arteestx

Vindibudd
What makes it immoral is that it can cause people to debase
what sex is supposed to be about. ....It is
also bad, because it causes a lot of people to devalue love and other
human beings. It is easy to view people as animals and nothing higher,
if they behave like such.

In your post, you say porn is immoral for these reasons. Is lust also considered a sin? If so, is it sinful for these similar reasons, i.e. that lust dehumanizes each other and devalues love?

Lust- noun
1. intense sexual desire or appetite. - This is not a sin.

2. uncontrolled or illicit sexual desire or appetite; lecherousness. - This is a sin.

3. a passionate or overmastering desire or craving (usually fol. by for): a lust for power. - This is a sin.


4. ardent enthusiasm; zest; relish: an enviable lust for life. - This is not a sin.

Lust - verb (used without object)
6. to have intense sexual desire. - This is not a sin.
7. to have a yearning or desire; have a strong or excessive craving (often fol. by for or after). - This is not a sin.

I'd like to add to this surprisingly flame free argument----

There's a difference, I think, between fantasizing about a sinful activity and actually wanting to do it. Someone who plays Grand Theft Auto may LOVE the fantasy of being a carjacking cop killer. But they wouldn't want to do it in real life.

I've read the Bible through several times (not much of a believer myself, but it's a good, relevant read), and it seems like when the Bible is talking about sinful thoughts, they're talking about the actual temptation to act on these thoughts. I know plenty of Christians who fantasize about members of the opposite sex, but don't actually want to do anything with someone they're not married to. Or guys who fantasize about their friends' hot girlfriends, but would be repulsed at the thought of actually fooling around behind their friends' back, or would never let themselves be the "other man" in any real life situation.

For that matter, what if someone's fantasy about the object of their lust involves marrying them?

At any rate, I think that Christians focus WAY too much on sexual impropriety. There's something creepy and unnatural about it. Don't they realize there are other sins that, pragmatically speaking, do a helluva lot more damage?

Going back to the original definition of sin, that is, "To Go against Ones True Self", then no. Lust is a natural part of who we are. It's a natural reaction to life and one another. Christians originally tried to do away with the concept of good or evil, that there is only good: since if all of creation is God, and there's anything in the world that's "evil", then God has evil in him, which just can't work. What was perceived as "evil" was really just "turning from your True Self". It wasn't until later, when there was a scapegoat for evil happenings that sin became associated with doing things that would send you to Hell. If I'm wrong, then so are two of my History teachers and my former textbook. ^^; But, it's possible I AM wrong. I wasn't there personally, after all.

Either way, I have no problem with lust. I have issues with the destruction of the sacredness of the act of making love, or the demonization of natural sex, but not just the desire to have sex(unless it's in excess).

-_- I'm probably not terribly coherent on the matter right now. XD Pardon if I was confusing.

Lust is a sin. I know the wreckage it causes firsthand from my own history. The heart of the matter however will not be resolved in this group discussion. If anyone is serious about overcoming this damaging behavior that is common to mankind, send me a PQ and I or my wife can point you in the right direction.

"For everything in the world - the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does - comes not from the Father but from the world." 1 John 2:16

joeychips
Lust is a sin. I know the wreckage it causes firsthand from my own history. The heart of the matter however will not be resolved in this group discussion. If anyone is serious about overcoming this damaging behavior that is common to mankind, send me a PQ and I or my wife can point you in the right direction.

"For everything in the world - the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does - comes not from the Father but from the world." 1 John 2:16

This actually begs a huge theological question. If lust is a sin, what exactly constitutes it? Remember Romans 6:1-2. BEfore dropping L-bombs, maybe it would be easier if you defined lust. Because I have not heard of it being defined in the Bible. If someone is a Christian, then they should acknowledge the grace argument. Or is it possible for Christians to sin, in your view?

subcultured
from the christian argument (since that's what i'm familiar with)

Someone
What God says about lust: Lust is sin (Matthew 5:28) and sin is death (Romans 6:23). Jesus said, "But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Matthew 5:28 NKJV). When we entertain fantasies through pornography, masturbation, voyeurism, adultery, fornication, phone sex, etc., we sin with our minds. According to Jesus, that's the same as committing the act.

i might go up to a woman I like(lust) because she interest me...then we would go out and get to know each other, then maybe fall in love. that's how these things work. love isn't a short term thing. it's long term.

Lust is a bit seedier than like. If a woman catches your eye, you might think, "nice rack" and go on your way. But if you're lusting after her, cue up the bow-chicka-wow-wow in your head. There's a difference between admiring and lusting, same as there's a difference between liking and coveting when it comes to objects. Its about obsession.

So yes, lust is a sin, in the christian sense. Because Christ says so, point blank. Thinking is as bad as doing.

Again it should be stated...
Lust is not just sexual in nature.
"a passionate or overmastering desire or craving"
It is the desire for something, anything, which degrades the relationship between person and person or person and thing.

Really?!!

TnTComic
Really?!!

as in lust for power or life.

TheMidge28

TnTComic
Really?!!

as in lust for power or life.

or tom goddamn selleck

Thanks TnTComic.

No problem, Magnum.

as far as my belief goes, sin is more like a guide line for what you should be careful of, like gluttony. to much of it ant the result is obvious

This is going to sound a bit weird. I do believe in God. I do believe the Seven Deadly Sins are, well, sins. But I do not believe it is a sin to have feelings of lust, vanity, greed, and so forth, but rather that it is a sin to not control the feelings and urges caused by these attributes. You don't have much say in whether you're a pervert, a you want it all, or you hate a lot of things. What you do have control over, however, is how you physically respond to these qualities of self.

"Thout shalt not covet thy neihbor's wife"

Which means, lust is a sin. Now BEFORE you tear that to shreds with "Dur, but what if they're not married or in a relationship?"

"Love Thy Neihbor"

Means be nice to EVERYONE. Not just your douchebag neihbor who decides to mow his lawn at 7 in the morning. Which would in turn mean that everyone woman you lust after that isn't yours, is a sin. And no, there's no "Well it's matter of personal opinion on blah blah blah bluh." It's the catholic church people. It's not open to interpretation. If it's the LEAST bit "naaauuughttyyy" YOU'RE A SINNER GO TO CHURCH!

No.

Depends what kind of lust. You can lust as much as you want as long as it doesn't bind you in actions. Meaning, droolin over hot chick/guy is ok, as long as you don't get sickly obsessed by that. Lust is like pride, it comes in so many forms that it's hard to point out what is bad and what is good. Or humor. There is a point where humour gets sick, doesn't it? There's a point when eating, which is a good thing, comes to a bad thing. Lust works in the same way. And I think everyine here has problems to say where pride, humor, or eating gets too sickly. I think you feel when you cross the border. In some way, atleast.

I hope this made any sense. My english is failing me again. D:

The answer is yes.

Lust is a sin.

As for the specifics, I'm sorry to say but 98% of the comments reveal that the definition of lust is not being understood in the slightest.

God made man and women to be physically attractive to eachother.

It is not a sin to notice attractiveness or beauty. The sin lies in going beyond mere noticing/appreciating. (I shudder to use the word appreciate because I just KNOW it will be taken out of context and twisted).

Obsessing, fantasizing, planning, plotting, etc....all these are part of the sin of lust.

lust is not a mere firing of hormones, or chemical stimuli. It is not another name for love or romance. It is a harmful thing to any, believer or not. (I've noticed this in my life that all the things God says are sins, He tells us this not to restrict us, but because by committing those sins we make ourselves less capable of hapiness. The sins are enslaving ideas that restrict people far more than any commandment ever did.)
So commandments are not a bunch of dumb rules to make boring people. They are a bunch of guidelines on how to be truly happy.

To me, lust is when you knowingly don't love someone, but you use them to get what you want without care if the other person truely and deeply loves you.

Is it a sin? I'm not sure... A lot of things are a sin, but to have urges and to desire something? Naw, we all desire and have urges for things, dosen't make us bad, naw, just normal.

personally?..i would consider it a sin if it was to effect other people.

Lust is really just a plysical urge one has. There is no real feeling behind it. Some may get Lust and the emotion Longing confused but heres a way to tell the two apart. Lust is an urge plain and simple. Longing is a lingering feeling that can accompany lustful urges.

There really is not much argument, if you believe in sin, then several religions declare lust is a sin. But sin is not law, and therefore has no consequences unless you believe in damnation.

Lust is just a component of fantasy, and if it remains in your head, or between you and a consenting adult, then there is absolutely nothing wrong with it.

Sin away!!!

Loud_G
The answer is yes.

Lust is a sin.

As for the specifics, I'm sorry to say but 98% of the comments reveal that the definition of lust is not being understood in the slightest.

God made man and women to be physically attractive to eachother.

It is not a sin to notice attractiveness or beauty. The sin lies in going beyond mere noticing/appreciating. (I shudder to use the word appreciate because I just KNOW it will be taken out of context and twisted).

Obsessing, fantasizing, planning, plotting, etc....all these are part of the sin of lust.

lust is not a mere firing of hormones, or chemical stimuli. It is not another name for love or romance. It is a harmful thing to any, believer or not. (I've noticed this in my life that all the things God says are sins, He tells us this not to restrict us, but because by committing those sins we make ourselves less capable of hapiness. The sins are enslaving ideas that restrict people far more than any commandment ever did.)
So commandments are not a bunch of dumb rules to make boring people. They are a bunch of guidelines on how to be truly happy.

sez you.

I think lust makes people vibrant and sexual, without lust there can be no romance. Romance starts with attraction, physical attraction. Then intellectual and emotion attachments follow, but the fuel that powers the inception of relationships is lust.

It's just very weird that religions focus so much on these things that are really no big deal. They say that if you have(or even think about having) pre-marital sex, speak profane words, and other things of that nature, there will be eternal consequences. these things are trivial, and they criticize them over things that are actually problems, like violence, war, etc. Religious conservatives that claim that they are pure in the eyes of God, promote violence, constantly. They make war on those who have different beliefs, constantly. Take the pope for example. For centuries, popes(no offense to the pope) have led countries into war against others. It goes as far back as the crusades, and are we not still enemies to Islam? Do we not still discriminate all middle easterners, because we're too ignorant to realize that not all of them are even muslim, let alone terrorists? These things are important. Not sex. Not profanity. Having some sex(as long as it's consentual), and using profanity when it's appropriate(or even when it's not) is in no way comparable to taking the life of another in cold blood, or anything else that can actually cause harm to another.

masturbation is a sin. Because it means "giving yourself to impurity". Masturbation and other things... like looking at porn and looking at any sexual material or making sexual jokes... is considered lust and is "giving yourself to impurity"

The 6th and 9th commandments:

6th) Thou shall not give yourself to impurity.

9th) Thou shall not covet thy neighbor's wife.


lol... at one point I was brainwashed in such a way to believe that ALL SEX IS BAD (maybe when I was 15... I studied in an Opus Dei school).

And then the priest corrected me... and told me that SEX OUTSIDE OF MARRIAGE is the one that is bad. SEX IS GOOD IF USED FOR PRO-CREATION (or making babies).

However, I have lost faith in marriage due to the high divorce rate and especially due to the fact that North America is a prison if you are a married man (sexist laws!!!).

Therefore if you're not married, you have no right to have sex?

If you have no right to have sex because you're not married, doesnt that mean that married people have more "benefits"? Doesnt that constitute inequality? I thought all humans are equal created in the image and likeness of God?



So thats why I just fell out of organized mainstream Catholicism.

But in fairness to Catholicism/Christianity and all religions that deem lust as sinful...

I think they invented that rule because they had to instill fear of God on the men so that men wont just go around raping women or womanizing.

Also, they wanted to stifle the alpha-males. As alpha-males get all the girls... and married women like to fuck these guys and it caused problems in the families. That is why adultery was deemed "sinful".

Since LUST is the cause of ADULTERY, LUST was deemed sinful.

The intention was good. To put order in society.

However, no human system is perfect. EVERYTHING invented by humans is bound to error.

Im going to say that, Yes , Lust is a sin..
While yes, we are suppose to have sex, but sex is suppose to be an act of love. Love and lust are two separate feelings..
But at the same time sexual feelings and desires are very hard not to have..
So its all kind of a hard call...