Renowned luminaries throughout history have waxed eloquently on this issue. William Shakespeare said, ‘‘This is the monstrosity in love, lady, that the will is infinite and the execution confined; that the desire is boundless,and the act a slave to limit.” In other words, we have difficulty satisfying our sexual desires.

In 1976 President Jimmy Carter was ridiculed for his remarks in a Playboy interview. He said, ‘‘I’ve looked on a lot of women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times.”

When it comes to rap music, you might agree with one critic who declares, ‘‘DJ Lust on a mixtape is like milk on cereal...it just works!” Like these commentators, the Jewish, Christian and Islamic faiths also address lust.

Proverbs 6:25 cautions, ‘‘Do not lust in your heart after her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes.” Matthew 5:27-28 expands upon the seventh commandment: ‘‘You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall notcommit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” The Prophet Muhammad says, ‘‘Staring is one of the arrows of Satan.” Elsewhere, he explained, ‘‘You are allowed to have the first accidental look (which isunintentional), but do not continue to stare.”

These references remind me of my own foibles. On oneoccasion, while admiring beautiful, scantily-clad nymphs and commenting on their virtues, a devout friend recommended that I practice chastity of the eyes rather than the eyeball liberty that consumed me. This brings us to best-practices that will assist us in overcoming the temptation to lust.

Chastity of the eyes describes the practice of diverting your attention elsewhere. Stop staring.

Modesty in dress is essential, out of concern for our neighbor. Ladies, low-cut jeans, with a peak-a-boo tat and exposed thong, attracts roving eyes. Men, six pack abs and bulging biceps can cause another to burn with desire. Don’t cause others to stumble.

TV programming and any movie rated other than ‘‘G” is often sexually explicit. Monitor your consumption. Pornography, in print or online, is a minefield thatdestroys lives. Men and women will not fall victim to this multi-billion dollar industry if there are no consumers. Avoid pornography.

Boundaries are important. Our sexuality is to be exercised within appropriate limits, for the good of our neighbor.

In 1989, Hillary Clinton was invited the famous evangelist, Billy Graham, to lunch; Graham declined and said, ‘‘I don’t eat with beautiful women alone” and met her in a hotel dining room instead. He was primarily concerned about his public image.

Married couples, protect the sanctity of your marriage. Sociologists study hooking-up and other trends in thesexual revolution, while doctors combat sexually transmitted diseases.

Singles, abstinence is worth a try. All of these best practices help us to not abuse our freedom.

God has given us many good things that, when abused, become our downfall. We are free to focus on the created instead of the Creator. In other words, our craving for sex can become our god. That’s idolatry. Sex is good within appropriate limits. Desire is a necessary part of the equation if we are to continue the species. But, a self-indulgent and⁄or violent craving for sex is not what God desires for us. Jimmy Carter said, ‘‘I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times.... This is something that God recognizes, that I will do and have done, and God forgives me for it.” Will we fall short? I know I have. Thankfully, God forgives and assists us to live better lives.

Editor’s Note: This is the second of a seven-part series on the ‘‘Seven Deadly Sins.”

Schedule of Services
All Services are held in the U.S. Marine Memorial Chapel unless otherwise stated. For more information, call theCommand Chaplain’s Office at 703-784-2131.

Roman Catholic
Sunday
9 a.m., 12 p.m. Mass
10:30 a.m. Religious Education

Monday – Friday
11:30 a.m. Mass

Protestant
9 a.m. Sunday School

10:30 a.m. Quantico Community
ChristianWorship

TBS Worship Schedule
Protestant Service 9 a.m.
O’Bannon Hall
3rd Deck Chapel

Islamic
Friday Jumah
Noon

Daily Dhuhr
1:15 p.m.

Jewish
For information call the Fort Belvoir Jewish Chaplain’sOffice at 703-806-4316 or Quantico’s Jewish Lay Leader, retired Lt. Col. Mike Haas, at 540-657-5658.