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10 year's freedom from pmo - my Catholic method

For Fapstronauts of the Catholic Christian Faith

  1. CPilot

    CPilot Fapstronaut

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    When we love something as deeply as the church, Christ's beloved spouse, it is a natural and immediate reaction to want to defend it and to become defensive about it. After the ascension of Jesus into heaven, I wonder how Mary dealt with this emotion? Surely, she felt the urge to be defensive of Her Beloved Son and all that He taught. Yet, I cannot imagine this lovely, loving, humble woman engaging in a heated debate with stubborn Sadducees, Pharisees and their stiff necked followers, although there should be no doubt she had the courage to do so. Mary, the epitome of courage, love and humility followed the example of Her son and loved everyone no matter how stubbornly they insisted on ignoring the truth. I want to follow Her example. Surely, this is what we are called to do.
     
  2. Mr Eko

    Mr Eko Fapstronaut

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    It could have been so because of the role of women in those times and even today. I don't remember heated theological debates with women. Either on youtube, tiktok, television, radio, or in books or articles. For sure there have been women who take / took part in such debates but they are ,as I said before, unique.
    If saints had wanted to imitate Mary in this aspect you are writing then they wouldn't have written writings , even treatises against heresies of those times they lived. For example my favourite saint Augustine. He wrote about 5000 pages against the most dangerous heresy of his time - pelagianism.
    One could ask - did Augustine waste his time doing so? His writings against pelagianism helped me to understand human nature and how graces - actual and habitual work. What and why I have used in my method is based roughly in 60% on his writings. The next 30% are writings of another saints plus theologians who described the errors in understanding God's graces in case of different groups of Protestants and some Catholic erroneous concepts ( Jansenism). But it's not only my fight with PMO. I use it in almost all aspects of my life. I wrote many times that for me a right true theology are life truths according to which I make decisions and take actions. If a theology is erroneous then plans, decisions and actions of a believer are erroneous. Let's take how we Catholics can help our family members after they died - we pray for them and they spend less painful time in purgatory. What do Protestants do for their deceased parents, children, grandparents, friends? Nothing beside of cleaning and decorating their graves which cannot help anybody. The false theology of no purgatory prevents them to pray for them. And how many more fatal mistakes resulting from their theology do they make? Who counted it? At the top of their misleading theology is the belief in 'ones saved always saved' - so many can think and do so that they cannot lose salvation provided they believe ( sins don't matter). If one is consequent in this belief then their salvation is really treatened. In this case the false theology can lead to everlasting damnation. Is there something more tragic?
     
    Last edited: Jan 24, 2024
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  3. CPilot

    CPilot Fapstronaut

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    Brother we are not far apart on this matter. I agree, we are called to do what we can to heal the divides that have arisen, because of sin, in Christ's church. It is very likely that the Holy Spirit has given you gifts of studiousness and authorship for the benefit of the Catholic church in the tradition of great saints like Augustine (one of my favorite saints).

    I must admit, I don't love the echumenical call of the Catholic church but as per the Catechism (see paragraphs 817 - 819) we are called to support it for the sake of drawing people to our church. My point is this, no matter how often such attempts are met with close minded, stubborn opposition, any success we might realize will more likely occur when borne of love rather than righteous indignation. In myself, I see that I must be very aware of a tendency towards pride in our faith and the defensiveness that can stem from it. Particularly, when we feel frustration with Protestant Apologetics I feel we are called to be patient yet persistent. Most recently, I have failed to practice patience in this matter. I pray for the grace to try harder.

    You tube won't allow me to paste this link so please google "Day 115 Fr. Mike Schmitz Catechism in a Year"
     
    Last edited: Jan 25, 2024
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  4. Mr Eko

    Mr Eko Fapstronaut

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    817 In fact, "in this one and only Church of God from its very beginnings there arose certain rifts, which the Apostle strongly censures as damnable. But in subsequent centuries much more serious dissensions appeared and large communities became separated from full communion with the Catholic Church - for which, often enough, men of both sides were to blame." The ruptures that wound the unity of Christ's Body - here we must distinguish heresy, apostasy, and schism - do not occur without human sin.

    My comment: I accept all paragraph 817.

    818 "However, one cannot charge with the sin of the separation those who at present are born into these communities [that resulted from such separation] and in them are brought up in the faith of Christ, and the Catholic Church accepts them with respect and affection as brothers. . . . All who have been justified by faith in Baptism are incorporated into Christ; they therefore have a right to be called Christians, and with good reason are accepted as brothers in the Lord by the children of the Catholic Church."

    My comment: I accept all paragraph 818. I can charge with the sin of the separation M. Luter and all the clergy men from that time who started destroying Catholic Church and all the clergy and believers of Catholic Church who living in sins prepared the way to the heresy and separation. I accept Protestants of today as brothers in Christ but I don't accept Protestant theology of which some points are erroneous and as a result damaging.

    819 "Furthermore, many elements of sanctification and of truth" are found outside the visible confines of the Catholic Church: "the written Word of God; the life of grace; faith, hope, and charity, with the other interior gifts of the Holy Spirit, as well as visible elements." Christ's Spirit uses these Churches and ecclesial communities as means of salvation, whose power derives from the fullness of grace and truth that Christ has entrusted to the Catholic Church. All these blessings come from Christ and lead to him, and are in themselves calls to "Catholic unity."

    My comment: I accept all paragraph 819.
    How do I understand this? - 'Christ's Spirit uses these Churches and ecclesial communities as means of salvation'
    I'm sure that Christ's Spirit didn't want to establish Protestant faith and theology with its not few errors but there are some means of salvation in Protestant faith but (attention !) the power of the means of salvation doesn't come from Protestant denominations but from the Catholic Church. So attention, they think that grace given by God comes from their Protestant prayers, reading the Bible etc. as if God gave them graces as a reward or result of their separation from the Catholic Church and changing the faith. But it's their illusion. The truth is that the graces they have (and salvation) come from the Catholic Church (see the sentence in red).

    Sorry, but in these paragraphs I can't see the call to support ecumenism. Or anybody can understand on his own what is ecumenism.
    According to paragraphs 817 - 819 I can understand ecumenism as seeing Protestants as brothers in Christ (who I don't charge for the separation), who have some but not full means of salvation which come not from their churches or faith but from our Catholic Church. And for the division are not only Protestants but also Catholics to blame. Paragraph 819 contains no call to ecumenism but to "Catholic unity."

    Concluding - in paragraphs 817 - 819 I couldn't find anything against what I do and what I sometimes do is to criticise some points of Protestant theology which are contradictory to catholic theology. I not only criticise the erroneous points but I try to show that the errors are not only abstract but that they have some damaging effects on the life of Protestants believers.
    Or why do I do it (this criticism) - it's not that I want to show and prove them something like that - ' Look, your faith is full of theological errors but ours is the only right. Shame yourselves.'

    It's rather what I would like to tell soldiers who want to fight a mortal enemy but go fighting being armed only with knives, bazookas, guns and hand grenades. I would like to tell them - 'attention! Your enemy can be much more dangerous than you think. They can have tanks, jet planes, missiles ... I can show you where there are tens of thousand of tanks, jet planes, missiles - as many as you want to secure your victory. It's better to go to this magazine (Catholic Theology, teaching).
    This is my ecumenism.
     
    Last edited: Feb 12, 2024
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  5. CPilot

    CPilot Fapstronaut

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    I think we have become entrenched in this debate for the sake of debating and I don't think this is what Christ would want from us. Certainly, I know it is not what He is instructing me to do. I hope you will listen to Father Mike Schmitz's discussion of these paragraphs of the Catechism, as noted in my last post. In any case, you must fight the battle for conversion as you see fit and I will fight it as I believe to be the most effective way. I wish to leave it at that.
     
  6. Hey! I'm seeing that below Mr Eko's username it appears "Temporarily Suspended" instead of "Fapstronaut". But why?? Does someone know what happens?
     
  7. Wow, sad thing... And being suspended after two years... ouch!
    Do you know how long will the sanction last?
     
    Last edited: Feb 7, 2024
  8. CPilot

    CPilot Fapstronaut

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    This is quite true. Recently, I have been experiencing attacks against our beautiful faith which came to me via the Christian forum. Fortunately, I am convinced that those whose raison d'etre is to attack Catholicism are small in numbers on this forum and the Christian forum. Also, I am reminded that Our Lord told His Apostles that they would be attacked and despised for following Him, why should we expect any treatment better than Our Lord? Fortunately, He doesn't ask most of us to endure the level of torture He did. Personally, this recent attack has caused me to study Our Church more deeply so I may defend her more accurately. One great tool I have found for this is "Fr. Mike Schmitz's Catechism in a year" podcast. Fr. Mike is an energetic and engaging teacher. Well worth the time.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 8, 2024
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  9. DJS

    DJS Fapstronaut

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    Dziękuję. Korzystam z sakramentu pokuty często po upadku ale mam wyrzuty, że tak często upadam....
     
  10. Mr Eko

    Mr Eko Fapstronaut

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    Today marks 10 years since I have been PMO free.
     
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  11. That's great, CONGRATULATIONS! I'm very happy for you! :emoji_tada::emoji_tada::emoji_tada:

    THANK YOU for sharing your testimony with us, because it gives us hope that freedom is possible! And thank you too for generously sharing with us your experiences and the path you have followed and continue to follow.

    God bless you abundantly!
     
  12. Mr Eko

    Mr Eko Fapstronaut

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    I'm very happy because within these 10 years of PMO freedom I did some things I would have never been able to. For instance I have been able to do Brazilian jujitsu almost for 3 years now despite of very hard and exhausting trainings and lots of difficult psychological moments.
    I know that if I still was a PMO addict I wouldn't be able to accept such psychological emotional and physical burden because being an addict one searches for pleasure, relax, emotional comfort ... and one avoids anything connected with effort, lack of mental / physical pleasure etc. That's why as an addict I wouldn't have enough toughness, I would be only weak and inconsistent.
     
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  13. Stommy

    Stommy Fapstronaut

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    What a great result!
    I remember when I read your posts 4 years ago, at the time you had been free for 6 years.

    You are a living, winning and very rare testimony. For all of us.

    Thanks to you and praise to Jesus.
     
  14. Mr Eko

    Mr Eko Fapstronaut

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    Any Catholic can achieve the same and much more.
    I'm successful fighting PMO not because I'm rarely strong or rarely consequent or rarely etc.
    In fact I'm a psychologically and physically rather weak person. My case is a proof what can do God's graces of healing, strengthening, illumination etc. in cooperation with an individual ( here, with my cooperation).
    It's impossible that I would be PMO free for 10 years without praying and other means of salvation.
    It's impossible either if I had only been passive waiting for and wanting God's graces. Because God wants cooperation with the man ( if one starts praying one cooperates, if one promises something to God one cooperates, if one goes to confession one cooperates, if one decides to forgive anybody one cooperates, if one reads the Bible and Cathechism of RCC one cooperates, if one gives their free time for their family one cooperates etc.) and without such a cooperation God usually doesn't give His graces. Although there are a few exemptions to the rule.

    The ten PMO free years show too that Catholic theology, Catholic faith is true because if it would be erronious then it wouldn't work. Something erronious doesn't work or works in a counterproductive way or works in an insufficient way.
    There are lots of erronious or incomplete instructions on this and another anti PMO foras how to get rid of PMO and they don't work or work insufficiently ( for some more or less limited time). The time shows what is useful but what not.

    Catholic faith, means of salvation work good enough in fight against various addictions. One only must use it and one must know what and how to use it.
    This what and how is written in my journal if somebody wants to have at least 10 PMO free years then it's enough to do what I have been doing for 10 years because it's not my theoretical tips but proven in fight means.
     
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  15. Stommy

    Stommy Fapstronaut

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    Thank you mrEko for your testimony.
    A doubt and a question I ask you. Starting from the assumption that you don't want to sin and even fall back into PM, how do you behave when using the internet, social media and TV there are "immoral" or provocative or emotion-provoking images and scenes, especially for those who want to detox? Let's start from the fact that you don't have the will to search for that type of thing but they happen, for example, as advertisements.

    What behavior should be followed, in your opinion?
     
  16. Mr Eko

    Mr Eko Fapstronaut

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    First I'll write about myself. It depends what kind are the images and scenes. If their direct aim is to build some sexual desire then it annoys me and I change the channel ( after the scene I can come back) or don't watch the photo but read the text below ( webpage) or change the page when the aim of it is to lead me to some erotic or more pages. If I read something then I read almost all that interests me because written word doesn't work on me so much as pictures. What I actively finish watching ( in TV or the net) is women in bikini, lingerie, a passionately kissing couple etc. because I feel that allowing myself to watch it will lead me to a point of no return. I'll add that from the begin on I have had an open Internet, always my smartphone at the reach of my hand 24 hours a day. I simply feel that the tandem prayer at the time of temptation /bad feeling plus temporary promises to God of no PMO are sufficient for me after the years of sobriety.

    Another case is for the beginners. I think any amount of 'risky' material is potentially destructive for them. When I see back how I reacted at my beginnings then I remember me being more rigorous.
    The detox will never end. We will never be immune to such images even in small ' innocent' amounts. Somebody who broke his leg in the past - that leg bone will always be weaker and more vulnarable than the healthy leg. That's why I know that to be safe I will always have to pray at the time of temptation and promise temporarily no PMO plus no watching too 'risky' pictures.
    If they happen to see as adds or the like then I can watch them. It doesn't work on me.
    In , let's say , the first two years I think there must be avoided almost all suspicious after one glance or two. If it follows the third glace then our fall starts to be inevitable. The point of no return.
     
    Last edited: Apr 6, 2024

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