Is Masturbation without lust or impure thoughts wrong?

[CatholicGinger]

Is masturbation wrong if you don’t want to do it and don’t have any impure thoughts or anything that accompanies it? I am an infertile unmarried woman and have to take hormone replacement therapy and when I use it I fall into temptation. My levels aren’t correct so I’m wondering if this doesn’t help my situation. I am currently seeing a dr to get my levels correct. I have only done it 3 times in about a year. There is nothing sexual about it. I will pray and try to ignore it. I do it just so the feeling will be gone and I can concentrate again. I cry and pray that it will just leave. I went 6 months without doing it before I stumbled again. It’s not a habit or pleasurable. It’s very annoying and I feel horrible for doing it.

 

[HomeschoolDad]

I hesitate to comment to a member of the opposite sex about such matters, but unfortunately, this is something you may never do, regardless of your reasons. Doing it without sexual thoughts is beside the point. It is intrinsically evil and objectively a mortal sin.

You might talk to your doctor (and this would be an easier conversation if the doctor is female) and explain your religious beliefs, and the effect of the medication upon you. There might be alternative treatments that do not compromise your faith.

 

[CatholicGinger]

Evil? Geeze now I can’t get to confession quick enough. And Unfortunately there are no alternatives. I will have to take them for many more years.

 

[CatholicGinger]

This was a bit of an irrelevant response and not spiritually uplifting. Why comment if you can’t give polite and uplifting advice?

 

[1Lord1Faith]

It sounds like you are lacking “deliberate consent”. Which is one of the criterion for a sin to be a mortal sin.

It’s best to talk to your pastor about this kind of stuff. CAF isn’t a good place to ask about sensitive personal issues. But now that it’s done, ignore the uncharitable posts.

 

[Hawkmaid7]

Speaking as a woman, I’m sorry my friend, it’s still a sin. I’m glad that it doesn’t have much drive behind it, as you said, that’s a step in the right direction, but it’s still not a good thing.

Privately I feel like I should ask how you know you’re infertile if you’re not married, what do the hormone treatments actually do, but honestly I don’t need (or want) those answers, I’m sure you have reasons. Just…please be careful what secular doctors tell you you need because sometimes they’re the ones prescribing birth control for youngins with acne problems and then their hormones get screwed over and…yeah.

Thank you for coming to us, you’re very brave and I hope we can help!

 

[HomeschoolDad]

Evil? Geeze now I can’t get to confession quick enough. And Unfortunately there are no alternatives. I will have to take them for many more years.

I am sorry to know that. As has been said elsewhere, please talk to your priest about this. He can’t give you “permission” to commit the sin, but he may be able to offer some spiritual remedies to alleviate your situation, such as prayer, fasting if your medical circumstances allow it, and ways of asceticism.

 

[CatholicGinger]

I have an extremely rare disorder that caused my body to go into menopause basically at birth. So it’s for bone and other health reasons

 

[CRV]

Is masturbation wrong if you don’t want to do it and don’t have any impure thoughts or anything that accompanies it?

Always.

have to take hormone replacement therapy and when I use it I fall into temptation.

I too took hormone replacement therapy for a few years due to menopause/hot flushes etc. I stopped taking these back in 05 I think, and just put up with things, which still are happening 14yrs later. It didn’t have that effect on me.

But the hormones/dosage may be different in your case. May I suggest you occupy yourself with something else - prayer, phoning a friend for a conversation, going for a drive, anything to distract yourself.

ETA - just saw your last post - above mine. Perhaps the formula/concentration/ratio of hormones could be adjusted? Best to speak to your doctor about these “side issues” and see if it is possible for dosage/hormones can be adjusted.