Is Flirting A Sin?

[BG45]

A friend and I were discussing flirtation, and whether or not it is a sin. I believe it is, because at its root, I see all flirtation as being based in lust. So I was wondering what the Church's thoughts were.

[Thy Geekdom Come]

[quote name='BG45' date='02 May 2010 - 11:03 PM' timestamp='1272855787' post='2103974']
A friend and I were discussing flirtation, and whether or not it is a sin. I believe it is, because at its root, I see all flirtation as being based in lust. So I was wondering what the Church's thoughts were.
[/quote]
I think most of what you could find on the subject would be the non-doctrinal thoughts of various saints. Of course, we must keep in mind that flirting means different things to different people, so it's hard to address it in a way everyone will agree with. I might mean "winking and giggling" which is really nothing, whereas someone else might mean "making suggestive comments and making seductive looks." That's all the difference in the world.

It seems to me that inordinate flirting could be sinful, but I think some flirting is perfectly legitimate. Married couples may flirt in a way that leads them to greater love in mutual respect, but not in a way which will lead to lust. Married couples often might tickle, even in places that are not appropriate for others, as part of flirting. That's appropriate if it's rightly ordered towards the ends of marriage. Unmarried couples should be flirting in this way; for them, it would be inordinate, since they could not pursue the ends of marriage without sinning.

So I think it comes down to how you define it and in what individual circumstances you're finding yourself. I must say, scrupulous as I was during the years my wife was my girlfriend, I never thought winking, nudging, or tickling her (appropriately) was sinful, but it was indeed all flirting.

[cappie]

I definitely wouldn't call it a sin. I think it's a part of showing interest to another and helps with body language and can help clue in an otherwise clueless person. I think the line is crossed when we stop looking at someone as a person and begin treating them as objects."