Custody of the Eyes

397. - Looks excite lust less directly than touches, and more easily have a just excuse. These things are to be observed concerning looks.

1. One's own nudity is of itself less stirring. That nudity which is had without any affection or complacency in the nudity is of itself free from guilt, as is that which, according to the custom of the country, is judged reasonable. Before others it will of itself be better to conform oneself to the custom of the country; when alone, one who loves perfect chastity will, without anxiety, avoid all nudity toward which some affection is borne, or which pleases the sense, even a non-venereal sense: let this not be admitted without cause.

2. In order now to speak of the sin which immodest looks are judged to contain of themselves:

a) A look at one's own body, even at its dishonorable parts, which is neither deliberate nor prolonged and arises from curiosity or levity, does not of itself exceed a venial sin.

b) To look in passing, from some levity or in jest, at the less honorable parts of a person even of the other sex is regarded as venial of itself.

On the contrary, they do not of themselves excuse from mortal sin a man who in our regions directs fixed eyes upon the nude breast of a woman.

c) The sight of the nude person of the other sex, or even of one's own sex if he is loved with a sensual love, or if the one looking is prone to homosexual excess, no more seems capable of being excused from mortal sin than the sight of human intercourse, unless distance or the manner of looking - in passing - greatly diminishes the danger.

d) The sight of the intercourse of animals does not of itself exceed a venial sin.

e) Concerning the sight of a picture, etc., cf. no. 400.

N.B. As we have already observed, the sight of a dishonorable part of a body otherwise covered excites the flesh much less than the sight of a person whose private parts alone are covered.

398. - Useful looks are lawful for physicians. Let them beware, however, lest they feign usefulness or abuse the occasion to foster their own lust. Wherefore it is also to be commended that a person of the other sex have a trustworthy companion, especially a relative, such as a mother or sister.

399. - What is to be said concerning painters and sculptors? Some speak more severely than others concerning them. It is not ours to pass judgment concerning the necessity which the cultivation of art creates. Nor are we those who can change the common estimation concerning this matter. Insofar as there is need, art furnishes a just cause; and the very prevailing opinion creates a necessity for magistrates and the directors of academies to tolerate these things. From another aspect, the serious end of study diminishes the danger. Cf. also Alberti, no. 99.

Wherefore, more usefully and efficaciously, we shall endeavor to do this:

1. With the directors of an academy: that persons not be exhibited beyond what is judged necessary; that persons of different sexes not be exhibited at the same time; that students of different sexes not be mixed; that possible precautions be admitted in exhibiting persons: for example, that the person not remove garments before the painters or sculptors ¹; that the eyes be veiled; that the private parts be covered, at least for affirming modesty; if it is done privately, that an honorable witness of the same sex be present; etc.

¹ A woman excites lust more when she removes her garments than when she is seen with her garments already removed; one who walks does so more than one who sits motionless without garments.

2. Individual painters and sculptors must be commanded those things which convert the proximate occasion into a remote one.

It can never be permitted that they paint or fashion obscene things, or certain things in a lascivious manner, except perhaps in an extreme necessity ². Concerning paintings or sculptures which are not obscene but sufficiently nude, the circumstances of the person requesting them, the place of exhibition, the detriment to be sustained if they are refused, scandal, the efficacy of the refusal, etc., must be weighed. For a God-fearing painter or sculptor will never of his own accord fashion those things which are for many an occasion of temptations and sins.

² Lehmkuhl, I, 827, 4.

"To paint or fashion an image of a person basely loved by one who requests that the image be made, provided the artist knows of the base love, will not be lawful without grave sin, except for a cause of entirely grave poverty or similar necessity. For it is a thing which greatly fosters base love; but since the thing is not evil in itself, nor does it necessarily have an evil use, the cooperation, although proximate, is only ma- terial, provided that compliance with the base end is not given to the formal request ³."

³ Lehmkuhl, I, 827, 3.

Moreover, it is evident that nude things can honorably be painted for scientific studies, for example, of anatomical art.

3. The things said concerning painters are valid concerning those who make photographic images. A somewhat more benign response can be given concerning them, insofar as they furnish less prolonged labor, and what they themselves deny will most easily be granted by others.

4. "Since the action itself is not gravely base in itself, and the danger of depraved consent arises rather from the malice of those looking than from the nature of the thing, the aforesaid authors are excessively severe when they charge with grave sin women who thus exhibit themselves nude to be looked upon ⁴."

⁴ Génicot, I, 407.

This is rightly said as regards the exhibition itself. But they must furthermore avoid all formal cooperation toward painting or sculpting indecorous things. Material cooperation, according to the general rules, can be excused in proportion to the gravity of the cause and of the evil. Cf. Noldin, De sexto, no. 60.

400. - The sight of a nude picture or sculpture must be estimated from the cause, from the manner of representation, and from the object.

A painting sharpens the stimuli of the flesh more than a sculpture. Executed in a vivid manner, a painting excites scarcely less than the natural thing. In these matters habit itself can have very great force: "No passion arises from things to which one is accustomed."

St. Alphonsus ⁵ does not condemn of mortal sin one who, for example, displays in a garden a statue of a woman with only the private parts covered, although these things are in no way positively to be approved.

⁵ Book 2, no. 56.

N.B. Concerning visiting museums, cf. the counsels given in no. 183.

C. As to looks, which are carefully to be distinguished from mere sight, and which move to libido less than touches do, because they are less material, yet therefore are dangerous:

1. Without necessity, to look lingeringly and deliberately either at the genitals of the other sex, or even the breasts of a woman altogether naked or covered with a transparent veil, or at a man and woman exercising copulation or immodest acts upon one another, or at persons polluting themselves, is ordinarily mortal, because it gravely moves to venereal pleasure. Make exception if it is done in passing or very remotely, or if the one looking is a cold old man or an infant.

2. Without just cause, to look at the less honorable parts of a person of different sex or at the coitus of animals, from curiosity or levity and without venereal affection, is ordinarily venial, especially if it is done in passing.

3. Without cause, to look at one's own genitals, from curiosity or levity and without venereal affection, is venial, especially if it is done in passing; likewise to look in this mode at the genitals of a person of the same sex, unless one were prone to sodomy, or unless a very beautiful adolescent were looked at lingeringly.

1027. Applications. - The principles have been applied by theologians to many concrete cases; some solutions of these we add here. Yet these solutions for the most part admit exceptions; hence generally they are not to be considered as rules altogether universal, but only as general rules which hold only as in the majority of cases.

A. As to touches.

1. To touch one's own body or another's from lustful intention or venereal affection is always mortal.

2. To touch the genital parts of others, especially of the other sex, even mediately over clothing, except in a case of necessity as happens for physicians, surgeons, and others having care of the sick, is easily mortal because it provokes lust, and for the most part shows a depraved affection; unless it happens from levity alone and only in passing, as among nurses touching the organs of little children, or among those before puberty of the same sex touching one another. Likewise, to touch the breasts of a woman, and especially the nipples, morosely, because they are seats of pleasurable excitation, which usually brings with it a commotion of the genitals, even a vehement one; or on the contrary, from levity and in passing.

3. To touch the genitals of brute animals from curiosity or sensuality generally does not exceed venial sin, especially if it happens in passing, because it does not gravely move to lust; but if it is done for a long time or even to the pollution of the animal, it easily induces danger of one's own pollution.

4. To touch the less honorable parts of a person of the same or different sex, not from venereal affection nor from utility, but from curiosity, sensuality, or sensible love, generally is only venial, especially if it happens in passing, from jest or levity; but if morosely and with grave commotion of the genital organs, especially if it is a question of a person of different sex, it will easily be mortal because of proximate danger of consenting to venereal pleasure.

5. To touch oneself in dishonorable parts for the sake of necessity or utility, for example, to drive away itching, to wipe away filth, or to cure infirmity, is not a sin, provided consent to the venereal pleasure which can arise from it is excluded. To do this without a just cause, from levity or curiosity and without venereal affection, is a venial sin, unless the touches gravely influence vehement carnal motions or bring in proximate danger of consent.

B. As to kisses and embraces.

1. Those done from venereal affection are mortal.

2. Those done on dishonorable or less honorable parts, such as breasts, are easily mortal, because they for the most part excite grave carnal motions and usually indicate venereal affection; unless perhaps they are done in passing and from levity alone.

3. Those done on honorable parts, without reasonable cause, but because of sensible love and from levity, jest, or sensuality, are venial, unless there is proximate danger of consent to venereal pleasure, as easily happens if they are morose, or repeated rather often, or impressed with great affection between persons of different sex, especially the columbine kiss by which the tongue is inserted into the mouth of another.

4. Kisses, embraces, and handlings of hands according to the custom of the country, for the sake of courtesy, friendship, or kinship, are licit, even if accidentally carnal motions are excited, provided danger of consent is absent.

C. As to looks.

These must be carefully distinguished from mere sight, and they move toward lust, though less than touches, and therefore are dangerous:

1. Without necessity, to look morosely and deliberately either at the genitals of the other sex, or even at the breasts of a woman, entirely bare or covered with a transparent veil, or at a man and woman exercising copulation or immodest acts toward one another, or at persons polluting themselves, is easily mortal because it gravely moves to venereal pleasure; unless it happens in passing or very remotely, or only a child is looked at, or the one looking is a cold old man or an infant.

2. Without a just cause, to look at the less honorable parts of a person of different sex, or at the coition of animals, from curiosity or levity and without venereal affection, ordinarily does not exceed venial sin, especially if it happens in passing.

3. Without cause, to look at one's own genitals from curiosity or levity and without venereal affection is venial, especially if it happens in passing; likewise, in this mode, to look at the genitals of a person of the same sex, unless someone is prone to sodomy, or unless a very beautiful adolescent is looked at morosely.