~ ummm Unclean thoughts ~

[coloryoursoul]

Thoughts are not as bad as actions I know that. But recently.. like fot the past year I have been having really unclean thoughts~ I tend to start feeling pretty guilty now a days, because the law of chastity says your should be clean in your thoughts~>...< So, what do I do now??? I think part of the problem might be my non mormon friends saying how im 20 and therefore need some love ~ but i really don;t know ...

[pam]

If your friends are able to influence your thoughts and actions, perhaps you need new friends that follow more towards your beliefs.

[coloryoursoul]

Yes I know that would be a good idea... tough there are no Mormons in my schools....

and also...I kinda pick a bunch of friends in the begginng of the year create my own comfort zone and stick in it... I guess I wasn't being careful... I just didn't wanna be alone..

Forsome reason I tend to think that bad friends are better than no friends... but know I don;t know... the fact that I havn't been to church since December isn't helping either... but during the years school work is just so much .... i have no time for anything eles I even quit my part time job >.<

[Guest Godless]

Is there an Institute program or a YSA ward in your area? Those would be great places to meet people who share your values if you can find time to attend.

[Jbs2763]

i've always heard when you have naughty thoughts to sing a primary song

[dazed-and-confused]

have you ever seen pictures of a hurricane where trees are being blown down? trees are often thought to be a symbol of strength...much stronger than grass, but in a great storm, trees are broken and/or blown down, while grass usually survives the storm better, not broken.

if the wind is the thought and you attempt to stand up strongly against it, it might be very difficult, whereas, if you bend alittle and let the thought pass over you, it might be easier.

i dont think you can use strength to battle these thoughts..the harder you try to "think" your way out of them, the more they will come into your mind.

next time this happens, try this, maybe it will help a bit.

when the thought comes in, acknowledge it for what it is, an impure thought, and then let it pass out of your mind and re-focus your mind on something else, a primary song, for instance, as was suggested by JBS, above.

there is no "instant fix" to this situation, it takes time and effort, but you can do it.

EVERYONE has, or has had, these thoughts...you're not alone in that.

follow the recommendations posted in this thread and you will find it easier to deal with.

prayers for you.

[Elgama]

a very wise Bishop used the following unchaste thought metaphor:

It doesn't matter if a pigeon lands on your head, but it does matter how long it stays and what it does whilst there. You are going to have unchaste thoughts for at least a fleeting moment fact is you are not completely out of the teenage bit and have raging hormones over next year or two they should settle down, however what you do have control over is chasing those thoughts away having a prayer, scripture or hymn you can use as a mantra. Don't let them stay long enough to move into action. Feeling an unreasonable level of guilt is going to cause you to obsess over them and cause the spirit to stay away longer than if you say I have had this thought its unrighteous its time for it to go.

With friends I too live in an area where other LDS are few and far between I do not look for friends with identical standards what I do look for is friends that respect mine and encourage me in them

-Charley

[coloryoursoul]

Thanks for all the great advicesss~ now im gonna have ta find me some primary songs ~;3

[Moksha]

Either:

1. Get thee to a nunnery go!

or

2. Get cats and take up macrame.

[Jbs2763]

YouTube - Mormon Children sing "I Am a Child of God"

[Dravin]

Just a warning with primary songs or hymns, you can if you really want to have both them and the thoughts in your head at the same time, while the songs are helpful to help focus your thoughts it is possible to have them just be background music to the inappropriate happenings in your mind and if you let that get on too long the songs can become associated with inappropriate thoughts.

Songs are a good help, but they're just a help, they aren't a sure fire fix.

As far as your friends tell them to knock off the talk you find inappropriate (or at least not helpful), if they're really your friends they shouldn't have troubles (with the idea) with trying to adjust their speech, though it may take some practice to get the habit established. Its no different then asking your friends to please not curse around you. You don't have to go all self-righteous on them, just ask them nicely if they can not do it.

[Hemidakota]

Thoughts are not as bad as actions I know that. But recently.. like fot the past year I have been having really unclean thoughts~ I tend to start feeling pretty guilty now a days, because the law of chastity says your should be clean in your thoughts~>...< So, what do I do now??? I think part of the problem might be my non mormon friends saying how im 20 and therefore need some love ~ but i really don;t know ...

I have to agree with Pam, you need to seek those who you wish to emulate. Seeing you are following non-members, if they are not living to your expectation, which is the pure Law of Chastity, then it is time to move on.

Some reading from the Church's Ensign reading:

Clean Thoughts, Pure Lives

in Bishop H. Burke Peterson, Ensign, 1984, Sept.

....) Eternal life is the blessing of the faithful. Developing purity of thought is a vital and important part of building faith and ... these unhealthy and unwholesome streams of experiences and thoughts. Evil acts are preceded by unrighteous thoughts,

Inspiring Music— Worthy Thoughts

in Boyd K. Packer, Ensign, 1974, Jan.

... may not, under our duty, provide or tolerate an unwholesome amusement on the theory that if we do not provide it ...of your mind. Because it is uplifting and clean, the baser thoughts will disappear. For while virtue, by choice, will not associate with filth...

Purify Our Minds and Spirits

in Bishop H. Burke Peterson, Ensign, 1980, Nov.

... In our infancy our minds are free from unrighteous and unwholesome thoughts. We are innocent and untouched by most of ... Evil acts are preceded by unrighteous thoughts. And unrighteous thoughts are born of vulgar stories, jokes, pictures, conversation,

Keeping Mentally Well

in Jan Underwood Pinborough, Ensign, 1990, Sept.

... at Church headquarters, explains: “If we are thinking unwholesome or negative thoughts, it’s going to show up in our ... conclusions about our own worth. The rewards for redirecting thoughts in a more positive direction are great. Depression can subside, ...

"Think on These Things"

in Bruce R. McConkie, Ensign, 1974, Jan.

...the world. And so with every other unwholesome, unclean, impure, and ungodly course. ... righteous. If virtue garnishes our thoughts unceasingly, our confidence shall wax ... songs of Zion in order to center our thoughts on wholesome things. I would like to add ...

[Guest Alana]

Impure thoughts really can be a pink elephant situation. Don't think about the pink elephant! Don't do it! Next thing you know, you're thinking about it, and feeling bad about it, then feeling bad for feeling bad about it and not stop thinking about it..ya, it just goes on and on. Like what was said before, realize what you're thinking, say ok, this is the thought. Then choose what do you want to think about. It's up to you. Impure thoughts can become a habit, and like most habits it takes little steps to change it. So, if you find yourself thinking 'i haven't been doing very good' instead of using it as an excuse to keep in that direction, or letting the guilt help you to shy away from what you should be doing, just start over again. And keep trying.

Also would like to encourage you to attend church. Attending church is a form of worship for our Heavenly Father, and it feeds us spiritually. I need that spiritual edification no matter what is going on in my busy mundane life, usually because of it.

[Guest Alana]

Just a warning with primary songs or hymns, you can if you really want to have both them and the thoughts in your head at the same time, while the songs are helpful to help focus your thoughts it is possible to have them just be background music to the inappropriate happenings in your mind and if you let that get on too long the songs can become associated with inappropriate thoughts.

I've still not had this happen:P I guess my mind really isn't capable of multitasking.

[talisyn]

YouTube - Mormon Children sing "I Am a Child of God"

I find the song LDS Church Music Interactive Music Player to be very helpful when I get inappropriate thoughts. Somehow the idea of a bunch of kids singing this at the top of their voices chases everything else away. This one LDS Church Music Interactive Music Player is also good. It doesn't have to be deeply spiritual, it just has to be stronger than what's in your head

Edit: The first song is 'Do as I'm Doing' and the second one is 'Popcorn Popping'. Weird that the names didn't show. This site has tons of songs, pick out the right mental armor and you'll be set!

[Misshalfway]

I think everybody at one time or another has had to battle thoughts we don't want or shouldn't be indulging in. And every one of us has to deal with temptations which often come in the form of thoughts. So, I feel we need to not be so hard on ourselves. I mean guilt really doesn't help us all that much especially if we are cycling repetitively thru indulging, feeling guilty and then whipping ourselves. BLAH!

I think we each have to learn to take control and decide what we will do with our thoughts. We are not at their mercy......THEY are at OURS!!! It's like any other natural man tendency. We gotta get proactive and control it.

It is sometimes hard to master this. It sometimes takes practice and time. That's ok. Be cool with the process. You decide what you dwell on and how much time you do it. You decide to distract yourself or replace bad thoughts with good ones. You are the one that has to stand up and tell Satan to get thee hence out of your head space! And you are the ones who have to filter your friends influence in your life.

[Guest anon88]

This should turn you away from your thoughts for a while.

[Guest anon88]

inappropriate

Edited August 27, 2009 by Gwen

[WorthofaSoul]

I agree, you need to find a way to distract yourself.

In listening to a talk by Brad Wilcox (Let Virtue Garnish Thy Thoughts), he suggests moving. Just simply finding a way to move. If a sneaky evil thought comes into my head, it's while I'm lying in bed or while I'm sitting down (why is it easier to get caught up in porn? you're just sitting there). I don't really have bad thoughts while I'm running someplace or while I'm getting ready for the day.

Even though I don't think we need to literally stand up and run away from sin (bad thoughts in this case) like Joseph did, I do think that it can help, like just changing positions. Moving helps us become more aware of our body and can bring us back to the truth of reality instead of the fallacies in our mind.