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The road to Hell is paved with lust.

As one of the Seven Deadly Sins, Lust is pretty potent.

"Most of this discussion of lust is not particularly Christian; it is natural law," said Rev. Richard Zeile of Detroit's Redford Lutheran Church in an e-mail interview. "Atheistic societies and pagan societies evolve their own set of customs to keep lust in line. Usually, it is that the strong take their pick and the weak get by. Most societies have regarded provocative dress and actions to be dangerous and have favoured modesty. Our age is somewhat unique in that we encourage lust in order to sell goods."

In a time where lust is promoted everywhere we look - billboards, TV, radio, magazines - how can the sin really be sinful? Sexuality has become open and commonplace.

By definition, sins are those transgressions that are fatal to spiritual progress, an intense or unrestrained sexual craving, an overwhelming desire or craving. It is also defined as having an intense or obsessive desire, especially one that is sexual.

We commit several sins every day without thinking twice or considering that we're heading down a thorny road to eternal damnation. But, what is it that makes this particular sin and not the other six - pride, envy, gluttony, anger, sloth and covetousness - so appealing? Why will we face fire and brimstone?

Many people consider lust, like other sins, merely an expression of desire, the expression of a craving, but in the eyes of the Church it is not open to discussion. "Sin is ultimately rebellion against God, which may be expressed in any number of ways when we assert our desires against God's law," said Rev. Zeile. "God's Law is not arbitrary but descriptive of the deepest reality which we ignore to our peril. Don't ignore the law of gravity when leaning out a window!"

However, lust is open to interpretation and in many circumstances a paradox that is beyond defining for much of society. According to Rev. Zeile, "Most vice is potential virtue; most virtue can be twisted into vice. [For example] It is good to have a realistic appraisal of one's own ability and worth, which is Pride in the positive sense; to have too high an opinion of oneself is Pride in the sinful sense."

Rev. Zeile added that lust was "unrestrained sexual desire, as gluttony is unrestrained appetite for food. Consequences of both kinds of sin include health problems physically, and loss of self-control mentally. Things that affect our bodies so strongly have the potential to become addictive, to cloud our judgement and eventually imprison us."

Lust waxes and wanes with age, "even libertines ("players") get old and start to be rejected and come to a more sober assessment of life. Those that don't are the pathetic ones who spend their remaining years bemoaning their lost youth," he said.

The feelings, the compulsions, the knots in your stomach, the cravings are much too strong to deny. Lust is such a strong and ancient part of the human condition that Medieval theologians like St. Thomas Aquinas said, "…wherever there occurs a special kind of deformity whereby the venereal act is rendered unbecoming, there is a determined species of lust."

Lustful References:

Romans 1:27

And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet.

John 2:16

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

Galatians 5:16

This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

The Traveller's Guide to Hell by Dana Facaros and Michael Pauls

The most accurate tourists' guide to Hell will take you through all of Hell's "hot" spots and keep you spiritually paranoid. Amazon.com

Gilligan's Island

According to some, even this classic slapstick comedy had some significance to the 7 deadly sins, with the obvious lustful diva being Ginger. Try to figure out the other characters' sin.