Why masturbation is bad

  • Thread starter Thread starter a83192
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
jrgiancola, while I still do not agree, I deeply sympathize with you…However please think twice about stating to everyone that its not a sin. When I was first hitting that age I remember looking it up and seeing some people saying it wasn’t. That started almost a ten year addiction. Thats all young guys look for as an excuse and a porn addiction is a bad one.
 
I’m sorry to hear that you had a porn addiction. That must be very difficult to deal with. But that does not happen to most young people who masturbate. Masturbation is not the cause of your porn addiction. The first does not usually lead to the second. I do not have any kind of porn addiction; in fact, I don’t even look at any porn, in magazines or on TV. I’ve seen porn in magazines years ago and, yes, some was sexually stimulating, but I’ve never felt a need or desire to look at it. I can honestly say that I don’t know anyone who does look at pornography. No one in my immediate family does; none of my friends do, or so I’m guessing; no one has ever invited me to look at porn with them so I’m assuming all this. Nobody I know gets the Playboy Channel or anything like that. I feel sorry for anyone who needs porn to get sexually stimulated. I’m stimulated by my wonderful memories of so many past sexual intimacies. They are alive in me just as my own brain itself is alive, and I will never let go of those memories. Sometimes memories are all that we are left with as we get older, and I cherish them.
 
Also, in regard to St. John’s use of the word “unchaste,” the actual word “chaste” is not only used in a sexual context. Chastity can be simple purity. I believe I have a pure “heart” and masturbation does not change the purity of my heart. Joe
 
Also, in regard to St. John’s use of the word “unchaste,” the actual word “chaste” is not only used in a sexual context. Chastity can be simple purity. I believe I have a pure “heart” and masturbation does not change the purity of my heart. Joe
But what does God believe?

From the Catechism:

2521 Purity requires modesty, an integral part of temperance. Modesty protects the intimate center of the person. It means refusing to unveil what should remain hidden. It is ordered to chastity to whose sensitivity it bears witness. It guides how one looks at others and behaves toward them in conformity with the dignity of persons and their solidarity.

2525 Christian purity requires a purification of the social climate. It requires of the communications media that their presentations show concern for respect and restraint. Purity of heart brings freedom from widespread eroticism and avoids entertainment inclined to voyeurism and illusion.

2531 Purity of heart will enable us to see God: it enables us even now to see things according to God.

2533 Purity of heart requires the modesty which is patience, decency, and discretion. Modesty protects the intimate center of the person.

2337 Chastity means the successful integration of sexuality within the person and thus the inner unity of man in his bodily and spiritual being. Sexuality, in which man’s belonging to the bodily and biological world is expressed, becomes personal and truly human when it is integrated into the relationship of one person to another, in the complete and lifelong mutual gift of a man and a woman.
The virtue of chastity therefore involves the integrity of the person and the integrality of the gift.
 
I believe I posted this awhile back. I went to confession before the Mass started at my Moms funeral because I wanted to receive communion. I pulled the Priest aside and asked him for a quick confession. I told him I couldn’t receive because I committed a mortal sin by masturbating, amongst other sins.

Well, he chuckled and told me that masturbation was a venial sin, not a mortal sin. He took my confession and I received Communion.

All my life I thought it was a mortal sin. He totally confused me.
 
I believe I posted this awhile back. I went to confession before the Mass started at my Moms funeral because I wanted to receive communion. I pulled the Priest aside and asked him for a quick confession. I told him I couldn’t receive because I committed a mortal sin by masturbating, amongst other sins.

Well, he chuckled and told me that masturbation was a venial sin, not a mortal sin. He took my confession and I received Communion.

All my life I thought it was a mortal sin. He totally confused me.
There are poorly formed priests out there. See the earlier post of mine on the teachings of the Catholic church and the catechism
 
I’ve known God all of my life. He knows I have a pure heart. Masturbation is a venial sin. Read the Catholic catechism.
 
I’ve known God all of my life. He knows I have a pure heart. Masturbation is a venial sin. Read the Catholic catechism.
When I read the CCC it states clearly that masturbation is “gravely” disordered and can be a mortal sin.

CCC said:
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."138 “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."139
 
When I read the CCC it states clearly that masturbation is “gravely” disordered and can be a mortal sin.
Note the emphasis on can be.

Don’t you think that this is a matter for the penitent and his confessor to determine?
 
Whether it is mortal or not? Yes
Whether one must stop, now? No
Whether one must stop now?

Would you ask someone who is clinically depressed to just “snap out of it”? Or do think it might take some time and effort.

You don’t suppose it might be the same thing about masturbation?

Can we agree on “one should stop” and leave it to himself, God and his confessor to work out the means?
 
Leviticus shows that the man is considered UNCLEAN, which means sin. While it doesn’t specifically say “Don’t masturbate” it says you will be unclean and have to wash yourself of it.
By that logic lying with a woman makes you unclean as well, so you are saying that it is a sin as well. I lay with a woman every night!
Cause I am married! Is that a sin! I have no problem sending her to the couch if that is so! just kidding!
Read the whole scripture. Unclean does not mean sin!!! Sorry! The Jews believed in several rituals to clean or purifiy the body, a woman after giving birth had to go to the temple to be purified do to being unclean! Is giving birth a sin, uh no! By the way we just celebrated that feast that used to be called Candlemas, which is when the Virgin Mary went to the temple to be purified, after giving birth.
 
By that logic lying with a woman makes you unclean as well, so you are saying that it is a sin as well. I lay with a woman every night!
Cause I am married! Is that a sin! I have no problem sending her to the couch if that is so! just kidding!
Read the whole scripture. Unclean does not mean sin!!! Sorry! The Jews believed in several rituals to clean or purifiy the body, a woman after giving birth had to go to the temple to be purified do to being unclean! Is giving birth a sin, uh no! By the way we just celebrated that feast that used to be called Candlemas, which is when the Virgin Mary went to the temple to be purified, after giving birth.
Yes, unclean does not mean sin. It just means that you couldn’t participate in rituals. If a woman is on her period, she was considered unclean. It isn’t a sin to have your period though.
 
I’ve known God all of my life. He knows I have a pure heart. Masturbation is a venial sin. Read the Catholic catechism.
Let’s read it together:

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.

2396 Among the sins gravely contrary to chastity are masturbation, fornication, pornography, and homosexual practices.

[bold mine]
 
It still does not say if it is a mortal or veniel sin. And the statement is not ex cathedra dogma, so it is not infallible.
 
Whether one must stop now?

Would you ask someone who is clinically depressed to just “snap out of it”? Or do think it might take some time and effort.

You don’t suppose it might be the same thing about masturbation?

Can we agree on “one should stop” and leave it to himself, God and his confessor to work out the means?
When is masturbation defined as a mental illness?

Until it is, this an apples to oranges comparison and is not valid.
 
It still does not say if it is a mortal or veniel sin. And the statement is not ex cathedra dogma, so it is not infallible.
It cannot say if it is or is not mortal. It simply and clearly states that one of the three features for a mortal sin exists (grave matter). I’ll let you look up what the other two are.

Whether infallible, or not, is beside the point. This is the the current teaching of the Church and Catholics are bound to obey under pain of sin.
 
Wrong. Catholics are only bound to believe in ex cathedra, infallible dogma. As it turns out though, I do believe in 99% of what our church teaches. Otherwise, I would not be a Catholic. Catholic doctrine has been wrong at times in the past. But eventually, our church has always made necessary corrections. I have faith in God and our church that this will continue. After all, we do have the only true church, let’s face it.
 
Mirror, you assume that sexual chastity is required of everyone. I don’t believe that. Chastity is also interpreted as a pure heart. Many are called to sexual chastity, such as priests and nuns. They accept it willingly in order to be priests and nuns. I have never believed that God has called me to sexual chastity. If and when He does, He will inform me of this. For 56 years, He has always told me what He wants from me, and always given me the strength and knowledge of how do accomplish it. I have no doubt He will continue to do so. You do not know my worldview, my heart, my intensely intimate relationship with Our Father, my upbringing, my traumas, my victories, my failures, etc. Only God knows these, and I know that He loves me in spite of any flaws I might have. I don’t have to be a saint to please Him, only do the absolute best I can to discern His will for me and follow it. I have always done that and continue to do so.
 
I could not disagree more with the opinion that masturbation is immoral or a sin. This teaching is NOT an ex cathedra dogma of the RCC and therefore is not infallible. The human body needs this physical release from time to time to maintain its health and wellness. I was married for 35 years to the greatest woman in the world; the Lord chose to take her to Him. I have no desire for any other woman and do not want another wife; nor do I want casual sex. Therefore I do masturbate when I feel the need and feel no guilt or shame for this. I also do not feel the need to be chaste to prove my love for God. God will judge me on what Jesus taught: Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit those in prison, comfort the sick. I do not believe he cares in the least that I allow myself a little bit of sexual pleasure when I need this. I agree that no one should become a slave to anything or anyone; but masturbation is very normal, for male and female, and few if any become compulsive slaves to it. Let’s face it, sex with another person is much more enjoyable. I read the posting and replies to that 17 year old boy, something-jack I forget his screen name; I was and am outraged. Suggesting that a boy that age seek aversion therapy, intentionally inflict damage or harm or pain on his body to avoid masturbation. Why not tell him to flog himself with a whip or wear a hare shirt or eat dirt? Nobody here can convince me that Jesus would tell that boy to purposely inflict pain or harm onto his body just so he doesn’t masturbate. That’s so medieval and I thought Catholics had gotten past the inquisition theology.
My dear man, have you ever considered that your self-satisfaction may be depriving a suitable widow of your loving companionship? Why would you settle for masturbation when you could remarry and have a fulfilling relationship? Our lives are most fully experienced when giving of ourselves to another. Do you have any idea how many lonely widows are out there longing for the attention and companionship of a loving eligible man?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top