Reasons why it is not wrong to chew gum

[JDScotus]

I have heard and seen objections to Catholic sexual teachings that argue that if Catholic teaching regarding the immorality of masturbation is correct, then chewing gum is also immoral. While for many, it is absurd to believe that chewing gum is wrong, what are some ways to respond to this objection?

So, the question of this thread is, what is the relation between the morality of mastication and masturbation?

The position of the objector is that both seem to involve the use of an organ for the sake of pleasure and not for the sake of its natural end. Here’s how that objection goes.

The natural end of a reproductive organ is reproduction (and unity). Masturbation does not involve either of those ends and so is wrong. One might think that the natural end of chewing with the mouth is digestion. This would make chewing gum wrong by the same line of reasoning as masturbation - for gum is not digested (usually). But chewing gum does not seem wrong. It certainly does not seem as important as our sexuality. Is there a way to preserve the reasoning used to prohibit masturbation without being committed to prohibiting mastication?

Consider this response. The natural end of the stomach is digestion. But the mouth does not have this end. For example, the mouth can praiseworthily be used for kissing, biting (e.g. in self-defense or in order to break food down for feeding the young), exploring (e.g. discerning edibility), or tasting. Taste is one of our external senses by which we take in the world. Perhaps this analogy works, just as we need not dwell on every image we see or sound we hear, we need not swallow everything we taste. Just as we are not required to make use of every experience we have, so, we are not required to eat everything we taste. Chewing gum is tasting a thing that we do not eat. So, chewing gum is not always wrong.

This line of reasoning cannot be used to support masturbation. So, the natural law argument used to condemn masturbation does not entail that mastication of gum is also wrong.

 

[ATeutonicKnight]

I have heard and seen objections to Catholic sexual teachings that argue that if Catholic teaching regarding the immorality of masturbation is correct, then chewing gum is also immoral. While for many, it is absurd to believe that chewing gum is wrong, what are some ways to respond to this objection?

So, the question of this thread is, what is the relation between the morality of mastication and masturbation?

The position of the objector is that both seem to involve the use of an organ for the sake of pleasure and not for the sake of its natural end. Here’s how that objection goes.

The natural end of a reproductive organ is reproduction (and unity). Masturbation does not involve either of those ends and so is wrong. One might think that the natural end of chewing with the mouth is digestion. This would make chewing gum wrong by the same line of reasoning as masturbation - for gum is not digested (usually). But chewing gum does not seem wrong. It certainly does not seem as important as our sexuality. Is there a way to preserve the reasoning used to prohibit masturbation without being committed to prohibiting mastication?

Consider this response. The natural end of the stomach is digestion. But the mouth does not have this end. For example, the mouth can praiseworthily be used for kissing, biting (e.g. in self-defense or in order to break food down for feeding the young), exploring (e.g. discerning edibility), or tasting. Taste is one of our external senses by which we take in the world. Perhaps this analogy works, just as we need not dwell on every image we see or sound we hear, we need not swallow everything we taste. Just as we are not required to make use of every experience we have, so, we are not required to eat everything we taste. Chewing gum is tasting a thing that we do not eat. So, chewing gum is not always wrong.

This line of reasoning cannot be used to support masturbation. So, the natural law argument used to condemn masturbation does not entail that mastication of gum is also wrong.

The problem is, masturbation is a grave sin because it is contrary to chastity. It teaches you to become a slave to sexual pleasure, and sexual pleasure is only to be had within marriage. It teaches you to be selfish. It takes “we” and turns it into “me”. You should be thinking of your spouse during sexual intercourse, and it teaches you to think about yourself. On chastity.com, Jason Evert speaks more about the evils of masturbation in these links: chastity.com/chastity-qa/pornography-etc/masturbation/whats-wrong-with-ma chastity.com/chastity-qa/pornography-etc/masturbation/it-okay-masturbate- chastity.com/chastity-qa/pornography-etc/masturbation/masturbation-harmfu chastity.com/chastity-qa/pornography-etc/masturbation/i-heard-it-unhealth chastity.com/chastity-qa/pornography-etc/masturbation/whats-problem-with- The first and last links will answer your question directly, but the others go into different explanations. The thing is, chewing gum is just for the flavor. It is not contrary to God’s law, and it is not contrary to chastity. It does not make you a slave to it, and it is not one of the seven deadly sins. Lust is a very powerful thing that had its hold on me for three and a half to four years, and I’m glad to be away with it. Lust and masturbation lead down the path of Hell, and I recommend to anyone with this problem to repent and go to Confession immediately.

 

[Little_Mary]

I have heard and seen objections to Catholic sexual teachings that argue that if Catholic teaching regarding the immorality of masturbation is correct, then chewing gum is also immoral. While for many, it is absurd to believe that chewing gum is wrong, what are some ways to respond to this objection?

So, the question of this thread is, what is the relation between the morality of mastication and masturbation?

The position of the objector is that both seem to involve the use of an organ for the sake of pleasure and not for the sake of its natural end. Here’s how that objection goes.

The natural end of a reproductive organ is reproduction (and unity). Masturbation does not involve either of those ends and so is wrong. One might think that the natural end of chewing with the mouth is digestion. This would make chewing gum wrong by the same line of reasoning as masturbation - for gum is not digested (usually). But chewing gum does not seem wrong. It certainly does not seem as important as our sexuality. Is there a way to preserve the reasoning used to prohibit masturbation without being committed to prohibiting mastication?

Consider this response. The natural end of the stomach is digestion. But the mouth does not have this end. For example, the mouth can praiseworthily be used for kissing, biting (e.g. in self-defense or in order to break food down for feeding the young), exploring (e.g. discerning edibility), or tasting. Taste is one of our external senses by which we take in the world. Perhaps this analogy works, just as we need not dwell on every image we see or sound we hear, we need not swallow everything we taste. Just as we are not required to make use of every experience we have, so, we are not required to eat everything we taste. Chewing gum is tasting a thing that we do not eat. So, chewing gum is not always wrong.

This line of reasoning cannot be used to support masturbation. So, the natural law argument used to condemn masturbation does not entail that mastication of gum is also wrong.

:ehh:

 

[hannajomar]

I know I’m going to regret getting involved in this, but I see that I’m still typing…

I will make the point that gum is food and leads to digestion since it has calories. The part we spit out at the end is just a non-edible part of that food. If gum-chewing is wrong because we don’t consume the entire thing, then we should not spit out cherry pits or stray fish bones either.

 

[runningdude]

Gum is not sinful - ever feel guilty about chewing gum??? No, of course not (at least before the lecture from the dentist ).

Masturbation is different. Almost anyone who engages in it will feel some degree of guilt or shame. Even secular experts will admit this is normal, because, in their words, mankind has evolved to feel guilt for non-procreative sex. Humans feel guilt over masturbation, because relying solely on it would obliterate the race!

Ironically, this is almost in line with what the church teaches about the subject. The difference is that the Church teaches us to engage in sex that does not induce guilt - sex within a committed, life long marriage. This a natural habit, fully in accord with our instincts. The secular experts will simply advise ignoring the guilt :banghead:.

Bottom line is that chewing gum is a natural habit - started by chewing natural gums, even if today’s are mostly synthetic. One shouldn’t feel guilt about chewing gum in moderation. Masturbation is an unnatural habit, one to be avoided!

 

[Tarpeian_Rock]

I know I’m going to regret getting involved in this, but I see that I’m still typing…

I will make the point that gum is food and leads to digestion since it has calories. The part we spit out at the end is just a non-edible part of that food. If gum-chewing is wrong because we don’t consume the entire thing, then we should not spit out cherry pits or stray fish bones either.

Of course, the same can’t be said of calorie-free gum, which would truly seem to involve the use of a bodily organ for the empty pleasure of the transient taste. Moral issue? Just sayin.’

 

[Splagchnizomai]

If you’re comparing masturbation to chewing gum, I think that you’re doing it wrong.

 

[Link0126]

This argument only applies to masterbation apart from lust, which is almost never the case.

.

 

[Newbie2]

Of course, the same can’t be said of calorie-free gum, which would truly seem to involve the use of a bodily organ for the empty pleasure of the transient taste. Moral issue? Just sayin.’

Ah, but if there may be health benefits to chewing such gum; cleaning the teeth and perhaps satiating a calorie-craving, saving someone from eating that extra unhealthy twinkie…

 

[DexUK]

If chewing gum had absolutely no benefits other than the experience of chewing AND if the act of chewing was, on its own, an intrinsically pleasurable experience AND if chewing gum did something or prevented you doing something that then caused harm to you and/or someone else then, and only then, would chewing gum be sinful. Since those conditions cannot be satisfied in their entirety, it isn’t sinful.

Gum has a taste. That is nutritional, even if such nutrition is infinitesimally small (as in calorie-free gum).

Chewing in and of itself is not intrinsically pleasurable. We chew for another purpose and not for itself.

Chewing gum is not intrinsically harmful. Harm can be done with chewed gum (sticking it to sidewalks, or potentially messing up your insides - although that might be an ‘old wives tale’) after the act of the chewing, but not during. All that is required is careful disposal of the chewed gum.

I don’t believe that masturbation and chewing gum can be compared since they are so thoroughly different in their innate qualities and outcome. You can compare chewing gum with chewing tobacco though and there you would have a different outcome regarding sin.