SOLITARY SIN POLL-- always a mortal sin?

[twiztedseraph]

WhiteDove:

So, what say ye? Is the act of solitary stimulation always a mortal sin?

As with any mortal sin if the action is coupled with full knowledge and full and free consent then yes it kills all spiritual life in the soul. However the force of habit can mitigate it to a venial sin. But its best to confess it anyway, lets not take chances with our eternal salvation.

 

[Scott_Lafrance]

WhiteDove:

So, what say ye? Is the act of solitary stimulation always a mortal sin?

Only if you abide by the Catechism of the Catholic Church. If you only consider those things to be a list of recommendations, then …

 

[Jabronie]

Topher:

You need to stop thinking what the church says is a sin is not a sin. As long as you don’t agree with the church, you are not living in union with it. We must give mental assent to everything that the church teaches, otherwise we flirt with heterodoxy.

That’s now what I said at all. I said that even if I think something shouldn’t be a sin, I accept the authority of the Church and acknowlegde that it is a sin. I confess, and pray for strength to not commit the sin again.

 

[Topher]

seeker63:

What if you confess, hope to get over it, but are pretty sure that you won’t, if it’s deeply ingrained? As I’ve stated elsewhere, I come from a Protestant background where it’s not even regarded as a sin. I’ve hard to work myself into a state of feeling bad for it.

There seems a part of me that is determined to get over it, but another that says, “Yeah, you keep telling yourself that. You enjoy it too much and you’ll be back.”

And falling and failing gives feelings both of sadness in the failure, but also the sort of perverted enjoyment akin to that of playing hooky from school–part of the thrill is knowing it’s wrong. My sinful nature tells me that once I’m in a state of mortal sin I might as well commit a few more now that I’ve screwed up, that I can straighten things out in the confessional.It’s chain-sinning, like the notion of chain-smoking, where you light one cigarette off the butt of the last one.

The Catechisms points out that certain forces of habit can mitigate your responsibiltiy for mastrubation. This could mean that in your case masturbation is not a mortal sin but a venial sin. But it is best to talk to a good, loving, and orthodox priest about this in confession. He will help you sort that out. Furthermore, the point of true contrition in the confessional is the intent not to commit the sin again. However, even if you intend not to commit the sin again, if it has become a habbit as strong as chain smoking, then it is realistice to admitt to yourself that although your intent is good, there is a high probablitiy that you will committ the sin again. Talk to a good confessor about this too.