Take a look and read a bit HERE.
IX:
The traditional Catholic doctrine that masturbation constitutes
a grave moral disorder is often called into doubt or expressly denied today. It
is said that psychology and sociology show that it is a normal phenomenon of
sexual development, especially among the young. It is stated that there is real
and serious fault only in the measure that the subject deliberately indulges in
solitary pleasure closed in on self ("ipsation"), because in this case
the act would indeed be radically opposed to the loving communion between
persons of different sex which some hold is what is principally sought in the
use of the sexual faculty.
This opinion is contradictory to the teaching and pastoral
practice of the Catholic Church. Whatever the force of certain arguments of a
biological and philosophical nature, which have sometimes been used by
theologians, in fact both the Magisterium of the Church - in the course of a
constant tradition - and the moral sense of the faithful have declared without
hesitation that masturbation is an intrinsically and seriously disordered
act.[19] The main reason is that, whatever the motive for acting this way, the
deliberate use of the sexual faculty outside normal conjugal relations
essentially contradicts the finality of the faculty. For it lacks the sexual
relationship called for by the moral order, namely the relationship which
realizes "the full sense of mutual self-giving and human procreation in the
context of true love."[20] All deliberate exercise of sexuality must be
reserved to this regular relationship. Even if it cannot be proved that
Scripture condemns this sin by name, the tradition of the Church has rightly
understood it to be condemned in the New Testament when the latter speaks of
"impurity," "unchasteness" and other vices contrary to
chastity and continence.
Sociological surveys are able to show the frequency of this
disorder according to the places, populations or circumstances studied. In this
way facts are discovered, but facts do not constitute a criterion for judging
the moral value of human acts.[21] The frequency of the phenomenon in question
is certainly to be linked with man's innate weakness following original sin; but
it is also to be linked with the loss of a sense of God, with the corruption of
morals engendered by the commercialization of vice, with the unrestrained
licentiousness of so many public entertainments and publications, as well as
with the neglect of modesty, which is the guardian of chastity.
On the subject of masturbation modern psychology provides much
valid and useful information for formulating a more equitable judgment on moral
responsibility and for orienting pastoral action. Psychology helps one to see
how the immaturity of adolescence (which can sometimes persist after that age),
psychological imbalance or habit can influence behavior, diminishing the
deliberate character of the act and bringing about a situation whereby
subjectively there may not always be serious fault. But in general, the absence
of serious responsibility must not be presumed; this would be to misunderstand
people's moral capacity.
In the pastoral ministry, in order to form an adequate judgment
in concrete cases, the habitual behavior of people will be considered in its
totality, not only with regard to the individual's practice of charity and of
justice but also with regard to the individual's care in observing the
particular precepts of chastity. In particular, one will have to examine whether
the individual is using the necessary means, both natural and supernatural,
which Christian asceticism from its long experience recommends for overcoming
the passions and progressing in virtue.
No comments:
Post a Comment