![]() Secondly, nocturnal pollution may be considered with reference to its cause. Wherefore what a man does while he sleeps and is deprived of reason's judgment, is not imputed to him as a sin, as neither are the actions of a maniac or an imbecile. For there is no one who while sleeping does not regard some of the images formed by his imagination as though they were real, as stated above in the FP, Q, A, ad 2. Now during sleep reason has not a free judgment. For every sin depends on the judgment of reason, since even the first movement of the sensuality has nothing sinful in it, except in so far as it can be suppressed by reason wherefore in the absence of reason's judgment, there is no sin in it. First, in itself and thus it has not the character of a sin. I answer that, Nocturnal pollution may be considered in two ways. xii, 15): "When the same image that comes into the mind of a speaker presents itself to the mind of the sleeper, so that the latter is unable to distinguish the imaginary from the real union of bodies, the flesh is at once moved, with the result that usually follows such motions and yet there is as little sin in this as there is in speaking and therefore thinking about such things while one is awake." Then He openeth the ears of men, and teaching instructeth them in what they are to learn." Therefore a man, while asleep, can act according to or against his reason, and this is to do good or sinful actions, and thus it seems that nocturnal pollution is a sin. Now man, while asleep, is instructed and reproved by God, according to Job 33:15,16, "By a dream in a vision by night, when deep sleep is wont to lay hold of men, Q, A, OBJ ]. Objection 3: Further, it is useless to reprove and instruct one who cannot act according to or against reason. Therefore one may sin while asleep, so that nocturnal pollution is not prevented by sleep from being a sin, seeing that it is a sin according to its genus. Now a man has the use of reason while asleep, since in our sleep we frequently discuss matters, choose this rather than that, consenting to one thing, or dissenting to another. Objection 2: Further, whoever has the use of reason can sin. ![]() Therefore a man may demerit while asleep and thus nocturnal pollution would seem to be a sin. ![]() Now a man may merit while he sleeps, as was the case with Solomon, who while asleep obtained the gift of wisdom from the Lord (3 Kings 3:2, Par.1). For the same things are the matter of merit and demerit. Summa Theologica - Saint Thomas Aquinas Objection 1: It would seem that nocturnal pollution is a sin.
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