Lust, Libido: Feelings Fueled from Fantasy (not Genetics!)

Is lust for sexual immorality made right simply because it feels natural?  Our hormonal impulses seem to tell us this, but is it really so?  Does simply feeling the urge for something make it the right thing to do?  Pedophiles have sexual preferences.  Should they be free to exercise their desires?   Murderers and Rapists have certain orientations. Should their proclivities grant them privilege in society? Does simply feeling you were born a certain way prove the disposition to be normal or even healthy? People are born with defects and handicaps all the time and we hardly regard them as such.   So simply having conditions from birth does not somehow prove they are normal or good by themselves.
  I mentioned in my previous post regarding sexual immorality how God labels these feelings of lust as perversions of our real desires and that we are not just born that way. So what are they exactly perversions of?  Scripture tells us that people were not fashioned simply for sex but for the Lord and that all those sexually immoral longings that belong to our earthly nature are really spawned from the idolatry in our heads. 

“The Body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord…” I Cor 6:12-13

“Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed which is idolatry.” Col 3:5

What does idolatry mean in plain language?   Idolatry is a compound biblical term that simply means ‘to serve an image.’  In contemporary culture, we would call it trying to live out your kinky fantasy.  Let’s face it.  Images set standards of beauty in our culture, romanticizing about them make them attractive to us, and we want to emulate/re-enact all that we glorify.   Advertisers would not spend billions of dollars promoting their products with images unless this strategy actually worked on people.    Men use pornography to fantasize about the girl next door.  Women fantasize by reading the latest romance novel or erotica.  They both do it for one reason alone- fulfillment!  All these images are what create those sexually immoral impulses inside us and what make them feel as if they are second nature to us.  I will address why pornography and erotica will never satisfy and the impact these industries have on our society in separate posts.  The fact remains that our feelings and impulses really do emerge from our train of thoughts.   Regardless of how strong a flame burns, a fire will always die out without a perpetual source of fuel to sustain them.  People really show this to be true when they use terms such as ‘that is such a turn off’ or ‘she turns me on.”  Passions cannot fly high without ideas first feeding them.  Knowing this fact is also the key to overcoming them.  As we take our thoughts captive and make them obedient to Jesus Christ, our feelings for what is right will naturally follow.

Related Links:
Why Should I avoid Sexual Immorality?
Lust, Love contrasts defined: One Worship, the Other Charity
Lust,Desperation-why it is unattractive.
Why Lust always turns Kinky and Perverted
Why Lust Abominable?:The Void Brings the Worst Animal Out in You