Porn Free for 90 Days

Exploring Theravāda's connections to other paths - what can we learn from other traditions, religions and philosophies?
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Alobha
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Re: Porn Free for 90 Days

Post by Alobha »

Next, people will make fun of others who want to refrain from telling lies. "Oh, bet you already have a very long nose! haha!"
or make fun of people who don't want to eat meat anymore "Afraid of some chicken huh? Bwwaaaaaaaaaaaakkkkk!"
And what about those who want to refrain from killing animals or humans? We can make fun of them too. Maybe they are not man enough to see any blood!

You may think that this is fun or eases up things, but you just show people that you don't take them and their issues as important, that they're essentially so irrelevant that we can make fun of them. Like their concerns, their issues, their problems, their goals and their pursuit for freedom from suffering are just jokes.

I feel ashamed to see how fellow buddhists mock right effort and make fun of the endeavor to make progress on the eightfold noble path and hope that the mods will close this thread.
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rowboat
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Re: Porn Free for 90 Days

Post by rowboat »

Alobha wrote:Next, people will make fun of others who want to refrain from telling lies. "Oh, bet you already have a very long nose! haha!"
or make fun of people who don't want to eat meat anymore "Afraid of some chicken huh? Bwwaaaaaaaaaaaakkkkk!"
And what about those who want to refrain from killing animals or humans? We can make fun of them too. Maybe they are not man enough to see any blood!

You may think that this is fun or eases up things, but you just show people that you don't take them and their issues as important, that they're essentially so irrelevant that we can make fun of them. Like their concerns, their issues, their problems, their goals and their pursuit for freedom from suffering are just jokes.

I feel ashamed to see how fellow buddhists mock right effort and make fun of the endeavor to make progress on the eightfold noble path and hope that the mods will close this thread.
It is pretty disgraceful that people are mocking someone for their effort to bring their life more into line with the dhamma. That much of this comes from a moderator here makes it even more troubling, especially when one considers that the target of this mockery is relatively new to the site.

I think the moderators should not close this thread. The moderators should delete all irrelevant posts, including their own, and then one specific moderator should go stand in a corner for an hour.
Rain soddens what is covered up,
It does not sodden what is open.
Therefore uncover what is covered
That the rain will not sodden it.
Ud 5.5
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tiltbillings
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Re: Porn Free for 90 Days

Post by tiltbillings »

It is not making fun of the OP's effort. It is making fun of sex and of the ambiguity of the English language, which is just one of those human activities that presents infinite possibilities for humor. Also, while having to struggle with sex, bringing a balanced approach to it in our lives can be very difficult, let us not be grim about our practice.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
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rowboat
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Re: Porn Free for 90 Days

Post by rowboat »

Aren't you almost 70 years old? Anyway, I can't hear you very well. The corner you are standing in creates that muffled effect. Think of the teacher in the Charlie Brown cartoons.
Rain soddens what is covered up,
It does not sodden what is open.
Therefore uncover what is covered
That the rain will not sodden it.
Ud 5.5
Justsit
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Re: Porn Free for 90 Days

Post by Justsit »

tiltbillings wrote:...sex... infinite possibilities for humor
Unfortunately, most often of the drudgingly predictable adolescent variety that was trite when Nixon was president... :zzz:
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tiltbillings
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Re: Porn Free for 90 Days

Post by tiltbillings »

Justsit wrote:
tiltbillings wrote:...sex... infinite possibilities for humor
Unfortunately, most often of the drudgingly predictable adolescent variety that was trite when Nixon was president... :zzz:
That is just the nature of the beast.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
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Aloka
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Re: Porn Free for 90 Days

Post by Aloka »

Attaching this to your computer might help, guys.



Image
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tiltbillings
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Re: Porn Free for 90 Days

Post by tiltbillings »

Aloka wrote:Attaching this to your computer might help, guys.



Image
The picture did not show up on my system, but I gather it says: "No porn." Something like this:

Image
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
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Aloka
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Re: Porn Free for 90 Days

Post by Aloka »

tiltbillings wrote:
Aloka wrote:Attaching this to your computer might help, guys.



Image
The picture did not show up on my system, but I gather it says: "No porn." Something like this:

Image

Yes, except it was just a sign and didn't have the woman with it !


.
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Sam Vara
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Re: Porn Free for 90 Days

Post by Sam Vara »

If you find that the sign actually arouses you, then you might be in need of some stronger measures. Hang tough!
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Ben
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Re: Porn Free for 90 Days

Post by Ben »

Alobha wrote:Next, people will make fun of others who want to refrain from telling lies. "Oh, bet you already have a very long nose! haha!"
or make fun of people who don't want to eat meat anymore "Afraid of some chicken huh? Bwwaaaaaaaaaaaakkkkk!"
And what about those who want to refrain from killing animals or humans? We can make fun of them too. Maybe they are not man enough to see any blood!

You may think that this is fun or eases up things, but you just show people that you don't take them and their issues as important, that they're essentially so irrelevant that we can make fun of them. Like their concerns, their issues, their problems, their goals and their pursuit for freedom from suffering are just jokes.

I feel ashamed to see how fellow buddhists mock right effort and make fun of the endeavor to make progress on the eightfold noble path and hope that the mods will close this thread.
Point taken.
I actually admire the people who have contributed to this thread and have been very open about their addiction to pornography and masturbation and have indicated their desire to overcome those difficulties. Your honesty, openness and efforts are very commendable.

But I am with Tilt - no one has been intentionally making fun of anyone else. If anyone feels that way, then I offer my sincere apologies.
kind regards,

Ben
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725

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Buckwheat
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Re: Porn Free for 90 Days

Post by Buckwheat »

tiltbillings wrote:
Justsit wrote:
tiltbillings wrote:...sex... infinite possibilities for humor
Unfortunately, most often of the drudgingly predictable adolescent variety that was trite when Nixon was president... :zzz:
That is just the nature of the beast.
That's what she said.
Sotthī hontu nirantaraṃ - May you forever be well.
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Khalil Bodhi
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Re: Porn Free for 90 Days

Post by Khalil Bodhi »

Anumodana to those of you trying to overcome the flood of sensuality. I've had my own struggles and know how helpful such public determinations can be and that the support one can gain from it is truly invaluable. :heart:
To avoid all evil, to cultivate good, and to cleanse one's mind — this is the teaching of the Buddhas.
-Dhp. 183

The Stoic Buddhist: https://www.quora.com/q/dwxmcndlgmobmeu ... pOR2p0uAdH
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http://khalilbodhi.wordpress.com
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Assaji
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Re: Porn Free for 90 Days

Post by Assaji »

Another good free tool for guarding the Internet doors is Norton DNS:

https://dns.norton.com/dnsweb/huConfigurePc.do" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Monkey Mind
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Re: Porn Free for 90 Days

Post by Monkey Mind »

This thread has been inspiring for me, as well. I was inclined to believe that pornography was "no big deal" as long as all parties involved are consenting adults. But then I also used to think the same thing about alcohol consumption. I read the articles and watched the video on the website cited in the OP, I think they present a fantastic theoretical model for why "behavioral addictions" (e.g. gambling, watching porn) become such difficult habits to break. Bravo to the OP and other contributors for boldly discussing this topic. (And the humor has been fun, too.)
"As I am, so are others;
as others are, so am I."
Having thus identified self and others,
harm no one nor have them harmed.

Sutta Nipāta 3.710
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