How To Defeat Sin

[FullTruth]

Have you heard the old wives tale by psychologists and doctors about addiction. If you refrain from the behaviour for 28 days, you will never go back to it. Have you tried, over, and over again not to smoke, do drugs, look at pornography, and any number of evil things - but failed to meet the 28 days. You may have gone a couple of weeks, but never the full 28 days it takes to reverse the brain signals that make you addicted in the first place! And even then, you are told, don't ever engage again, because if you do, you will become more addicted and faster.

I have the answer for you. Forget 28 days, it only takes 8.

When we read about sin in Leviticus, you wash yourself 7 days, to purify yourself, and then on the 8th day you give a sacrifice unto the Lord.

I had been struggling with Pornography for all my life, even 9 years as a Christian. I prayed, and I fasted, and I did whatever I could in the flesh to get rid of it, but to no avail. I kept on saying, I can do the 28 days. I have the spirit. It should be easy.

But when I read Leviticus, and said - I will no longer look at Pornography. I refrained from it from Sunday to Saturday - seven days. The next Sunday, I fasted unto God for 11 hours, and when I prayed, asking God to take this away from me, he said - I have circumsized your heart. I have been porn free for 17 days now! 17 days of Freedom! Eat that Devil! I love how your stupid little minions tried to send me an evil dream last night, to tempt me. But you don't know who Jesus Christ is, and the power of the Word of God!

[kateri05]

confession helps too

[FullTruth]

[quote name='kateri05' post='1247695' date='Apr 18 2007, 12:08 AM']confession helps too [/quote]
Yes Confession can work for some, because that is scriptural too.

But you have to be totally honest with wanting to get rid of it in the first place. How many times will you tell someone you know is wrong, just to relieve guilt, but no real desire to get rid of it!

When you want to get rid of it, I found that was the way that worked for me.

[Justin (Wiccan)]

God is good.

[FullTruth]

[quote name='Justin (Wiccan)' post='1247709' date='Apr 18 2007, 12:32 AM']God is good. [/quote]
How does this add to the discussion Justin?

This is about seeking deliverance through the word of God.

[Justin (Wiccan)]

[quote name='FullTruth' post='1247747' date='Apr 18 2007, 01:18 AM']How does this add to the discussion Justin?

This is about seeking deliverance through the word of God.[/quote]

Precisely, FT. Anything--[i]anything[/i]--that comes between you and God, and that interferes with giving glory to God, is to be eliminated from one's life. That you have called on God's help to eliminate pornography from your life is a demonstration of God's goodness.

[johnnydigit]

awesome that you found a way that helps for you.

as far as lust, lately i have been calling on Mary. i don't know if this is related to how priests often consecrate themselves to Mary and how many attribute their priesthood to her, but for me it works. i guess it has something to do with her being a woman/mother, and how it feels wierder with a man/father. then of course her perpetual virginity. i dunno about you guys, but nothing is a bigger turn off than your mother being around.

whenever i need her, i imagine myself as a little toddler and i'm by her feet tugging at her mantle to help me. without fail, she looks at me with her beautiful eyes and face, and soon whatever thoughts i had go away. today i was being a dork and kept imagining tugging at her mantle like a real kid to see if she got mad, but she just kept turning to look at me as many times as i did it.

try it, "MARY!!!!".


oh btw, i have been "master of my domain" for a few months. frequent confession really helps, and not being able to receive communion really smells of elderberries too.

Edited April 18, 2007 by johnnydigit

[Budge]

God can take away any sin, are you born agian? The Holy Spirit can give you victory over any sin, its not a matter of a magic formula or certain amount of days. Some people when born again have been saved from addiction instantaneously.

be careful johnny, Im not sure a mother-obessesion is a healthy thing in a young male...picturing yourself as a young toddler? isnt that regressive?

I disagree with celibacy being for everyone, and that is something your church is imposing on you that is wrong.

Edited April 18, 2007 by Budge

[cmotherofpirl]

[quote name='Budge' post='1248000' date='Apr 18 2007, 01:06 PM']God can take away any sin, are you born agian? The Holy Spirit can give you victory over any sin, its not a matter of a magic formula or certain amount of days. Some people when born again have been saved from addiction instantaneously.

be careful johnny, Im not sure a mother-obessesion is a healthy thing in a young male...picturing yourself as a young toddler? isnt that regressive?

I disagree with celibacy being for everyone, and that is something your church is imposing on you that is wrong.[/quote]

I have met many born agains who have fallen off whatever wagon they have previously claimed to be on. They get "saved" when the rivival tents go up and several weeks or months later are being arrested for the same crimes they started out with. The Holy Spirit can give you instantaneously a victory, but generally its a long haul out of sin, with many starts stops and failures along the way. THis is probably healthier than a "instant cure" because those people are usually inflicted with a sense of pride, which is far more sinful than their original vice.

Mother-obsession??? rotfl.

Sexual activity outside of marriage is a sin. I am REALLY surprised that a christian could ever disagree with that.

[Katholikos]

Budge, every baptized Christian has been born again -- the biblical way, through water and the Spirit (John 3:3-5). "Again" is a mistranslation of the Greek [i]anothen[/i]. Nicodemus misunderstood [i]anothen[/i] and took it to mean "again," which is one meaning of the word. But Jesus meant born "from above," which is the primary meaning of the word. This has been corrected in some recent translations. But the Protestant meaning of 'born again' as some emotional experience related to "accepting Christ as my personal savior" is unbiblical.

Weekly confession, a firm resolution not to sin again, and reliance on the Bread of Life to sustain us is the cure for anything that ails anyone. Repeat as often as necessary. That's Christ's prescription.

Likos

[kenrockthefirst]

Here's what works for me:
[list=1]
[*]Confession and penance
[*]Praying the Act of Contrition, especially "I firmly intend / with Your help / to do penance / to sin no more / and to avoid whatever leads me to sin."
[*]Asking for the Blessed Virgin Mary's prayers on my behalf, especially that I would indeed "avoid whatever leads me to sin."
[/list]

[N/A Gone]

Isnt hate a sin? If the christian condition has to do with our inability to properly love, and you display a hate for others then that is a sin.

Worse yet, you claim being born again would mean you dont sin? Does that mean every believer that has sinned after the moment of conversion is not really saved in your book?

Dang, im glad you have no authority I fear for the people you have influence with

[Budge]

Honestly Im bothered by a young man picturing himself as a TODDLER, to me that is NOT normal. I do not blame him, that is the message he has been given. I hope he is not surpressed by that nonsense for long it will only lead him to hate himself for what are normal thoughts and temptations that do NOT have to be acted on.

Im old fashioned I expect men to be men, not sniffling toddlers. If that is what "mary" wants...UGH. A man can be a man, and have God help him avoid the sin of fornication.

Its a way he is suppressing his manhood, to be celibate or something to imagine himself that young and its not normal nor is it healthy.

Those with ambivalent sexual development and those who struggle with homosexuality, do sometimes have what is consider a mother obession. Normal women are to be avoided and feared. Now I dont take everything from the pysychology world as fact but when a young man feels forced to be tugging on "mothers mantle" to keep him from having normal thoughts regarding women {not that he has to act on them] and has to picture himself as a "toddler", that is a problem.

He doesnt need to fall off the wagon. He can avoid sin and temptation. If he is a true celibate, so be it, those people are out there, but he does seem to have a desire for women, but it is the Catholic Church that turns that into poison instead of a man's natural desire for a wife. I will pray for him he finds a wife that will make him happy.

I do not support sex outside of marriage, that is a sin, it is supposed to be only within marriage.

[thessalonian]

[quote][I disagree with celibacy being for everyone, and that is something your church is imposing on you that is wrong.[/quote]

???? Imposition of celibacy on young single people? Budge you just told Johnny he is supposed to have sex outside of marriage. He's not a priest you know?

[Budge]

Sheesh, I didnt tell him to go out and HAVE CASUAL SEX.

My message is GO LOOK FOR A WIFE, [if hes old enough}



If he wants to find a wife, he better stop with the pretend toddler and Mary stuff, he will creep out any potential girl friends!

Edited April 18, 2007 by Budge

[Anthony]

[quote name='Budge' post='1248000' date='Apr 18 2007, 12:06 PM']God can take away any sin, are you born agian? The Holy Spirit can give you victory over any sin, its not a matter of a magic formula or certain amount of days. Some people when born again have been saved from addiction instantaneously.

be careful johnny, Im not sure a mother-obessesion is a healthy thing in a young male...picturing yourself as a young toddler? isnt that regressive?

I disagree with celibacy being for everyone, and that is something your church is imposing on you that is wrong.[/quote]

With all do respect Budge, stop adding your two cents where it is not needed. Just go away. Your opinion is not needed here.

[Anthony]

[quote name='Budge' post='1248042' date='Apr 18 2007, 01:07 PM']Sheesh, I didnt tell him to go out and HAVE CASUAL SEX.

My message is GO LOOK FOR A WIFE, [if hes old enough}



If he wants to find a wife, he better stop with the pretend toddler and Mary stuff, he will creep out any potential girl friends![/quote]

Any woman that didn't have a profound love for Mary as our mother would not be a suitable wife for me. What is your deal. You don't get it, do you. Satan is working through you and frankly, you are just not doing a good job converting people to Budgeism. We'll continue to pray through the intercession of our Blessed mother for you, Budge.

[Starets]

[quote name='cmotherofpirl' post='1248016' date='Apr 18 2007, 01:18 PM']I have met many born agains who have fallen off whatever wagon they have previously claimed to be on. They get "saved" when the revival tents go up and several weeks or months later are being arrested for the same crimes they started out with. The Holy Spirit can give you instantaneously a victory, but generally its a long haul out of sin, with many starts stops and failures along the way. THis is probably healthier than a "instant cure" because those people are usually inflicted with a sense of pride, which is far more sinful than their original vice.[/quote]

So have I. I wonder if part of the problem is that the fundamentalist "plan of salvation" (admit you are a sinner, believe in Christ for the remission of your sins, turn your life over to Jesus letting Him be Lord of your life) matches almost exactly the first three steps of AA's 12-steps (admitted we were powerless over alcohol, that our lives had become unmanageable, came to believe a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity, made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him). Spiritual growth from then onwards was little more than sticking your fingers in your ear and shouting "I'm a new creation!!! lalalala!!! I'm a new creation!!!" At least in my experience as a tweenaged fundamentalist. So the initial addiction becomes masked by another addiction. Eventually the high goes away and the initial addiction returns. The earlier addictive behavior simply got transferred to Jesus. It hasn't been eradicated by Jesus. And thats the problem.

It seems to me that a catholic understanding of salvation is more like the full 12 steps. Salvation is both a one-shot deal and also a continual process of renewal. It is both "I am saved" and also "I am being saved". Well ok there is also "I will be saved" so it in actuality goes beyond the 12 steps. Fundamentalist salvation theology seems to stop at "I am saved".

Now, mind you, I have no formal theological training so I may be compleely off the wall

[johnnydigit]

[quote name='Budge' post='1248000' date='Apr 18 2007, 10:06 AM']God can take away any sin, are you born agian? The Holy Spirit can give you victory over any sin, its not a matter of a magic formula or certain amount of days. Some people when born again have been saved from addiction instantaneously.[/quote]

and then when these "saved" people fall, we just assume "well they were never truly saved then." so which is it? how do you know for sure?

[quote name='Budge' post='1248000' date='Apr 18 2007, 10:06 AM']be careful johnny, Im not sure a mother-obessesion is a healthy thing in a young male...picturing yourself as a young toddler? isnt that regressive?[/quote]

it's called humility. a [b]child[/b] of God has some of that. i tried to respect you being new here and all, but you make it very difficult to see any God in you whatsoever.

yes, i also imagine sitting at the foot of God. are you going to insinuate a foot fettish? very distasteful comments you are making, Budge.

[quote name='Anthony' post='1248153' date='Apr 18 2007, 02:13 PM']Any woman that didn't have a profound love for Mary as our mother would not be a suitable wife for me. What is your deal. You don't get it, do you. Satan is working through you and frankly, you are just not doing a good job converting people to Budgeism. We'll continue to pray through the intercession of our Blessed mother for you, Budge.[/quote]

she knows exactly what she is doing. it is entertainment for her. i think she just needs a hug.

[cmotherofpirl]

[quote name='Staretz' post='1248233' date='Apr 18 2007, 07:28 PM']So have I. I wonder if part of the problem is that the fundamentalist "plan of salvation" (admit you are a sinner, believe in Christ for the remission of your sins, turn your life over to Jesus letting Him be Lord of your life) matches almost exactly the first three steps of AA's 12-steps (admitted we were powerless over alcohol, that our lives had become unmanageable, came to believe a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity, made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him). Spiritual growth from then onwards was little more than sticking your fingers in your ear and shouting "I'm a new creation!!! lalalala!!! I'm a new creation!!!" At least in my experience as a tweenaged fundamentalist. So the initial addiction becomes masked by another addiction. Eventually the high goes away and the initial addiction returns. The earlier addictive behavior simply got transferred to Jesus. It hasn't been eradicated by Jesus. And thats the problem.

It seems to me that a catholic understanding of salvation is more like the full 12 steps. Salvation is both a one-shot deal and also a continual process of renewal. It is both "I am saved" and also "I am being saved". Well ok there is also "I will be saved" so it in actuality goes beyond the 12 steps. Fundamentalist salvation theology seems to stop at "I am saved".

Now, mind you, I have no formal theological training so I may be compleely off the wall [/quote]
you are exactly right