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What did St Anthony mean?

NeedWisdom
edited December 1969 in Faith Issues
11. He said also, 'He who wishes to live in solitude in the
desert is delivered from three conflicts: hearing, speech, and
sight; there is only one conflict for him and that is with
fornication.'

From the desert fathers.

How can a desert monk commit fornication? unless satan sends a woman to tempt him? but I think it means something else? what did he mean by fornication?


Comments

  • joegjoeg
    What he maent was, the sin the monk would be struggling with is lust. In his cell alone, he has escaped the three wars of sight, hearing and speech, but the war he has to fight is control of his thoughts against lust. The devil tries very hard with monks so that they fall into lustful thoughts in an attempt for them to renounce the ascetic life, and return to the world. In fact with St. Anthony, he one night appeared to him as a woman, in an attempt to make him commit fornication, but St. Anthony didn't waver.

    pray for me

    joe
  • socoolbishoysocoolbishoy
    can you put the whole response... or the whole part that this is stated in?
  • coptic pharoahcoptic pharoah
    Joe pretty much sumed it all up....      LUST is one of the biggest battles the devil will attack a Monk with....

      if the biggest battle is lust, yet St.Issac the Syrian said :
    "A mere look at the desert can mortify all of man's lusts" (St.Isaac the Syrian)

    isn't that somewhat contradictory?
  • ChristrulesChristrules
    Awesome post joe couldnt have said it better

    SO we can conclude that after he went to the desert he was sinless!!!!

    and i love that quote Copticpharaoh....i wish i could remember it when the devil fights me!

    Pray for me a sinner
  • coptic pharoahcoptic pharoah
    you live in the middle of prairies Christrules... lots of green around you and snow in winter... where are you going to find DESERT???  unless you have a picture of sand in your wallet or something... 
  • ChristrulesChristrules
    Lol i can always imagine, St. Anthony's monestary in Cali, or St. Mina's in EGY

    they are my two favorite places on earth.

    God Bless
    And keep me in your prayers
  • joegjoeg
    All monsateries are beautiful but my favourite has got to be St. Paul's Monstery in the Red Sea  :)

    pray for me

    joe
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