Masturbation

[Gardnjam]

Everyone on the board seems to be in agreement that lusting is a sin but that masturbation should be seen as a different entity entirely. The question is ,perhaps, more than at first it seems to be. True, scripture does not make comment specifically on this issue, it could be seen as sexual immorality, but as someone correctly states it is not clearly shown to be immoral. However, sexual relations is only shown to be legitimate in the context of between a man and woman as recorded in Geneis . Hence any form of sexuality outside of this must be seen as intrinsically immoral. Just as Homosexuality, incest , rape and masturbation are immoral. Masturbation could potentially damage a marital relationship or hinder any new relationships that may try to spring up in his/her's life.
It is an act devoid of intimacy making the most intimate of human acts totaly isolated (does this see, natural?). There are processes in the body designed to deal with the build up of sexual tension (This is for guys but not too sure about the girls) such as nocturnal emissions and overflow into the urine. Again giuys this is what I feel God is telling me.
Thanks for reading.

 

[Luther073082]

I'm going to agree with someone else on here too, I can't remember who said it.

But touching yourself is so old and so common that if it where (in terms of the act itself) a sin it would have had to be in the bible.

I mean come on, beastiality is in the bible and that has NEVER been very common. But yet touching yourself does not make the list. If it was a sin it seems stunningly absent.

To me its inconceivable that God would worry about throwing in there such off the wall rare things like sex with animals but neglect to mention touching yourself.

 

[SpiritualAntiseptic]

Oral sex isn't in the bible and it's very old and common.
The same goes for mutual masturbation and a bunch of other stuff.

Does this mean they aren't ever sinful?
We shouldn't play lawyer with the bible, looking for loop-holes.

 

[Marycita]

I'm going to agree with someone else on here too, I can't remember who said it.

But touching yourself is so old and so common that if it where (in terms of the act itself) a sin it would have had to be in the bible.

I mean come on, beastiality is in the bible and that has NEVER been very common. But yet touching yourself does not make the list. If it was a sin it seems stunningly absent.

To me its inconceivable that God would worry about throwing in there such off the wall rare things like sex with animals but neglect to mention touching yourself.

just because it's not directly in the Bible doesn't mean it's not a sin though..

it really does involve lust...the majority of the time anyway..though I don't get how it doesn't but hey...

and there's no arguing that lust isn't a sin...

so....yeah...

 

[Luther073082]

just because it's not directly in the Bible doesn't mean it's not a sin though..

it really does involve lust...the majority of the time anyway..though I don't get how it doesn't but hey...

and there's no arguing that lust isn't a sin...

so....yeah...

No I totally agree that lust is a sin and that touching yourself almost always if not always involves lust.

However I think the question is if the act itself is sin. And in that case I can not say that it is.

I was considering this the other day and I really don't think it would be a sin if the person where to concentrate on their spouse and no others.

So I think that is where it makes a difference. Your spouse among other things is also for your sexual gratification (read Paul's letters). So even if they can't be around the thought of them can perhaps replace that and provide you with sinless sexual gratification.

 

[Marycita]

No I totally agree that lust is a sin and that touching yourself almost always if not always involves lust.

However I think the question is if the act itself is sin. And in that case I can not say that it is.

I was considering this the other day and I really don't think it would be a sin if the person where to concentrate on their spouse and no others.

So I think that is where it makes a difference. Your spouse among other things is also for your sexual gratification (read Paul's letters). So even if they can't be around the thought of them can perhaps replace that and provide you with sinless sexual gratification.

oh..gotcha..

Sorry

 

[SpiritualAntiseptic]

No I totally agree that lust is a sin and that touching yourself almost always if not always involves lust.

However I think the question is if the act itself is sin. And in that case I can not say that it is.

I was considering this the other day and I really don't think it would be a sin if the person where to concentrate on their spouse and no others.

So I think that is where it makes a difference. Your spouse among other things is also for your sexual gratification (read Paul's letters). So even if they can't be around the thought of them can perhaps replace that and provide you with sinless sexual gratification.

Sexuality isn't merely for gratification, but to bring together both people. Sex is a beautiful and exciting thing, arguably one of the best experiences in the world, but it is to be shared with someone. It's not meant for our own personal instant gratification.

 

[Gardnjam]

Sexuality isn't merely for gratification, but to bring together both people. Sex is a beautiful and exciting thing, arguably one of the best experiences in the world, but it is to be shared with someone. It's not meant for our own personal instant gratification.

Well said spiritual.

To re-iterate, masturbation undoubtedly always starts with impurity of the eyes and mind. For example you would not look at a tree and get the urge to touch (I hope not anyway.) Whereas you may see something such as a nice looking person or a picture which then brings these feelings to the surface. Granted, you may be able to think of random things whilst performing the act ,yet prior to this you have lusted even if only for a moment. Therefore masturbation should certainly be discouraged as Lust is what ignites the urge in the first place.

 

[Luther073082]

Sexuality isn't merely for gratification, but to bring together both people. Sex is a beautiful and exciting thing, arguably one of the best experiences in the world, but it is to be shared with someone. It's not meant for our own personal instant gratification.

Where is this in scripture?

I do become afraid that Christians try to "holify" sex way too much.

I do agree with you but there is physical gratification in there and Paul admits that. Read his letters, he basically says you should get married to as to avoid sexual sin.

Obviously he's not talking about a great spritiual experience there. He's talking about doing something so as to avoid getting yourself in trouble because you have a spouse with which your gratification is allowed to be fulfilled.

You can't avoid the fact that physical gratification IS one of the benefits of being married. Thats scriptural. So I don't see how taking care if that if your spouse in incapable is sinful.

 

[Gardnjam]

Where is this in scripture?

I do become afraid that Christians try to "holify" sex way too much.

I do agree with you but there is physical gratification in there and Paul admits that. Read his letters, he basically says you should get married to as to avoid sexual sin.

Obviously he's not talking about a great spritiual experience there. He's talking about doing something so as to avoid getting yourself in trouble because you have a spouse with which your gratification is allowed to be fulfilled.

You can't avoid the fact that physical gratification IS one of the benefits of being married. Thats scriptural. So I don't see how taking care if that if your spouse in incapable is sinful.

For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. Genesis 2:24

Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. Hebrews 13:4

 

[Luther073082]

For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. Genesis 2:24

And. . . how does that indicate that sex should not be used for physical gratification?

Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. Hebrews 13:4

Yep. . . and you can't commit adultry by thinking of your own spouse and masterbating. You can't cheat on your wife in your heart with your wife.

Sexual immorality is defined by letting scripture interprete scripture and ONLY SCRIPTURE.

You are trying to draw way too much out of this guys. Its almost like people who try to tell people that there are only certain types of sexual activities that a husband and wife can participate in between the two of them.

Heck 400 years ago they said that having sex with your wife for anything other then making babies was a sin.

 

[Luther073082]

But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband. 3The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4The wife's body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. 5Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

Paul see's sex for what it is. For both intimacy and physical gratification.

And if you can't get that gratification because your spouse is away, touching yourself while thinking of them is completly sinless. Because in that way you can ward off temptations such as adultry and adultry of the heart.

This is also why its a duty of every person who is married to have regular sex with their spouse if possible. Paul makes it a point of saying this.

In this he also teaches us that sex is not a weapon to be used to get one's way, receive gifts or win an argument as many secular marriages it has been used.

 

[Gardnjam]

The second verse was to show that God does see marriage and sex as holy. You mentioned above that Christians try to holify sex too much , but there it is in scripture.

Marriage is a God ordained institution, hence the verse from Genesis.

I would assume that if you are married that may be O.K. All I know is that in the scenario of an unmarried individual Masturbation is always wrong.

 

[Gardnjam]

Paul see's sex for what it is. For both intimacy and physical gratification.

And if you can't get that gratification because your spouse is away, touching yourself while thinking of them is completly sinless. Because in that way you can ward off temptations such as adultry and adultry of the heart.

This is also why its a duty of every person who is married to have regular sex with their spouse if possible. Paul makes it a point of saying this.

In this he also teaches us that sex is not a weapon to be used to get one's way, receive gifts or win an argument as many secular marriages it has been used.

Whoa buddy,

I never said it was wrong if you were married. I was only commenting from the point of view of a single person.

You notice though that he is speaking in the context of a married couple.

 

[Luther073082]

Whoa buddy,

I never said it was wrong if you were married. I was only commenting from the point of view of a single person.

You notice though that he is speaking in the context of a married couple.

Well the point I was trying to make is that the physical act in and of itself can not be a sin. Because if it was it would not change based on if you where married.

However the lust which almost always acompanies the physical act is a sin. I stated that earlier and several times.

The target of the lust is the only difference between touching yourself as a single person and touching yourself while being married.

 

[hollypparker]

It is a perfectly natural, healthy thing for people to do, in my opinion.

Though, I do not do it myself.

 

[Gardnjam]

I think we may be in agreement.

You would agree that Masturbation whilst single is wrong ,

but if you happened to be married and the focus of your lust was on your wife that would be fine?

 

[elephunky]

I do not think that masturbation is wrong at as long as you arent lusting for someone over it. You can touch with out lust in your heart, and as Ive said before, it can be used for stress relief and to help get to sleep.

Every sexual immorality that I have read in the bible refers to a sexual act with someone else (family, families husbands/wifes, animals etc). It does NOT state that one shouldnt be aloud to explore ones own body.

 

[k450ofu3k-gh-5ipe]

I'm going to agree with someone else on here too, I can't remember who said it.

But touching yourself is so old and so common that if it where (in terms of the act itself) a sin it would have had to be in the bible.

I mean come on, beastiality is in the bible and that has NEVER been very common. But yet touching yourself does not make the list. If it was a sin it seems stunningly absent.

To me its inconceivable that God would worry about throwing in there such off the wall rare things like sex with animals but neglect to mention touching yourself.

Yeah, I mentioned that earlier. Masturbation isn't some new thing; it's as old as mankind itself. If it was a sin, it would have been mentioned specifically. As it is, it was never mentioned at all.

 

[YourSon1]

I think due to the responses you can assume that it is a personal thing you have to look at yourself. There is a fine line between lust and touching yourself, its really up to the person to decide where it is and to keep within their respective faiths. Arguing about it without any specific facts really does nothing. Decide for yourself.