Be sure to read up on the chemistry of lust, attraction and attachment:
I use to think that men were more stimulated by sexy appearances/pics. Research shows I was wrong. The quote below is unsettling and brings up a plethora of questions in my mind... but explains another reason women like to post sexy or seductive photos all over media (why I can't stand instagram)... they are getting attention from men and women... by giving dopamine hits to both. Dopamine is addictive... it makes you want more of whatever it was that gives you the hit = addiction. Sexy photos gets both to want more of your photos. It causes both sexes to want more exposure of skin and less and less clothing for greater doses, to fulfill the addiction. It gets people coming back for more, wanting stronger hits with quantity and stonger stimulation/doses.
"study also found that men’s brains responded more strongly to nude female images, but women’s brains responded with equal intensity to nude males and females."
-https://www.elitedaily.com/p/what-happens-in-your-brain-whe…
-https://www.elitedaily.com/p/what-happens-in-your-brain-whe…
Apparently women bodies and nudity excite both men and women. I still try to wrap my mind around why that is, and makes me worried that women are naturally bisexual or something.
Lust= wanting something so badly and doing things to get it. Thoughts of lust, lead to other things. Must think it, then people do the action. Like coveting leads to theft or scheming to get what is coveted or deeply wanted. Some people lust after materialism, or power and get their chemical hits that way too.
Lust, in the way of wanting to do something to fulfill sexual gratification, is taught in scripture to be avoided (except and unless in the proper situation with a spouse). Kissing and cuddling is nice and produces dopamine and good bonding attraction chemicals... but careful when it's nearing or bordering the excretion of testosterone and estrogen, which makes you want more. The kiss of affection or the cuddling in attachment/bonding, can lead to more. After marriage, cross that line as you both wish. Before, use extreme caution and self control.
As a single guy, I am definately attracted to beautiful women, and searching for love is difficult in our modern times, because you have to avoid the seductive manipulative immorally corrupt nonsense our world is full of. You have to work hard to avoid getting sucked into the dopamine hits that naturally come from those ladies posting in their profiles the bikini pics or seductive/sexy poses to attract (or manipulate/seduce) attention. Being single is lonely. Especially after being married for a long time. Difficult as it is. You miss attachment/bonding, attraction and even romantic ok to have lustful connection formerly had in the past with a spouse. You have to work hard to avoid having anything more than attraction or attachment chemicals flowing. If you are human, it is hard.
Immorality is discussed in scripture. It's part of being virtuous. God does expect true Christian types to adhere to modesty in their dress, and avoiding causing problems in an already morally corrupt world. God wants a set apart people. People to come out from Babylon or the corrupt ways of the world and be His Covenant people. If a woman or man, is posting too much skin in their social media or dating profiles, is it not true that you are adding to a corrupt societal problem? If you dress sexy, act seductive, or post sexually enticing pics, post a little a alot of cleavage, hike that skirt higher, post those bikini pics in places not related to swimming activity, show off that 6-pack to the ladies, or whatever... are you not adding to the problem? If most people are normal humans or weak and easily excited in our day, surely you cannot think that it is only their fault for thinking such things. If science proves that both men and women are naturally affected with chemicals in the mind when seeing such things... are not the men or women wearing and posting such things, or acting in seductive ways, causing others or at least making it possible for them to do so, to lust after them? Causing them to seek greater mind chemical hits? Causing addiction and seeking of other harmful things? Not just the luster is guilty, but the lustee (is that a word?) can be held accountable for provoking/causing the lust in the first place. Christ taught to avoid any appearance of evil, surely this should be considered one of them.
Some want to defend their stubbornness of wanting to do what they want. Say they want to do and wear what they want and it's the fault of the luster. Even use anger and insults and accusations and fault finding against one who writes or speaks against their ideas. Label others as religious fanatics for bringing it up. Claiming that they are not at fault. But it's not true. Science proves. Common sense and reasonable and logical pondering should be enough to conclude whats right in society.
And what really gets me is all those women who are engaged or married or with a committed boyfriend, continuing to post sexy photos like they are still searching for someone else... and in some cases probably are. Married women are acting like the single ones. Some don't even realize the worldy error they find themselves in and are past feeling to such things. Without remorse/care/awareness/empathy/virtue.
Lust, backed by dopamine hits and other feel good chemicals... can lead to error. Lusting or wanting to fulfill sexual gratification, whether you do it or provoke it, can lead to error such as porn, fornication, cheating, adultery, even abortion and murder. It can lead to destruction of individuals, relationships, marriages and families and even entire nations of people. Who wants to support that? When people lust after worldy things, or the opposite sex when they are not supposed to... they are "whoring" after the things of the world. Anything that removes us from the presence of God in our lives, is fornication of heart away from God. We are removing our hearts from God. A married woman, who cheats, does not fornicate, but commits adultery. But she can fornicate her heart away from her husband and go after enticements of men or get into seducing others while married. Bible doesn't talk much about fornication in regards to relations before marriage, but it's obvious to avoid to prevent std's, unwanted pregnancies. Abortion is the number one cause of death in the USA and around the world now. Which is nothing ore than a way to cover the sexual immorality and unvirtuous societies. And yes, lust, can lead all up to murder or crime to get what you want. You want something bad enough, some will go for it. They will steal what is not theirs to have. They will scheme and deceive. Remember Delilah/Sampson, David/Bathseeba, etc. All the crimes of passion we see filling our news.
Who wants to be held liable and accountable for causing more problems in our immoral world? A world ripe for destruction in the last days? Do you want to provoke or do it? Adding to an out of control problem?
God wants a set apart people. People fight other faiths, claiming to be the true-Christians, while doing un-Christian things. God wants a people filled with intelligence and understanding. Filled with His spirit/light to understand how is the best way to live and get along in society. The whys. God wants us to come out from the ways of the world. To come out of Babylon and no longer partakers of their sins. He does want Emotionally stable and secure people. In control of their passions and emotions. Examples to the world.
Everything we do, matters. What we think. What we say. What we do especially. Yes, even what we wear and post on social media. If you are single, attract others with your goodness and amazing personality and spirituality, and your decent attractive photos.
Is there also another reason people do such things? Like in the world of psychology, a deeply rooted reason why some are posting seductive/sexy pics or wearing such in public? Yes. They vainly portray their beauty or sexyness, to cover up personality/mood/emotional problems within. They attract (and sometimes manipulate and seduce) in other ways, to make up for a lack in others. The unstable and insecure do those things. So be careful and informed in those things as well.
Is there also another reason people do such things? Like in the world of psychology, a deeply rooted reason why some are posting seductive/sexy pics or wearing such in public? Yes. They vainly portray their beauty or sexyness, to cover up personality/mood/emotional problems within. They attract (and sometimes manipulate and seduce) in other ways, to make up for a lack in others. The unstable and insecure do those things. So be careful and informed in those things as well.
Love God. Love others. Love ourselves. Healthy balance in all.
Timothy 2: 9-10 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;Peter 3: 3-4 “Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;
Proverbs 31:25-30
1 corinthians 6: 15-20
2 Timothy 3: 1-7
1 Corinthians 13: 4-8
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; is not arrogant or rude. She does not insist on her own way; is not irritable or resentful; He does not rejoice over evil deeds, but rejoices with the truth. Love carries all things, creates all things, expects all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for the prophecies, they will pass; As for tongues, they will cease; As for knowledge, it will disappear.
Galatians 5: 19-21
Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Mark 7: 20-23
And he said: “What comes out of a person is what contaminates him. Because from within, from the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deception, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these bad things come from within and contaminate a person. "
What is sensuality?
Matthew 5:28
But I tell you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intentions has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Revelation 21: 8
But as for the cowards, the infidels, the detestables, like the murderers, the immoral, the sorcerers, the idolaters and all the liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death " .
1 Thessalonians 4: 3-5
Because this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you knows how to control your own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the gentiles who do not know God;
Colossians 3: 5
Therefore what is in you dies: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire and greed, which is idolatry.
1 Corinthians 6:13
"Food is for the stomach and the stomach for food," and God will destroy one and the other. The body is not for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.
2 Corinthians 12:21
I am afraid that when I return, my God will humble me before you, and I will have to cry for many of those who sinned before and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality and sensuality they have practiced.
Jude 1: 4
Because certain people have gone unnoticed to those who long ago were designated for this condemnation, impious people, who pervert the grace of our God in sensuality and deny our only Teacher and Lord, Jesus Christ.
Etc, Etc