how to deal with sinful urges – tips and hints for christians
We all admit that we sometimes feel the urge to do things we suspect will not have completely positive outcomes. I feel for my Christian sisters and brothers and the challenges they face in this day and age, so I would like to help them with their sinful urges by making public some successful strategies I employ.
Let’s look at the famous biblical commandment “Do Not Kill”. I know it’s essentially immoral to consume the flesh of other sentient beings. However, when I’m hungry and I see a picture of a bacon sandwich, I get all sorts of unwelcome desires. Fortunately, I am able to hold these animal urges at bay with a number of instant logic strategies.
- Observation and science tell me that animals feel pain and suffer from stress.
- Empathy tells me I don’t want my animal friends to suffer.
- Science tells me my nutritional needs can be harmlessly met elsewhere.
- Experience tells me that once I’ve had something plant-based to eat and I’m no longer hungry, when I look at a picture of a bacon sandwich I just see the life of a dead pig (more intelligent than dogs) that has in all probability led an atrociously stressful and unpleasant life.
Just as important as the thoughts I have in this regard, are the thoughts I don’t have in this regard. Here are some things I don’t do when my natural animal instincts give me an inappropriate feeling:
- I don’t feel disappointed with myself, or guilty or disgusted or ashamed.
- I don’t check if my natural urges are in the ‘good’ or ‘bad’ category in a book that’s over 1800 years old.
- I don’t employ thought repression and open myself up to becoming inadvertently obsessed with bacon sandwiches.
- I don’t pray to any invisible spirits to make the bacon sandwich desires leave my life.
In this type of situation, where my body wants one thing but my brain is saying something else, I remain aware of reality. I hope these strategies will prove of use to anyone else struggling with their animal urges.
I recently met a feminist in one of my engineering classes.
She said she was a vegetarian and that man shouldn’t eat meat.
I told her I disagreed and she asked me, “Why?!”
I looked her in the eye and answered her:
“Because I’m a man and I’m at the top of the food chain.”
Her eyes went buggy and I realized at that moment that life was good.
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I’m really please that you’re getting out and that people speak to you. Well done! 🙂
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I can’t believe he could possibly be real. He’s probably a very bored -one of us- looking for kicks.
His comments go beyond plausibility.
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Inspired by your recent research, I decided to check where he lives. Texas. Chances are he believes a lot of what he writes. Definitely doing it for kicks though.
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And should you be eaten by a shark while spending the day at the beach, the reason will be that in the water, the shark is top of the food chain. Your life will be dispatched with as little care and as little meaning as you suppose animals other than humans deserve.
Might does not make right, such reasoning as you use validates all the harm that the 1% are doing to the 99%. Clearly you have not thought it through, as always.
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Ah, SOM – learning to drive a train are you –?
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Haha. Do you really see a picture of a bacon sandwich? I don’t. And the thought of eating pigs makes me feel sick. Never mind more intelligent than a dog. Pigs and dogs don’t believe in any god so therefore have to be more intelligent than millions of people.
Off to cook some chips to go with a vegideli (redwood) sage and onion slice sandwich. Incidentally I used to buy their rashers from time to time in the UK, although decided it was cheaper to buy my own tempeh and marinate it to cooker rashers.
I must add a link to an interesting post I read the other day about did that odd god want people to eat plants or animals. I’ll looky it uppy and add it.
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It was a picture of bacon roll outside Greggs on the way to work on Friday. I thought sandwich sounded funnier though. Bacon definitely delayed me becoming a vegetarian, I couldn’t imagine not eating it. Sometimes it makes me feel sick and sometimes I get a ‘sinfully immoral’ urge to sink my teeth into the dead pig flesh. I’ll keep a lookout for the vegideli stuff, never heard of it. Hope you find that link, sounds interesting.
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Ugh, Greggs is vile.
Morrisons in Gib sells vegideli from time to time, when they work out how to stock up their shelves. Vegideli does a sage and onion and a beef slice version too. Both recommended. After more than 25 years, I am quite the sabelotodo on veg food.
Here is the link. Quite interesting, as not only is she now vegan but has to and fro-ed with that odd god.
http://honkifyourevegan.com/2014/04/06/were-humans-created-to-be-vegan/
And here’s mine on bacon;
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I’ve seen you eating a triple bacon sandwich in the marina 😛 I wasn’t sure whether to report you to the community authorities for not being a resident, or to the vegetarian authorities!!
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Ah but which marina?
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My own strategy has always been to indulge myself until the urge is satiated – and that’s a lot of bacon sandwiches —
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The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it? (Wilde)
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Actually, the term, “yield to it” smacks of too much reserve, I prefer the term, “wallow in it” —
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wilde was british after all, we are known for our reserve
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Oh, I instantly inferred that, but true hedonism should know no nationality!
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British as in Irish? 😛 I’m not sure they’d go for that.
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I know, but Irish reserve didn’t sound the same, so I excused myself on the tenuous geographical grounds of British Isles.
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I think I agree with Wilde.
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That’s a lot of dead pigs. Hope your big, unhealthy tummy is proud of your selfish slaughtery indulgence. 🙂
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If by that, you mean my flat, washboard abdomen, it’s fairly beaming with pride! Unlike the poor koala, who will die with the last eucalyptus tree, or the panda, with the last bamboo grove, we survived as a species because we are omnivorous, and I didn’t reach the top of the food chain, only to slide down the other side.
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And you think that reverting to plant-based food would do that? Don’t lie, it makes you feel powerful to kill cuddly little animals and stuff them in your mouth.
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“I don’t employ thought repression and open myself up to becoming inadvertently obsessed with bacon sandwiches.”
love it. I tried this line on the bigots.
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Nice. Who was indulging in thought repression? Is the obvious answer ‘all of them’ and that’s why they’re campaigning against homosexuality?
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I was hitting more along the line of them being obsessed with gay men and gay sex.
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You make an interesting point. When it comes to homosexuality, there does seem to be an obsession with gay men at the expense of lesbians. Particularly odd given that Bigot bases her argument solely from the perspective of experience with lesbian parents.
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You didn’t read my comments there? I was rather persistent in noting how odd it was to me that he (i forget who i was talking to) dedicates so much time to thinking about gay men and gay sex… even gay animal sex. He started getting quite frustrated with my innuendos 🙂
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I see some of it coming up in the ‘comments I’ve made’, but I’ll have a proper lurk.
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Oh my goodness! How much of your life have you wasted there?? I can’t even find the thread you’re talking about because you’ve commented a gazillion times! But I did laugh at this one:
Ah, so you saying the *poison* used in the *abortion ritual* won’t actually result in an abortion if the woman was true. You’re saying “magic” will stop the foetus-destroying poison. I see…. So, abortion is fine if the woman had been unfaithful then? Interesting perspective… Would you consume it?
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I pulled out some pearlers throughout that thread 🙂 But never again. Well, not for a while at least. You can’t spend too much time with nutters like that.
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Where did those urges come from? God? Hunger is a pointless necessity if a God has power to end it.
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As far as I could tell, my tummy was sending signals to my brain. Perhaps you’re right though, and I’m underestimating the power of prayer. 😉
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That’s right! I love how there are millions of starving Africans yet God would be more concerned if you are eating Bacon. I just found this post to be rather lost in terms or what should be a priority.
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What priorities do you think would be relevant to illustrate to Christians that absolute morals don’t exist, they don’t follow biblical laws and that most of their strategies for dealing with animal urges they don’t approve of are either pointless or counter-productive? I thought my post was delightfully woven. I’m not sure where starving children would have been relevant to this post. But if I made any meat-eaters feel defensive about murdering animals, it’s just a bonus as far as I’m concerned. 😀
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Wisp,
Our Western Heritage, which includes the ancient Greeks and Romans teaches the concept of virtue.
Both Aristotle and Saint Thomas Aquinas taught the immense value of virtue.
Virtue, put simply is the development of habitual behaviors that lead to excellence.
Consequently, civilized men have known for centuries upon centuries, how to deal with our appetites.
Aristotle taught the Golden Mean. The Christians teach “moderation in all things.”
One proof that absolute values do indeed exist is that each creature, including man has a specific and particular nature.
Absolute truth is that which leads man to the fulfillment of his human nature (Aristotle called the fulfillment of our human nature, “telos.”
The reason I cite the ancients is to demonstrate that man have given a lot of brain power to the concept of appetites and human nature.
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Thanks SOM. That was very educational.
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SillinessOfMind – RE: “Virtue, put simply is the development of habitual behaviors that lead to excellence.” Upon whose definition of “excellence” should we rely?
In the famous words of that great philosopher, Goldie Hawn (“Laugh In,” 1974): “Virtue is its own punishment.”
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Arch,
You learn the meaning of life from super rich and out of touch movie stars.
I’ll stick with Aristotle, Plato and Saint Thomas Aquinas.
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Please do.
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Following a God and Bible that discriminates, murders, starts wars, creates natural disasters, yet claim morality because you don’t eat a bacon sandwich, doesn’t make you a good person. It just makes you a person that doesn’t think. I totally admit that eating animals comes with suffering to some degree. But we humans have our own issues that need to be addressed, most notably religion, and if not could have devastating effects on both humans and animals.
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Religion,
All the great civilization in human history grew up around religion.
The greatest mass murders and societal rapings were committed by atheists.
Civil society is not possible without religion.
That is because religion teaches virtue which brings out the best in men.
Atheism does nothing except unleash man’s baser nature upon a world that then suffers from pure evil.
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Haven’t been to Sweden, have you, Sil? It’s one of the most atheistic countries in the world, has a low crime rate, hasn’t been in any recent wars, has a thriving economy – poor guys, you gotta feel sorry for them —
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Arch,
I know as an atheist, you think that everything happens all by itself.
Europe is weak and would have been absorbed into the atheist Soviet Union were it not for the Christian United States.
The United States tolerates Europe because of national security interests.
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Which part of that has anything to do with what I said? I mean, I know you like attention, why else would you be here, but try to stay on point —
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Arch,
My comment being based on cause and effect and an understanding of history would indeed seem meaningless to someone who thinks everything happens all by itself.
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So, translated, I take that to mean that all of your comments are meaningless to any of us here, so why make them? Wouldn’t you be happier wallowing in the confirmation bias you could find on, oh, I don’t know, AIG or someplace? I know WE would!
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I don’t think that’s strictly true. Some of us find some of SOM’s comments entertaining. The fact that they are likely to be a reflection of some of his earnestly held opinions makes his points almost worthy of reading.
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I think the key word there, is “almost” —
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😉
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I really can’t tell the difference between a confused person and a troll. There have a been a few random nonsense commenters on my posts recently and I always make the mistake of thinking they’re trying to make a serious point – are you one of these people, a friend of SOM? If not, do you understand that this is an atheist commentary pointing out the absurdities of Christianity or did it just all go over your head? You seem quite ranty and angry, but outrage at Christianity can go hand in hand with protecting animals.
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I was wondering that, myself. It’s pretty obvious this person hasn’t read around your blog much. That’s usually a good idea to do before you start commenting.
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Nope, totally over my head! I made the silly mistake of flying through this post and therefore contradicting my own logic- don’t open you mouth before thinking clearly. Shame on me.
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It’s happened to us all …
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Naaaah, just gave me another reason to savor the flavor – could somebody please pass the sausage –?
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There have a been a few random nonsense commenters on my posts recently and I always make the mistake of thinking they’re trying to make a serious point –
Like, naivethinker, you mean? 😉
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Actually, if I were forced to choose the more erudite of the two, it would have to be naivethinker over SillinessOfMind anyday, but then that’s rather like proclaiming the fastest turtle.
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It baffles my why they make an appearance on a strictly atheist blog at all, especially as many of the atheists were former Christians and have heard every damn argument!
SOM is the consummate dickhead, and worthy of all the love we can give, but having a twerp like naivethinker semi-lecture to former deconvertees while trying to present his case as being intelligent and warranting consideration is the height of insult.
He should be bitch-slapped and sent home to Mommy.
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I know you weren’t addressing me, but perhaps naivethinker believes that if he comes to blogs like this and Matt’s that he can convince some of us to return to the fold? After all, he says he did. Maybe he’d like to think the things that convinced him to reconvert weren’t utterly ridiculous and he’s trying to convince himself? *shrug*
He doesn’t seem all that moved by, what seems to be by my thinking, logical argumentation. So I’m inclined to think it’s the former rather than the latter.
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Oh, and welcome back! I thought surely you’d grown weary of all this nonsense and decided we were all looney tunes.
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Our line was down for a week because of rain/ rampant creeper damage to the phone box in the neighbor’s garden.
I decided you were all loony tunes a long time ago…don’t worry. 😉
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Sadly, I was asked by both violet and Neuro to be nice to him – something to do with the maternal instinct, I suspect.
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Oh, here we go categorising common decency by gender – must be a woman thing. I can’t speak for Victoria, but I asked you to be nice to him because he’s a pleasant human being having an open discussion. Any rudeness is pointless, and in fact might make him less likely to give his perspective on future posts. I like having more than one point of view to consider in the comments, and his views are carefully considered and well delivered. What’s your problem with that?
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Just as predicted, and right on cue – now for the other shoe —
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“but then that’s rather like proclaiming the fastest turtle.” I could say the same of you two self-satisfied geriatric ranters. 🙂
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Ark, I don’t rant at geriatrics, do you? She must have us confused with two other ranters —
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“a twerp like naivethinker semi-lecture to former deconvertees while trying to present his case as being intelligent and warranting consideration is the height of insult.”
I seem to remember you having the same irrational complaints and nasty rants at PeW. What is it about these young men that can out-think you that makes you so angry? Anyone with a point of view on anything warrants consideration, you silly twerp. Even you and Arch. 😈
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Ah…like your mates Mr.& Mrs Faust and co. right?
lol….
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Well exactly, that’s why I have such long chats with them all. (What stupid joke were you doing in your stupid head there?)
*Violet beams her happy smile that Ark is back*
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Bitch slapped. Hmm, Violet was right, you are sexist, amongst many of your other talents:
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He hasn’t posted since he got back, I’m trying to goad him into a post on women. I was thinking of you when I requested it. 🙂
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Oh goody. Do try harder. I am looking forward to it already. I foresee lots of wonderful feminist rhetoric from me and some acid barbaric putdowns from stonehead.
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Morning you!
Ackchewelly, I was attempting to use a piece ”street’ vernacular rather than a sexist one.
If you prefer, you can substitute said offensive phrase with ”have his bottom spanked and sent home to Mommy.”
Or… “clip alongside the side of the ear and sent packing.”
How’s that?
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Better. Perpetuating appalling English is not expected of a renowned author. I would also prefer Mummy, but should you choose to use Americanisms that is your choice.
In terms of proofing I would suggest ‘clip along the side of his/the ear…’ 🙂
(I spent all weekend proofing and need to get back to it today when I have finished boosting Violet’s comments)
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I would normally have used ”clip around” , as this was what I was occasionally threatened with from me Mam. The other term I seem to remember reading in a Pratchett novel; Nightwatch (?), I think it was.
Yes, I also prefer to use Mummy ( and generally do in my ”normal” writing) but it seems the Yank terms do creep in, do they not? Yo?
http://attaleuntold.wordpress.com/2013/04/16/why-white-men-cant-jump/
I am also doing a bit of top and tailing on one of my scribblings. I loathe it! My eyeballs always seem to end up in the same socket after a while.
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Can’t decide what I think to Pratchett.
No, they do not creep into my writing. Although to address your second and third pars at once (i am a woman so therefore I multi-task) the book I was proofing at the weekend was written by a Brit who had lived in America, so it was interesting getting rid of the Americanisms.
I do like proofing. You do realise if you loathe it and it is your own work, you will always miss loads don’t you? I *must* write my post on roughseas about self-pubs as I am fascinated by those of you who do it.
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We have wandered off the track a bit ( re: the post)
Please forgive, Violet?
…so it was interesting getting rid of the Americanisms.
Yet, American spelling of many words is required ( so I have heard) if the book is released in the States.
You do realise if you loathe it and it is your own work, you will always miss loads don’t you?
Yes, I am aware, which is why I take it very slowly and double and triple check, before
I hand it over.
Yet, even professionals miss things occasionally.
I only have one book in print and haven’t opted to self-publish, though it has crossed my mind. From what little experience I have garnered, it makes no difference providing the book sells, and there is no guarantee in either traditional or self-pub.
That’ll do for the ”hijacking” of Vi’s blog.
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Oh, so where do I reply? Bossy boots. No matter, I will incorporate it into my next post 🙂
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I was not being bossy, rather trying to avoid being rude about our moving way off topic and disrupting the thread.
I will continue to reply, though, providing you take the rap if Violet gets miffed.
( see how chivalrous I am 😉 )
Or drop a comment on the last post on my spot?
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Nope. I’ll write a post on mine 🙂 At some point. Then I’ll drop a post on yours and you can reply or not as you choose.
Does violet have rules about moving off topic? I don’t. People can talk about what they want on my blogs and do. Anyway, you can take the rap, she likes telling you off. I’m going back into my corner.
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I don’t rightly know if she has rules regarding off topic rambling, to be honest?
She probably loves lurking in the background smiling that we talk ”about her”, I shouldn’t wonder.
🙂 Yes, she does enjoy giving me a piece of her mind.
It’s a control thing, I’m sure. Terribly sexist if you ask me. It upsets my feminine sensitive side.
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Ya mean like Ms Faust lurks? 😀
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Does she? I’ll take your word for it. I gave up on that crowd.
On a totally different topic.
What’s your preferred usage for this word; Granddad, or Grandad.
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Naughty, you are off topicing again. Yes she does because she slagged me off for something totally innocuous I said on here. Anyway, the one I’m proofing at the moment uses granddad, and I’m happy with that. Stop trying to get advice for free toerag.
On the other hand, send me a few pages, and I’ll have a quick look (for free) to give you an idea of how much your eyeballs are merging into one socket.
Back later, the Vicious Rat (ie the cute little dog) is about to be dragged out for his lunchtime walk. We really need to take this conversation somewhere else. Have you heard of email? Or did it not exist in your era?
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Ah… now who’s getting edgy about hogging Violet’s blog?
…the one I’m proofing at the moment uses granddad,
Yes, this was what I initially wrote, but then saw the alternate spelling which, if memory serves, was how I would have written it as a kid.
Stop trying to get advice for free toerag.
Lol…you are a delight! Advice for free. Right!
Go drag your rat around the blog….
Okay, I shall email you a couple of pages in a bit. Just got some worky-work stuff ( as John would say) to do.
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You don’t know? You’ve been hanging round my place commenting off topic for a year, I’ve never mentioned and you wonder if I might have ‘rules’ about it? I don’t have rules about anything. The only time I even butt in if I think people are being unnecessarily rude and personal, and I ask them to stop, but just because I don’t think it’s productive and it can make other people less likely to engage in discussion. Everyone’s welcome here and they can talk about anything – even you and SOM. 🙂
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Wisp,
Lumping me with the stinky Egyptian.
Now, that just ain’t right!
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Ah…though I could entice you out from behind the couch. It was easier than holding out a tin of cat food and chirping, “Here,kitty kitty.”
Sheesh…wimmin.. lol
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Speaking of which, how’s that post on wimmin coming along?
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Sigh…I am too battle scarred and fragile to risk another ear bashing from you or Roughseas ( and likely a few scathing, poison-tipped barbs from Archaeopteryx as well, I don’t doubt)
Unless,of course, you have a topic you would like me to tackle and feel I can add some value with my incredible worldly insights? sic
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De moi???? We’ve been insulted, called, “two self-satisfied geriatric ranters,” and I’ve been double-insulted, as I’ve been lumped in with you! So why should I toss barbs – we need to stand back to back.
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A 3000-year old Egyptian who prefers using the term, “Mummy” – surprise!
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I’d give you a Snort of the Day Award for that, but I’ve already given it out to Myatheistlife much earlier, otherwise you could have had it for that one.
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Missed it by THAT (—–) much! And my collection would have been complete —
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Luck of the draw depending on what I read first in the morning. I’m sure you’ll get one 😉 although Ark has received a Snort of the Week Award for consistency. I really must publicise them on my blog/s though 😀
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Personally, I have my own special way of dealing with “sinful” urges —
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I’m not sure what to make of someone who watches hospital soap operas to deal with their sinful urges. But I guess whatever helps … does the dodgy American accent keep you sane?
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It was the song, VW, not the video, that was the subject of the response, and who said I was sane? If I could chew through these restraints, I’d show you just how incorrect that assumption was!
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Oh I see! Are you in the bed next to SOM? It’s so nice they keep you busy.
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Last week I was unsupervised, and that didn’t work out so well —
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