Is masturbation a mortal sin under any circumstances?

[Don_Juan]

I am single and I am aware that the body needs to release whatever does not need, but this is only possible for me is through masturbation.

I started masturbating early, at 13 years old and my body never got used to having nocturnal emissions. About two years ago I was able to quit for more than a year but I never ejaculated in my sleep, finally I decided that it was too long and did it again.

The good part was that I finally learned to self control, but since then I last between 2 weeks and 2 months without masturbating and I take a confession within the next 3 days.

I understand that watching pornography while doing it is a mortal sin, and so is having lustful thoughts about other people. But after 3 or 4 weeks I can do it without watching any pornographic images or having any lustful thoughts about other women, just by knowing that I need to release.

The last time I confessed that I masturbated the priest told me that it is a good idea to quit decrease the frequency instead of stopping completely.

Am I still in lust if I don’t watch pornography and do it without thinking of other people or remembering old images?

 

[ClearWater]

I am single and I am aware that the body needs to release whatever does not need, but this is only possible for me is through masturbation.

I started masturbating early, at 13 years old and my body never got used to having nocturnal emissions. About two years ago I was able to quit for more than a year but I never ejaculated in my sleep, finally I decided that it was too long and did it again.

The good part was that I finally learned to self control, but since then I last between 2 weeks and 2 months without masturbating and I take a confession within the next 3 days.

I understand that watching pornography while doing it is a mortal sin, and so is having lustful thoughts about other people. But after 3 or 4 weeks I can do it without watching any pornographic images or having any lustful thoughts about other women, just by knowing that I need to release.

The last time I confessed that I masturbated the priest told me that it is a good idea to quit decrease the frequency instead of stopping completely.

Am I still in lust if I don’t watch pornography and do it without thinking of other people or remembering old images?

Yes.

 

[ClearWater]

Scroll down to 2352

vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a6.htm

 

[JB_Dugan]

Is masturbation a mortal sin under any circumstances?

Yes!

And please provide the name and address of the priest, I need to have a talk with him.

 

[GangGreen]

Yes, but you seem to be doing a great job in getting yourself to stop. So why give up now when you’ve come so far?

 

[Zooman77]

There is no physical need for masturbation. Your body will find a way to release or absorb any excess fluids. People will argue that masturbation has a positive effect on a person’s health; however, it seems that no one can seem to cite any conclusive studies proving this. Even if it had some “positive effects” there are many things that have positive effects that are far greater than any “positive effect” of masturbation that are not sinful such as exercise. Also, you are much more likely to look at some sort of pornography if you masturbate. The bottom line is masturbation must always be assumed to be a mortal sin.

 

[vames]

Is masturbation a mortal sin under any circumstances?

Yes!

CCC 2352 (link above @Clearwater): “To form an equitable judgment about the subjects’ moral responsibility and to guide pastoral action, one must take into account the affective immaturity, force of acquired habit, conditions of anxiety or other psychological or social factors that lessen, if not even reduce to a minimum, moral culpability.”

 

[George_Stegmeir]

Your inquiry is phrased in such a way that it seems you are looking for a way to justify masterbation,
Never forget that this is one of the oldest sins listed in the Bible. In the Book of Genesis in the Old Testament, G*d struck Onan dead because he spilled is seed on the ground.
Nothing has changed since then, except the good Lord doesn’t strike people dead for masturbating. However will condemn you to hell if you die without confessing it and are not contrite…

 

[Phil_Marinus]

Why is it that people are so obsessed with this subject ?

 

[DMC12]

dude, you made a great job on quitting that bad habit, don’t let your efforts and God’s gifts go to waste. God has granted you with a strenght many would desire, don’t forget it.

Why is it that people are so obsessed with this subject ?

i assume its because it is one of the most common mortal sins, i mean not all the days we murder someone, not even at our minds.

Your inquiry is phrased in such a way that it seems you are looking for a way to justify masterbation,
Never forget that this is one of the oldest sins listed in the Bible. In the Book of Genesis in the Old Testament, G*d struck Onan dead because he spilled is seed on the ground.
Nothing has changed since then, except the good Lord doesn’t strike people dead for masturbating. However will condemn you to hell if you die without confessing it and are not contrite…

Onan sin was contraception.

 

[dshix]

I am single and I am aware that the body needs to release whatever does not need, but this is only possible for me is through masturbation.

I started masturbating early, at 13 years old and my body never got used to having nocturnal emissions. About two years ago I was able to quit for more than a year but I never ejaculated in my sleep, finally I decided that it was too long and did it again.

The good part was that I finally learned to self control, but since then I last between 2 weeks and 2 months without masturbating and I take a confession within the next 3 days.

I understand that watching pornography while doing it is a mortal sin, and so is having lustful thoughts about other people. But after 3 or 4 weeks I can do it without watching any pornographic images or having any lustful thoughts about other women, just by knowing that I need to release.

The last time I confessed that I masturbated the priest told me that it is a good idea to quit decrease the frequency instead of stopping completely.

Am I still in lust if I don’t watch pornography and do it without thinking of other people or remembering old images?

The answer is, yes, masturbation is a mortal sin in MOST circumstances! You should stop as soon as possible.

Don’t worry about “needing to get rid of the extra”. Your body, if it does not do nocturnal emissions, can reabsorb extra semen, and no bodily harm can possibly come to you from not ejaculating. That is purely a lie promoted by the media to keep people afraid to stop.

You must stop; your way to Heaven is obstructed by this grave sin.

 

[JB_Dugan]

CCC 2352 (link above @Clearwater): “To form an equitable judgment about the subjects’ moral responsibility and to guide pastoral action, one must take into account the affective immaturity, force of acquired habit, conditions of anxiety or other psychological or social factors that lessen, if not even reduce to a minimum, moral culpability.”

Are you suggesting that masturbation is NOT a mortal sin…???

 

[thistle]

I am single and I am aware that the body needs to release whatever does not need, but this is only possible for me is through masturbation.

I started masturbating early, at 13 years old and my body never got used to having nocturnal emissions. About two years ago I was able to quit for more than a year but I never ejaculated in my sleep, finally I decided that it was too long and did it again.

The good part was that I finally learned to self control, but since then I last between 2 weeks and 2 months without masturbating and I take a confession within the next 3 days.

I understand that watching pornography while doing it is a mortal sin, and so is having lustful thoughts about other people. But after 3 or 4 weeks I can do it without watching any pornographic images or having any lustful thoughts about other women, just by knowing that I need to release.

The last time I confessed that I masturbated the priest told me that it is a good idea to quit decrease the frequency instead of stopping completely.

Am I still in lust if I don’t watch pornography and do it without thinking of other people or remembering old images?

Its a sin of grave matter in all circumstances. Its only a mortal sin if the person knows its a sin of grave matter and does it anyway.

 

[Don_Juan]

Why is it that people are so obsessed with this subject ?

Because it is a very easy mortal sin to commit and the harm is not comparable (or even evident) to rape or murder

 

[Don_Juan]

The answer is, yes, masturbation is a mortal sin in MOST circumstances! You should stop as soon as possible.

Don’t worry about “needing to get rid of the extra”. Your body, if it does not do nocturnal emissions, can reabsorb extra semen, and no bodily harm can possibly come to you from not ejaculating. That is purely a lie promoted by the media to keep people afraid to stop.

You must stop; your way to Heaven is obstructed by this grave sin.

One of the smartest things I have read. If I ask this on a non catholic website many people will tell me that it is natural, list the health benefits like reducing the risks of prostate cancer and send me a bunch of blogs.

However these “medical” studies are like the benefits/risks or coffee or alcohol, one week there is a new study about the benefits and the next one somebody else talks about the risks.

 

[OraLabora]

Its a sin of grave matter in all circumstances. Its only a mortal sin if the person knows its a sin of grave matter and does it anyway.

The third element is missing: full consent. There can be mitigating circumstances: habit/addiction, recent loss of one’s spouse, immaturity, etc. These are things to bring up in the confessional; then follow the priest’s advice as he will also have other potential and equally grave satanic traps in mind such as driving the penitent to scrupulosity.

I can understand where the OP is coming from. Some people never have nocturnal emissions. One of my wife’s medical texts suggests masturbation (if a sexual partner was not available) as a conservative treatment for prostate enlargement in lieu of surgery or medication, in mild cases of benign prostatic hyperplasia. While “benign”, the symptoms can be quite annoying, including getting up 4 or 5 times a night to go to the bathroom.

On that subject, I leave it to the individual, his confessor and his conscience, but I can imagine many men would prefer it to the potential side effects of medication or surgery. In my case medication would not be an option for me due to another medical condition, and with surgery there’s a very real risk of impotence and incontinence, neither of which are particularly pleasant prospects.

Yes.

Scroll down to 2352

vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a6.htm

You just contradicted yourself; 2352 says:

To form an equitable judgment about the subjects’ moral responsibility and to guide pastoral action, one must take into account the affective immaturity, force of acquired habit, conditions of anxiety or other psychological or social factors that lessen, if not even reduce to a minimum, moral culpability.

Hence:

And please provide the name and address of the priest, I need to have a talk with him.

Good idea, he might be able to teach you a thing or two about moral culpability in the face of habitual sin and the three requirements for sin to be mortal, on how not to form judgement about other’s circumstances in the way you have just done, and on how the proper place to discern culpability is in the confessional, between penitent and priest, not in the anonymity of an Internet forum.

 

[thistle]

The third element is missing: full consent. There can be mitigating circumstances: habit/addiction, recent loss of one’s spouse, immaturity, etc. These are things to bring up in the confessional; then follow the priest’s advice as he will also have other potential and equally grave satanic traps in mind such as driving the penitent to scrupulosity.

I can understand where the OP is coming from. Some people never have nocturnal emissions. One of my wife’s medical texts suggests masturbation (if a sexual partner was not available) as a conservative treatment for prostate enlargement in lieu of surgery or medication, in mild cases of benign prostatic hyperplasia. While “benign”, the symptoms can be quite annoying, including getting up 4 or 5 times a night to go to the bathroom.

On that subject, I leave it to the individual, his confessor and his conscience, but I can imagine many men would prefer it to the potential side effects of medication or surgery. In my case medication would not be an option for me due to another medical condition, and with surgery there’s a very real risk of impotence and incontinence, neither of which are particularly pleasant prospects.

You just contradicted yourself; 2352 says:

Hence:

Good idea, he might be able to teach you a thing or two about moral culpability in the face of habitual sin and the three requirements for sin to be mortal, on how not to form judgement about other’s circumstances in the way you have just done, and on how the proper place to discern culpability is in the confessional, between penitent and priest, not in the anonymity of an Internet forum.

There might be mitigating circumstances but personally I think people use them as excuses to continue sinning. Frankly I don’t believe there are mitigating factors when it comes to masturbation.

 

[vames]

Are you suggesting that masturbation is NOT a mortal sin…???

When the CCC says “factors that lessen, if not even reduce to a minimum, moral culpability”, does it sound to you like mortal sin? Why do you think that the authors of the CCC felt the need to introduce this phrase?

 

[OraLabora]

There might be mitigating circumstances but personally I think people use them as excuses to continue sinning. Frankly I don’t believe there are mitigating factors when it comes to masturbation.

The CCC opens the door considerably wider, so your belief should remain just that, a belief that governs your conscience and behaviour.

For someone approaching a priest in the confessional, and the priest councils the penitent that he’s not mortally culpable in the circumstances, and advises him it’s not necessary to confess it every week as it can lead to scrupulosity, would you recommend he listen to the priest’s advice, or yours? Is your belief above the Church’s as stated in the CCC?

 

[RetreatFan]

This is something I struggle with a lot. Due to immigration circumstances I have been separated from my wife for the last year with the prospect of not seeing her again for at least another year. We have managed to cope with the physical separation with occasional internet sex sessions via Skype. Is that wrong? Is it still a sin if you only do it because you’re separated and you only think about your spouse when you do it? I have discussed the situation with my priest and he has given us his blessing but I still wonder sometimes…