Question of the Week: “How do you spiritually address suggestive, or sensual images in the media/entertainment?”

I used to deal with the pull of pornography. Although it seemed to bring satisfaction at the time, afterwards I would feel shameful, guilty and worthless. In fact the shame, guilt and worthlessness lasted a lot longer than any pleasure it seemed to give me. When the guilt became so painful, I prayed to understand that only God and the things of Spirit were truly long lasting and satisfying. I prayed to understand that my true nature was spiritual, not material, and that I was only attracted to things that were good and pure and honest. After a few months of praying I was again pulled into looking at pornography except this time right as I was looking at one of the pictures it just dawned on me that there was no satisfaction in what I was doing. Without a struggle, I threw the pictures in a garbage can. I didn’t really know I was healed at that point. It wasn’t until a year later I had to work for a man in his house. There was a closet in the room I was working in with the doors left open. Inside it were piles of pornography. I was not the least bit curious to look at any of it. I knew at that time the healing was permanent. Spirituality.com site visitor

Handling sensual images - in the media or in our own thoughts - comes down to how we identify ourselves and the people around us. When I feel hypnotized by sensuality, or impressed with it, I think to myself “I am not a sensual mortal. I am spiritual. And I am only attracted to purity, beauty, grace. God alone controls and directs me. I am not controlled by animal instincts or my body. Every single individual is a spiritual idea of God, and my connection to each idea is pure, refreshing and uplifting.” And this frees me from limiting myself and my fellow man! Jennifer, United States

I like to exercise my God—given power of choice and choose not to engage in it myself most of the time. I measure my investment of time and attention in going, for example, to a movie, by whether I will feel inspired from the experience. Given the preparation to go, admission cost, sit time, engaging with the experience and returning to my home-how does the movie measure up? If it passes my test-I’m eager to go; if not, I don’t go. Charles, Boston, Massachusetts, United States

I remember my father-in-law saying once that there was “nothing new under the sun,” which made me realize that if sensuality brought real, lasting happiness, the world would have been pretty happy, a long, long time ago. So, when I see the ads, I just think “Well, happiness isn’t really there, is it?” And then, I think about where it really is...in spiritual things, God-like thinking and giving. Deb, Petaluma, California, United States

I like to defend my thought against the suggestions of what I would call “self- indulgence.” To me anything, such as suggestive or sensual images would be a form of self-indulgence. It would try to pull my thought towards a false sense of self or a self other than the child of God, my/our true spiritual sense which is more of how I want to identify myself and others. I love the thought that there is only one Ego, one God and I don’t have an ego or self separate from that Ego. I can’t be attracted or pulled towards the sensual and away from the spiritual because there is really only one compelling force and that is Spirit, God, good. So my prayer would be: “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled” (Matthew 5:6). Our thoughts and actions will be filled with a sense of God’s goodness which always satisfies and which extinguishes self-indulgence or indulgence in the sensual. Renee, Bend, Oregon, United States

I use the mute button a lot—and a mental “delete” key. Seriously, I find myself praying for the elevation and protection of women globally. There are so many places in the world where women are regarded as property. In Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy connects the qualities “purity and innocence” (see the definition of BRIDE, p. 582). These qualities are powerful. Prayerful consideration of them will protect women—and liberate men from enslaving sensual thinking. Mell, Kenmore, Washington, United States

True entertainment cannot be tainted by anything that can blur God’s image. It can only uplift those who view it. Dee, Perth, Australia

Wow! This is a good, loaded question. We think it is important to address these issues first in one’s own thought, and in doing so, you help the world bit by bit to release itself from this false mental picture of sensuality and sin in which the media and entertainment worlds seem to love to indulge. The opposite of sensuality is purity and self-immolation. This includes, first and foremost, a love for God and man, as His image and likeness. This then branches out to a love for your neighbor as you love yourself. When you are busy knowing and loving your neighbor in this pure light, the false mental pictures of sensuality will not affect you or impress you and you have then done your part in helping to “leaven the lump” [of thought] (see Science and Health p. 329, p. 449). This is a blessing for all. Heidi and Linda Skok, Chardon, Ohio, United States