2018-08-09-Sexuality and Spirituality

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Topic: How to Make the Best of All Situations

Group: 11:11 Progress Group

Facilitators

Teacher: Prolotheos

TR: Valdir Soares

Session

  • São Carlos — SP, Brazil

Lesson

Prolotheos: “Sexuality and spirituality are for some religions and religious individuals, things that should be kept divorced from each other, the former being inherently impure and the latter eminently pure. However, nothing or nobody is impure of itself, himself or herself. Gender and sexuality are not qualifiers for spirituality. God is no respecter of persons. Evil and sin appear when a malicious, prejudicial or irreverent attitude is projected against God, His divine associates, or creation. Evil is a distortion, perversion or corruption of anything and anybody that reflects or pursues the values of goodness, truth, and beauty. Sin is a ‘maladaptation’ of the will of God. How does sexuality relate to spirituality?

1. Sexuality Conveys Spirituality when it Expresses Love.

“Sexuality in animals is instinct only, but in humans, is an ability to be coordinate by will or choice. Instinct is still present in human beings, a legacy from their former animal state, before being bestowed with Personality. However, after receiving the gift of personality, human beings are also rational, moral and spiritual. Sexuality, practiced only as a response to an instinct, may placate a physical urge but doesn't bring lasting satisfaction. Moral and spiritual satisfaction come when sexuality is a donation of the self to serve as an instrument of happiness or satisfaction to a partner, and that needs to be more than a mere urge from the libido, it needs sexuality to be a way to express unselfishly love.

2. Sexuality Inhibits Spirituality when it’s Mixed with Malice.

“Spirituality may carry the sex experience through the spiritual channels of the Universe if linked to real love and spiritual values. However, sexuality by itself is not capable of producing spirituality, and when divorced of divine values it is just a carnal expression of the self and even less if it is mixed with malicious actions and attitudes like violence, abuse, debasing of the self or others, or corrupting moral values, it becomes a means for evil and sin and represents a hindrance to spirituality itself. Sexuality (sexual activity) is a reproductive process of great importance to human continuation, not a sin or impure by itself, but it also is not a spiritual virtue or conductor -- when apart from spiritual values.

3. Sexuality Exalts Spirituality when it’s Mastered by Respect.

“In life, the hierarchy of values is: first, spirit, then mind and lastly, matter (the physical). The material is over-controlled both by mental (intellectual) and spiritual (divine) injunctions. Sexuality exerts an urge that cries for satisfaction, knows no boundaries, and drives behavior. Libido is a powerful force, indeed. However, when sexuality is controlled by mind or/and spirit it exalts this controller. Respect is a moral value originated in Goodness which can enable an individual to control sexuality (self-control). Self-control is also a fruit of the spiritual influences in human personality. To master sexuality (and it should be mastered) one needs to let the self be guided by the rational (intellect) and by the spiritual which for Urantians means the control of the Spirit Within, the Thought Adjuster in each normal individual.

Closing

“Therefore, my pupil, sexuality may or may not relate to spirituality, but of itself, it is neither a help nor an obstacle. It doesn't excite spirituality, but spirituality may include the experience of sexuality when it is an expression of real love and spiritual values. In association with malice sexuality certainly inhibits or precludes spirituality. However, it may exalt spirituality when respect, from a spiritual insight, over-controls sexuality bringing temperance, balance, and restraint to the whole personality expression. I am Prolotheos your teacher-tutor on High. Peace to all!”