I (32m) started seeing prostitutes when I was 20 and have done it on and off up to my current age. I find the lack of sexual and emotional connection lures me into to seeing them even when I say I’m going to stop. Whenever I am doing decent financially I end up going back to seeing them. I try to be a spiritual person and read the bible and not lust over women but it can be a struggle and mental battle. Does anyone else have this same bad habit?
I haven’t seen anyone in the comments try to justify your actions from a chrisitian point of view. I’ll try and likely fail. I’m a former christian.
There is no “thou shalt not lust after a woman” commandment. There is a “thou shalt not commit adultary” commandment. And there is the admonition from Mathew that if you lust after a woman you’ve already committed adultary in your heart.
But here’s the rub. How do you define adultary? ANY sex before marriage? Or cheating on a spouse? If you define it as cheating on a spouse, then I can see where Mathew is coming from. A married man lusting after a woman who isn’t his wife HAS emotionally cheated on her already. But by that definition, a single man CAN’T commit adultary with a single woman. There’s no cheating. Prostitute or not, two single consenting adults don’t break that commandment.
I don’t think adultary means “sex outside of marriage” I think it means “sex outside of marriage”. Big difference.
I believe extremists like to push the commandments to encompass more than they really do.
I don’t think adultary means “sex outside of marriage” I think it means “sex outside of marriage”. Big difference.
Maybe I’m dumb but I don’t see the difference here?
I think that they meant to write something like:
I don’t think adultary means “sex while unmarried” I think it means “sex outside of your marriage”. Big difference.
That makes sense.
Yea, sorry. “No sex outside of marriage” was a phrase I’d heard a lot growing up inside Christianity. I was making a joke that this particular phrase could be interpreted either way. As in no unmarried sex. Or no sex with people you’re not married to.
Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. Hebrews 13:4
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, … they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21
Also former christian
There are so many direct contactios in the Bible. So if you actually care, which side do you pick and why is that side correct but not the other?
There was no contradiction here. The original commenter was using the argument from silence to try and justify premarital sex. But that’s irrelevant as prostitution is condemned anyway
John 8
8 Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.
2 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.
3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
He said that she was forgiven and shouldn’t sin anymore. He didn’t say “prostitution is now okay”.
Perhaps I could have bolded: 7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
So we shouldn’t stone adulterers? I never said we should.
SMH. Either you get the point or don’t.
That’s moot considering prostitution is already specifically condemned.
1 Corinthians 6:15-18
Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.” But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.
Ok, but admonishment of OP is also a sin, as Jesus himself saved Mary Magdalene from being stoned to death.
The lesson being that humans are not perfect, and will inherently sin. Even in your passage (which, is that from the NIV Bible? I have issues with that translation) it was specifically about addressing the type of prostitution in Corinth, which was more akin to rape and forced marriage (and based on historical artifacts, perhaps even pedophilia) than modern prostitution which is an exchange of money and no relationship (and before any mentions of payments is mentioned, no, a post rape “dowry” is not the same). Hence the reference to the quote on marriage about “The two will become one flesh”.
The issue isn’t the act of sin itself, but pretending it is not sin, that you are better than sin; not acknowledging the sin. OP does try to control it, and doesn’t engage in wanton unrestrained lust - thus they have already repented. Of they still feel guilty after, and assuming it’s not caused by peer pressure, that is their burden to carry, because it means they are using lust to fill some other damage their soul carries.
But your admonishment of their action, however, is judgement. And you must remember that you’ll be judged as well.
Of course, I lean towards what could be said is the traditional Jesuit ideology, so I only take mostly into importance what is ascribed to be the direct word of Jesus rather than what was mostly said by disciples of his such as Paul, let alone co-authors such as Sosthenes who is also involved with Corinthians.
There is nothing in the Bible about Mary Magdalene being stoned to death. You’re probably thinking about an unnamed woman in John 8:1-11. He does admonish her, instructing her to “go and sin no more.”
I used the ESV. I am a fellow NIV-hater, too. I can use the NRSV if you’d like.
1 Corinthians 6:15-20 NRSV
[15] Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Should I therefore take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! [16] Do you not know that whoever is united to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For it is said, “The two shall be one flesh.” [17] But anyone united to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. [18] Shun fornication! Every sin that a person commits is outside the body; but the fornicator sins against the body itself. [19] Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own? [20] For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body.
I think getting pedantic about the meaning of prostitute here is kind of just looking for an excuse to be hedonist. The language here is more about unnecessary fornication that Paul uses, rather than forced purchases.
The issue isn’t the act of sin itself, but pretending it is not sin, that you are better than sin; not acknowledging the sin. OP does try to control it, and doesn’t engage in wanton unrestrained lust - thus they have already repented. Of they still feel guilty after, and assuming it’s not caused by peer pressure, that is their burden to carry, because it means they are using lust to fill some other damage their soul carries.
I am not here to condemn OP. I would even like to support OP. But people trying to reassure OP by lying to him by saying “it’s actually not a sin because historical xyz” and trying to wriggle their way out of that piece of scripture, is not something I want to sit and watch. If you want to reassure OP, reassure him that he’s not going to hell because of God’s forgiveness. Yes, this isn’t a licence to sin, but I don’t think OP is treating it that way. He seems to be struggling.
But your admonishment of their action, however, is judgement. And you must remember that you’ll be judged as well.
NOT ONCE did I judge OP. And admonishment isn’t judgement. I’m just not letting people lie to him by trying to convince me that a sin isn’t a sin. We are literally instructed to admonish one and other
Colossians 3:16 NRSV
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.
If you’re a Jesuit, then you should know the Catechism of the Roman Catholic church forbids prostitution.
2355
Prostitution does injury to the dignity of the person who engages in it, reducing the person to an instrument of sexual pleasure. The one who pays sins gravely against himself: he violates the chastity to which his Baptism pledged him and defiles his body, the temple of the Holy Spirit. Prostitution is a social scourge. It usually involves women, but also men, children, and adolescents (The latter two cases involve the added sin of scandal.). While it is always gravely sinful to engage in prostitution, the imputability of the offense can be attenuated by destitution, blackmail, or social pressure.
Jesus called prostitutes out of sin.