lust

Lust is any intense desire or craving, usually sexual, although it is also common to speak of a "lust for life", "lust for blood (bloodlust for short)", or a "lust for power" or other goals.

As a sexual term, lust implies a sexual desire in and of itself, an erotic arousal and wish, or intense physical or sexual attraction or craving. In this sense, it is considered a vice by Christianity if directed toward someone who is not one's spouse, and is listed as one of the seven deadly sins of Catholicism and its related denominations. Kam, a concept in Sikhism often translated as lust, is similarly included as one of the Five Evils. The Greek word which translates as lust is επιθυμια (epithumia), which also is translated as covet.

Etymology

The word derives from the Old English term for desire, and ultimately from a Germanic which also originated High German lust 'wish, desire'. In German language, the word lust denotes simply "joy".

Obsolete uses include lust in the sense of pleasure, or relish.

"Lust" conveys a more primal, visceral, tone than other words for sexual desire. "Lust" evokes savage, sweating, gut-wrenching coupling that is not easily associated with the more intellectual, poetic variety of "love-making" described in many texts and dictionaries.

Perceptions

Some people see lust as the purest form of love.^{citation needed]} This viewpoint argues that being a pure emotional wish, based upon physical attraction, frees lust from the constraints of emotional baggage (or negative inner conceptual responses), and respects it for what it is, the direct emotional inner instinct and desire of one person, to carnally know and be intimate with another. ^{citation needed]}

On the other hand, many people acknowledge that feelings of lust do not always imply feelings of love, and they make a strong distinction between the terms lust and love. Love has many definitions, but it is general the word implies a concern for the well-being of the other person as well as carring a more "pure" connotation (See Love for more details), whereas lust in the average person is often more a product of their own libidinal urge than it is a product of a desire for the well-being of the objects of lust, although the two can certainly co-exist. Others consider lust ultimately incompatible with, or unrelated to love.

Some denominations of Christianity believe that receiving or desiring to receive any form of pleasure from any sexual activities, such as lust is an act of selfishness.

The view aspect of lust as an inappropriate desire has led to its metaphorical extended use in other forms of desire to signify overwhelming desire or craving, such as a lust for power, success, or recognition. It has also been used in the sense of intense eagerness or enthusiasm, such as a lust for life.

Biblical

The book of 1 John specifically refers to lust as being two of the three false things in the world: "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world."

Catholicism

In Catholicism, lust is subdivided into six categories: fornication, adultery, rape, incest, seduction, and unnatural vice.

Fornication and adultery are similar in that they both pertain to having sex outside of marriage. They differ in that the former pertains to situations where neither partner is married, whereas the latter pertains to situations in which one or both partners are married, but not to each other.

Rape is the act of forcibly penetrating someone without their consent. Rape victims are not considered by the Catholic Church to have lost their virginity.

Incest is the act of sexual intercourse between individuals who are blood related, for example, those who are siblings, or between a parent and his or her child.

Seduction is the act of purposely inducing feelings of lust in someone else.

References

• Gabriele Froböse, Rolf Froböse, Michael Gross (Translator). Lust and Love: Is it more than Chemistry? [1]Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry, 2006 ISBN 0-85404-867-7

Shakespeare's Sonnet No:129

Shakespeare tells the effect of lust in his famous Sonnet no 129

The expense of spirit in a waste of shame

Is lust in action; and till action, lust

Is perjured, murderous, bloody, full of blame,

Savage, extreme, rude, cruel, not to trust,

Enjoy'd no sooner but despised straight,

Past reason hunted, and no sooner had

Past reason hated, as a swallow'd bait

On purpose laid to make the taker mad;

Mad in pursuit and in possession so;

Had, having, and in quest to have, extreme;

A bliss in proof, and proved, a very woe;

Before, a joy proposed; behind, a dream.

All this the world well knows; yet none knows well

To shun the heaven that leads men to this hell

See also

• Lothario, Blackguard
• Lecherous Limericks
• Virtues: Love, Romantic love, List of ethics topics
• Vices: Seven deadly sins
• Sexual love: List of sexology topics, Sexual attraction, Libido, Sexual relationships between demons and humans, Lust in demons, Asmodai, Impassibility, Seduction, Pornography
• Sexual function
• Other: Brighella, Just Like That, Music of Cape Verde, Julana
• Sermon on the Mount

External links

Surveys

• NEW Survey about Sexual Desire The sexual desire as a significant aspect of the Human Sexual Behavior

Other

• "The Seven Deadly Sins: Lust". A Look at Lascivious Pleasure. NPR.
• 'The Punishment of Lust' (1891)
• Building a healthy lust and romantic love for the person you love
• Stories Of Lust and Love. Romantic Literature