What is the Catholic Teaching on Masturbation w/ Christopher West 

Praise God! Praying for you!

Glory to God!

congratulations! Be on guard, pray, keep practicing discipline in other ways too (food, drink, Phone, etc) because it comes out sideways sometimes with out recovery programs. God bless though, great work!

beautiful...

If you didn't do it yourself it is not masturbation.

Good luck soldier 🫡

Dude, let me tell u this brother, pls start praying the rosary daily. I’m 18 and been struggling and failing to overcome it on my own since 12/13 now. It’s been 2-3 weeks of consistent praying of the holy rosary and I tell u it helps so much. When they say it’s the most powerful spiritual weapon, they do not lie. I tested it and i now believe.

Similar situation here, Im 20 right now but it wasn't until a few months ago that I no longer wanted lust to dominate over my life anymore. Lots of things went into fighting it (and still am), but here are some stuff that helped me. I am more than happy to share more of my experience with anyone who reads this , but I will make it short for now. Going to confession, Avoiding triggers, Praying and making it a routine, Learning just how horrible Lust is and its negative effects on myself and those around me, Having a prayer ready for whenever temptations come, Avoiding idleness. And the most important one for me was relying only in God. I attempted to stop on my own many times but would always fail. Sometimes lasting only 1-2 days but ever since I started asking God for strength and seeking him, I have slowly been able to detach myself from Lust. Temptations still come, but having prayers ready and a fighting spirit really helps

Same as a comment above, the rosary has also done wonders for me as well regarding this issue

I'm 37. I was horribly addicted to the PMO cycle from 3rd grade to age 35. A daily rosary practice helps tremendously, so does being too busy to do it and not having enough privacy to do it. Confession is necessary, but that should be a given. My other best advice is to pray for other people often, especially those you would have otherwise lusted over. Bring yourself to feel pity and compassion for these people instead of lust. Think of their families, their parents, their children, their spiritual and sexual trauma.

Ain’t nothing wrong with a little morning masterbation baby!

How old are you? Just curious. Serious question

@@far1809 I'm 31

The genitalia have more than one purpose. We can happily have orgasm many more times in life than would be necessary just to reproduce. In the absence of a suitable partner, reducing an unpleasant tension and enjoying the concomitant natural satisfaction through auto-eroticism makes good sense. What is "selfish" about that? People in the presence of a suitable partner (and good contraception) would be quite willing to share the pleasure ceteris paribus.

im 19 struggling with this for 7 years still going on how you get free

I am also decades in addiction to pornography ang masturbation, and I am a homosexual too. Countless rosaries and many confessions I did, though it helped me not get worse, but it still hadn't totally rid of the addiction. Please let me know how the exorcist priest performed that one CONFESSION that completely erases your urges?😢😢😢

@@newellcornesio428 I suggest that you look for the exorcist in your diocese. Ask him or any in his team for help, so they can go to the root of your addiction and homosexuality, perhaps the wounds or curse that worsens it. I will be praying for you...

Amen 🙏 Miracle of healing ❤

That’s amazing! Jesus is the healer, it’s not the priest! Make no mistake about that. I’m sure you understand this concept but maybe others reading this, don’t. Blessings! ❤😊

@@newellcornesio428you need to fast and fast hard! Take full control of your flesh and go to confession every time you slip backwards and DO NOT take communion with Christ. Know you have excommunicated yourself

Wait? So addiction made u regret not masturbation

@@jibijacob0001, addiction is the satanic deception that I need what I am addicted to. God is all I need. There is no regret in basking in God’s shelter from addiction to anything. ✝️🙏❤️👍🙂

@@traditionalgirl3943 Your addiction can't make anything satanic. If u get addicted, thats your problem, not that activity

@@jibijacob0001, addiction is the work of satan; don’t kid yourself. Yes, it is my choice whether I succumb to evil influences rather than Divine Grace but the spiritual battle over souls is real. ✝️🙏

@@traditionalgirl3943 We are not talking about addiction but masturbation. Your addiction can't make anything sinful. Not everybody is as u. Your main comment is invalid

So what was your mouth made for?

100% agree

?

@@huntsman528 Nothing that involves you.

@@amandadelassus2128 lol, that is accurate and fair, but my point still remains. The mouth is designed for many purposes, not only one. To say that it is only for one would not be biblical or correct.

Do u have wet dreams now!

Monkeys do it too. Can they sin or does it come natural to scratch that itch.

@@westerlywinds5684 They alsoeat rival monkeys babies. Looking to justify an act based on it existing in animals is not the way to do it.

@@rafal2959 okay, but what about ‘nocturnal emissions’. It comes naturally. There’s nothing a boy can prevent.

@@westerlywinds5684 Anything involuntary could never be a sin, right?

I recommend you confess to a preist he can help you, God wants us to open about our sin as it keeps one of us in check. Confessing a preist is in my opinion one of the best ways to do that

I don't struggle with masturbation. I struggle with anger. I'm angry all the time. I'm angry at traffic. I'm angry at my parents. I'm angry at my boss for giving others favoritism. I'm angry at my ex for cheating on me. I'm angry all the time now.

​@@LaoSoftwarethe Rosary can help you brother. Trust me. You'll learn to control your temper when you pray to God for the grace of patience, through the Rosary and the Eucharist.

I was just like you until I started praying for the people who hurt me. It’s a game changer

Yes, the rosary sure helps me with my anger. In fact, I am much calmer now. Rarely raise my voice. Still have room to work though.

Your lust made it sin. Not it

You have testosterone, you will have a sex drive. All of these Christian that condemn sexual desire are nuts! Don’t believe a word what this dude is saying. He’s been jacking it till he couldn’t get it up anymore.

truth If you are wondering about the question of whether your sexuality is a sin or not, I welcome you to consider the following thoughts for clarification. Let’s look at some basic fundamental facts based on extensive research & ongoing R&D. During fetal development a verity of biochemical agents are introduced which determine the development of the fetus. Major agents such as testosterone & estrogen & a host of others agents determine size, weight, hair color, eye color & sexuality along with a host of other traits. Variations in the amount & timing of the introduction of these agents have a major effect in our development. The fetus is a passive participant & has no influence in these matters. Sexuality, for example, & all other secondary traits are thus given to us. Well, this begs the question, is homosexuality a sin. If your religion or belief system states that it is, then there can be no argument. These are the rules based on this system’s dogma. If you accept this system, you must accept the rules. This is your only choice. If, however, you are in a belief system based on logic, reason, observation & common sense, the conclusion is totally different. Replacing ancient religion & mythology with reason leads to another conclusion. Leaving religions that use condemnation & ridicule for control, can be the first step in becoming a true human being minus any imposed or fabricated guilt. There exist many variations of human sexual expression. When you leave various ancient religious beliefs behind & chose knowledge based in research, you can see & understand the true nature of humanity. You leave ignorance, hatred, & prejudice behind. In the book Gay Straight & the Reason Why by Simon Levay PhD, explanations regarding this aspect of humanity are clearly explained & is based on research & not ancient text which had no benefit of understanding humanity. I highly recommend it. Being gay is no more of a sin than having red hair. They are both based on genetics & clearly not a sin. There is nothing wrong with you. This is the true choice. Peace

@@OmoplatatoGogoplata While they aren't the same, are either of them good?

How is m a biological necessity? And you do it with a clear mind, thinking of nothing?! Although, P is way more destructive for sure.

@@OmoplatatoGogoplata I don't know about you but I do NOT have that issue. That sounds like an issue unrelated to masturbation.

@@OmoplatatoGogoplata Nope do not think so. That only happens if your ( unhealthy / addicted ) brain craves dopamine from P and M. You do not need M to not get blue balls. Try to not lust in the first place, ik it is hard and I have had occasional " wet dreams " here and there too... But in no way is self sex healthy, that's a misconception.

@@OmoplatatoGogoplataThank you some reminder of being just human..This video was shocking how it just wants to shame and put fear into its viewers.This does not mean go “M” crazy or go join a monastery..Just either way don’t go into extremes..So much fear giving in this world.!

Very true.

Don’t forget to confess so you can get back in the state of grace.

Good luck, brother. May God bless your soul

”...Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.” Go to confession and keep fighting with renewed determination. My prayers for you.

@NeoMo24, from experience of a 28 year addiction to Porn and Masturbatuon my desire for the above two left me this year after the following steps. 1) Confession of my sins, preferably monthly 2) Take Eucharist weekly in mass 3) Prayer the Rosary twice daily Blessings to you brother you can do this!

⁠@@LectioDivinaOCarmfor me, the eucharist has been the most powerful. Daily mass if possible. For some reason, I’ve never been seriously tempted on a day I received christ in this holy sacrament.

Impotence doesn't happen from masturbation. Impotence can happen from chronic porn use, where the person gets highly addicted to porn and masturbation together. Married men can fall into this trap, and often do now, where they can't even engage w/ their wives anymore. There's a number of neuro psychologists trying to address this issue, that's growing into like an epidemic w/ the internet making it too easy, for men to fall into this trap. I hear so many boys, even well before puberty too often get addicted to porn. I'm glad to hear that you are trying to warn your children of these pitfalls. Boys tend not to take it seriously. But if they saw the army of desperate comments I've seen on the porn addiction forums, where men are having to pay for expensive neuro therapy, they might think twice.

Actually you're right. Impotence and ED can happen from an addiction to masturbation. It doesn't have to include porn but typically it does. Blessings to you for warning your children.

Actually, reason has won.

"Reason" for this world is pure crazyness for God, so we don't care.@@paulo7200

Sadly yes, and we can see the result of that, moral degeneracy that destroyed many relationships and families.

@@paulo7200 reason is changeable.

​@paulo7200 it's the opposite of reason. Pathos won, Logos lost

When it is not a sin

@@JDfaith2024 Wow another late commentor. Its always amazing to see people like this

@@JDfaith2024 Is this rude 😂😂wow

Y did u deleted all

"I asked my priest in confession" You mean you went to a priest to ask if it was OK to jerk off ??! You really have to be a little unbalanced to do something like that.

I think you're a Mexican mother? So is my mother and I'm her son. I told her I struggle with porn and masturbating. She said masturbating isn't sin so yes there's many Catholics that have wrong views of sex. She says masturbating is discovering oneself. But that's a load of crap. I'm 21. I always knew it is. But. I guess some satanic female preacher psychologist convinced her other.

Masturbation stops loving. Thats weird

​@@jibijacob0001why are you on here!? These men are trying to better themselves and your just in here picking at them. Grow up

@@nicholasvgarcia Be majure

@@jibijacob0001Ya loving is more than sex, I know it’s difficult

Thank you for your honesty. I knew that there are men who are married and … anyway, it could destroy marriages.

@@OmoplatatoGogoplatastop making this exact same reply to every comment. Masturbation is not healthy. At all. Ever.

​​@@OmoplatatoGogoplata you can't commit a sin even for a better outcome. Not to mention there are other lifestyle changes that can be made to lower that risk.

@@OmoplatatoGogoplata I bet if you do research, you can find studies that show it's not healthy. But say for argument sake, it is healthy. You still can't commit a sin because it's "healthy". In place of masterbation, change your diet and that's healthier than masterbation.

@@OmoplatatoGogoplata actually you're the one tying to justify a mortal sin because some studies claim it's healthy while others say it's not. You want to justify mortal sin which boils down to pleasure instead of changing your diet to achieve the same outcome.

@@OmoplatatoGogoplata not to mention you want to try and justify physical health with competing studies so pro some against. What about spiritual health and sins of the flesh...

Stupidity

@@OmoplatatoGogoplata no, that’s.. not what they’re saying. A dedication to God is individual. Despite the urges of our flesh it is our job to abstain. We obviously make mistakes. That’s why we confess and ask for forgiveness from God.

Some type of sexual sin or sin of despair is inevitable during a long period of singleness. There's a biological, sexual, romantic, emotional, and spiritual desire for another person. To overcome the sin, one must address all...5 facets that I mentioned. An uphill battle for sure. Find a forgiving yet real confessor, not one that assumes the worst.

@@OmoplatatoGogoplata it sounds like you just want to find any excuse to indulge in the passions of the flesh and justify living in sin.

​@@OmoplatatoGogoplataYou are clearly looking for an out that doesn't exist. Jesus didn't speak of many things that were obvious sins, both then and now. Go find a man who is 100% happy about his masturbation habit...you won't find one. There are many sexual sins, this is just one. If you don't believe in God, however, then who cares, right? And if that's your belief, then....you're obviously in the right place. You think this is a coincidence? God bless you.

@@OmoplatatoGogoplata “My penis is more important than truth and salvation!”

Yes I was really disappointed with that line of argument. Thought he knew better than that.

Piss don’t come from the nut

Genitals have also the function of urinating of course. And in terms of relationships with a wife, what you should look at is to unite to her, to give yourself to her as she does reciprocally. And from that love, that union, you should let the possibility of generating a fruit from that love aka life. The pleasure goes to sublime it, to better it

Agree. The way he explained it helps give a better understanding and new perspective. 🙏🏻

Then explain how it become a sin? Explain your reason of regret. Come on fast

​@@JDfaith2024What made u regret

Just say no

LOVE GOD MORE!! Yess!!!

True, but we have a higher calling to pursue which does not include that

which number, please?

yeah, right! hahaha With priests in gay relationships, and saying "eh, there's worse things" or "say three Hail Marys" .....not enough. It falls under addictions and so Catholics in Recovery is better.

@@Jennifer-gr7hn categorizing it as addiction is to deny culpability. Be careful with that claim.

​@@Jennifer-gr7hn​ you should probably rethink the deeply uncharitable thing you wrote here. Discouraging people from receiving the sacrament of Reconciliation is a bad avenue to go down. You can advocate for recovery programs without engaging in derision of sacramental grace, pastoral guidance or clergy in general.

@@Jennifer-gr7hn 1. Are you accusing all priests of being gay? 2. Depends which priests you're talking about, in terms of whether they will take a strong stance on sin 3. Confession has a healing effect, distinct from whatever the priest is up to. I can attest to its help in my cessation of masturbation and pornography.

You’re right but the catechism also says many people with this habit have reduced culpability due to many mitigating circumstances.

amen brother!!

I can't speak on his behalf, but having read the Catechism (and a lifelong Catholic) yes, it does. But for some reason it seems only discussed from one side.

Mike winger has 20 questions with mike on his channel. He's protestant but will overlap with a lot of what you hear here.

Yes - just because the fluids are different, it's the same mentality and effects spiritually and psychologically. Only main difference is, with males, it's USUALLY prompted by porn. Women don't usually use porn to masturbate.

Of course it does. It goes without saying.

​@@HIMYMTRHow. Explain it properly

🙏

How? Explain it if u have nuts

@@jibijacob0001 by the tail of the cow 😂😂😂😂

@@patnathan5013 Holy cow

"However it is extremely difficult to tell a teenager just discovering this pleasure that it is wrong." Because pleasure isn't wrong, condemnation of pleasure is usually just puritanism if not a cult-like mentality. "After several years of engaging in this practice, a person should himself feel it is not the right thing to do, and then he will be able to" In my experience shame is not an emotion that can survie experience.

correct, at the most it's a venial sin in these circumstances

Yes, although it doesn't need to be justified.

No, it would not be justified. We may not do evil in order to bring about good.

​@@jdotozBut u don't explain why it is sin. This video is a fallacy

@@jibijacob0001 Our sexual faculties don't actually belong to us; they are for our spouses. What we call the reproductive system is actually only half of a system; engaging one half of it without the other is a misuse. It also inflames the sexual appetite and leads pretty reliably to addiction and a distorted sexual mentality.

I'm skeptical about those studies. Our bodies are designed intelligently by God, you will experience nocturnal emissions before it develops from lack of ejaculating. Just another way for them to encourage and promote lust and degeneracy.

Ya all of that is made up

Pray for him.

You're damn skippy!!

Interesting and it got me curious to ask you. He used the word ‘programming’ and ‘reprogramming’. Do you think one can be in total control of whether they just want a release/relief or they are loving another person through the same act? I personally think it is possible as long as one hasn’t reached the addiction stage. What do you think?

@@placidehabineza982 I personally think it's possible. Maybe it's why the Bible doesn't condemn it in uncertain terms like murder and it leaves us to figure it out personally with God? Also, genitals aren't just for generation, for men it's also a pathway to get rid of liquid waste 🤣🤣🤣 But I think for most people, masturbation is associated with unholy thoughts which I why I appreciated this video.

I used to think if I only did it as stress release while not having lustful thoughts and not looking at porn maybe it was ok. Still feels dirty and wrong. I think it’s not necessarily about lust only it’s about doing the act meant for spouses to share on one’s own.

The idea that masturbation prevents you from being a Loving or complete person is almost entirely made up. They're either inventing things or projecting.

Good job, keep going. You can do it. Keep pray the rosary and adore God.

@@tonyale749 thank you! I am officially 75+ cleans, and I couldn’t be more proud of myself 😁

i believe masturbation is a venial sin in men but when you add the perversion of porn and impure fantasies then you are into mortal sin territory.

God loves everyone, even the worst sinners. The question is, are you getting closer to God?

100% Agree!!

There is nothing wrong with masturbating. It’s a natural desire. Yes it’s possible to do it too much, but I would never consider it a sin worth confessing to a priest. Lol.

What makes you so sure of that? I though the same thing for a long time...till I really thought about my thoughts and actions over the years. While I would never classify myself as "bad" or "evil"..I've always tried to do the right thing...when I was hones with myself I was never as "good a person" deep down as I was trying to convince myself I was.

@@thomasgerace4354 Good question and to be honest, I don’t know if I’m a good or bad person; It depends on the situation and who and what you use to validate this. One thing I’m certain of is that God won’t judge me either way

Come back! 🙏

Come home :) you can beat this. All the best

Start go to Traditional Latin Mass.

Attraction, masturbation, lust.. these are all normal and healthy impulses. Don't let the shame invented by humans be the thing that keeps you from the relationship with God that you want.

How has masturbation impacted your marriage?

@@Grokford How can I answer this somewhat briefly...ok... regularly masturbating (usually to porn) got me in the habit of seeking sexual pleasure at the expense of someone else. I was putting pleasure at the top my my hierarchy (rather than love or relationship). So, I was using the people in the porn as a means to an end. And, even though thankfully I stopped masturbating prior to marriage, I still fight the urge to put pleasure as the main goal. Pleasure is good, but not at the top. To be more specific and trying not to get too personal...I could take those habits of masturbation/porn and bring that mindset to my marriage. So, in the sexual context, coming together with my wife could be like masturbating with her body, rather than my hand. JP2 talks about this in Love & Responsibility. Even though you have the grace of the sacrament of marriage, that doesn't mean you can't still use your wife. Also, some of the images from years ago are still in my mind and can re-appear in a sexual context. Maybe they will be there forever. Finally, I think my past sins have trained me to always associate touch with sex. One of my wife's love languages is physical touch (not only in sexual contexts)...but I have a hard time simply cuddling (for instance) unless it's connected with sex. I believe this is at least in part bc of masturbation/porn training me to divorce the body from the soul.

IM not 100% super but i dont think theres a nutritional difference between cane sugar and artificial sweeteners.

@@whatever1068 there are 0 cal sweeteners. That would be faking nutritional value to the brain - seeking sweetness without the natural purpose of tasting sweetness. Thus similar to contraception imo.

Summary I could believe, but it's not a very good defense.

mstrbation can be seen as a form of worship.. ur making a sacrifice to a woman u mstrrbate to, a burned offering without expected reciprocation indeed in knowledge of the utter absence of reciprocation.. it is a great homage a man can give to a woman.. an act not directed towards subjugating her to reproduction or even being affirmed via her recognition of myself.. a pure surplus, a gratuitous act.. a holy, worshipful act..

@@mostlydead3261 A form of worship to the woman herself or to yourself (the one who ultimately receives the pleasure from this "sacrifice to a woman")? Both types of worship are inherently wrong.

wow, this was painfully hard to read. So the woman is doing him a favor which will help her not reproduce?! This is warped and a word salad to rationalize selfish behavior where man has sex with his hand (how narcissistic), saying the women he is looking at is only good to get him aroused, the is discarded?@@mostlydead3261

@@mostlydead3261😬

@@Jennifer-gr7hn I would love it if selfish people stopped having kids. I would love if the Idiocracy stopped breeding.

masturbation can be seen as a form of worship.. ur making a sacrifice to a woman u masturbate to, a burned offering without expected reciprocation indeed in knowledge of the utter absence of reciprocation.. it is a great homage a man can give to a woman.. an act not directed towards subjugating her to reproduction or even being affirmed via her recognition of myself.. a pure surplus, a gratuitous act.. a holy, worshipful act..

Sex is for bonding and babies. It's black and white in the Bible - "be fruitful and multiply"....right out the gate, your message is wrong.

@@Jennifer-gr7hn Indeed. Go forth and multiply is what I call the first pyramid scheme.

Spousal comfort. This is one of the ends that Thomas Aquinas rightly points out

@@PintsWithAquinas yet, as Christopher West pointed out, the primary function of our genitals is generation. I’m in agreement about masturbation, yet it seems that the use of our genitals outside of their primary function, even for spousal comfort, would seem contradictory. Can you point me to the the Thomist explanation? I’d like to read it. Thank you

​@@michaelsterling2650I guess the argument would be that with contraception you're in a very direct way frustrating natural ends. But my question is what exactly the difference is between using pills and marking your calendar with the intention of avoiding certain days etc.

@@michaelsterling2650Relations during infertile times are still rightly ordered towards procreation

One works with the bodys natural function, one does not.

AND a recovery program because it's not enough. No need for Netflix.....the damn smart device, images on FB, shorts, etc....guys are very visual and they are usually weaker but today, every one is depressed and lonely (big picture). I agree with what you say but it's a over simplification to people in addiction which is 99% of people

I think it is easier for females.

Pleaure.

Cue Mel Gibson as Willian Wallace riding a horse as he yells this. ☝🏼☝🏼☝🏼

Masturbation is healthy and normal, it's not a major concern in most cases.

People will say anything to alleviate the guilt that lust brings into their lives. The fact that people actually look for studies to justify just shows they know it’s a disordered act that they don’t have the strength to overcome.

@@seshwondo376 and yet it's still quite humorous...the excuses I come up with (or is it satan?) are truly epic finaglings....

There are no studies that say this

@@jlouis4407really? I thought I saw an article on that. Of course, scientists said lots of thing and it’s not true.

@@seshwondo376 With all due respect, that's a kafka trap. People look for evidence because that is the nature of science and free inquiry. Factually masturbation has health benefits. Factually people are shamed for masturbation; but shame is man-made, it is not indicative of truth Masturbation is healthy and normal. If you want to use your willpower to resist, that's a choice that you are free to make, but no one else is obligated to follow suit.

It's a barren activity, it is sex with yourself, dude

@@jlouis4407 Neurologically sex and masturbation are distinct.