Dealing with sex scenes in movies (Catholics only)

[CatholicGurl]

Hello,

I like to watch movies that I like over and over every now and then. Four movies that I like have brief non explicit sex scenes in them and the Catholic News Service has deemed all of four them OK for adults to watch. I'm perfectly chaste and know when the scenes are. Therefore, I skip them. Am I sinning if I watch the four movies but skip the sex scenes?

 

[miknik5]

Hello,

I like to watch movies that I like over and over every now and then. Four movies that I like have brief non explicit sex scenes in them and the Catholic News Service has deemed all of four them OK for adults to watch. I'm perfectly chaste and know when the scenes are. Therefore, I skip them. Am I sinning if I watch the four movies but skip the sex scenes?

May I ask why, if these movies have been deemed appropriate for adults, why you have a concern?
Can’t you (and don’t you) have the right to decide to do this?

 

[URA]

Tricky situation; I actually don't have a good answer for dealing with sex scenes. Some of my favorite TV shows feature sex scenes, one of which (Firefly) has a prostitute for a main character. I'll give my best answer, but I'm open for good reasoning for something else.

I suppose it's good to remember Mark 7:15: "Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them." It's fair to remember that everything's screwed up; just by living in the world, we're going to see a lot of bad things. As I'm getting more into forensics & law enforcement in college, I'm becoming especially aware of this!

Try to take sex scenes in movies, or sexual content in songs, as opportunities to pray. Pray to St. Vitalis of Gaza for the prostitutes, pray for an end to hook-up culture, whatever's most relevant, pray for it. Remember, "By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?" (Matthew 7:16) You may be surrounded by ungodly things; I'm looking into working in a prison over the summer, so this is something I'll have to get used to! But don't let it affect you; don't buy into the lust presented in these movies, and pray for those who do. You should be alright. Focus on what's good about the movie, the cinematic beauty that's been created, and don't worry about how you might be affected by passing scenes of sex.

 

[CatholicGurl]

May I ask why, if these movies have been deemed appropriate for adults, why you have a concern?
Can’t you (and don’t you) have the right to decide to do this?

Good question and good point. I do have the right. Thanks.

 

[CatholicGurl]

Tricky situation; I actually don't have a good answer for dealing with sex scenes. Some of my favorite TV shows feature sex scenes, one of which (Firefly) has a prostitute for a main character. I'll give my best answer, but I'm open for good reasoning for something else.

I suppose it's good to remember Mark 7:15: "Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them." It's fair to remember that everything's screwed up; just by living in the world, we're going to see a lot of bad things. As I'm getting more into forensics & law enforcement in college, I'm becoming especially aware of this!

Try to take sex scenes in movies, or sexual content in songs, as opportunities to pray. Pray to St. Vitalis of Gaza for the prostitutes, pray for an end to hook-up culture, whatever's most relevant, pray for it. Remember, "By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?" (Matthew 7:16) You may be surrounded by ungodly things; I'm looking into working in a prison over the summer, so this is something I'll have to get used to! But don't let it affect you; don't buy into the lust presented in these movies, and pray for those who do. You should be alright. Focus on what's good about the movie, the cinematic beauty that's been created, and don't worry about how you might be affected by passing scenes of sex.

Thanks so much! This is really good advice. I haven't bought into the lust because I skip over those scenes. Your best answer is all I ask for.

 

[salt-n-light]

Hello,

I like to watch movies that I like over and over every now and then. Four movies that I like have brief non explicit sex scenes in them and the Catholic News Service has deemed all of four them OK for adults to watch. I'm perfectly chaste and know when the scenes are. Therefore, I skip them. Am I sinning if I watch the four movies but skip the sex scenes?

For me personally, it wouldn't help me watching movies with sex scenes just because it provokes an emotion that I don't plan to express unless it's in marriage. So doesn't make sense to try to decipher and flush out, I might as well just not watch it, plenty of other shows that doesn't compromise the faith. But it's not inherently sinful to watch movies that have sex scenes.

I would advise against it though.

 

[URA]

For me personally, it wouldn't help me watching movies with sex scenes just because it provokes an emotion that I don't plan to express unless it's in marriage. So doesn't make sense to try to decipher and flush out, I might as well just not watch it, plenty of other shows that doesn't compromise the faith. But it's not inherently sinful to watch movies that have sex scenes.

I would advise against it though.

This hits a good point; it's really not a sin issue, but a wisdom issue.

 

[CatholicGurl]

Thank you both. It would be problematic if I watch those scenes, (and I wouldn't and I don't), not if I watch the movie and skip the scenes. That's what I thought.