord. I know this is probably stupid, but any advice would be appreciated.

are you prone to use these images of girls in skimpy bikinis as material for masturbating? if so, “starve your eyes” by “bouncing” them away from the immodestly dressed girls (ie as soon as you see them, look away)

 

[CSJ]

It is not a sin to be attracted to the opposite sex (in fact, it is natural), but to indulge in looking or admiring the female form is certainly treading on a slippery slope - it doesn’t take much to fall.

Fr. Larry Richards on his teaching of confession stated that it is one thing to admire God’s creation, but it is another thing altogether to continue to indulge those thoughts. You should ask yourself, however, "How would I conduct myself if Christ were standing beside me at that same moment. You should look no differently at a woman at the beach as you would at a woman in church during the adoration of the Blessed Eucharist. They are still God’s daughters and in my opinion, "the wonder of creation. If man is the “rough draft” then woman is God’s masterpiece.

We should not be wondering, “How far can I go before it is sin?”, but rather, “How far will I go to avoid sin?” Avoid temptation at all costs. Men are easily led away by their own disordered lusts and if you find that you are easily tempted, then you should avoid the near occasion of sin.

CSJ

 

[Sword_Brethren]

So we are going to the beach soon and I know there are going to be plenty of girls in bikinis there. At what point does looking become lusting? Is it lusting to check-out a girl as she walks by?

The Catechism explains lust as:
*2351 Lust is disordered desire for or inordinate enjoyment of sexual pleasure. Sexual pleasure is morally disordered when sought for itself, isolated from its procreative and unitive purposes.
*
I guess I’m just confused, and I’ve been trying to make a strong effort to make sure I don’t do anything to offend the Lord. I know this is probably stupid, but any advice would be appreciated.

If there is going to be a lot of woman is bikinis, I would not go to the beach.

 

[RedClay]

I’m going to the beach soon also. If I see a girl in a bikini walk by, for example, I will not/not check her out. Rather I’ll maintain custody of my eyes, and look away. Perhaps I’ll immediately change my gaze to the ocean, the sand, the sky. Perhaps, when I see a girl or girls dressed in such fashion, I’ll look over at my wife and little baby boy and thank God for truth and pure beauty. I don’t feel that being at the beach is a near occasion of sin for me. But, nevertheless, I know the environment and will respond with a formed conscience. Perhaps I’ll also limit my time in that environment. (I prefer to play tennis anyway.)

 

[Scoobyshme]

Here’s where the rubber meets the road, so to speak: To be tempted is not a sin. In fact, it can be an opportunity to grow in virtue by resisting the temptation. However, if we are tempted in such cases, we have two choices: 1) reject the thought (you know what I mean) or 2) consent to the thought (example: Yeah, if I get half a chance I’m gonna…!) In the first case, you grow in virtue. In the second case, you sin and need to go to sacramental Confession.

You may want to listen to Fr. Larry’s explanation of Confession by downloading the following .mp3 file:

alabamacatholicresources.com/Downloads/Confession.mp3

And don’t forget to pray a lot for God’s grace to help you grow in virtue!

 

[TheChosenOne]

Thank you all for your responses, they were very helpful.