Comments on: Lust Reframed

By: Belinda Munoz

Belinda Munoz — Fri, 28 May 2010 05:06:36 +0000

Sarah, you are so great to still be catching up. I’m sure I’m not the only one to say I’m missing 5-4-10.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Thu, 27 May 2010 10:58:55 +0000

WOW, Belinda. I know I am late late late in getting here (can you believe I am STILL catching up?) but so glad I didn’t miss this one. The three LifeGiving Acts? That is just awesome. And means an array of things, to be sure.

It’s funny. Lust was always going to be one of the topics. From the get-go. And when we started to come up with the others Jen at one point said, Seven Deadly Sins? And then simultaneously we both typed Nah! Because they are so weighted already, aren’t they? So I am totally happy to see the inclusion of the Sin aspect here. And, even more so, the intention of pulling lust out of the list of seven.

I totally dig your brain in this post.

By: How Children and Grownups Play — the halfway point

How Children and Grownups Play — the halfway point — Wed, 26 May 2010 09:47:18 +0000

[...] son, like most toddlers, is lustful for, passionate about and in love with play. He wakes up with only one mission to fulfill and that [...]

By: Fr. Michael

Fr. Michael — Tue, 18 May 2010 03:01:48 +0000

Belinda,

There are natural urges that every person experiences. These urges point to great goods: a desire for union with another person and the procreation of our species. The “problem” with lust is that it tends to objectify people. Lust is distinct from love, in that love desires the good for the other, whereas lust desires to possess and use the other solely for pleasure.

In my opinion, lust is classified as a “sin” because it’s focused on satisfying one’s own desires, it is more self-centered, rather than love which is focused on willing the good to the other.

Thanks, as always, for inviting us to think deeply about human experience.

By: Privilege of Parenting

Privilege of Parenting — Tue, 18 May 2010 00:11:34 +0000

Great points. The over-emphasis on the masculine traits of reason, logic and order have stigmatized our animal nature and cut us off from soul, joy and presence.

I picture Love and Passion standing in a line and shouting, “Red Rover, Red Rover let Lust come over (and make it a sleep-over)” If Lust can’t break through and take either Love or Passion back to the materialist nose-to-the-grindstone-till-it’s-ground-off side of the field we have your lovely, lusty, passionate Arc de Triomphe yet.

By: rebecca

rebecca — Mon, 17 May 2010 23:15:30 +0000

Thanks for visiting me over at Altared Spaces. Again, I so appreciate the idea of mentoring when it comes to love and lust.

By: Patty - Why Not Start Now?

Patty - Why Not Start Now? — Mon, 17 May 2010 21:01:24 +0000

Nice take on lust, Belinda! Personally, I like lust. I don’t know why, the word takes me back in time, as in, “She’s a lusty wench!” But seriously, your point is a good one about the poor pre-teen, who in our society is told to zip up the lust, all the while being bombarded with over-the-top lusty images on TV, in movies, etc. Kind of crazy, isn’t it?

By: Eva @ EvaEvolving

Eva @ EvaEvolving — Mon, 17 May 2010 16:16:07 +0000

Wow, Belinda. Lust-Passion-Love, all as different iterations of fervor. Yes! This is so logical and so beautiful. And the way you frame it – reminding us of the perspective of a pre-teen, those agonizing years and getting to know your body again – that is so helpful and relatable. We’ve all been through those tough years.

I agree that lust should be something positive we embrace. Lust doesn’t have to be something bad that we tamp down and restrain. It can be a very powerful thing.

By: Tony Single

Tony Single — Mon, 17 May 2010 12:05:27 +0000

Well, I’ve always thought of sin as just another word for selfishness anyway, so in that sense I’m certainly up there with the best of them in the sinner stakes! However, you do make a good point. Why get bogged down in our shortcomings, and just put a different frame of reference on them instead?

So, perhaps lust is just the younger, more inexperienced sibling of passion. Lust is still a bit undisciplined and rough around the edges, and hasn’t learned how to tone down some of its fumbling aggression yet. Perhaps lust will get used to things given a bit of time. Perhaps it will be tempered with wisdom and grow into something deeper like love itself.

Perhaps this is just another idea I’m throwing out there.

By: BigLittleWolf

BigLittleWolf — Sun, 16 May 2010 20:10:25 +0000

What a fine, intelligent post. “Reframing” lust, indeed. Your suggesting of adding lust to the mix of passion and love is right on point.

Not a subscriber to the notion of the seven deadly sins, myself. My ethics are more straightforward, I believe. And more grounded in human nature, and I hope in our best (mindful) selves.