Is masturbation a sin in all cases?

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I refer to the language of the CCC.
2352 By masturbation is to be understood the deliberate stimulation of the genital organs in order to derive sexual pleasure. "Both the Magisterium of the Church, in the course of a constant tradition, and the moral sense of the faithful have been in no doubt and have firmly maintained that masturbation is an intrinsically and gravely disordered action."138 “The deliberate use of the sexual faculty, for whatever reason, outside of marriage is essentially contrary to its purpose.” For here sexual pleasure is sought outside of “the sexual relationship which is demanded by the moral order and in which the total meaning of mutual self-giving and human procreation in the context of true love is achieved.”

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.

Thus if someone has an addictive nature and is not able to control it or suffers from some mental issue which makes it difficult to refrain from, etc, is it not a mortal sin?
 
You are correct that in that case it is most likely not mortal. However, it could still be venial and an effort needs to be made to break the addiction.
 
I would say yes it’s a sin in all cases, most people go to hell because of sins of the flesh - Fatima
 
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People who claim they are addicted to masturbation and therefore are not committing a mortal sin in my opinion are likely just looking for an excuse to continue sinning. Such people are very quick to claim they are addicts. In real life when it comes to drugs, alcohol, gambling, for example, it is like getting blood out of a stone for them to admit they are addicts.
If there are mitigating circumstances for any sins it is up to a priest to determine that.
 
I respectfully disagree.
Some people come to the Church and lived a life of sin before. Masturbation does release endorphins which give a sense of pleasure and even eases stress. I believe it is a real addiction for many. I am not speaking for myself but I think some people really do have an addiction to it that no matter how hard they try they just succumb to the temptation.
 
Yes, but it may be a venial sin if enough mitigating factors are present.
 
Perhaps read more of public revelation (eg the Catechism) to help you correctly understand private revelation (Fatima).
 
That’s true. I mean i love Marian apparitions and devotion however it’s never a logical thing to quote something as a source of doctrine which the faithful aren’t even required to believe in. Private revelation is not required for belief to be a good Catholic. The Church approves them but you can be a good Catholic and not believe in them. Private revelation can not add or subtract anything from public revelation.
 
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Suggest you read the section on this question in the Catechism of the RCC. I believe it is section 2352. Then discuss it with a priest in confession. Anonymous posters can cite teaching, but a priest is the best person to guide you.
 
If you look at the original post that’s exactly what I did. It’s the bold part that leaves it up for interpretation.
 
Sorry about that. Guess that’s what one gets when simply responding to the original thread question. My bad! Then again, if you are well informed enough to research and post the definitive Church teaching on the subject, why even bother with the question? You seem well enough informed/educated that you are the best person to answer your own question.
 
jas84173 said:
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.

Thus if someone has an addictive nature and is not able to control it or suffers from some mental issue which makes it difficult to refrain from, etc, is it not a mortal sin?
Click to expand...
It is ALWAYS a SIN

It May NOT always be a Mortal sin; though THAT is the NORM

Patrick
 
Yes indeed HOWEVER

“grave matter” is BUT the 1st necessary condition for a mortal sin; ALSO essentially required are:

Pre-knowledge that this act WILL be a mortal sin {we’ll presume} this to be present

And then FREELY choosing to want to do that act anyway [desire is sufficient to be sinful]; and here we can neither presume nor assume that the act is completely free of influence. Masturbation is often a habit; a sort of addition; NOT without influence.

Let us pray.

And for a child under the age of reason; your quite correct; no sin is committed.

God Bless you
Patrick
 
Probably. But I hesitate to condemn anyone who needs to do it now and then. Just as a release from the stresses of life. As long as it doesn’t become an addiction, or false god.
 
I believe it’s always sinful, but not always mortally so. As the Catechism (I think) says, the force of acquired habit can reduce one’s culpability.

However, this isn’t an excuse. An attempt needs to be made to “sin no more”.
 
PJM said:
It is ALWAYS a SIN

It May NOT always be a Mortal sin; though THAT is the NORM

Patrick
Click to expand...
You may not be aware of the ambiguous meaning of sin that you are trading on.
Such behaviour is always “grave matter” but not always a personal sin.
The CCC teaches that mitigating reasons may “…even reduce to a minimum, moral culpability.”

Well, min culpability means no culpability, not committed.
So that means no personal offence to God whatsoever.

Therefore this is not true “sin” but only “analogical sin”.
Just as the Church says of “Original Sin”, it is not true sin because it is not committed.
“Original sin is called “sin” only in an analogical sense: it is not “committed”.
Click to expand...
 
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As the CCC notes, it’s always a sin, but culpability can be lessened or negated. It’s like St. Paul said in Romans 7: “I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate…I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do.”

That being said, you’ve got to keep up the good fight and will to overcome the sin, even if you keep falling. As soon as you willfully surrender to it, you’ve consented.
 
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