Severity of masturbation

[Bezant]

I’m not questioning masturbation as a sin, but as a mortal sin – that could potentially condemn one if he failed to confess it before death. Is it really a mortal sin? Furthermore, is the Church moot on this point (that masturbation is a mortal sin) or is it non-debatable?

In terms of seriousness and damage, in my opinion masturbation doesn’t stack up anywhere close to murder, adultery, rape, or even fornication.

 

[Scoobyshme]

I’m not questioning masturbation as a sin, but as a mortal sin – that could potentially condemn one if he failed to confess it before death. Is it really a mortal sin? Furthermore, is the Church moot on this point (that masturbation is a mortal sin) or is it non-debatable?

In terms of seriousness and damage, in my opinion masturbation doesn’t stack up anywhere close to murder, adultery, rape, or even fornication.

Masturbation is “serious matter” with regard to mortal sin. Anyone who knowingly and willingly commits this act is guilty of mortal sin. Hands down. (No pun intended. LOL)

 

[Aquinas62]

What if is is done out of habit, due to loneliness or other reasons and not because one wants to offend God?

 

[Joan1969]

What if is is done out of habit, due to loneliness or other reasons and not because one wants to offend God?

Hi Aquinas,

Objectively it is a grave sin. Age and understanding could affect the degree if sin in an individual case, but I would err on the side of caution. Any sin has its motives, some of which are very sympathetic and sad .

God Bless,
Joan

 

[Whitacre_Girl]

Masturbation is “serious matter” with regard to mortal sin. Anyone who knowingly and willingly commits this act is guilty of mortal sin. Hands down. (No pun intended. LOL)

!!!

 

[jerry74383]

From Handbook of Moral Theology by Dominic M. Prummer, O.P.

The unnatural consummated sins against purity are: pollution [masturbation], sodomy, and bestiality. These are regarded as unnatural acts since they are contrary to the natural purpose of the sexual act, viz. the procreation of children. Therefore, as sins of impurity they are more serious than others.

(a) Pollution which is directly willed is always grievously sinful.

Why? Because it is the direct willing of sexual pleasure. The way in which it is procured has little bearing on its moral character, provided that there is no desire for sodomy, bestiality, co-operation, or any other means which is of its nature forbidden.

(b) The sinfulness of pollution which is voluntary in its cause must be judged according to the principles which apply to acts that are indirectly voluntary.

Therefore, on has to consider (1) whether the action resulting in pollution is in itself naturally good; (2) whether the purpose of this action is morally good; and (3) whether there is sufficient reason for performing this action.

(c) Pollution which occurs during sleep is not sinful unless it is willed in some way.

 

[jerry74383]

What if is is done out of habit, due to loneliness or other reasons and not because one wants to offend God?

Being creatures that are prone to rationalization, it would seem to be a safer course to treat it as a mortal sin. There is no harm done confessing a venial sin; there is a great deal of harm in not confessing a mortal sin. Better safe than sorry!

 

[Seatuck]

I’m not questioning masturbation as a sin, but as a mortal sin – that could potentially condemn one if he failed to confess it before death. Is it really a mortal sin? Furthermore, is the Church moot on this point (that masturbation is a mortal sin) or is it non-debatable?

In terms of seriousness and damage, in my opinion masturbation doesn’t stack up anywhere close to murder, adultery, rape, or even fornication.

When our opinion doesn’t match up with the opinion of the church then it is our opinion that needs to change. I’m giving you the teaching of the church on masturbation. Masturbation is grave matter. If all the usual conditions are there then it is a mortal sins.

scborromeo.org/ccc/para/2352.htm

**2352 **By *masturbation *is to be understood the deliberate stimulation of the genital organs in order to derive sexual pleasure. “Both the Magisterium of the Church, in the course of a constant tradition, and the moral sense of the faithful have been in no doubt and have firmly maintained that masturbation is an intrinsically and gravely disordered action.” “The deliberate use of the sexual faculty, for whatever reason, outside of marriage is essentially contrary to its purpose.” For here sexual pleasure is sought outside of “the sexual relationship which is demanded by the moral order and in which the total meaning of mutual self-giving and human procreation in the context of true love is achieved.” To form an equitable judgment about the subjects’ moral responsibility and to guide pastoral action, one must take into account the affective immaturity, force of acquired habit, conditions of anxiety or other psychological or social factors that lessen, if not even reduce to a minimum, moral culpability.

 

[Bezant]

Masturbation is “serious matter” with regard to mortal sin. Anyone who knowingly and willingly commits this act is guilty of mortal sin. Hands down. (No pun intended. LOL)

LOL! :0))

However, could you provide source(s) where the Church says masturbation is a mortal sin, implicitly an act that could condemn one’s soul if left unconfessed at the time of death? I’m cautious of heresay.

 

[Bezant]

When our opinion doesn’t match up with the opinion of the church then it is our opinion that needs to change.

I don’t think so. I would rather disagree with the Church, perhaps in time come to terms with that teaching in sincerity, than to disingenuosly promote something I don’t think logical.

I’m giving you the teaching of the church on masturbation. Masturbation is grave matter. If all the usual conditions are there then it is a mortal sins.

*By masturbation is to be understood the deliberate stimulation of the genital organs in order to derive sexual pleasure. “Both the Magisterium of the Church, in the course of a constant tradition, and the moral sense of the faithful have been in no doubt and have firmly maintained that masturbation is an intrinsically and gravely disordered action.” “The deliberate use of the sexual faculty, for whatever reason, outside of marriage is essentially contrary to its purpose.” For here sexual pleasure is sought outside of “the sexual relationship which is demanded by the moral order and in which the total meaning of mutual self-giving and human procreation in the context of true love is achieved.” To form an equitable judgment about the subjects’ moral responsibility and to guide pastoral action, one must take into account the affective immaturity, force of acquired habit, conditions of anxiety or other psychological or social factors that lessen, if not even reduce to a minimum, moral culpability. *

scborromeo.org/ccc/para/2352.htm

Thanks, but the catechismal ruling I have read before; it didn’t actually answer my question because it doesn’t say masturbation is a mortal sin.

 

[Bezant]

Being creatures that are prone to rationalization, it would seem to be a safer course to treat it as a mortal sin. There is no harm done confessing a venial sin; there is a great deal of harm in not confessing a mortal sin. Better safe than sorry!

In theory could you picture Hell, where murders, rapists, suffer next to someone who masturbated intentionally and knowingly and failed to confess that sin before his death? Is it an immature release of sexuality/stress/etc., a disordered act? Yes. But how does that stack up to mortal sins like murder?

That’s what I’m thinking…

 

[jerry74383]

Thanks, but the catechismal ruling I have read before; it didn’t actually answer my question because it doesn’t say masturbation is a mortal sin.

As Seatuck posted, “Both the Magisterium of the Church, in the course of a constant tradition, and the moral sense of the faithful have been in no doubt and have firmly maintained that masturbation is an intrinsically and gravely disordered action.”

From my prior post quoting Prummer: “Pollution [masturbation] which is directly willed is always grievously sinful.”

What else would you like?

 

[Bezant]

From Handbook of Moral Theology by Dominic M. Prummer, O.P.

The unnatural consummated sins against purity are: pollution [masturbation], sodomy, and bestiality. These are regarded as unnatural acts since they are contrary to the natural purpose of the sexual act, viz. the procreation of children. Therefore, as sins of impurity they are more serious than others.

(a) Pollution which is directly willed is always grievously sinful.

But does ‘greviously sinful’ equate to a mortal sin?

(c) Pollution which occurs during sleep is not sinful unless it is willed in some way.

How could you willingly and knowingly do that during sleep?

 

[Bezant]

As Seatuck posted, “Both the Magisterium of the Church, in the course of a constant tradition, and the moral sense of the faithful have been in no doubt and have firmly maintained that masturbation is an intrinsically and gravely disordered action.”

From my prior post quoting Prummer: “Pollution [masturbation] which is directly willed is always grievously sinful.”

What else would you like?

Is a ‘greviously sinful [act],’ ‘gravely disordered action,’ and ‘mortal sin’ directly equivalent?

 

[jerry74383]

In theory could you picture Hell, where murders, rapists, suffer next to someone who masturbated intentionally and knowingly and failed to confess that sin before his death? Is it an immature release of sexuality/stress/etc., a disordered act? Yes. But how does that stack up to mortal sins like murder?

That’s what I’m thinking…

A mortal sin is a mortal sin: they all remove one from a state of grace and, unrepented, land one’s soul in hell for all eternity.

Recall the warning by Our Lady of Fatima: “More souls go to hell for sins of the flesh than for any other reason.” Sins of the flesh includes masturbation. As Fr. Prummer noted, masturbation, along with bestiality and sodomy, are the most serious of the sins of the flesh because they are unnatural acts.

 

[jerry74383]

Is a ‘greviously sinful [act],’ ‘gravely disordered action,’ and ‘mortal sin’ directly equivalent?

For an act to be a mortal sin, three conditions are required:

(1) It must be a grievously immoral act

(2) The sinner must be aware it is a grievous sin, and

(3) It must be deliberately willed

Note that the second condition does not require that the sinner agree that the sin is grave. While the full explanation is rather lengthy, being aware that the Church teaches that an act is a grave sin generally suffices to fulfill this condition.

 

[jerry74383]

But does ‘greviously sinful’ equate to a mortal sin?

Answered in my previous response.

How could you willingly and knowingly do that during sleep?

You can’t. A nocturnal emission is not masturbation. As my first response in this topic states, the former is not sinful.

 

[Caged]

Why must we all ignore the scientific world’s findings on this subject? We all may interpret the bible’s (or whichever religious writings you follow for that matter) in our own way and take what we wish from that.

Why, though, should we interpret these writings in such a way that we condemn what is proven to be a natural, normal part of sexual development and relationships in general?

For young children, it is a part of the exploration of their own growing bodies. For men and women, it is an expression of sexuality. In short, it’s a natural part of growing up. As for the guilt and shame mentioned earlier, that is caused by society’s secretiveness about the sexual organs of the human body, and this makes children especially believe that they are considered “bad”.

Masturbation can actually improve sexual relationships because this exploration of your own body will help your partner know what pleases you, and how to better your relationship in the bedroom.

This all comes from the innumerable doctors that have studied and researched masturbation’s effects on people of all ages.

(The thing we can all agree on is that addiction to this, or anything, is detrimental. That, however, would be a different discussion).

 

[jerry74383]

Why must we all ignore the scientific world’s findings on this subject? We all may interpret the bible’s (or whichever religious writings you follow for that matter) in our own way and take what we wish from that.

Why, though, should we interpret these writings in such a way that we condemn what is proven to be a natural, normal part of sexual development and relationships in general?

For young children, it is a part of the exploration of their own growing bodies. For men and women, it is an expression of sexuality. In short, it’s a natural part of growing up. As for the guilt and shame mentioned earlier, that is caused by society’s secretiveness about the sexual organs of the human body, and this makes children especially believe that they are considered “bad”.

Masturbation can actually improve sexual relationships because this exploration of your own body will help your partner know what pleases you, and how to better your relationship in the bedroom.

This all comes from the innumerable doctors that have studied and researched masturbation’s effects on people of all ages.

(The thing we can all agree on is that addiction to this, or anything, is detrimental. That, however, would be a different discussion).

We’re ignoring the scientific world because the scientific world ignores the natural law.

God, the creator of all that exist, has the final say as to what is right and what is wrong. If he declares something to be wrong, it’s wrong regardless of how many “benefits” science may think it finds.

Man was created to “know, love, and serve God int his world so that we may share everlasting happiness with Him in heaven.” What good is it to have a better sex life for a few years on earth if we lose our eternal reward?

Guilt and shame are natural reactions when does something wrong. God gave us these reactions to help us steer clear of bad things – they are good, not bad!

 

[jerry74383]

Why must we all ignore the scientific world’s findings on this subject? We all may interpret the bible’s (or whichever religious writings you follow for that matter) in our own way and take what we wish from that.

Why, though, should we interpret these writings in such a way that we condemn what is proven to be a natural, normal part of sexual development and relationships in general?

For young children, it is a part of the exploration of their own growing bodies. For men and women, it is an expression of sexuality. In short, it’s a natural part of growing up. As for the guilt and shame mentioned earlier, that is caused by society’s secretiveness about the sexual organs of the human body, and this makes children especially believe that they are considered “bad”.

Masturbation can actually improve sexual relationships because this exploration of your own body will help your partner know what pleases you, and how to better your relationship in the bedroom.

This all comes from the innumerable doctors that have studied and researched masturbation’s effects on people of all ages.

(The thing we can all agree on is that addiction to this, or anything, is detrimental. That, however, would be a different discussion).

One more thought…

What you are proposing here is that we make science, or, more precisely, researchers in various fields - that may or may not, as in the case of psycholgy, be a science - into an absolute authority - a god. This is a grave sin against the first commandment.