Do you believe that Masturbation a Sin?

[Smilin]

Somebody had to bring it up.  My 'hardcore, christian fundamentalist' training as a child never covered this topic.

The subject was brought up briefly in the mens forum..so I decided it was A VALID religious question.  If you're offended...go study human behavior, psychology, physiology & biology.  I make no apologies.  Please vote and comment as you see appropriate.  I've heard and read all the 'fornication and adultry' arguments.  Now it's time to cover this topic.

 

[Annabel Lee]

No, of course it's not a sin. I voted no.
Though I did like the wording of choice #4
...."You sicko, you'll burn in hell for even trying to discuss such human behaviors"

 

[Smilin]

thanks...WHEEEWWWW...I'm safe...(I guess)....
My next question was going to be over sex education in schools.
I'm waitin to see if the bouncer shows up first though...

 

[Amatire]

hmm.. I would say it is a sin.. it is a form of adultery.. you are sleeping with yourself, sex by definition is the ultimate form of worship, you and your partner uniting to worship God.. so touching yourself as something you do without your partner is a form of adultery..

lemme ask you this question

why do you think we get so embarrased about talking about it? I havent met anyone who doesnt, christian or none christian. That would suggest that it was "innappropriate" most things we find inappropriate are sinful..

just a though..

 

[Pete Harcoff]

I voted no. Masturbation is a normal, and even healthy activity. The only reason people are so uptight about it is because of social pressure.

 

[Smilin]

Am,
As an advocate of mental health, working with disturbed children, and a very high interest in human behavior...I don't find it disturbing or inappropriate to talk about.

Lemme elaborate on some possible scenarios, assuming I take the same position on the topic as you:

1. If you touch thinking of your spouse...would that be a sin?
2. If masturbation is a sin...then wouldn't 'wet dreams' be sinful as well?
3. How can we be held accountable for our dreams?
4. How can you classify masturbation as adultry?

 

[kaotic]

Originally posted by Annabel Lee
No, of course it's not a sin. I voted no.
Though I did like the wording of choice #4
...."You sicko, you'll burn in hell for even trying to discuss such human behaviors"

i also voted no.

 

[Chris†opher Paul]

Yes, it is a sin.

THE CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH


Part 3, Section 2, Chapter 2, Article 6, SubSection 2, Heading 4

By masturbation is to be understood the deliberate stimulation of the genital organs in order to derive sexual pleasure. "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."

"The deliberate use of the sexual faculty, for whatever reason, outside of marriage is essentially contrary to its purpose." For here sexual pleasure is sought outside of "the sexual relationship which is demanded by the moral order and in which the total meaning of mutual self-giving and human procreation in the context of true love is achieved."

 

[Smilin]

Interesting Souljah,
I've had very little exposure to the Catholic beliefs,
yet...i find it interesting they actually wrote on the topic.

 

[Chris†opher Paul]

Originally posted by Smilin
Interesting Souljah,
I've had very little exposure to the Catholic beliefs,
yet...i find it interesting they actually wrote on the topic.

Yep, anything important that we belive is in the Cathechism.

You can search here if you are interested:

http://www.kofc.org/faith/catechism/catechism.cfm

 

[Smilin]

Okay...and what is the Cathecism based upon? Just out of curiosity...
(not diverging from the topic)

 

[LadyShea]

Originally posted by Amatire
hmm.. I would say it is a sin.. it is a form of adultery.. you are sleeping with yourself, sex by definition is the ultimate form of worship, you and your partner uniting to worship God.. so touching yourself as something you do without your partner is a form of adultery..

lemme ask you this question

why do you think we get so embarrased about talking about it? I havent met anyone who doesnt, christian or none christian. That would suggest that it was "innappropriate" most things we find inappropriate are sinful..

just a though..

 

Most people are uncomfortable and embarassed to talk about normal elimination functions...does that make urination sinful? Most people are uncomfortable speaking about various grooming necessities...does that make nose hair and ear wax sinful?

Masturbation is the safest of sex, it releases sexual tension without involving other people and may keep teens from having sex so young, or sexually frustrated men from engaging in casual sex or molesting young boys in the case of some clergy, or women from using their sexuality as some sort of weapon. The human body becomes sexually mature during the teen years and expects some sort of outlet for it's natural sexuality...bottling that energy up is dangerous IMO.

 

[seebs]

Originally posted by Amatire
hmm.. I would say it is a sin.. it is a form of adultery.. you are sleeping with yourself, sex by definition is the ultimate form of worship, you and your partner uniting to worship God..

Y'know, I've never been told this before, and I've even been told that any intermingling between sex and religion is idolatry.

I don't think sex is "by definition" the ultimate form of worship. I'm not even sure it's worship at all. Bonding, maybe. A side-effect of being human, maybe. Worship? Not for me, anyway, any more than anything else I do because that's how my body is built is worship. (I admit that a case could be made for eating garlic as a kind of worship.)

 

[Smilin]

Taken from Sexual and Reproductive Health Magazine:

Young men’s knowledge, attitudes and behaviours about STDs and risks:

Several recent studies found that young men generally know little about their own or their partner’s sexuality, hardly communicate with their partners, have misconceptions regarding masturbation
and condom use, and do not think about family planning.5 3 9

Which will be a topic for another thread later......Should such matters be taught in our public schools?

 

[Smilin]

Originally posted by Amatire
hmm.. I would say it is a sin.. it is a form of adultery.. you are sleeping with yourself,

errr...No I would disagree, it's a self-gratification act...yes,

but I'm positive it involves imagining another partner.....

So...if you were imagining your spouse...would it still be sinful?

 

 

[Chris†opher Paul]

Originally posted by Smilin
Okay...and what is the Cathecism based upon? Just out of curiosity...
(not diverging from the topic)

"This catechism is conceived as an organic presentation of the Catholic faith in its entirety.'

 

[Smilin]

Organic????????

 

[Pete Harcoff]

Originally posted by Smilin
So...if you were imagining your spouse...would it still be sinful?

 

And if your spouse was doing it for you (giving you a hand, so to speak), would that be considered sinful? Where do you draw the line?

 

[Amatire]

oooh a toughie... hmmm

lemme think about this one for a minute

hmmmm


hmmm


well.. have you ever read any of CS lewis' books? in one of them he describes the fall like this.. the serpent doesnt persuade eve to eat an apple, he persuades her to look into a mirror. All of a sudden she is aware of "self" her own ego.. but it is an image of herself not the real thing.. so she is somehow violated by that.. I dunno maybe its all wrapped up in a mixture of self - as in putting yourself first and "the image" as in a graven image not God.. even when we imagine God and we picture him as.. erm like an axe wielding maniac in the sky... we are somehow commiting idolatry..

images are bad.. (uh oh that could be misinterpreted, I aint against tv honest! *runs over to kiss tv set and make up*) but my point is.. that living in a fantasy world just pushes you further and further away from reality.. personally I have struggled with where "idolatry" begins, and my impression that I got from God was that it is better to love reality.. I dont think we were ever meant to be "self aware" or have images of ourselves.. in the garden of eden all we were aware of was God and each other.. when you imagine your partner. you arent really "knowing" the real person, you are exalting an image of them which is bound to be in some way or other a false impression.. and then each time you do it you are bolstering that image and reaffirming it, rather than discovering your husband/wife for who they really are..

sex is about discovering your partner.. finding out who they are and drawing close.. you dont do your relationship any favours if you are imagining them and not with them in reality.. sooner or later you are going to begin to prefer the image to the real thing..

hehe, it doesnt talk back for one!

umm just reread that and Im not sure if I made sense.. but erm... never mind.. its late and my brain is frazzled.

 

[Smilin]

Another scenario....

You're deployed in the military away from your spouse
for an extended period of time (try a year and a half)
You're used to a very healthy sexual relationship,
and then....nadddaaa...

Of course you correspond as male and females do...
And it would be a sin if you were away from the one you
loved for a VERY long time?