Concupiscence: Precondition for Sinful Choices
Concupiscence “is not properly sin in itself” (Haight, 92). In an essay of 450-500 words of so, explain to an intelligent age-peer how concupiscence is the precondition for sinful choices, describing the existential tension and anxiety that emerges from concupiscence?
You might consider exploring with your reader why an understanding of concupiscence might be more important in a course on spirituality than a merely listing sins that should be avoided (for example, lying, stealing, extra-marital sexual relations, or sins of omission like remaining silent when smears or falsehoods are spoken).
In preparing to write this essay, you might find it helpful to review Father Haight’s treatment of concupiscence and temptation that is found on pages 96-97.
The text will be provided.
Please use one source to write the essay. Please use full quotation in the text.
Noted:
1/The essay's thesis is easily identifiable and plausible, its aim is clear, insightful, novel, and sophisticated.
2/The essay has a clear, evident and understandable structure that is appropriate for the thesis. Excellent transitions from one point to the next, where each paragraph is supported by solid topic sentence.
3/Primary source material is often coupled with an appropriate example or insight, and is used to buttress the major points of the essay. Examples support the topic sentence and fit the purpose of the paragraph; there is also an excellent integration between quoted material and the author’s own voice.
4/The author’s analysis is fresh, exciting, and may even pose a new way of thinking about the topic; the student clearly relates evidence to topic sentences.
Professor’s Name
Course
Date
On Concupiscence
All actions that people engage in have a series of events that lead to the act and their accompanying consequences. These events are part of the brain processes, where information processing begins from an external input through the sensory organs, which then transform the physical stimuli into electrochemical signals. The brain interprets these signals to provide the necessary output. As Haight notes, “Human existence is limited, qualified, and determined by physical nature, the physiological, biological, psychological, temperamental, and emotional structures…” (96). Therefore, concupiscence is not a real sin in itself but serves as the physical environment, which brews the processes that culminate into sin and cannot be regarded as a sin.
Human behavior is significantly influenced by the environment where they grow and hence humans cannot regard themselves as free of any form of external influence. Thus the concept of freedom in human existence is an illusion as people are influenced by their desires or impulses of nature and hence an individual cannot regard himself or herself as existing independently of their social settings. Haight defines concupiscence as “ not an evil; it is simply the finite condition and actual situation of human existence” (97). Therefore, if sin is taken to represent a human being, then concupiscence refers to the environmental conditions that shape their existence.
The environmen...