Sinning? In your dreams...

I don't know how I could document this, but it seems to me I recall Augustine apologizing to God for his sex dreams, but excusing them somehow or other in a way I forget, something along the lines of "nature" just kind of doing its thing or something like that. I have no idea if it's sin but I think it's always a good thing to give it to God and ask for forgiveness if there's any doubt. How helpful I am, huh?A great argument against a celibate priesthood at least, it seems to me. Single people are only too vulnerable to this kind of temptation if they aren't called to celibacy. It is a calling for some, but it's pretty rare.The obvious answer to the whole thing, Iano, is to find yourself a wife.

I'm not sure dreams about 'sinning' are restricted to single people. Oooo! an EvC wedding? should I buy a new hat?

Go buy a hooker and put an end to your uncertainty.

This seems to contradict the fact that I was judging things at the time: evaluating, weighing up pros and cons - in the same way as I am familiar with me doing this normally. Then decision: conscious, deliberate decision. The m.o. was very me.The way I would avoid the pitfall of adultery (for example) is clear the area long before I entered this final round (prevention). The dream had me in a position where the prevention measures had failed. I strongly suspect that were I put in a similar, real life, situation then my choice would be the same - prevention measures cannot be guarenteed to work in real life so the dream situation could well occur. I discern no difference - it was as 'me' as could be. Guilt? There is no reason to feel guilty about sin unless I was to deny it was a sin and justify it to myself - the guilt would soon build up. Repent, be done with it. Be forgiven. There is nothing to feel guilty about if you are clean and innocent (yet again). Guilt is Satans gig enabled by my own denial. God doesn't do guilt - although he will use it to further his ends.In this case I'm not sure so repent of it as though it were. On reflection during the day I suspect that it was sinful - this on the basis of decision making being as real as could be.

That's what I figured earlier today and that is what I did. Its not like it's much of a bother. Dreams of any description arrive about 4 times a year for me. But I'm working on your suggestion - just a couple of dates so far - a smart Christian girl - who happens to be a psychologist. On our first date I was mildy aware of the possibility of a Freudian slip (okay I know that psychoanalysis but like...) and mentioned it in passing. Later she sent me a text to say she enjoyed the date and finished off with a..."Sweat dreams"Oh dear.... Edited by iano, : No reason given.

Okay, I'm confused. I thought you valued your Christianity as being the real thing compared to Catholics, and moderates and liberals because you had an actual personal relationship with Jesus and they didn't. Maybe I misunderstood you. So if you have this personal relationship with Jesus why not ask him? Why bring your question to EvC?lfen

There are various ways in which the relationship is made manifest. One can turn to his word, one can ask him directly, one can seek the council of saints (the views of other Christians), he can communicate unbidden etc.Its not a crisis Lfen, I thought I'd put it up here for interests sake - another angle to be considered.Personally, I have consulted him and considered it through the day. On reflection I think I made a decision in a dream that I would have had made were I in a real life situation so it is splitting hairs to say "it was just a dream" That would imply that the physical world was the main stage on which all things get played out - and there is no particular reason to suppose that for a person who accepts a spiritual realm being the primary one.So I asked forgiveness earlier in the day and the issue is dealt with. Done.Any relationship is a complex affair and posing simplistic "why don't you do this" doesn't take into account that complexity. And that is just relationship with other human beings. This is God I am dealing with - and that relationship is quite a young one at the moment.

Sounds like a hypnopompic hallucination rather than a dream. These we often thought to be demons tempting people as it would often involve lurid erotic dreams.Perfectly normal and not something you can really control. In the dream you had an illusion of free will. It may seem like we make decisions but we just pup it all together as we awake into some kind of order.Think the association cortex does this bit, I'm sure area V2 does the vision bit. It fires like crazy when we dream or hallucinate.You are no more sinning than if you wake up with a boner.

Sounds like a scientific attempt to explain dreams. Tentitive. As is my own conclusion - which errs on the side of sin (becauze I'm no stranger to it atall atall)That you in the photo Larni (I mean the less pretty one)?

As I understand it, everybody dreams every night - they just don't always remember. I find that if I make a conscious effort to remember, I can remember three or four dreams per night.So, you're probably sinning up a storm in your dreams. (By the way, I have never committed adultery in my dreams. I usually just can't find my shoes.)

---

Help scientific research in your spare time. No cost. No obligation.
Join the World Community Grid with Team EvC

funny I've had that one a few times...Is that a sin?

Depends where you find them... brothel, opium den....

---

Help scientific research in your spare time. No cost. No obligation.
Join the World Community Grid with Team EvC

You are awful Ringo (your doctrine that is) but I like you (your humor that is).

When my wife dreams that I have been unpleasant in some way towards her, she won't speak to me for the first 10 minutes of the day. Should I repent for what I did to her in HER dream? She certainly thinks so But don't worry, it's just a night time visitation of a succubus. It's when the incubi start calling you have to really worry

I think you meant "awesome", not "awful". Since I don't like absolutes (for the most part), "some" describes me better than "full".

---

Help scientific research in your spare time. No cost. No obligation.
Join the World Community Grid with Team EvC