The predictions of the Holy Fathers about the last
days begin to come true before our eyes. It seems that never in the history of
mankind has there been such a universal pressure of sexuality in all the areas
of life as there is today. All the achievements of culture and engineering are
used to this end: literature, art, magazines, newspapers, TV, films, music,
advertising, fashion, the Internet, computer games, sexual education in
schools... At the same time the wild opinion that abstinence is harmful and
satisfaction of lust is good is being imposed more and more persistently. The
modern conditions of a wide-spread "sex cult," which calls to get rid
of the yoke of the Middle Ages and worships "free love", is especially
difficult for the poor young people. The monogamous marriage appears as a
"vestige of the past"; usual family life and family obligations as
"prejudices"; the necessity to restrain carnal lusts as a
"dangerous thing" which injures ones mentality; modesty and
bashfulness as an "inferiority complex." "We have entered a
new era of free mankind," therefore: "No prejudices!",
"Closer to the nature!", "Away with shame!"
A huge industry of pornography and
semi-pornography has grown around sexuality. It keeps growing, flooding the
hearts of young people and teenagers with dirt and forcing them to frantic
behavior.
One is constantly exposed to a flood of sexual
stimuli. Let's assume that a Christian man has woken up in the morning, prayed
and read the Bible. He is in a light mood, his soul is longing towards God. But
then he turns on the music or the TV and in an instance his eyes and ears are
flooded with sexual melodies and images. He is leaving his home and from all
directions advertisements with half-naked women are looking at him, or he sees
girls who are dressed defiantly... In a word, wherever you look everywhere are
stimuli which kindle carnal lust. Through the windows of the soul the ears
and the eyes an uncontrollable flood of temptations is breaking in. It puts
him before a dilemma: whether to surrender to his low desires, or to struggle
against them in a most wearisome and long war.
Opposing this corruption of flesh and spirit, the
Scriptures call us to struggle with carnal lust and to keep ourselves clean
from lascivious deeds.
"I have written you
in my letter the Apostle Paul addresses the Christians not to associate
with sexually immoral people... do not be deceived: neither the sexually
immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual
offenders...will inherit the Kingdom of God... The body is not meant for sexual
immorality, but for the Lord... Do not you know that your bodies are members of
Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a
prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute
is one with her in body? For it is said: The two will become one flesh. But he
who unites himself with the Lord is one with Him in spirit. Flee from sexual
immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins
sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple
of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not
your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God
with your body" (1 Corinthians 5:9-11; 6:9-20).
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