Does this count as sin?

[Cguy0980]

One morning, I found myself awake, laying in bed, still fairly tired. Various tempting, lustful thoughts entered my mind, which I rejected. I realised that in this state I was prone to such thoughts, so in desperation I clenched myself, clenched my pelvis (which was fairly instinctive but also deliberate) in order to retain myself. This sensation is similar to kegel exercising, the clenching of the pelvic floor. ( it might help that I am male) I was not aroused at the time and was not aroused afterwards however I felt as if I had potentially stimulated myself, and now feel extremely guilty. Is this sexual stimulation/masturbation? I’m not sure as to whether this stimulation was sexual. I know this is extremely scrupulous but I feel overwhelmingly guilty.

 

[Fr.Vincent_Serpa]

Hi,

Scrupulosity is all about feelings and it is fed by fear, as is all obsessive compulsive behavior. You did not intend to be tempted. I might add that if one has been asleep, when one wakes, one is not as awake as one feels. So when our guards are down, we are vulnerable regarding temptations of the flesh. Better to get up and out of the bed for a while.

You say that you “felt” as if you had potentially stimulated yourself. Nonsense! Morality is not about feeling; it’s about what we will to do or not do. Guilt is not determined by feeling guilty or not.

So you did not sin!

Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.