1997-12-16-Sexuality – Part 2
Pittsburgh #68
Contents
• 1 Heading
o 1.1 Topic: Sex, Part 2
o 1.2 Group: Pittsburgh TeaM
• 2 Facilitators
o 2.1 Teacher: Tomas
o 2.2 TR: Gerdean
• 3 Session
o 3.1 Dialogue
o 3.2 Closing
• 4 See also
Topic: Sex, Part 2
Group: Pittsburgh TeaM
Facilitators
Teacher: Tomas
TR: Gerdean
Session
Dialogue
LEAH: I feel that your answer was exceedingly beautiful. We were wondering about the appropriateness of lust, but not flagrant lust. I mean, I suppose it’s like the appetizer or something.
TOMAS: You may find this amusing, but I discussed lust many years ago and I have not changed my opinion. Lust is one of those words that has a negative connotation when that is not necessarily necessary. You have heard of a lust for life. You have heard of a lust for good or drink or dancing. A lust is a deep hunger. Can you not equate having lust to having a deep hunger and thirst for righteousness? Indeed, in removing your prejudice from the word lust, can you not conceive that the greatest lust of all is the lust to know the Father? that it surpasses all other desires? that it is the passion that drives you? day by day, to know the Father and to do His will? the most supreme of all lusts?
Now, this is a goal, not a current condition, perhaps, but even in terms of your understanding of lust, it is possible to experience a lust for beauty, a lust for intimacy, a lust for togetherness. Lust is not, in and of itself, a negative.
It has been given negative overtones, however, because it is regarded historically as one of those seven deadly sins that at one time stood in the way of righteousness for it has been known to rule men and women completely, blinding them to higher values and greater callings. And so in terms of evolution, it has been necessary to curtail rampant lust, certainly, so that one can take a look at what it is and gain self-mastery.
Love is the most important emotion and feeling and expression, and when you have given yourself to love, to the Father in love, when he has given Himself to you, in love, and perhaps through another individual, in love, as you love, you may love lustily Love is the greatest. It is a matter of having your priorities in order, perhaps. I hope I have not offended any minds by my study of the human vocabulary.
LEAH: I don’t know whether you have or not, but your answer makes the human condition a lot more understandable/.
TOMAS: It is very important that you understand the human condition. Not just your human condition, and not just your human condition today, but having a full and thorough-going understanding of the evolution of the human being, from its origin and through its growth into its current state and even anticipating its destiny, it is indeed one of the wonderful facets of the textbook The Urantia Book that you are given a full sweep of your evolution so far.
The growth of the human being is nothing short of spectacular, from the inception of life through the auspices of the Life Carrriers in the touch of the Mother millions of years ago, up to and including December 16, 1997, and so yes, it is good to have the entire perspective. Not just today; not just one lifetime; not even just one generation or one civilization, but the full spectrum of evolution, and you understand more about how it is that you can allow yourselves, from your advanced state, to appreciate and enjoy pleasure, food, travel, companionship. These are the results of your long upward struggle.
LEAH: I think in a way, our discussion was: are we not spiritizing if we lean toward or consider the sensual aspects of life, or possibly are we ungodly if we speculate on them, or . .. I don’t know! It just seemed to be an awful lot of soul-searching going on here in relation to . …
TOMAS: You are very conscientious, my daughters. Recall that not long ago I spoke at length regarding the Everglades of the emotions, and part of this realm is the sensual. It is part of the emotional and physical facet of being a human being. You can wander around in the sensual realms as readily as you can wander around in the emotional realms, and there is nothing wrong with the senses in and of themselves, as there is nothing wrong with the emotions, in and of themselves. It is when you become stuck in them, or lost in them, when they begin to destroy you or others that they become a detriment and a problem.
And so as you keep your spiritual core intact, as you keep your alignment appropriate, as I am inclined to want to say, “your ducks in a row”, you can visit the emotional realms, you can visit the sensual realms, without guilt and without shame. Do you not enjoy in your culture occasionally a steak? or for those of you who are vegetarian, a spinach salad or artichoke? some sensual delight? Do you not enjoy your Mozart and your Bach? or even your Beatles? and are they not in their own right, a sensual delight?
Do you not enjoy the feeling of a fresh mountain stream trickling over your toes on a hot summer day? Do you not enjoy, by the same token, the feeling of a hot mineral spring bubbling up to warm your marrow in your bones on a cold winter day? These are sensual facets that are entirely open to your indulgence, your nurturance, your enjoyment, your total delight.
The warmth of the sun on your back on a day in spring when you have been enclosed in winter doldrums is sensual. The wind in your hair, blowing it across your neck, is sensual. These are wonderful experiences of the human animal. They remind you of life. The smell of the rose is a sensual experience, and these are not a shame to experience. These are wonderful experiences, senses, for your pleasure. Part of life. So many, so many wonderful things to enjoy.
LEAH: So would you say that our discussion earlier this evening and our difficulty with it has a lot to do with the cultural taboo of discussing sex?
TOMAS: Unequivocally. There are cultures, incidentally, that have no bar against discussing it. There are cultures, even advanced cultures, that are much more natural about it. There are other cultures even on other worlds that handle it in an infinite variety of ways, and so the way that you have been taught is the way that you will perceive it to be. But that is not necessarily The Way. It is a cultural conditioning, having developed out of need and as a value, as any evolutionary thing will.
LEAH: Well, I thank you for your answers. I know it talks in The Urantia Book about sex being like adult play at times, but . .. maybe it’s just the shame thing or something that . .. I think that sex definitely can be a very spiritual experience, but I think that the general population would be appalled at a statement like that.
TOMAS: I am not going to be an agitator here on purpose, but I will do some extent allow this equation of the taboo against the sexual nature being paralleled somewhat to the traditions of your evolved religions, i.e., structured. I am reminded that the only place that Jesus did not go was to the public baths where there was pronounced promiscuity. He, of course, did not discuss the mores, for they change from generation to generation, but he did standup to those traditions and beliefs that were counter to the reality of the relationship between man or woman and his or her God. And so he would renounce tradition of the church, of the Sanhedrin, on occasion.
And whereas you also can and will and do step out of the constraints of traditional religion into the freedom of a personal relationship with the living God, you are also free to step out of the constraints of traditional morality into the relationship with the Father through his sons and daughters.
As I indicated earlier, the sexual realm in an evolved and enlightened being, is a shadow of the spiritual realm, and it is entirely possible for the morontia bodies to play in the fields of the Lord in the physical realms as well as the spiritual realms. I am not inviting you to digress, boys and girls. I am inviting you to release the shackles that constrain your flight into self-esteem, self-respect, and freedom of you as an individual.
Throw off the guilt and shame of the past ages and walk free as an enlightened child of God in guidance of His way for you. He provides all things. All things.
Closing
TOMAS: I have a sense that the hour grows late and that perhaps we have extended far enough into this field of strange fruit. I will allow you to savor the taste of your senses in this context, and trust that you will not venture off into some inappropriate lusty venture without taking wisdom with you. Are there any other questions before we close for the evening?
I would like to stay and visit until the wee hours of the morning, and I know that there is a part of you that also enjoys our trysts. However, it is important, as Nebadonia indicated, that you take care of yourselves, and I, as your elder brother, as your doting Uncle Tomas, will tell you, my little nieces, my little daughters, little sisters, it is time for you to get some rest, for tomorrow is another day, a busy day in the life, filled with opportunities and decisions and delights of all sorts. Be at peace in your minds, children. Be at peace in your hearts and in your souls. Good night.
GROUP: Thank you, Tomas. Good night.
