Masturbation

[Robert_Sock]

For some people? Sure. That’s why I said “Unless you’ve chosen a life of chastity…” If you feel called to a celibate, aesthetic life, whether it’s as a priest/nun or living in a religious community, more power to you. That’s a good and noble calling.

My point is that marriage is also a good and noble calling, and within that context, sexual arousal and pleasure is also a good thing. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that humanity and our natural instincts are bad. God himself took Human form: we shouldn’t despise the world. Now, can we misuse our natural instincts? Sure. But they’re not bad in and of themselves.

No, I never wanted my own disdain toward sexual arousal to pertain to everyone. Without any sexual arousal, or test tube babies, we would cease as a species. However, my point is that it’s OK for any person to maintain a disdain toward sexual arousal, especially if they have been abused by it in the past or if it leads a person to sin. Sexual arousal need not be valued by everyone even if they are not in a religious order where sex is forbidden. Nowhere in the teachings of the Church does it say otherwise.

 

[billcu1]

Unless you have chosen to live a celibate life, hating sexual arousal seems pretty extreme. Sexual arousal isn’t bad. It’s perfectly natural and even desirable. Sex is the way in which we bring new life into the world, but it also unites the spouses in intimacy and physical pleasure.

All this to say, sex is a good thing. It’s not some nasty chore we have to tolerate. Arousal and mutual enjoyment are fine. We just have to keep it in the proper context: mutually consenting and pleasurable between husband and wife.

Just because it’s possible to misuse our sex drive doesn’t mean it’s bad in and of itself. In the right context, it’s a wonderful thing.

I find it to always lead to something negative. So I can understand what he’s saying. I have no wife nor means to properly engage in sexuality. One has to stay away from a lot of things when single. I have no means financially to support a woman or family. I don’t think the church marries people that just want to be together and don’t have means for children. I guess I pretty much stay celibate.

But masturbation in marriage is still a sin. I don’t believe it’s a proper end to the means of the marital act.

Bill