Question:
Quick question. I'm pretty I already have the answer, but what would you pin as lustful? I.e.-A girl walks into the room, you think something with sex involved = lust. But say she walks in and you say "She is really good looking" but without the other stuff, the thought process stopping there = not lust right? That's how I always thought it to be, but some others think the later is lust as well. Opinions?
Answer:
Originally Posted by Silent One I don't think acknowledging beauty in one is lust. Me either.
Answer:
My opinion (let's see if I can explain this):
If an average member of the opposite sex could think the same thing about that person, then it's probably not lust. Example: 1. You look at a girl and think, "She is really good looking". I (a female) could also look at another girl and think "She is really good looking", and I am not lusting after her. 2. You look at a girl and think "[insert something sex-related here]". I (a female) would not look at another girl and think "[insert something sex-related here]". That thought would be lustful.
I sincerely hope that made sense.
Answer:
I agree with sunkist. However, in using your example in your first post, I would also say that in my opinion, if a thought flies into your head when you see a girl, and it's about somthing sex related, that that isn't lust. It becomes lust if you continue on with the thought, wheras if it flies out of your head as fast as it did in, than that isn't lust...it's life. It's just satan tempting us...and I'll admit, my mind isn't exactly the pillar of clean thoughts and perfection, nobody's is. But if you dismiss the thought which entered your mind than good for you, but if you follow it with your mind and 'see where it goes' then you're commiting about 3 sins that I can think of. 1) lust, 2) you gave into temption 3) adultry, even if you do it with your mind, it's still the same thing. Anyway, I hope I answered your question...if not, my bad
Peace,
Answer:
Originally Posted by Silent One I don't think acknowledging beauty in one is lust. there is an extremly fine line between apreciation of beauty and lust. A very hard line to walk sometimes.
Answer:
Originally Posted by Major Schultz there is an extremly fine line between apreciation of beauty and lust. A very hard line to walk sometimes.
one far easier not to walk at all, and just do as the scriptures command and flee lust.
I think here in this thread its very similar to the how far is too far. We have subjective lines here because our thought proceses are all different.
Why would we try to appreciate the beauty of lots of members of the opposite sex without lusting? It reminds me of trying to learn how to steal the bait from a leg hold trap. Many a creature can do it, but those are by far outnumbered by those who thought they could, and ended up as a rug.
So my question is, why try to appreciate female beauty without lust? Odds are, you can't do it. If you are a eunech, you probably could. If not, I highly doubt it based on what I have seen.
Answer:
I pretty much agree with what every else has posted so far.
Appreciation of beauty is not lust. In fact, I don't even think that if a sexual thought springs into your mind you are guilty of lust yet. That initial thought is simply temptation, it's what you do with that thought, either entertain it or flee from it that matters.
I also agree with Bill though, we need to flee from lust. As someone who has had a problem with lust and pornography in the past, I simply find it best to not even "appreciate" an attractive girl (accept my wife, of course ). If an attractive woman enters my field of view, I do my best not to look at all. I find that I can't even trust myself with a little "appreciative" look, it almost always snowballs from there, and I don't have the will power to make it stop in many cases.
So, while a look in-and-of-itself is not a problem, my advise is "know thyself" (and BE HONEST!!!). Some men can appreciate the beauty of a woman without going further, I can't.