Is Masturbation always Mortal Sin?

[Serap]

Is a person always in a state of Mortal Sin if they masturbate?

 

[davidv]

No. But, it is always a grave sin.

Conditions for “mortal sin”:

1. 
   *]Grave matter (which it is)
   *]Full knowledge of gravity (???)
   *]Free consent of the will (???)

 

[JReducation]

No. But, it is always a grave sin.

Conditions for “mortal sin”:

1. 
   *]Grave matter (which it is)
   *]Full knowledge of gravity (???)
   *]Free consent of the will (???)

1. 
   Excellent response.
   
   Probably the one area that may diminish culpability more than any is the third one. For some people masturbation is an addiction. How huch free will is there in an addiction? It’s difficult to measure. However, people with addictions that are against the moral law have another moral obligation, to break the cycle of addiction. At least to try.
   
   Fraternally,
   
   JR

 

[Good_Fella]

Excellent response.

Probably the one area that may diminish culpability more than any is the third one. For some people masturbation is an addiction. How huch free will is there in an addiction? It’s difficult to measure. However, people with addictions that are against the moral law have another moral obligation, to break the cycle of addiction. At least to try.

Fraternally,

JR

Yes, if we are fully aware that our form of addiction is morally wrong or sinful, we must sincerely try to overcome it. This takes resolve on our part, but not without the vital graces we need and receive through constant and fervent prayer to help overcome the addiction.

PAX :harp:

 

[Gamera]

No. But, it is always a grave sin.

Conditions for “mortal sin”:

1. 
   *]Grave matter (which it is)
   *]Full knowledge of gravity (???)
   *]Free consent of the will (???)

1. 
   To be more precise, it’s always a grave matter. Theoretically the person might not sin at all — say, if the person totally lacked mental competence.

 

[jfoges]

Is a person always in a state of Mortal Sin if they masturbate?

No they are not. If you read what the Catechism says about masturbation it actually says that all psychological factors may diminish moral culpability almost to nothing. You need to read what the Catechism says about this. It has a very important caveat about subjective factors that diminish moral culpability.

 

[JReducation]

No they are not. If you read what the Catechism says about masturbation it actually says that all psychological factors may diminish moral culpability almost to nothing. You need to read what the Catechism says about this. It has a very important caveat about subjective factors that diminish moral culpability.

This note was added into the Catechism for those who do spiritual direction and confessors. The individual does not have the objectivity to make this judgment on his or her own. The wording even says that it is meant for pastoral practice.

Therefore, a person who struggles with this problem should use the same confessor all the time or have a spiritual director who can look at the individual situation from the outside.

Fraternally,

JR

 

[Dark_Warrior]

If you can, picture your God watching you perform it. Sounds funny, but I have. Wow, to think that the God of the universe, with perfect beauty, perfect love, perfect wrath, is actually watching myself perform that act is so shameful, for me that I must seek Confession every time I do it. Otherwise I feel depressed and do not partake in the Eucharist.

Many blessings friend.

 

[Good_Fella]

If you can, picture your God watching you perform it. Sounds funny, but I have. Wow, to think that the God of the universe, with perfect beauty, perfect love, perfect wrath, is actually watching myself perform that act is so shameful, for me that I must seek Confession every time I do it. Otherwise I feel depressed and do not partake in the Eucharist.

Many blessings friend.

Don’t forget our guardian angels. Not that I do it anymore, though I’m single and thus more likely to be tempted by the devil. Paul advises us to marry if we cannot control our urge. In modern psychology the term would be “transference.” But lust must not rule conjugal relations. Even a husband can commit adultery of the heart against his wife, says Augustine.

According to some psychologists, masturbation is a regression, like smoking a cigarette and consuming alchohol. Like any habit, regardless of the degree of natural inclination, it can be arrested by the power of the will and discipline. This is where prayer and the grace of God comes in.

 

[sodak]

Interesting question. In Catholic school, the Nuns taught us that it was venial unless it became so habitual that it interfered in normal relations.

 

[JReducation]

Interesting question. In Catholic school, the Nuns taught us that it was venial unless it became so habitual that it interfered in normal relations.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church has declared that it is a serious sin. However, it does write a note that is opposite of what the good sisters taught you. The note is meant for pastoral use. It calls upon the practitioners of pastoral care to consider psychological conditions, maturity, addiction and other comorbid conditions. I’m paraphrasing. But you can read it in the CCC.

The comorbid conditions, such as habit can minimize culpability.

However, there is a moral law that is not mentioned in the Catechism, but still in effect. It is morally imperative that a person with an addiction to something that is wrong, do whatever is in their power to overcome the addiction. In this case, the moral concern becomes the effort to overcome the addiction and not the masturbation itself.

Fraternally,

JR

 

[theswan]

I strongly object to the use of will power to overcome an addiction-hogwash! I tried to stop drinking for years but until God gave me pure and free Grace, I had no power whatsoever! People who belive addictions can be overcome either have none or are not aware of their own shortcomings (pride, gluttony etc or whatever)

I am sober 23 years but for the Divine Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I also have issues as the topic states and am a good Christian and serve both as a Eucharistic extraordinary minister and in the music ministry. I am saddened by my lack of ability to stop sinning but Thank God it is mitigated by the habitual nature of it. Yes I pray to Mary, Saint Anthony and of course to the Lord but loss of my habits is not forthcoming. So I confess and start anew each time.

Am I less because? I’ll let Him be the judge

Glen

 

[ACanthony]

The above posters gave very good answers but I should post this link here as it is a very very good and thorough article about the topic couragerc.net/PIPMasturbation.html#Introduction

Here is a great piece from the article:

There is no grievous sin if a person masturbates while lacking in awareness, as when he is half awake, or half asleep, or when a person is carried away by sudden passion and finds himself committing the act despite the resistance of the will. This is one of the effects of original sin, that human passions tend to overcome the acts of the will (Rom. 7: l~2O). An individual may agree with this reasoning, and yet in his heart feel guilty of masturbation, because he will say to himself, “If I had tried harder I would not have had the fantasies, I should be able to get rid of all my impure thoughts.”

The trouble with this feeling of guilt is that it presupposes that we humans have perfect control over our passions not only over lust, but also over avarice, anger, and other disordered emotions. We know that we have no such control. The person involved in masturbation, however, needs to believe that with God’s grace he can overcome the habit of masturbation. But it takes faithful adherence to a spiritual program. Sometimes it also takes psychological counseling, about which I shall say more later. It is my pastoral experience that the sense of guilt is the constant companion of masturbation on. In many individuals, however, there is also a sense of shame, which is distinctive from guilt.

 

[theswan]

Wow very well put. this place’s guilt right up there with pride. In other words our pride says we can control that which me cannot.

Saint Paul made this clear in his passage of “doing that which I do not want to do…”

Thanks, I just get annoyed when folks think it is just a matter of willpower-if it were we’d be saints.

Glen