Wet Dreams and Confession

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I will be a confirmed Catholic this Easter Vigil, coming from an Evangelical faith tradition. I don’t masturbate or view porn and strive to battle against impurity in thought and deed on a daily, sometimes momentary basis (let’s face it, this world, this culture, is a fierce battle-ground). I am 32 years old. I pray a lot for chastity and purity of sight and thought. However, I have been keeping record of how frequent my wet-dreams have been and their subject matter, and what was a once a month occurance it appears to be a once a week event now for the past month. The subject matter is usually masturbation rather than with another, though on rare occassions this will occur as well.

I have stepped up my spiritual regimen this Lenten Season and, being single and fairly certain that I am called to celibacy, I have plenty of time to spend in prayer and devotion.

In the CCC, #1857, “For a sin to be mortal, three conditions must together be met: ‘Mortal sin is sin whose object is grave matter and which is also committed wil full knowledge and deliberate consent.’”

My question is that should I include this re-occuring problem in Confession? I understand that according to #1859, “Mortal sin requires full knowledge and complete consent. It presupposes knowledge of the sinful character of the act, of its opposition to God’s law. It also implies a consent sufficiently deliberate to be a personal choice…”

However, although these impurities occur and are committed while I am not conscious and am in fact asleep, doesn’t change the fact that they didn’t happen in a vacuum, no one else can account for them, they happened to me and in me, no one else. Perhaps they are indicators and results of deep-seated impurities, corruption of my flesh and injuries to my soul from years of a prodigal life-style, and simply something that is rebelling against the spirit as I am discipling it through stronger and more devout spiritual excercises. Perhaps these are vestiges of a rebel force within me that I am at war with and that I just need to persevere in prayer and battle and that I am not in sin because of this, but am in fact embattled against sin and corruption in my own person.

Any thoughts or insights?

Thank you, God bless.
 
Wet dreams are not sinful. There is no intent in having these fantasies, so you are not guilty of a sin.

During sleep, the ability to consent to an act is greatly impaired, therefore no sin can be commited. You may be able to reason or deliberate about things (speaking in another language that you are learning) during sleep but you can not make moral choices.
 
What he said.

But I’ve found that you often CAN influence the kinds of things you dream about. If you find yourself struggling with lustful thoughts right before bed, change your routine. Carve out another 10 minutes or so of prayer time right before bed. In bed, with lights out, review the things you have to be thankful for in a prayerful mindset and you may set your unconscious mind on a different set of rail tracks before you nod off.
 
This is natures way of releasing sexual tension.

It is normal and not a sin

All young men have wet dreams in all denominatios.

it is natural.

You are Knocking yourself out for no reason what so ever.

Antrim
 
Welcome to the Catholic Church Comrade! I believe we all have struggles in this department but just as the other members have assured I agree with them that since there is no deliberate act to produce ejaculation then nocturnal emissions are not sinful. God bless and hope you grow more in your new faith!
 
Wet dreams are not sinful. There is no intent in having these fantasies, so you are not guilty of a sin.

During sleep, the ability to consent to an act is greatly impaired, therefore no sin can be commited. You may be able to reason or deliberate about things (speaking in another language that you are learning) during sleep but you can not make moral choices.
Exactly 👍 This thread also has a corresponding thread about about Nocturnal Emissions forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=146504&page=2

See Post 21:

Originally Posted by Daniel Kane
A nocturnal emission is a normal physiologic event for some males and NOT a mortal sin as does not meet the criteria for a mortal sin, which is (1) grave matter (2) full knowledge of the sin and gravity of the act (3) commission with deliberate and complete consent. One cannot sin mortally by accident or while asleep.

Masturbation on the other hand is without question a mortal sin. Some may call it normal but in reality, one who calls it normal one really is trying to imply that it is a common activity, which no doubt it is. It is not normal, but common. One may or may not participate in such activity.

One who masturbates sins mortally b/c it fulfills all three of the criteria above and is a disordered use of the sexual faculty, which is the unity and procreation within the married state. In masturbation, neither is achieved, even within the married state. Because of the fantasy or pornography involved, it includes the “lust of the eyes” mentioned my Christ in Mt. 5:28.

A devout prayer life may be a strong remedy to halt Nocturnal Emissions.
 
Thank you all for your replies. I suppose I have been worried too much about it. I woke up from one such dream and found that during my sleep I had been masturbating…something I do not do. When I awoke and came to my senses I realized what i was doing in my sleep, which corresponded to the dream I was having. I repented, asked forgiveness, but I didn’t do it consciously. Would this be something to bring up in confession, or am I right in just praying about it? I don’t know that I would count it as a slip up, since I wasn’t awake at the time, but i don’t know, I’m just really disappointed about it happening.
 
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