Sexual arousal and the Bible

[thefightinglamb]

I think an email on this could help a lot of people...particularly those going through purbity...so I thought about posting it in several forums...as in the past, I have struggled with it a lot...

Anyway, you have got to wonder what a Psalm would have been written by David if he had prayed/rejoiced in God and turned away from his lust of Bethsaida, instead of following his sin until it birthed both murder and adultry...

So, I was reading "The Girl in the Swing" by Richard Adams (the same author of the beloved Watership Down, and Shardik (I love Shardik though it is not as popular))...and in it several times a character makes the claim that the Bible does not address what to do when you are sexually arroused...which got me thinking...

Lately, I thought about Joseph and Potipher's wife as it was written in a post not long ago...and do not think that is a good example, because what I am seeking is if Joseph was sexually aroused and what the Bible shows to do with that (perhaps he was? but the Bible makes no claim either way)...not if someone else is sexually aroused and seeking to sin with you...his life obviously suggests to flee from the situation that someone lusts after you...

And then, Paul in his letters quickly says somewhere to 'flee youthful lusts and seek godliness and purity...' but thats just all he says---what does this actually look like???

I put a post in the singles thread that asked if sexual arousal ( I said attraction but its the same thing) was just lust...which most people said infactically NO to...soooooooo, if I as a Christian am sexually aroused...what am I to do? I do not believe in masterbating or porn...or even encouraging sexual thoughts...but sometimes the body just seems to become sexual aroused on its own...and the simple answer to commit it to God in prayer is true...but as sexual arousal is believed to be not lust by most people, What do you do if you are single and sexually aroused? Paul seems to suggest get married if you cannot control it...but I just don't know...sometimes it even feels absurd to try and live a life where everytime you become sexually aroused as a single, you view it as a sin and thus pray yourself out of it...I mean sometimes it feels like it deforms me to seek to never be aroused/and when aroused to seek escape like someone holding their breath underwater...but this latter approach is what I usually do in prayer, and God be praised it works fairly well but it often feels like the body is driving the mind insane...and it just seems wierd sometimes...

I have read that some people suggest a walk...which also can be divine but also kind of awkward...

And as I sturggle with this as most people do who are not completely unsexual, I would like anybody elses help on how to deal with sexual arousal, especially how Christians do/did deal with it when they were single and stayed without sin...Married people obviously have their spouse...

God bless
tony

ps...personally, I was getting too sexually close to a girl I thought; so when she came over my house I asked her to help me on a 2,500 piece jigsaw puzzle...it was profoundly divine...but I think she spiritually hated me for it for a long time, perhaps still...the puzzle was in the earlier stages too, so it took like 2 hours to connect ten pieces...

 

[Densetzu]

There is nothing wrong with sexual arousal. Good grief, it's not a sin to find someone sexy. Lookie here:

But I say to you, That whoever looks on a woman to lust (epithumia) after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.

Epithumia indicates a strong craving or longing for the object of desire, in this case the woman. It has also been translated covet. Jesus is not forbidding the natural feelings of sexual attraction between men and women, and especially not between men and women who are courting/engaged.

Read the verse in context.

“You have heard that it was said to those of old,[c] ‘You shall not commit adultery.’[d] 28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Jesus is forbidding people from being mentally unfaithful to their spouses, or from mentally coveting the spouse of another man. Some pastors have twisted this into some sort of ridiculous and impossible ideal that humans--beings designed with sexuality in our very genetics--are somehow supposed to be completely asexual until some arbitrary day on which we get married. That's not godliness, it's insanity.

 

[MahogonySnail]

a cold shower and chastity belt is not on the list

 

[Pineapple]

I love the options on this poll!

Plant a plant?! Color a picture!?! WHA!? ROFL

 

[SamIam]

a cold shower and chastity belt is not on the list

he also neglected pretending to be a pinata and having kids swing at you with bats and sticks......

 

[MahogonySnail]

he also neglected pretending to be a pinata and having kids swing at you with bats and sticks......

and helping old ladies across the street dressed in a superman costume.

 

[SamIam]

ohhh thats a good one! People would point at you and look at you like your a freak.... no getting aroused there!

 

[Densetzu]

Some people have a cosplay fetish. Just being in the Superman costume would turn them on.

 

[Thaddaeus]

I didn't vote but the word says

Ro 10:3For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not SUBMITted themselves unto the righteousness of God.



Jas 4:7Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.Jas 4:8Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

 

[the_buffest_possum]

yeah arousal is a function of the body, the average human is aroused somewehre around six times at night when they're asleep. and during the day its more often than that, however due to everyday tasks and activities we dont realize it.

 

[Thaddaeus]

yeah arousal is a function of the body, the average human is aroused somewehre around six times at night when they're asleep. and during the day its more often than that, however due to everyday tasks and activities we dont realize it.

ok, so is it more or less for possums?

 

[Slepsog4]

Arousal and lust are not the same thing although they might be associated. Hopefully a husband and wife arouse one another. But their intimacy is not lust because it can be righteously satisfied.

The framework of the poll seems to miss the context of the arousal.

 

[carpetmanswife]

a cold shower and chastity belt is not on the list

Hafta say im with MahagonySnail on this one

 

[CristenJ]

Spending 5 minutes with screaming children oughta do the trick, too.

 

[Harley_Angel]

Keeping yourself from being aroused is like trying to somehow get your body to not need to use the bathroom on a sabbath day because it's work...it just doesn't make sense.

It's easier for me to understand the difference between lust and arousal by separating them this way. Arousal is a passive event, it happens unbidding and is a natural part of our lives. Lust however is active, you have to actively try to lust. If you see a good looking hunk of human and your body sends the red alert that that person would make pretty, healthy babies with you, that's arousal, you can't help it, it's how we find mates. If you later go home, replay images of that person, things you'd like to do with them, and TRY to become aroused, that's an entirely different story.

 

[Kyra]

A puzzle? really?!?! LOL

 

[Kakashi]

Do whatever you need to do to keep you from sinning in that situation. Control your eyes, mind, and heart and you'll go far! Set up defenses in areas of your life to keep you from sin.

 

[watchmen]

The answer is not even up there. Repent and ask God for grace to overcome.

 

[Chybike]

Being sexually aroused is a normal thing in the life of every living thing.But what matters here,is how can u over come the urge of committing fornication which is sin.(1)The bible said, resist the devil & he wil flee.(2) The satan cometh to steal,to kill & to destroy.(3)Do not open doors to satan in ur life.(4)Avoid filthy communications wit the opposite sex,for bible said filthy communication corrupt good manners.Above all read ur bible always;Meditate on it day & night.The almighty GOD wil give u grace,to strengthen u in the area of ur weakness.AMEN!

 

[nickiturton]

there's nothing wrong with being aroused, your not going to be able to stop that.. but once your aroused, it can be hard to stop from going further, into sinning.
if you're aroused, pick up your bible.. read something, anything! there's nothing like the good ole' bible to stop the arousal hahah