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Priest today said lusting for someone (thoughts) is just as bad as actually cheating (sex)?
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Anonymous
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Did anyone else's priest discuss similar today in the reading and homily?
Fantasizing about cheating is "adultery in your heart..." i.e. just as bad as the actual act of sleeping with someone. Is that genuine Catholic doctrine? He also segued into something about viewing pornography is essentially cheating too. I think porn is disgusting, exploitative, and should be outlawed but I had never heard the argument that you shouldn't watch it because it's literally cheating on your spouse. |
Anonymous
| That's what Jesus says, yes. |
Anonymous
| In my thoughts in my thoughts…. |
Anonymous
| We got the same homily today. Of course it’s not JUST as bad but it is indeed sinful. |
Anonymous
It sure seemed like our priest was emphasizing that it was in fact just as bad. One of my first thoughts was how so many married people joke about having an "office spouse". |
Anonymous
“Office spouse” is awful phrasing but it doesn’t mean lust. Not the same at all. |
Anonymous
+1. It's not a term I use, but when people have it used about me and a coworker it was never anyone I was attracted to, we were just close. |
Anonymous
| I'd guess at least 50% of all married American men view porn? Lot of de facto cheating going on. |
Anonymous
Women view porn too…. Probably more than you’d care to know. |
Anonymous
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Ok this is MY interpretation. Throughout the Gospel Jesus has conversations with people who are very very deep into the legalism of the Jewish law. So these men felt that as long as they didn't literally have sex with a woman they were absolutely sinless and Godly.
And in this verse Jesus is trying to communicate that being sinless isn't about just following the rule to the letter. If you're daydreaming about having sex with every woman you see, you're not some holy celibate guy. Having some control over your thoughts and having a good heart is just AS important as controlling your actions. And this is very basic and common sense because your thoughts WILL eventually guide your actions. I don't think that Jesus was being literal here. We all know that adultery is much more serious than wayward thoughts. But it's rare that Jesus was absolutely literal, or the verse about plucking your eye out if it causes you to sin would be a problem. Also, sin as understood in the ancient Greek means "missing the mark." So when you sin you are falling short of God's best. Lusting after someone who isn't your spouse is falling short. |
Anonymous
This guy is projecting his own sin. |
Anonymous
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This is why I don't listen to sermons. Priests aren't more intelligent or wiser than average. This particular gem was very stupid.
And no, it's not Catholic doctrine. He's just incredibly insecure in his vows, that one 
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Anonymous
No, this isn’t Catholic doctrine. Sounds like someone bridged his personal beliefs with the sermon today. What an odd homily. |
Anonymous
| Reminds me of Jimmy Carter. Always thought of this idea as more of an evangelical thing. |
Anonymous
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Well, Jimmy Carter, who was not Catholic, certainly believed that lusting in his heart was a sin.
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