From JAW642 on 04/14/2010
To coolcatholicguy:
Actually, I wrote this Post to Reply to the previous thread below, that you started on Easter Sunday. Since that thread has been Closed, I am posting my Reply now.
Is it ok to gradually stop doing something?
Well first of all, congratulations on your victory in making it through six and a half weeks of Lent without masturbating. It is an accomplishment that you should be justifiably proud of. I know that in my teenage years, I could not have gone a whole six weeks without masturbating. And I doubt if any of the guys answering your questions and giving you advice, could have ever gone six weeks without masturbating during their teenage years.
I think your plan A to try to stop masturbating, gradually, is a good one. It is not perfect, but it is a better plan than having NO plan at all, or if you took the attitude that you are simply not going to put any effort into trying to reduce or stop this very normal habit.
Just the fact that you have written into this website, is enough evidence for me that you are a good kid, and you want to live the life that God wants you to live.
According to all the statistics, virtually all males masturbate to one extent or another, especially during our teenage years and beyond. So you are definitely normal and not alone in what you are doing. Actually, unless you are SUPERhuman, I would be extremely shocked if you were able to stop this masturbating habit, permanently. I think the best you can hope for is to reduce the number of times you masturbate each week down to a moderate level which will be acceptable in God’s eyes. God always likes us to do things in moderation, and not excessively.
Everyone should eat three times a day. But when somebody eats continually, because of the sheer pleasure of eating, to the extent where they weigh more than twice their normal weight, barring a medical condition, then they could be extremely close to committing the sin of gluttony.
Now, I am not implying that all males should masturbate three times a day, to maintain proper physical and sexual health, but you should get the idea of the difference between doing something in moderation, or doing something excessively.
I may be going out on a limb here, but for most teen boys, ejaculating 6 times a week or less, is probably still in the moderate range of normal male sexual activity. Ejaculating more than 7 times a week, consistently week after week, should probably have to be considered an excessive level of masturbation at least for most Adult males. The possible exception to this, might be in the summertime, when the weather is warm, and teen boys usually have more free time on their hands, so they tend to use their hands a bit more often, engaging in other ‘pleasurable activities’, like baseball, soccer, and masturbation ! !
You are a very normal teen male. Just because you masturbate, don’t think that you are a bad or worthless teenager, or that you don’t love God and want to live the life that God wants you to live.
And more importantly, just because you masturbate, don’t think that God has stopped loving you. He will only ask of you, what you are physically and EMOTIONALLY capable of achieving and delivering. Therefore, your honest efforts are more important than the final results. So keep on talking to God, and honestly try to figure out what level of masturbation each week, He will be okay with, and what would possibly be excessive, considering your young age. The answer is between You and your Loving and Merciful God. I do not want to believe that our Loving and Merciful God will put teen boys into Hell for all eternity, just because they masturbate, habitually and uncontrollably.
Why didn’t the Catholic Church ever mention anything about the sinfulness or morality of masturbation before the Six century A.D.?
Why didn’t Jesus Christ ever teach us that masturbation could be a mortal sin?
Why does the Catholic Church believe that it knows more, and has more authority and power, then Jesus Christ, Himself?
At fourteen, certainly your body has developed to the point where you are PHYSICALLY mature enough to be able to ejaculate, and physically enjoy all the pleasures derived from masturbation.
But at fourteen, you are still not EMOTIONALLY mature enough yet, to have FULL control over your sexual urges. Therefore, because you are a teenager, and you do not have FULL control, and it is definitely a habit for you, I believe your masturbating should NOT be Gravely Offensive to God, and therefore NOT a mortal sin for you.
Coolcatholicguy, read below.
Apr 1, '10, 7:44 pm
SacredHeartFan
Habitual Sin
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=443636
I have confessed two sins over and over again in confession. Last time I went to confession with our pastor, who is a very Holy and rightous man, he told me that these sins that would normally be mortal are only venial because they are habitual. He told me that I do not need to confess them unless I felt the need to and that a true Act of Contrition would repeal these sins and allow me to recieve Communion. I just would like to see some church documents on this. I trust this priest completely and fully, and would normally never question his practices but I was a little unsettled about this one. Thank you and Pax Christi!
Let us know what you think about my Reply.
I would like to know if my Reply is helpful and beneficial to you in any way.
Coolcatholicguy, Good luck to you, young man.
From JAW642 on 04/14/2010
but it is the best remedy) As for imagining how good sex will be when your are married that is an iffy one. Imagining how the blessed union between two souls is much more sacred than a one night stand while both are treating each other like a mere sex object. What you don’t want to do is start entertaining impure thoughts about having sex when you are married as that wouldn’t be helping the situation. I think you are not talking about that though. God bless 
to you 