Did I sin? (Masturbation question)

[Spliff]

I’ve been fighting a battle against masturbation and pornagraphy for a while. Lately I’ve been getting better at not doing it. Unfortunately I recently think I failed again.

(The below is a little explicit so do not read on if this is a problem)

Instead of actively masturbating I just laid on the bed, and imagined myself ejaculating and did not actively masturbate. After a while, I was able to ejaculate. I wasn’t thinking about anything except the idea of releasing the tension. Does this count as a mortal sin? Do I need to go to confession? Thanks.

 

[m134e5]

Yes…dwelling on impure thoughts for the purpose of arousal is also a mortal sin. I suggest you wear a miraculous medal.

 

[Pete_1]

I know it’s a hard problem to overcome, and i could not stop by myself. However when i stoppped trying to battle it by my own stregnth and put my trust in the Lord to stop, it got a lot easier.

Pornography usually just makes the lust worse in my opinion and does nothing to relive it.

 

[Steve40]

I would say an act of contrition now and get to confession when you can. Sometimes it’s difficult to tell when a thought is temptation that we reject, or it crosses the line to sin that we participate in. When our body reacts in the way you described I would say the line was crossed. If I act out on my addiction and masturbate, I also do not receive the Eucharist until after I can get to confession. By the grace of God I am sexually sober for about two months.

However, I think what you may be asking, is since your thoughts were not explicitly lust about another person were they sin? Since you were thinking about sin and dwelling upon it, I would say that is sin. Also thinking of sex with yourself is still a lustful thought. We shouldn’t even lust over our own bodies or our spouse.

If you are not familiar with the Church’s teaching on Christian Marriage I encourage you to look into it. The Church teaches the meaning of human sexuality and why it is important for sexual acts to be open to life. The two encyclicals from the last century on it are:

CASTI CONNUBII
ENCYCLICAL OF POPE PIUS XI
ON CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE
vatican.va/holy_father/pius_xi/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-xi_enc_31121930_casti-connubii_en.html

and

HUMANAE VITAE

ENCYCLICAL OF POPE PAUL VI
ON THE REGULATION OF BIRTH

vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_25071968_humanae-vitae_en.html

Other useful information include Janet Smith’s talk “Contraception Why Not?” a classic from One more Soul and any of Christopher West’s discussions of Pope John Paul II’s Theology of the Body.

 

[Brooklyn]

This is a very difficult sin to overcome, and one that most people struggle with to one extent or another at one time or another in their lives.

I think the other posts have answered your question that yes, you did sin. You need to repent and confess it. You basically mentally masturbated.

I have a suggestion. When you start to feel that temptation, try to do something else. Maybe go outside and take a vigorous walk or run, do jumping jacks, something that will physically tire you out. And of course, there is always prayer. Take out your Bible and read. Try to picture Jesus Christ or Our Lady in the room with you. Would you do this with them watching, because they are watching you.

Read the lives of saints who have struggled with the problem of sexual immorality. St. Augustine is a great example.

Your problem is a very common one. But it is still serious because it can come between you and your Creator. You have taken a huge step by posting here.

God Bless you, and I will remember you in my prayers.

Mary

 

[jmccandless]

I think the reason masturbation is a sin (I admit, I do it) is because the desire is intended to be manifest in marriage. If you masterbate, you are forgoing this marriage.

As I have stated previously, I do masterbate. It is not my desire to masterbate or be a masturbateur. I would much rather be in a marriage. I do not neglect this need in my life. I simply have no one to be married to or there are complications preventing marriage that I am not able to reprehend. Although this is not the way it should be, it is the way it is.

Just as masturbation is a sin, building up all that steam and not masterbating is the same sin in this context. You avoid other fornication by doing so. The self-fortification is actually somewhat gratifying as not having committed the offense against another or worse procreate in the process. This does then allow for conscience decisions to be made about marriage and reproduction. I have had feelings for others who perhaps I would not want to be born of and so maybe this is for the best. And I would not hesitate to fullfill God’s desires of me in this regard. Again, you do avoid fornication by not masterbating though. I am not sure if not masterbating makes things any different as far as far as achieving a spouse.

 

[jmccandless]

“Communism” is a social conspiracy/intercommunition/common philosophy that has arisen from the Jewish faith in the Jewish race. It is bound by this race. This is a proved fact that racial Jews are assimilated into Communism, almost immediately, even if they are not of the Jewish faith in anyway. Communists view non-communists as “non-human” and often have ethics identical to those of “animal rights” concerning them (and a poor view of eachother as well). They are an alien invasion.

–

I have perused

HUMANAE VITAE

ENCYCLICAL OF POPE PAUL VI
ON THE REGULATION OF BIRTH

and I would like to note that this is written in response to a tremendous institutionalizing of “the Pill” and abortion, as well as condoms. The media, medical and government propaganda oozed from the infection of Communism. Communism obviously is an Atheist secret society of Jews who believe in the dissolution of marriage and the government control thereof. They come on softly and use fraudulent science to make their case. I.e. Einstein. Who can explain Einstein? He was a biter failure who’s oneups manship more often than not missed the mark. He isn’t known for what he could do (most people are not retarded) but for what no one could figure out.

This HUMANAE VITAE is written to break that cryptic “maybe”. The magical LSD world of Communism leaves so much residue. It is like a digression without the war or destruction. Thoughticide.

In this context this HUMANAE VITAE is a very poor spiritual guide. It defines what flies and what does not – and it does this well.

I think that the mistake that was made (and no fault to Pope) was that it confronted the facts Communists presented like population control.

It should have Identified the Communists. They should be forcibly removed from power and detained. This is a tall order.

Inside and outside the Church some people are born NOT to lead. It is their lot in life. It is a mark they bare and cannot be removed.

–

Don’t be a masterbateur, someone who masterbates to Communist pornography. Don’t sell yourself to Communists or condon those who do. And Identify all Jews as such and their Communist fellows.

 

[Spliff]

I went to confession today and I feel a lot better. Now that I fully realize this is a sin, I will try my best not to do it again.

Thank you for your replies… especially Brooklyn (Mary) for remembering me in your prayers.

This is a very difficult sin to overcome, and one that most people struggle with to one extent or another at one time or another in their lives.

I think the other posts have answered your question that yes, you did sin. You need to repent and confess it. You basically mentally masturbated.

I have a suggestion. When you start to feel that temptation, try to do something else. Maybe go outside and take a vigorous walk or run, do jumping jacks, something that will physically tire you out. And of course, there is always prayer. Take out your Bible and read. Try to picture Jesus Christ or Our Lady in the room with you. Would you do this with them watching, because they are watching you.

Read the lives of saints who have struggled with the problem of sexual immorality. St. Augustine is a great example.

Your problem is a very common one. But it is still serious because it can come between you and your Creator. You have taken a huge step by posting here.

God Bless you, and I will remember you in my prayers.

Mary

 

[Julian_Peters]

Thank you to all who have participated. This thread is now closed.