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Great comments, both of you!

One related point is that if people are thinking of themselves as nothing more than a collection of atoms, molecules, and chemicals, living on earth by a series of meaningless accidents, with no more purpose than an amoeba, then every desire that flits through the mind might as well be acted upon. In such a meaningless existence, the only purpose is whatever instant gratification can be found, and why have any restrictions on same?

But when people consider that their existence is more than just the physical system, and the purpose of existence is more than just temporary flashes of whatever the senses or mind can gratify themselves with, the whole picture changes. A person who identifies as something more than just a collection of cravings, spurtings and electrical connections can tolerate or witness various desires that the mind may come up with, without being swayed by such desires. In fact, the desires come to be like clouds - they cover the sun for a while, and then blow away.

And the more crap we put in the mind via pornography and the viler types of entertainment, the darker and more vile our desires. Funny, that.

[Thanks for the previous affirmation!]

In such a meaningless existence, the only purpose is whatever instant gratification can be found, and why have any restrictions on same?

Yeah, the step into secular materialism often starts philosophically with something like the darwinian "creation" story and it ends with a person who is devoted to his own appetites.
Isn't this the only "logical" option? [without any knowledge of God, that is] Logically the blind [those without any knowledge of God] will become Epicureans, devoted wholly to their own sensual pleasure, within certain "reasonable" bounds of course.
And if you look at who we have become as a society of late, the balance of our population is teetering very closely to the majority operating out of pure self interest.

Only God can rescue us from this body of death preceeded by as much sensula pleasure as we can take, as I'm sure you know LJ. We need to be praying for our Nation and working with people locally, that it/they would see its/their sin for what it is and repent.

ThirstyMan