Thou Shalt Not Touch Thyself | Masturbation Morality Pt 1 | I Am Judas Project #73

Let's talk about it... In this part 1, we look at the Religious view (specifically from Catholicism/Christianity) concerning the act of Masturbation. We can say that it is the 11th Commandment.
The next part will look more at the modern views and hopefully my own conclusion, which you are welcome to believe or question, of course. These videos are meant to help open up the conversation rather than give a list of precepts.
Here are some references I used for this part of the video:
couragerc.org/wp-content/uplo...
www.psychologytoday.com/us/bl...
I appreciate any support to the channel:
ko-fi.com/i_am_judas_project
For more daily content:
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Twitter: fcpalmquist?lang=en
Let me know what you think!!
I love to read your comments or suggestions.
Chapters:
00:00
01:07 - Intro
08:47 - A Brief History of Choking the Chicken
12:06 - Thou Shalt Not Touch Thyself
14:35 - A Humbling Toil
24:40 - Advice from Above
31:07 - Get Some Help, Brah
43:04 - I Am My Own Sexual Unit

[@AntonAchondoa]

Hi Francis, I always enjoy listening to your perspective and wish you all the best. I still identify as a Catholic and try to practice in a way that is authentic to me while leaving room for free thought. Not traditional, but hey I'm trying hahaha...😅 I just wanted to share a couple of thoughts and questions I have on this topic. In recent years I've been thinking about the Church's stance that self-pleasure is "unnatural" and respectfully, I don't think it's a logical view. I certainly acknowledge that without moderation, it could breed selfishness and addiction. However, the opposite us also problematic. Not relieving physical tension can lead to distraction, restlessness, and distorted thoughts on one's sexuality. Also, I know from experience that if you don't do anything about it, your body will release the tension on its own...leading to some extra unplanned loads of laundry. For something "unnatural"...it's funny how the body NATURALLY has a system for dealing with unresolved tension. I also recently learned that the Church's guilt and shame ridden views on sex are largely a result from St. Augustine's writings...but that is a topic for another day. Of course he was a great man, thinker, writer, and saint, but his ideas ought not be excluded from critical assessment. Thanks for taking the time to read my lengthy comment!

[@iamjudasproject]

Well, thank you Anton for that very well presented thought. I am planning on the next video to explore more the criticisms of the Catholic view by modern Psychology as well as present their case. I will consider your ideas as I formulate my own ideas. It is good to hear something that isn’t tainted with arrogance nor vitriol against religion. Thank you for that. Please feel free to send any more comments here or in my DMs on my socials. 😎

[@JP2GiannaT]

Curious if you've read any Theology of the Body. The original work is by St. John Paul II, but there's some really good (and easier to read) breakdowns of it by Christopher West. Just to aid in your research/searching on this topic. Maybe it'll speak to you, maybe it won't, but I think it's worth checking out.

[@MrIvorfan]

“Not relieving physical tension can lead to distraction, restlessness, and distorted thoughts on one's sexuality.” I agree.

[@elenaberibak3329]

This was a really well done video. Looking forward to part 2. Purity culture is toxic. The other extreme is also toxic, so I'm trying to find the way of balance. The obsessiveness around purity is very real though. It is starting to hurt my marriage. I'm a Catholic convert, and to be honest the majority of my experience as a Catholic has only exacerbated existing trauma wounds and triggered severe bouts of mental illness (PTSD and scrupulosity OCD). Most times, I feel sick to my stomach after confession, so I just don't go anymore. I show up at Mass for the first reading for my husband's sake, start to panic, then leave to walk outside until it's all over. No communion. I've been to therapy, I've talked to priests, I've done what I'm supposed to do. I feel bad for my husband, who is very devout, hearing me threaten to leave the Church every couple of weeks. I have never been so mentally unhinged in my life, and I cannot imagine that this is what God wants for someone who is trying to seek him/her/them. Anyway, thanks for putting your perspective out there. It's appreciated.

[@iamjudasproject]

That is very tough… and I know others in your shoes. I don’t think that losing inner peace is the point of any decision that we make… Thank you for your comment!! Let 2 coming soon!!

[@JP2GiannaT]

Hey fellow scruple sufferer!! I see you, and you're not alone. Reading up on Theology of the Body has been helpful for me. The original work is written by St. John Paul II and is honestly pretty hard to wade through, but there's some excellent breakdown/simplification of it by Christopher West. It won't solve the scruples, but it's not what I'd call purity culture. At least, not the toxic definition. As for the scruple stuff...I've been where you are now, and it's an awful place to be. I'm genuinely sorry you're going through that. I wish KZbin would let me share links with you for some resources. I'm glad you're getting mental health help, that's important.

[@MrIvorfan]

I like your “the way of balance”.

[@bobbysnickers249]

Im really appreciating your take on things

[@Jingnan-j1h]

im writing a book about why I left the church. I have 120 pages of notes.

[@iamjudasproject]

Keep at it!!

[@bulucap3649]

Don't misunderstand church and write against church, you might not be strong enough to Obey the church and leave the church. But church is ever bad

[@drawn2myattention641]

Woody Allen: “What’s wrong with masturbation? It’s sex with the person I love most.”

[@marcelstephens8683]

Can't wait to see this one haha

[@iamjudasproject]

👀😝

[@michaelbauer703]

i was told to kneel on my finger tips as a form of penance one time. can't say it worked...

[@iamjudasproject]

Gosh… 🙄

[@MrIvorfan]

I'm speechless!

[@Jingnan-j1h]

Can you give me the transcript? i learn by reading and I wanna make sure I did not miss a single detail. thanks

[@imdaddysgirl11]

Great video. This subject is a non-issue in my life as well. I do think this is a needed discussion, especially in the Christian Church, they need to talk about the subject of masturbation and sex in a more positive way. I think because it is spoken so negatively from the pulpit, spiritual leaders, teachers and parents it is crippling many within the church. I feel it can become an addiction because of how and what is being taught. I am not talking about those who are truly struggling with addiction to sex (and some them were never apart of the church/religion) but I think not talking about it in a healthy positive way can push people to feel overwhelmed with shame and push them to be secretive; make them feel obsessive and stuck in a loop that feels unending. I think our society in North America as a whole can be sex negative even though some of these folk are not church goers and this is in part of this being a negative bleed over from the church. I watched a video from the KZbin channel God is Grey and she talked about someone she knew, the friend was married but their spouse wouldn't have sex because they considered it "bad". How tragic. I don't think maturation is negative even in a partnership or marriage if you are open about it to your partner. Sex and masturbation should be positive and healthy. Just a side note (and I'm sure you know this but others may not): The verse about Onan is not about masturbation, it is about him not fulfilling what he was asked to do, he knew it wouldn't be his child but his (dead) brothers child. I dislike that scripture is misquoted, misused and used as a weapon.

[@MrIvorfan]

"Sex and masturbation should be positive and healthy." I agree.

[@JP2GiannaT]

Completely off topic, but I just thought about this...have you ever seen or read Silence? Book by Endo, movie directed by Scorsese. That's one I'd be absolutely fascinated to hear your take on.

[@nightowl5475]

When you say, no one wants to deal with it, how did you deal with it?

[@tashahelms1522]

Thanks for exploring this topic. As a sister we weren't talked to much about sex. That is except if your husband wants it you'd better do it. Don't be eager about it it's a job basically Is what I felt the theme was. Guys caught or more likely confessing this particular thing would have a consequence of cleaning gutters. I don't get it but I wasn't a brother so whatever. Minimal opposite sex mingling. So much so I got in trouble talking with a brother in the mother's room. Even though we were literally as far apart as can be and there's no door to close.

[@iamjudasproject]

It’s all about saving appearances… I remember my fellow seminarians discussing how much they could speak to young women/single women; for how long; when; where etc. They became obsessed with “causing scandal.” I mean… obsessed.

[@tashahelms1522]

@@iamjudasproject yeah I guess that's it. Stay away from the appearance of evil. Don't get entangled... You're brother and sister until you are husband and wife. I'm experiencing my first sorta relationship at 47. It's weird LOL 🤣

[@iamjudasproject]

I know I felt weird after leaving at 28 years old, when people around me had careers, families, friends, routines, money… I felt completely lost. I had to live 10 year of experiences in a short time to “catch up,” and in many ways I am still trying to get my footing. Don’t worry, you’re not alone!

[@tashahelms1522]

@@iamjudasproject sometimes I wonder if I'll ever think of this as not out here lol thanks for the encouragement.

[@fakename7901]

"God made the wanky for the hankypanky" - A church father somewhere 2nd century a.D.

[@MrIvorfan]

Thank you for sharing your ex-priest’s insights about this subject. They confirm my layman’s, and ex-seminarian’s, suspicions. I could not have given advice in the confessional that I could not have taken seriously myself. I could not have advised a teenage boy, troubled by his (involuntary) erections and unable to concentrate on his schoolwork, to pray them away. I was taught that grace would enable me to overcome my own sexual nature. This proved to be false. The one Latin maxim that I have never forgotten from my seminary days applies: “Contra factum non fit argumentum” (“Against a fact there is no argument”). It was once suggested to me that those who insist that grace has worked for them concerning resistance to temptations of masturbation could not have had a strong sexual appetite. What do YOU think about this, Francis? Certainly, I tried, and tried, and tried, doing what I was told - until I was exhausted and had no energy left to try any longer.

[@Jingnan-j1h]

what u think about exorcists like father ripperger?

[@iamjudasproject]

I have seen a few videos, but I would have to investigate more to give you an answer…

[@pl6168]

@@iamjudasproject Please do!

[@williamc8564]

I know Fr. Ripperger's had some success in helping people with this particular vice. He has a doctorate in psychology, so he understands the human person on that level. Often the issue of masturbation is multifaceted and complex. It's often not only a spiritual issue, but also psychological and physical as well. On the surface it may seem that you are struggling with unchastity, and you should attack that, but, according to Fr. Ripperger, the problem is usually rooted somewhere else. for example, according to him, most men who struggle with this sin can find the root of it in fear. Once they conquer what they are afraid of and work on trust they should find sucess in dealing with sexual vices. It is a complex issue and I believe the Church needs to speak about it more openly.

[@CielVenus1]

Hello. I just found your chanel, your story is very interesting. I can relate to your story, I am actually a transgender woman in hiding within the SSPX. Nobody has a clue about my past, im just a regular woman for them, so i know how you must have felt being a "different" person in this type of environnement. Sometimes i feel stupid because I know all my friends at church would reject me if they knew the truth..but somehow i feel the need to stick to them , i guess im scared to end up alone because im so well integrated in my parish. Anyway it's really funny to imagine you as an SSPX priest😄 But i guess you didn't have long hair and tattoos at that time haha😅 Im happy for you if you have found peace.

[@iamjudasproject]

Thank you so much for sharing!! I’m sure we can relate in a lot of ways… unfortunately… 😔. At least you know who you are. I always tried to be someone that I wasn’t in order to please people ( and ultimately God).

[@MrIvorfan]

“…i guess im scared to end up alone because im so well integrated in my parish.” This is understandable.

[@neiloswald2208]

39:00 "Like what? I don't want to have sex in reality it's only when I'm in my fantasy world??" Well I do think that Fr. Harvey has a point regarding the connection between masturbation and fantasy. Personally, over time I noticed that there's a pretty clear distinction between the craving for another person and craving to "get off". It's like the difference between calling up an entertaining friend and scrolling on your phone. Maybe not the best analogy but I do think masturbation overall tracks with a person's disconnection from their surroundings. In childhood I'd bet the precursors to this might be an abundance of isolated play, tv, games, and internet, etc. Just a guess though lol

[@iamjudasproject]

I think you may be on to something…

[@molodoychilovek1949]

Father, I think you really miss the priesthood. Your good will is all over this video.

[@michiDerMatt]

I am praying for you Father. Whatever you are doing at this time i believe you will find your way back. Alright anyone reading this probably thinks yeah whatever … SHUT UP what do you know! But no i think i understand him and feel for him. I believe he’s in error but despite that God loves him and as soon as opens his heart to him again, be it soon, in 50 years or on his deathbed God will happily forgive him. Because god loves him. God bless you Father i believe that you will find your way back to main road even if this ones a bit bumpy. God loves and forgives. I hope you find your way back. Because when you do. You will have all my respect. GB Michael

[@michiDerMatt]

Ps: just keep searching and being honest and do the right thing. If that mean you making a hundred more videos like this. Just always be honest. People are praying for you.

[@Alextroms5]

15:30 seriously? As a female I wasn't harassed,on details thankfully. And I still feel like it was an act of sexual abuse to a minor. Each priest would have different levels of perversion I guess. Yuck.

[@iamjudasproject]

I’ve heard some really disgusting stories about the questions priests ask, but I think for the most part, most priests try and brush over those acts (especially with a woman) because they are hyper sensitive to “going too far” with woman…

[@walterweizenauer3918]

By the way, where is part 2? Based on what I have watched so far, you still BELIEVE that there is something wrong with masturbation. Worse, this is an unquestioned, unchallenged deeply internalized belief. I left The Order back in 1980. One thing that was part and parcel of that "formation" / programming was the need to self destruct if you went off the path for any reason. You hint that you have rejected your faith in God. But the edifice of your ULTRA Conservative religious beliefs seems intact. This is a recipe for ruin. I would be happy to share more of my story with you. I am also happy to listen. I left the order, a gay man, just at the beginning of the the HIV AIDS epidemic. Nearly everyone I knew from that time died. I always wanted nothing more than to meet a guy as nice as I was/am and settle down and make a life together. That never happened. I have followed you on Instagram, but I am deeply suspicious of social media. The plus is that we can video chat on line at any time.

[@dmckenzie9281]

Masturbastion is okay, pre-marital sex is important to have to know if you are compatible. Sin is only in the heads of believers and doesn't exist in reality. I once let these concepts bother me. I don't any longer because I don't find sufficient evidence to believe in the existence of any god, gods or supernatural . By the way I was never Catholic. I was raised fundamentalist Baptist and in my late 30' I married my wife who is Lutheran and I became ELCA Lutheran which is pretty liberal a long way from where I began. I later realized the at I no longer believed. That being said half of my family is SSPX Catholic living in St.Marys Kansas.

[@iamjudasproject]

Wait for the next part… I will be seeing the non religious perspective. I’m excited to make that video!!

[@dmckenzie9281]

@@iamjudasproject It is interesting how obsessed the christian religion of every denomination is obsessed with sex. I suspect that many other religions are as well but here in the USA I've mostly been exposed to christianity. Maybe this is my ignorance from never having been Catholic but I've always thought that it was crazy that a celibate Priest would be telling people the right way to have sex.

[@JP2GiannaT]

I disagree that premarital sex is a must to check for compatibility. I came into my marriage with some trauma and baggage I hadn't acknowledged. I was frigid for years, and it took years for my husband and I to figure out sex. But we did, and I'm convinced I wouldn't have been able to heal the way I have unless I had a safe space and someone I could trust absolutely in order to work that out. Anyway, I know that's anacdotal, so take it with whatever grain of salt you choose, but I know that advice would not have worked out for me while I was dating.

[@MrIvorfan]

“Sin is only in the heads of believers and doesn't exist in reality.” In the present context I agree with you.

[@MrIvorfan]

@@dmckenzie9281 It is indeed totally absurd when you think about it, isn’t it, how a group of old celibates, some claiming never to have had a close - let alone lasting - romantic relationship in their lives, claim to be experts to be consulted about them?!

[@BenedictumNomenIesu]

Unless you repent, you are in for one hell of a HELL.

[@MrIvorfan]

Is that Enoch Powell?