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coolcatholicguy
Guest
Any tips on resisting it as a teen?
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JaredR
Guest
Count to 195 by intervals of 13. Keep going if you need to. Distraction is the best method of preventing temptation from becoming sin. Don’t try to face it head on because you will lose every time.
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Young_Thinker
Guest
I am discerning a call to the priesthood. At the same time, I still am obsessed with girls. Even though I have never been on a date in my life, I often find myself fantasizing about having affairs with beautiful ladies(even in different time-periods). So, almost everyday, I ask the Virgin Mary to help me with conquering my lust. If I am going to be a priest, especially one who is in consecrated life, I am going to need to control myself. Even if I never touch a girl, erotic thoughts are still sinful.
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JM3
Guest
“Call to mind that it was a sin of gluttony which brought death into the world, and that it is the first and most important passion to be conquered, for upon the subjugation of this vice depends your victory over all others…Thus we see that the devil first tempted Our Saviour to gluttony, wishing to make himself master of the avenue through which all other vices find an easy entrance.”
The Sinner’s Guide by Venerable Louis of Granada
There are many graces in the Divine Mercy prayers. I find that temptations will leave when I pray ‘For the sake of His sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world’.
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Kontrak
Guest
Pray the Rosary The rosary is awesome. Try to be persistent and to start a habit. Try not to be discouraged and put prayer off for too long because you’re asking for grace and are starting a virtuous habit to break an addictive, poisonous vice. If you’re new or busy, start off at a decade a day. Complete as much as you can to get the hang of it. Hope that makes sense.
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Edmundus1581
Guest
I am now 51, but when I look back at my sexual struggles as a teen I wish I had known the following advice:
~ Edmundays
- Firmly believe that my sexuality is a gift from God. Although I am not using it actively in relations with a spouse, then I still thank God for my sexuality, and offer it to Him as a gift most precious to Him.
- Remember the old adage of “one day at a time”. My only concern is to stay pure today, or even this minute - and let Jesus take care of tomorrow.
~ Edmundays
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EmeraldWings
Guest
Well, to resist means to fight or stand up against, and one thing i’ve learned is, you shouldn’t even give this sin a chance to temp you, instead, sins of the flesh should be run away from,
which means, if you see the temptation coming, immediately take the first exit out, whether it’s by actually getting up and leaving the place you are, or by praying, or by adverting your eyes, or whatever other means are necessary,
of course sometimes temptations catch us off guard, in which case there are several aids in helping you to resist the temptation,
such as, immediately after you recognize the temptation, pray - “Precious blood, wash over me, protect me from the wickedness and snares of the devil”, and after that pray - “Jesus, Mary, Joseph, Saint Maria Goretti, Guardian Angel, help me.”
and after that, try to imagine something else other than what is tempting you, something that is enjoyable, but not immoral, the reason being, you are tempted to those kinds of sins because they are enjoyable, so a good way to advert your attention is by thinking of something else enjoyable.
another great help in overcoming sins of impurity is, every morning and night, pray 3 Hail Mary’s for the intentions of purity and holiness, that was one of the practices of Saint Maria Goretti,
also, if you don’t already, pray the rosary every day, and include in your intentions an increase in purity and chastity, and a greater love for those virtues.
so the best means of overcoming these temptations are, first flee from it if possible, always have instant recourse to God by prayer, and then daily pray for help and protection from sins of impurity.
confession is also a power means in overcoming your temptations, because just to mention the temptation in confession even if you haven’t given into it, will give you special grace and strength over your temptations,
and of course Communion is the best means, so remember to ask for holy purity when you communicate with Jesus.
and also, check out the sermons on this site listed under “purity” www.audiosancto.org that will help alot more, cause they’ve got all kinds of remedies and aids most people don’t hear of anymore.
ok, hope this helps, take care.
which means, if you see the temptation coming, immediately take the first exit out, whether it’s by actually getting up and leaving the place you are, or by praying, or by adverting your eyes, or whatever other means are necessary,
of course sometimes temptations catch us off guard, in which case there are several aids in helping you to resist the temptation,
such as, immediately after you recognize the temptation, pray - “Precious blood, wash over me, protect me from the wickedness and snares of the devil”, and after that pray - “Jesus, Mary, Joseph, Saint Maria Goretti, Guardian Angel, help me.”
and after that, try to imagine something else other than what is tempting you, something that is enjoyable, but not immoral, the reason being, you are tempted to those kinds of sins because they are enjoyable, so a good way to advert your attention is by thinking of something else enjoyable.
another great help in overcoming sins of impurity is, every morning and night, pray 3 Hail Mary’s for the intentions of purity and holiness, that was one of the practices of Saint Maria Goretti,
also, if you don’t already, pray the rosary every day, and include in your intentions an increase in purity and chastity, and a greater love for those virtues.
so the best means of overcoming these temptations are, first flee from it if possible, always have instant recourse to God by prayer, and then daily pray for help and protection from sins of impurity.
confession is also a power means in overcoming your temptations, because just to mention the temptation in confession even if you haven’t given into it, will give you special grace and strength over your temptations,
and of course Communion is the best means, so remember to ask for holy purity when you communicate with Jesus.
and also, check out the sermons on this site listed under “purity” www.audiosancto.org that will help alot more, cause they’ve got all kinds of remedies and aids most people don’t hear of anymore.
ok, hope this helps, take care.
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yosupman
Guest
The key to resisting sexual temptation is to realize how serious this is. Stay away from tv. Read good books. Go to bed early and get up early. Pray the divine office (if you have time). Pray the rosary. Go to daily mass. A lot of young people especially in highschool or college have a lot of time on their hands. So you should go to daily mass. Get a spiritual director. If the internet causes you as a single person to sin, get rid of your home computer. Use the computer at the library.
Its all common sense.
If you are falling, there is a problem you need to take care of. If you don’t as a young person, you’ll really hurt yourself.
Its all common sense.
If you are falling, there is a problem you need to take care of. If you don’t as a young person, you’ll really hurt yourself.
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nuntym
Guest
+JMJ+
You should actually NOT try to RESIST sexual temptation, but FLEE from it. If you have to resist sexual temptation, it should be for the SOLE OBJECTIVE of fleeing from it.
First, you must not war against this vice by confronting it, but, on the contrary, by fleeing with all your might from the thing or person that may have the least likelihood of exciting it…Presume not on your own strength, if you are free, and have been for very many years free, from the temptations of the flesh; for this cursed vice does in an hour what for years it has failed to do, often making its advances stealthily…
Once more I say to you—fly! for you are as tow. Trust not to being moistened, as it were, with the water of a good and strong purpose, and a resolution rather to die than to offend God; for by frequent excitement, the heat of the fire will gradually dry up the water of your good purpose, and, when you least expect it, will so attack you, that no respect will be left for friends or kindred, no fear of God, no regard for life or reputation, nor for all the pains of Hell. Therefore fly! fly! if indeed you would avoid being overtaken, made prisoner, and slain.
But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. (Ephesians 5:3)
God bless.
You should actually NOT try to RESIST sexual temptation, but FLEE from it. If you have to resist sexual temptation, it should be for the SOLE OBJECTIVE of fleeing from it.
First, you must not war against this vice by confronting it, but, on the contrary, by fleeing with all your might from the thing or person that may have the least likelihood of exciting it…Presume not on your own strength, if you are free, and have been for very many years free, from the temptations of the flesh; for this cursed vice does in an hour what for years it has failed to do, often making its advances stealthily…
Once more I say to you—fly! for you are as tow. Trust not to being moistened, as it were, with the water of a good and strong purpose, and a resolution rather to die than to offend God; for by frequent excitement, the heat of the fire will gradually dry up the water of your good purpose, and, when you least expect it, will so attack you, that no respect will be left for friends or kindred, no fear of God, no regard for life or reputation, nor for all the pains of Hell. Therefore fly! fly! if indeed you would avoid being overtaken, made prisoner, and slain.
- Dom Lorenzo Scupoli, The Spiritual Combat
But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. (Ephesians 5:3)
God bless.
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coolcatholicguy
Guest
I want to actually enjoy my teen, high school years and not to constantly be waiting for marriage so I can morally enjoy sexual pleasure.
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StFrancisXavier
Guest
Its an ongoing struggle and only gets harder.
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JaredR
Guest
You can’t enjoy your teen years without sex? Hmm! That’s news to me and my friends. We’re in college and have all remained chaste. I haven’t heard anyone complain.
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coolcatholicguy
Guest
Well it isn’t exactly constant, but there are times.
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EmeraldWings
Guest
Do you really think that enjoying the pleasures of the flesh is going to make you happy? Don’t be fooled my friend, sex doesn’t even hold marriages together, which we can see by the great number of divorce in our country, which is of more than half of marriages,
sex brings pleasure, but not joy or happiness, it is love that makes us happy, it is love that holds a marriage together, and it is love makes that intimate union of husband and wife more than just a carnal pleasure,
trust me, those pleasures will not bring you happiness, it will only make you miserable, and if you are not already caught in that trap, then i would do everything you can to stay out of it, because once in it, it will be incredibly hard to escape, and could quite possibly torment you for the rest of your life…
think of it this way, why would God make the most enjoyable thing on earth something reserved for marriage alone and a sin outside of marriage? the answer is, He didn’t!, that is not the most enjoyable thing on earth, people might regard it as such simply because it is so easy to attain, but there are far greater enjoyments in life,
sex is only satisfying for a short time, and then you are left craving more, and it torments you until you get it,
but there is one thing that can satisfy you fully, and leave you content and at peace, and that one thing is God,
you are seeking satisfaction, happiness, peace, joy…and you are looking for it in what you know, you know sex and you know it’s enjoyable, but you do not know God, and so you are seeking only that which you know…
but take into consideration what God has gone through because of this sin, first of all, He gave sex as a gift to husband and wife for a show of mutual love and for the procreation and education of children, but what have we done with this gift?, we’ve taken it, stolen it for our own selfish gain, used it outside of marriage in the most degrading and shameful ways, stripped it of it’s beauty, and crucified Our Lord by it!
you might want to enjoy those pleasures outside of marriage, but think of what you would be doing if you did, your enjoyment would be Jesus’ pain, while you are enjoying those things, Jesus is suffering cruel tortures, scourges, beatings, mental anguish, and those pains are beyond anything anyone has every felt, because He loves you so much, and while you are committing the sin, Jesus is begging pardon for it,
would you ever, while someone is beating you, say to them at that moment, “I love you, i forgive you”?
it would take great love indeed, but that is what Jesus does for you,
and i know those are hard things to think about, but you have to think about it, that is the reality of your sins, although it is much worse than that even,
don’t risk losing your life for the sake of enjoying it, it may be hard right now, but when you die and go to meet Jesus face to face for the first time, you have no idea what great joy it will bring you to go before Him without the stain of this sin on your soul, which is the sin most displeasing and repulsive to Him.
in heaven, you will be regarded as a hero for having fought this sin,
but…if you give into this sin, what will it get you?..a momentary pleasure, and then regret and guilt, and you will have to answer for it either in this life or in the next…
it is a passing thing, and you need to realize that, it won’t help you, it will only hurt you,
and one last thing, don’t look at marriage as a passport to sex…that is not what marriage is about at all, marriage is a truly beautiful thing, a union between you, your spouse, and God, and to regard it as “the day you finally get to have sex without guilt” just cheapens both what marriage and sex really are.
i know that as a teenager it’s much harder to understand these things, and certainly very hard not to give into peer pressure, but just remember that you can do it as long as you seek Gods help,
you can’t do it without God, you need His grace, so never think you can do it on your own, always pray before or during temptation, and again, pray every day for an increase in the virtues of purity and chastity, and pray for a greater love of those virtues, and a greater detestation for the vice of lust.
ok? hope this helps, take care.
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Reservoir_Dog
Guest
That is unusual.
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yosupman
Guest
The fact you are asking the question shows you don’t understand Catholic morality. Lets ask a different question. What is sexual pleasure for? What is the legitimate use of sexual pleasure?
Read the catechism. Get a good base.
The question you asked is akin to …“is it ok if I steal a little? come on… just a little… no one will know…”
Dude, you can’t steal from God.
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Reservoir_Dog
Guest
The hardline, fire and brimstone approach is not what the OP needs, it won’t do him any good at all.
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Monica4316
Guest
I think this is good advice. There are many forms of temptation, including temptation to impurity or doubt, that we shouldn’t fight directly, but rather distract ourselves. Counting to 195 by intervals of 13 can be difficult - it requires concentration - so it should probably help
- Not among those who follow Christ
and - Why should that matter? the world is lost… we should not follow the ways of the world, which lead to death.
I think that’s definitely the wrong way to look at it. Firstly, consider what sex is for. It’s an act of self giving to a spouse. It’s not something selfish for personal pleasure. Also, it’s not worth it, - our souls are more important. And thirdly, that’s so not true that we can’t enjoy teen years without sex. lol. I’m in university and I’ve never had sex, sure maybe I’m in the minority - but most of my other Christian friends are waiting for marriage too. I enjoyed my teen and university years just fine. We don’t need sex to have fun. Lol. There are like a billion other ways to have fun that don’t break God’s commandments.
Prayers for you!
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Reservoir_Dog
Guest
Christ would have almost no followers then.
The first time the OP makes out with a girl in the back seat of a beat up Ford – and he will, at some point do this, as anyone over the age of 25 would have to admit if he or she were honest about how life plays out outside internet forums where there’s an unstated goal of out-Catholicking the next poster – he’s going to either ask and get forgiveness and get over it as just one of those inevitable sins or develop a world class guilt complex from this kind of lecturing that will leave him less and less able to actually get on with the business of living.
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Monica4316
Guest
well the Bible says, live purely and flee ANY sexual immorality. Like I said, all my Catholic friends are trying to live chastely.
sigh “inevitable sin”? I’m sorry but… sin is a CHOICE. We have free will and we’re able to make choices. Just as people can choose to have sex, they can also choose NOT to. We’re not pre-programmed to do certain things, even if we are tempted to, we can always so no. I’m 24 and I’ve never had sex or made out with anyone in the back seat of a car, simply because I chose not to, and stayed with that choice. That doesn’t mean I’ve never encountered temptation, or that I’m better, or less “human”, or something, I’ve made mistakes in the past but I’m saying that one big part of being human is the ability to make choices. You’ll only have premarital sex if you want to and choose to, - and the only exception is rape or if the person is intoxicated or didn’t reason properly in some way. But if a person knows what’s going on and can say ‘yes’ or ‘no’, they have a responsibility to do the right thing.
Also it’s very dangerous to presume upon God’s mercy, that is in fact a sin. If you say “oh I know I’ll sin in this way in the future, but God will forgive me”, that is presuming upon His mercy. We should always TRY not to sin, - and if we do make a mistake, then we can seek His mercy. But not trying doesn’t limit our culpability, rather it increases it.
I also think it’s funny that you said that someone who tries to live chastely will develop some sort of complex… lol… sure that’s what the world tries to tell us just like they say that celibate priests/religious develop complexes. Well 2000 years of Christianity and the Saints tell us something else. If we rely on God’s grace to live chastely, and if we pray, it will ultimately happen, eventually. And then it will be a good natural thing to us that brings us joy and peace. The point of Christianity is to overcome our sinful tendencies and natures… not to indulge in them. And no that doesn’t lead to any “complexes”. Overcoming our sinful tendencies leads to a life in Christ and grace, and closer communion with God. Indulging in our sins and not fighting them leads to guilt, more sin, ultimately despair, and death. That’s the reality that Christianity has taught for 2000 years.
God bless
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