You're single, yes ?
Porn. The Elephant in the room.
- Thread starter Jamie Gigliotti
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csuguy
Well-known member
Yes - and erotic love = lust
Lust is physical (of the flesh), love is spiritual (of the heart).
Your wife is part of you, why would you lust after yourself?
:idunno:
csuguy
Well-known member
I've addressed love proper (we are to love everyone) - we are now speaking of "erotic love" as you referred to it, which is physical love.
For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away and the lust of it, but he who does the will of God abides forever. (1 John 2:16-17)
Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. (Ephesians 5:33)
Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. (Ephesians 5:33)
csuguy
Well-known member
What's your point? You realize that our marriages won't persist past this life, right? There's a reason Christ and Paul taught that it is best if you don't get married.
They did not teach that it was better to not marry, just that it was honorable.
Porn. It's what's for dinner. Tonight
Rubbish.
csuguy
Well-known member
Matthew 19:10-12 The disciples *said to Him, “If the relationship of the man with his wife is like this, it is better not to marry.” 11 But He said to them, “Not all men can accept this statement, but only those to whom it has been given. 12 For there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mother’s womb; and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men; and there are also eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. He who is able to accept this, let him accept it.”
1 Cor 7:1-2;7-9 Now concerning the things about which you wrote, it is good for a man not to touch a woman. 2 But because of immoralities, each man is to have his own wife, and each woman is to have her own husband... 7 [c]Yet I wish that all men were even as I myself am. However, each man has his own gift from God, one in this manner, and another in that. 8 But I say to the unmarried and to widows that it is good for them if they remain even as I. 9 But if they do not have self-control, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
This is a pragmatic matter. While it is true that marriage is a good thing, it is also true that one who is married cannot devote their lives to God to the same degree that a man who is single can. He must provide for his family, worry about their material needs and desires, he must devote himself to their happiness, etc. For Christians, being unmarried means freedom to more fully devote oneself to God's will.
I disagree with Catholics making it a requirement for priests, but there are certainly benefits to it.
csuguy
Well-known member
Incorrect - there is no general law against lust. Rather, lust is a perfectly natural desire built into us by God for procreation - which was his first commandment to us.
Jamie Gigliotti
New member
You are right to say that porn wasn't directly prohibited, of course it's been an "invented evil"(Romans 1:30).But without question it is evil, sinful and destructive.
Porn is a lust/desire/heart issue, as well as a love issue.
For the married. As you later quoted "if we burn with passion" (1 Corinthians 7) Paul says marry. Become one in flesh in love, and with most hope one in Spirit in Christ, God's will. In this way both can be devoted to the Lord together. As Paul also said this a difficult road/endeavor as honest married Christians will attest to. Obviously it's an offense to desire others sexually for those who are married, as Jesus said it's in effect adultery. And that betrayal is felt by parties involved.
There is the danger for the married to desire thier spouse more than God. An idol between the heart of us and God. Any good thing that God created we can turn into an idol. The good thing itself is not bad just how it sits in our heart. Do we worship the creator or things He created? (Romans 1:25)
For those that are single if you burn with passion, marry; but don't set up idols and get addicted to porn, or even wanting a spouse so badly it consumes you. The Devil is trying to tempt us into being consumed by any and everything but God. It all comes down to this.
"And he answered, "You shall love your Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself." Luke 10:27
Christ values us so much, more than we can even imagine, pouring His blood out. Turning what He loves into,an object of obsession and gratification... Does any parent want that for their child? Of course not! There is nothing but lies, idols and desecration and destruction in porn. To demise of many... God help us!! Have mercy!
Jamie Gigliotti
New member
Christ's love and power can do more than we can ask or imagine. Certainly defeat this evil!
KingdomRose
New member
Amen. I agree wholeheartedly. What a sick thing to be interested in.
KingdomRose
New member
I AGREE WITH THAT TOO.
KingdomRose
New member
It's a shame that laws are getting more and more lenient, and more toward the situations that Satan promotes. Things that were once shocking are now the norm. Satan has the world under his thumb, and it's a full-time job to stay cognizant of his designs and take our stand against him.
"That we may not be overreached by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his designs." (2Corinthians 2:11)
"Take your stand against him, solid in the faith, knowing that the same things in the way of sufferings are being accomplished in the entire association of your brothers in the world." (IPeter 5:9)
KingdomRose
New member
I don't know what you're trying to say, but I believe that Christ expects us to turn over a new leaf.
"I entreat you by the compassions of God, brothers, to present your bodies a sacrifice living, holy, acceptable to God, a sacred service with your power of reason. And quit being fashioned after this system of things, but be transformed by making your mind over, that you may prove to yourselves the good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (Romans 12:1,2)
"Deaden your body members that are upon the earth as respects fornication, uncleanness, sexual appetite, hurtful desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these things, the wrath of God is coming. In those very things you, too, once walked when you used to live in them. But now really put them all away from you, wrath, anger, badness, abusive speech, and obscene talk out of your mouth. Do not be lying to one another. Strip off the old personality with its practices, and clothe yourselves with the new personality, which through accurate knowledge is being made new according to the image of the One who created it." (Colossians 3:5-9)
KingdomRose
New member
I would say that the scriptures ban porn. What are the principles we learn from the scriptures? Avoid "uncleanness," "fornication," "whatever is ugly & of ill repute."
Porn is like watching those things just mentioned. Why would we want to do that?
KingdomRose
New member
The Christian congregation is nowhere told that we must procreate. But Christian men are told to love their wives.
"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave himself up for her..." (Ephesians 5:25)