Lust or Love?

     Next time you look at the news, watch a t.v. show, a movie or view any other type of media, count how many times you see something sexually enticing, provacative or down right pornographic. Today's media is after one thing: money. The way they get it is playing on our base carnal instinct to be attracted to violence and sex. It's actually linked to our amygdala=the part of the brain stimulated by violence and sex. So the media plays on this knowledge against its viewers, and often beyond our perception or recognition. The sex portrayed in the media 9 times out of 10 is some type of fornication or adultery, or both. We are very influenced by what we watch. Studies have been done to show a link between viewing violence and acting more violent afterwards. This may not seem like a big deal to most people, but take a naturally violent person and have them view a violent movie or play a violent video game and they will be more likely to act violently. I seriously believe that these acts of serious violence in the past few years we have seen around the world are linked to the amount of violence those people allowed themselves to view to whatever degree. It wasn't just that they were psycho. I believe viewing pornographic or leud material of any kind at any degree will have a similar effect on us. The more you view something the more you think about it, so naturally it increases your likelihood of acting on those thoughts. The world's definition of love and true love are two totally different things. The world's definition of love 99% of the time is more lust than love.
     What is the difference between lust and love? The basic definition of lust is a self centered focus to fulfill self gratification. Love is selflessness or sacrificing yourself for the benefit of another. All of our problems in society today deal with a lack of love to one degree or another. Specifically speaking about lust vs. love we definitely need to understand the difference and stop believing the lies the media tell us.
     The world's philosophy says "do what makes you feel good." Lust fits quite nicely into that statement. Lust has no quams with abusing others or taking advantage of others in any degree or way as long as one's "needs" are met. And yes those "needs" are really just wants. We need connection and love. Marital relations fulfills that when done selflessly by both husband and wife. Yes we can, but shouldn't, even lust after our own spouse (D&C 42:23). The following scenario has happened to more couples than we probably realize. There was a couple on the first night of their honeymoon. The new bride was very tired and just wanted to sleep. The husband wanted to consummate the marriage and took that desire to the extreme in a seriously negative way and forced himself on his wife raping her. Yes this probably happens more than we think. And yes, it proves we can indeed end up lusting even after our own spouse. This is a serious problem.
     The problem is we don't understand the symbolism of marital relations. It has a symbol and a sacred purpose. Its purpose is to renew marital covenants to sacrifice yourself to your spouse when you get married; hence in multiple religions couples kneel across an altar and hold hands to symbolize that sacrifice and promise. Hence sex is a physical action depicting just that: taking the most sacred and powerful part of you and controling it in such a way to fulfill your spouses needs for love and connection. The point most people miss is that if both husband and wife are doing it right then both will enjoy the moment the most. This isn't meant to stop us from enjoying sex, it is meant to enhance our ability to enjoy it. Satan would have us believe that we are just animals destined to follow our instincts and just fornicate and commit adultery just because we can't control our sexual impulses. I beg to differ. We are children of God and it's up to us to control our actions by controlling our thoughts. If we have inappropriate thoughts, just replace them with good ones. Let's stop acting like we have no choices and have to succomb to our base instincts and continue acting like mindless animals that can't control ourselves. We are far more than that and it is time we started acting like it. It's up to us to get rid of pornography, fornication and adultery or else we will be punished severely for our actions. Sex is a power to create life, and we are stewards of that power fumbling along trying to use it the way God would want us to. We can and should do so much better.