The Battle Against Internal Desires and the Role of Family in Spiritual Formation

This chapter emphasizes the significance of addressing shameful thoughts to foster a true understanding of sexuality and spirituality. It highlights the challenges parents face in instilling faith and moral values in their children within a complex cultural landscape.

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Once again, my first thought at the end of this group is “Revolution“. When read in the context of all that we have considered from The Evergetinos to date and from St. John Climacus, our entire way of viewing reality is being challenged, overthrown, or illuminated. One begins to see that our capacity as Christians to read and hear the Gospel, let alone the writings of the fathers, has been compromised. We have been formed in and by an atheistic secular culture. That culture has permeated the Church in modern times in ways that we cannot even comprehend.

God has revealed himself to us; not only the depth of his love and compassion, but also the reality of sin and the struggle that remains for us within this world. We cannot understand the danger of fornication and lust to our salvation unless we come to understand the importance of purity of heart. God has created us for Himself, in His image and likeness, and our desire must be directed toward Him if we are to experience the fulfillment of the deepest longings of the human heart - let alone the right ordering of our bodily desires. Thus, our lust or fornication is not simply a moral infraction or a negative view of human sexuality but evidence of an idolatry of the self and so adultery in regard to our relationship with God - infidelity in regard to the Heavenly Bridegroom who has given Himself to us completely.

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Text of chat during the group:

00:22:39 Bob Cihak, AZ: P. 195, # A

00:31:49 Myles Davidson: There’s a book called Your Brain On Porn about the brain changes that happen

00:35:05 Myles Davidson: Yes, its a book… Your Brain on Porn: Internet Pornography and the Emerging Science of Addiction

https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B00N2AH8NW?ref_=mr_referred_us_au_nz

00:43:58 Myles Davidson: John Cassian does a good job of outlining the difference between abstinence and chastity (Conference 12)

00:49:41 Forrest Cavalier: If they are unrepentant in a state of mortal sin, the attempt to be married will fail.

00:55:26 Anna Lalonde: Yes! I don't wear makeup because I feel the same way.

00:57:28 Anthony: Someone on substance wrote an article that dressing to be titillating is a way to exert power over others and is socially worse than pornography which often is in red light areas.

00:57:48 Anthony: Substance. Sorry. :)

00:57:56 Anthony: Substack

00:57:58 Myles Davidson: Substack?

01:07:32 Anna Lalonde: When is a thought a sin? My child asks.

01:12:21 Anthony: There's got to be an "easier" way to approach this. God wouldn't make us to be so easily manipulated without help ready at hand; God wouldn't make us so that we understand the value of chastity only after experiencing sin in thought word and deed.

01:17:17 Anthony: I wasn't being facetious.

01:20:53 Cameron Jackson: Evil is real.
Warfare is not really a metaphor.

01:27:15 Myles Davidson: Replying to "202501131635300000.jpg"

That’s a beautiful book! Where did you get that?

01:27:39 Nikki: Wonderful teaching

01:30:59 Anna Lalonde: Replying to "[Full message cannot be displayed on this version]"

What's the book link? I got kicked out

01:32:37 Lilly: Sorry I didnt hear. No class Wed?

01:32:40 MOME hermits: Thank you dear Father :)!

01:32:44 Maureen Cunningham: Thank You it always a Blessing every time we gather

01:32:48 Cameron Jackson: Thank you Father!

01:33:25 Suzanne Romano: Pax!