Overcoming lust- a secret guide from Chastity South Africa

(Chastity South Africa)

Article by Marc Aupiais

Firstly- let us define lust(c.f. note)-

this is the seeking of sexual pleasure apart from either its unitive or its procreative properties. I.e. anything outside of a marriage between one man and one woman- who are open to life in their actions.

Natural Family Planning is included in this- chastity that is (so long as it isn't for selfish reasons)- as it follows natural patterns and is natural- and actually asked of the Israelites in Levitical Law (Leviticus chapter 15 verse 24)and therefore is not lust...

Now, when we lust- sometimes we focus on the form of the body- but Michael Angelo's David is not evil or pornographic- nor much of Christian art. That made to incite lust- or viewed to incite lust, or which shows what should be a private act to the world becomes sinful- and lust- but lust is not an interest in the sexual form- rather- what is sinful is to look at anything with the intent of doing a lustful action with it. Jesus notes this when he says looking at a woman with lust is adultery.

So- how does one overcome it- well- one can be freed from it in confession- but every sin is still a risk- what we- since writing on all sin as insanity- have realized- is that lust is the twisting of a good, natural, God given desire into something evil- whenever we are tempted in lust- we must look deep, and ask why- what causes it- is it the desire to marry a beautiful lady (or man for the ladies), or to enjoy our marriage one day- but not now, or the desire for marriage or for self esteem, which has been twisted. Endorse the desire below in a godly manner- and the lust should disappear.

Remember- if we don't endorse sinful thoughts- but fight them- we hold no guilt for these- instead- when we come to our senses- we must immediately look into why, determine to confess and stop our sin- and see what role we played in it to prevent another occurance- often something caused us to fall- we need either to avoid it if it is sinful- or in a safe environment- alter these internal perceptions that cause goodness to prevent right perception and lead to sin.

Lust is always misperception of another as a tool to cure an unsatisfied desire- or else to use any tool to satisfy sexual desire without the unitive and pro-creative properties both present...

If we satisfy the root desire which has been twisted, or abused by the devil into lust- the good one- not the evil one- whether the desire to show affection, or to gain self esteem, or that for something pleasurable (though of the pleasure of praying?- but generally a desire for pleasure comes from loneliness), or a desire for companionship... if we do so in a Godly manner- lust cannot survive, as we push it out and satisfy the plant this weed tries to cling to... and destroy the heinous weed of lust...

In all of these- the saints all hear and desire to be our guides and companions- loneliness is a terrible thing- but God intended us for happiness- and he is the first step to gaining companions- and love, and truth- for every friend we lose for him- he pays us back a million times in this world and the next- now this is what the bible says- of renouncing evil...

So- when lust tries to take you- start to pray to a saint- be sure to ask why you desire this- and do not listen to sinful excuses- look below and endorse the desire you have neglected- which evil is taking advantage of- and ask yourself what you would do if a Godly person were to see your actions and be dismayed- would you hide them- or does your mind reply-

"who cares- that is their problem"

Now, if one says this- and this is of a Godly person- and one is not saying- I will prevail in good nonetheless- because we are speaking of a Godly person- nor are we saying- I will try help them understand- because this is us speaking of what sinful and such a reply is not appropriate.

In this scenario, are we justifying our actions- or are we concerned as to heal our neighbor from perceiving us as evil? Now this only is when our neighbor is Godly.

So often- when in sin- the church and saints look scary- and we turn from them, or think chastity is impossible- or that we must only do this or that to prove we are not in lust- but the saints and the sacrament of penance (Gospel of John chapter 20 verse 23) are often our only recourse- and not sinning is always an option to us children of truth- God promised strength in temptation if we choose his path.

Remember- acting in lust, such as foreplay, like French Kissing outside of marriage (c.f. Saint Thomas Aquinas- Summa Theologica- "Parts of Lust"), makes the body believe another is your spouse- after-all- God created us for marriage- not lust- and so it thinks you cruel to do otherwise- unless you strictly discipline it. I have also seen men wearing women's clothing- even Catholics- this too is lust, or at least provoking others to it- to which on seeing such people- I have made a cruel* joke to them before- to demonstrate that they are aiding sins along... however much fun they are having being silly at events- it is the same sort of events for which God desecrated the people of Canaan- and asked the Israelites to stone such men. Wearing women's clothing is only acceptable with a valid reason- such as fleeing enemies...

Overcoming lust by self mortification- fasting and thinking of what one has done, or hurting one's self in tactical ways while thinking of one's sin, or smelling something horrid while thinking of one's sin- or placing one's feet in hot (not dangerously so)water- while thinking of what one has done- and then also confessing it- whether thoughts or actions- truly can destroy lust or many other sins quite quickly- and Pavlo's dog agrees.

Self mortification is not strange- in fact- Catholics are required to abstain from meat (not fish- but also from expensive fish and shellfish)on Fridays- although some Dioceses have permitted this to be supplemented with charitable actions on Fridays outside of Lent, where it is generally compulsory.

Once one overcomes sin-

From that point on- prayer- and the trick of finding what desire has been twisted into evil, along with the constant threat of mortification- and an understanding of whether an action is selfish or not- and constant desire to ask the saints for help can aid tremendous amounts... remember also- that reading a Catholic bible, or Godly Catholic article, or prayer- and determining to hear God, and wait this sin out can also aid. Never think something odd is necessary- always follow intuition and God- and be careful when passions and emotion takes you- try to ask why it is so- and if the reason is just- by all means allow emotion- but let the rational mind rule- and always remember how strict, but merciful God is- he condemns a good man who turns evil in his last years, and forgives a prostitute who has just confessed to the priest, and repented (or who has determined to join the faith- whereby it would take a while until her first confession).

Remember- the church is your doctor- your priest your spiritual healer- he is bound to secrecy in confession.


Note: this article covers the Catholic view. No insult is meant to non-Catholics- however- as a Catholic news service- we should be expected to speak sometimes in Catholic Jargon- and not have the same view of words as others.

* I simply pointed out to the people I spoke to- that their actions might be cruel to those who would be affected by it, something as straight persons, such as I also am- they would not desire- I in no way was mean to them- but often people don't realize the impact they could have, and the hurt they could cause those in sin- or with evolutionary lacks that cause them not to desire certain things that the advancement of the species requires- and I enjoy humour as a tool to aid people. To me this action is on level with harming others like tempting someone who compulsively steals- as my morality sees such actions as wrong- even as the mind may be affected to desire wrong things- I think tempting another into what my church calls a mortal sin is also wrong- especially when done by those not under such.