Recent
Researches in Psychology Supports Church’s Traditional Contempt
 |
| courtesy: globallinkx.com |
One of the
problems of the growing generations is licentiousness allowing everything as
normal, if majority take it as acceptable. The subject under discussion -
‘masturbation’ – becomes a good example. An American website from its analysis
of this phenomenon among Americans note:
95%
of men admit to masturbating compared to 89% of women. For the married
individuals the rate is 70% for both men and women.
Few married Christian men (60%) admit to
masturbating. Only 13% consider the
practice ‘normal’.
More than 40% of male and 22 % of male
admit to masturbating daily. 55% of men and 48% of women masturbate atleast
once a week.
Math for final figure: number of
masturbatory aged people in US: 240,052,886; average session: 12
minutes; average frequency: 62.5 percent masturbate daily;
therefore 153,053,044 masturbate a day; equals 7.5 minutes of
everyone’s day (or 450 seconds a day); therefore, 797,151 Americans
are masturbating right now.[1]
We find,
therefore gradually people saying that ‘there is nothing wrong with
masturbation’, ‘there is nothing like too much of masturbation’, ‘it does not
affect your sex life’ and some even promote it as a tool for a healthy living.
As everything has market value. Morality is no exception. It has become tainted
and goes to support the people’s likes and dislikes without objectively
analyzing the issue. Amidst the storms of such ‘take it easy’ trends, Church
had always remained stubborn in its severe condemnation of the any willful act
of masturbation. So much so that people had accused it to have created guilt
and shame about a normal physical act. But today, the recent researches show
how dangerous masturbation can turn out to be for a mental and physical health
accompanied by the pornography, Marnia Robinson psychologist states,
Masturbation
itself is not wrong, but too shallow an understanding of how it can affect the brain may prove
to be no small oversight. This error was understandable when we knew very
little about how we wire our brains, when we believed shame was the only means
of making masturbation a self-defeating obsession, and when supranormal sexual
stimulation was not as ubiquitous—and therefore over-stimulation less
commonplace (pre-Internet). Today, however, "Masturbation is normal, so
don't feel ashamed" may simply not be adequate information for kids
seeking answers. Innocently acquired habits can get in the way of forming healthy relationships. Is it
time to set aside our codified assumptions and reopen a discussion about
masturbation education with an emphasis on the importance of balance?[2]
In another article, “Rethinking the Wonders of
Adult Masturbation” she goes at length to break following famous myths: 1) Frequent
masturbation prevents prostate cancer; 2) Frequent masturbation benefits your
sex life; 3) Orgasm is orgasm; 4) There's no such thing as too much
masturbation; and 5) You can't cut back on masturbation without harming
yourself.[3] Her views are
supported other neuroscientist Gary Wilson.[4] He confirms
that masturbation leads to numerous neurological disorders that dysfunction our
regular life. In a way, we can state that they approve Church’s extra care
about the issue and its rigorous norms that condemns the act. So in this
background we shall discuss the issue defining it and present church’s present
stand on the issue.
Understanding Masturbation: The Phenomenon
Masturbation is
sometimes called self-abuse, or onanism, and in secular textbooks,
“self-pleasuring” or “solo-sex”. When the psychic stimulation takes place
during sleep, it is known as nocturnal pollution. Some reserve this term for
involuntary and growth related stimulations happen with children, during sleep
or semi-sleep. Adult masturbation is referred by the term auto-eroticism, who
for variety of reasons are driven in on self and find a substitute for real
living in this symbolic and intensely frustrating behavior. The sacred congregation for catholic
education in 1974 pointed out that one of the causes of masturbation was sexual
imbalance. This is further explained that loneliness is a prime mover, leading
the individual into isolation, fantasy and masturbation. Loneliness is usually
joined with feelings of deep self-hatred and anger. When the real world is harsh
and forbidding, one turns to fantasy, and when one spends much time in a
fantasy world, he becomes enslaved with sexual objects. Often the habit is
compulsive, that is to say, the person is not able to control masturbatory
activity inspite of great efforts to do so.[5]
Church’s
Teaching on the Subject
The declaration
on certain questions concerning sexual ethics says that the traditional
doctrine that masturbation constitutes a grave disorder is often called into
doubt or expressly denied today. Throughout Christian tradition every act of
masturbation is regarded as gravely and intrinsically evil, and if performed
with full knowledge and consent, it is mortal sin.[6] Yet the
authours of Human Sexuality say that the widespread practice of masturbation,
particularly among males, makes it difficult for moralists to continue to hold
the traditional position. It is put in sharp conflict to common sense. Such
moralists downplay the issue of the objective gravity of the act. Here I
present some arguments of the church to defend its traditional position.
1.
Holy
scripture ( Gen 38.8-10; 1 Cor 6.9; Rom 1. 24) does include in its condemnation
an irresponsible use of sex, and that would certainly apply to masturbation.
Even if scripture does not condemn this sin by name, “the tradition of the
Church has rightly understood it to be condemned by the New Testament.
2.
The
Catholic Sexual Ethics states that those accept masturbation cannot
consistently regard their bodies and sexual activities as integral parts of
their own selves, for these acts do not fulfill the basic human goods of mutual
self giving and of procreation.
Psychologists
today, support the import of the traditional doctrine of the church and are
working to bring awareness about the harmful effects masturbation amidst young
people.
[1] Jeff Wyasaski, “Inforgraphic:
Masturbation Facts and Statistics”, accessed from http://www.pleated-jeans.com/2011/04/18/infographic-masturbation-facts-and-statistics/ on 27.08.2013.
[2] Maria Robinson, “Right
Masturbation Advice” accessed from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/cupids-poisoned-arrow/201002/the-right-masturbation-advice/comments
on 27.08.2013.
[3] Robinson, “Rethinking the
wonders of Adult Masturbation”, accessed from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/cupids-poisoned-arrow/201209/rethinking-the-wonders-adult-masturbation on 27.08.2013.
[4] Gary Wilson, “Porn, Masturbation
and Mojo: A Neuroscience Perspective” accessed from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/cupids-poisoned-arrow/201209/porn-masturbation-and-mojo-neuroscience-perspective on 27.08.2013.
[5] John F. Harvey, “Pastoral
Problem of Masturbation” accessed from ebookbrowsee.net/the-pastoral-problem-of-masturbation-pdf-d25923653
on 27.08.2013
[6] In 1975, the Congregation for the
Doctrine of the Faith issued a Declaration on Certain Problems of Sexual
Ethics, and it is this document that the Catechism of the Catholic Church
quotes regarding this issue. "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" (CCC# 2352) Grace Mackinnon, “Masturbation: Mortal Sin”,
accessed from http://catholiceducation.org/articles/religion/re0706.html
on 27.08.2013.
See also New Catholic Encyclopedia http://faculty.plts.edu/gpence/PS2010/html/new_catholic_encyclopedia_masturbation.htm.
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