Do you imagine that the "fully human & fully divine" Jesus had erotic fantasies? Why or why not?

Question

It would be difficult to consider Jesus "fully human" if this was not part of his experience.

Answer 1

That's a really interesting question. I actually don't have the sort of answer you're probably looking for (don't believe jesus was divine in any way), but just wanted to let you know that's a really good thought, and a good argument. (Although many of the Christians will dance around it like always)

Ever read "A Prayer For Owen Meany" by John Irving? Owen Meany's supposedly "an instrument of God" and he's paralleled with jesus thoughout the book. I had my mom read it, and she was really insulted by this scene where child Owen is playing Jesus in a Nativity play, and he gets an erection. Now I have a good argument for that being in there. ;)

Thanks, pal.

Answer 2

As an atheist, there's an argument for saying it's none of my business, but to me, the whole POINT about the Christ story is that God became fully human - the lust, the fear, the pain, as well as the joy, the friendship, the compassion. If he didn't, it undermines the nature of the "sacrifice" Jesus is supposed to have made, cos it's all just playing with the idea of flesh unless you really go through it all. The idea of him being "perfect" I think is misunderstood - I think we all have the potential to be more than we are, and I think his perfection came in accepting what had to be done, and in fearing, and doing it anyway, and dying - showing us a strength, a purpose, a "purity" of soul in his words and in his dying that is an example, not a doctrine. So that being my take on it, yes, I think he probably had erotic fantasies - as you say, being "fully human" without them just doesn't ring true.

Answer 3

I think there's more truth in "The Last Temptation of Christ" than most Christians would be comfortable admitting (*understatement*).

That said, looking at it from the standpoint of basic psychology: THE necessary precondition for erotic fantasies (as opposed to simple biological sexual attraction and arousal) is that you have to objectify the person in question. They're not a complex human with hopes and dreams and fears; they're an object for your passion.

When I read the gospels, there is one thing that really stands out: Jesus' ability to take the labels off of people and treat them as complex human beings, with their own unique hopes and desires and fears. So, do I think Jesus experienced sexual arousal? Yes. Do I think he was tempted? Yes. Do I think he brooded over some erotic fantasy? No, simply because it doesn't jive psychologically with his treatment of women and outcasts.

Peace to you.

Answer 4

Yes, supposing that he existed and was fully human and fully divine, he most probably had erotic fantasies. Unless he was completely asexual (which does occasionally happen), it is necessary that he fulfill all aspects of being human. Whether or not he acted on those fantasies in any fashion is a different matter, though. But in short, if Jesus was fully man, he got angry and depressed and elated and jealous and picked his nose and went to the bathroom and hugged people and sang.

Answer 5

Well, Jesus said that looking at someone with lust in your heart made you an adulterer, but I don't believe that having natural sexual thoughts is the same as having lustful intentions. One of the purposes of God accepting human form is so that he could walk with us and experience our temptations and our hardships .... and The Bible tells us that Satan tempted Christ.

To make a long story short, do I think that Jesus ever looked at Mary Magdelene and thought, "Man, I'd like to hit that!"? No, I don't, LOL. But do I think that he experienced normal sexual thoughts and desires, which are driven by our very biology and are unavoidable? Yes, I'd say that's very probable. Most answers here will probably be no however, because this subject makes people VERY uncomfortable.

Answer 6

As depicted in the Bible the Jesus character never really experienced what it was like to be human. Some god who is incapable of really experiencing what it is like to be human with all the same human difficulties like keeping up a committed relationship, having children and raising them, challenges such as diseases and physical conditions that are hard to overcome, emotions such as hate, fear, guilt, and doubt, and these are part of the things that make us human. If some god supposedly comes here and has the ability to easily overcome such things simply because he's god or never experienced them at all then he is only pretending to be human therefore he isn't qualified to judge a human for something that he can never truly understand.

Answer 7

Jesus would not have had erotic fantasies..they are not part of our natural human tendancy without sin..adam and eve would not have had erotic fantasy before they tasted the fruit of knowledge of good and evil...lust is a sin...love and sex within a marriage between two people is Gods plan..Jesus was not married and would not have allowed himself to give into lustfull thoughts..he had much more character and control of himself then that..

Answer 8

If the Jesus guy was fully human he had the hots for somebody. That's what humans do.

Answer 9

Some people believe he was in a relationship with (perhaps even married to) Mary Magdelene.

We'll never know for sure, but it wouldn't surprise me if he was married to somebody. Back in ancient times, NOBODY just stayed single like people do now.

Answer 10

No, not fully human

But he was tempted

He did relish the soothing of Mary Magdeline