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Imagine: Eliminate Lust With A Pill

Zacki

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Mathew 5:28 "But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart." Spirit vs flesh battle. For some a very difficult battle. Here's a conversation I've heard a few times & it can be divisive: What if there was a pill you could buy that would eliminate lust. Just kill your libido. Pros & cons? One thing is I doubt anyone would buy it. Some say we're called to reproduce but this would stop it. Some might say we shouldn't replace prayer & determination with a pill, that's cheating. Too easy. But if the intention is to stop lusting & it works, is that bad? I don't know if the technology is there to make such a pill but I can see how it would be useful. In my youth it would have completely shifted my focus onto important things like planning a life & career. It's not necessarily lusting but sitting here having an occasional sexual thought that lingers too long & wondering why humans have to be wired for this. This is not a comfortable subject to bring up but our battles aren't comfortable places either. If such a pill existed I would pray for guidance before buying. Your thoughts?
 

ViaCrucis

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Killing your libido isn't the same thing as killing lust.

And there is medication that does that, for example there is chemical castration (Chemical castration - Wikipedia).

Lust isn't libido. God created us as sexual creatures, and there's nothing wrong with that. That we have desires isn't the problem, it's that our desires are disordered, we are enslaved to sin and death and so our desires--our passions--are entirely out of wack. As such our drive is curved inward to satiate and satisfy ourselves. Lust isn't merely sexual desire--sexual desire between husband and wife is wonderful and sanctified. Lust is, in the strictest sense, the perversion of sexual desire--it is the perversion of the libido driven by sin; but more broadly describes the full spectrum of our disordered passions (i.e. "the lusts of the flesh"). We do not only lust when we covet our neighbor's spouse, we lust when we desire to take possession of another, or that which belongs to another, and in this way fail to abide by the Commandment: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

For the commandment of God is that we "do unto others as you would have them do unto you". So that when we see the hungry neighbor, we feed them; the thirsty neighbor is given drink.

So when our disordered passions, our sinfulness, drives us to that which does not love our neighbor, but rather harms our neighbor, then we sin, we transgress the Law.

So even if you chemically castrate someone, that isn't going to eliminate lust. Lust is still there, festering, killing. The only cure to lust is the grace and forgiveness of God in Jesus Christ, and the power and strength of the Spirit who drives us to repentance and keeps us in true faith, as we trust in Jesus and learn how to die to ourselves as disciples of our Lord.

-CryptoLutheran
 
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Ayenew

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If we believe that God created it, I don't think it will be proper to kill it with a pill.
 
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Carl Emerson

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Lust does not magically turn into love when you marry. Lust has no place in Christian relationships.

All our actions including sexual should be motivated by Christ Love not lust.

Procreation motivated by Christ love should be the norm for believers.
 
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Neogaia777

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Are you talking about lust as in overarching and unquenchable and unsatisfiable and selfish completely self-centered desires, etc...? Or just lust in the context of just only sexual feelings and/or desires only, etc...?

Because at this point in my life I would gladly take either one, and thank God for the great miracle of providing it, etc...

Either way I think it could so very much greatly help humans become very much better humans in so very many ways, that I would think it would have to be a very great miracle from God, etc...

And at this point in my life I would very much gladly take either one, etc, and would encourage as many people as I possibly could or can to be doing the same, etc...

God Bless!
 
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SkyWriting

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Medical marijuana does this for under 50% of people.
They come in "THC-Gummy" forms.
 
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angelsaroundme

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In a hypothetical scenario where it only changed that one thing and affected nothing else, I think it would be good for some older people not meant for relationships or that have already had them. It wouldn't be a great idea for young people since many would throw in the towel too early. I understand how discouraging the modern dating world can be, but they might eventually succeed.

Of course, the hypothetical scenario could include an inability to stop taking the pill and be fine later. If we're talking about the real world though, and not just an imaginary scenario, it would be unlikely to work that way unless we see major advancements in medicine.

There are times I wish I had something like that. On the other hand, as I've grown older, I've realized how connected everything is and how altering one thing can alter a lot of other stuff.
 
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Zacki

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The first kind I experienced in my teens & twenties. The second kind I sometimes experience now.
 
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SkyWriting

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Medical marijuana does this for some people, less than 50%.
 
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ViaCrucis

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Medical marijuana does this.

I'll be honest, as a consumer of cannabis (it's 100% legal where I am, and it has been highly beneficial for me in terms of pain management) I don't think this is true. I've never heard of cannabis affecting sex drive, and to be perfectly honest personal experience suggests otherwise.

On the other hand certain anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medication does do this. I take citalopram (the generic form of Celexa) daily, have for about a decade now.

I'm not trying to be vulgar or provide too much information. But I assume that we are all adults here and can discuss normal things in a mature way.

I know that we're living in a time where cannabis is frequently touted as a panacea, and while I totally do believe in the medical benefits of cannabis (as already mentioned earlier), it doesn't solve everything, and I don't even think it's necessarily going to be helpful for everybody.

I don't think there's a good reason to seek out chemical castration. Rather, as Christians we should be mature and frank, compassionate and kind in our discussions of things such as human sexuality. And good pastoral work is done that helps us with preaching of the Law to the denial of the sinful disorderedness of our passions, which also guides us to repentance; and also faithful preaching of the Gospel as we hear of God's mercy and forgiveness. Likewise the Law establishes faithful and just order: That we love our neighbor as our self, that we regard and recognize the humanity in our neighbor--created in the image and likeness of God.

When we lust for someone, we objectify them, we deny their God-given humanity. And in this way we cause injury, as we seek to impose ourselves and our desires on the other--and from this flows all manner of many other sins.

So when the Law preaches that we should love our neighbor, and we are not loving our neighbor if we objectify and lust after another; then our flesh might be mortified by the Law. For the Law says "Do this" and we don't do it, as the Apostle says, "The good that I wish to do, I do not do".

But the Gospel is always there to catch us, because "God demonstrates His love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us".

And in this peace and reconciliation from God, the Law while condemning us in our sin no longer destroys us, but in the forgiveness of the Gospel the Law becomes the open invitation to live and to love our neighbor. So that when I fail to love my neighbor, I repent; and God forgives me and loves me in the Gospel, and still calls me to love my neighbor.

I believe it is in this way that, by the grace of God, working through faith, by the means of God's Word and Sacrament, that we are being renewed, and invited daily to die to ourselves, and to live for God by loving one another and all our neighbors we come across. And here in the midst of the world, in our struggles, in our carrying our cross as disciples, we also get the joyous opportunity to share the same Gospel that saves us with others. For the grace and love of God that has held us captive to His kindness goes forth out from us, as the Church, into the world.

-CryptoLutheran
 
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Neogaia777

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My lust is actually a great irritant and annoyance to me anymore now, I hate it, especially since I have already done the whole marriage and having kids thing already, and will probably remain single and alone (and celibate) for the rest of my days now completely, and so could easily do without it, it is also in a sense also, a kind of "torment" for me sometimes also, so, yeah, if I could take some kind of pill and get rid of it for me in the rest of my life now completely, I'd jump on it, and take it in a heartbeat, no questions asked, etc...

It is one of the thorns in my side right now, and we all know the Lord's answer to that or those, etc...

God Bless!
 
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Carl Emerson

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I am unsure why folks tolerate such temptations as if nothing can be done about it.

I rebuke it at source... The tempter.

Refusing the intrusion - putting off the flesh - disown - renounce...

And over time it will be gone.

If needed agree with a brother in prayer.
 
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SkyWriting

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In my experience in the past, it would actually do the opposite, etc...

God Bless!
Most people experience a loss of interest in sex with most varieties.
There are many varieties though with different results and they have individual names.
 
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Neogaia777

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I feel like I have tried everything, etc...

And from God I get the same answer as Paul with the thorn in his side or flesh, etc...

And no offense, but you are 75 years old and probably married for most of that time also, and I am not, etc...

God Bless!
 
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Neogaia777

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Most people experience a loss of interest in sex with most varieties.
There are many varieties though with different results and they have individual names.
Well, it is/was pretty much all the same to me, lowers my inhibitions/strength/will in that area, etc...

I don't do it anymore, and haven't for a while, even though it is legal now where I live, etc...

Tried it a couple of times since then, but it now gives me problems in other areas that I have now also, besides just lust that I have, etc, so pretty much don't even do it or try it anymore, etc...

It does the exact opposite of anything but "help", etc...

God Bless!
 
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SkyWriting

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I am wrong. Most people find an increase in sexual interest.
I just got sleepy and disoriented. But I use CBD liquid for joint pain. Pun not intended.
 
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Neogaia777

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I have swore off of having sex with other people, and have stuck to that for a very long time now, and not because of lack of opportunities either, etc, the last actual person I had sex with was my now ex-wife, and when we were married, and that's been awhile, etc, and I have my reasons for that, etc, but occasionally I will give into having sex with myself, all by myself, etc, but it's not a constant thing either, etc, but looking upon a woman and appreciating her attractiveness in public is still sometimes a problem for me, almost like I can't help it sometimes, etc...

God Bless!
 
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Neogaia777

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I am wrong. Most people find an increase in sexual interest.
I just got sleepy and disoriented. But I use CBD liquid for joint pain. Pun not intended.
Well, when I did it, and because I don't have a lot of problems with physical pain, I usually did it to smoke it (and occasionally edibles) and to get high, and otherwise feel there is really no point in my doing it, etc...

But don't do it now anymore, and have kind of swore off of it, for reasons already stated, etc...

God Bless!
 
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