For Christian (or not Christian, everyone's welcome) fapstronauts

Part of my summer to-do list is (re)reading the entire New Testament. Last week I re-read St. Paul's letter to the Romans, and I found it very inspirational. For those who are agnostics, atheists, or of a non-Christian faith background, you will still probably find St. Paul's writings helpful and inspirational as well, with an open mind. So without further ado, I want to share with you a quote from Romans that pierced my heart and really summed up my own battle with PMO.


"We know that the Law is spiritual; but I am a mortal man, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do; for I don't do what I would like to do, but instead I do what I hate. Since what I do is what I don't want to do, this shows that I agree that the Law is right. So I am not really the one who does this thing; rather it is the sin that lives in me. I know that good does not live in me - that is, in my human nature. For even though the desire to do good is in me, I am not able to do it. I don't do the good I want to do; instead, I do the evil that I do not want to do. But that I do what I don't want to do, this means that I am no longer the one who does it; instead, it is the sin that lives in me." (Romans ch. 7, vv. 14-20)

When I read this, I read my own struggle. Paul was not actually speaking about any particular sin that he struggled with. He was outlining his theological understanding of the Gospel, and to really get it you'd need to read the whole letter. But reading this particularly was powerful for me. Many times I have dealt with overwhelming guilt and disgust with myself. But Paul's words encourage me, because he says that the fact that one struggles and hates what he does means that it isn't him who is evil or sinful or bad, it is the external evil temptations, forces, whatever you want to call them, that live in him, or attack him. You aren't fundamentally bad, you aren't disgusting, you aren't evil. You are good. But you are weak and succumb to forces that are at times stronger than you. As someone with a background in psychological sciences, I know that self-control and the ability to resist temptation is a function of neurological wiring in the pre-frontal area of the brain, and that this area is plastic. Let's keep on struggling and re-wire our brains. No pain, no gain. Never despair or begin to think poorly of yourself. Rather than feeling guilty and suffering, let's purge and purify. No matter what your personal beliefs are, remember Paul's words: "I am not really the one who does this thing; rather it is the sin that lives in me."

Have a great day.