Masturbation

[Rhamiel]

No it is not silly. Where is it mentioned he had an attraction to anyone, ever. He was obviously very unique and could perform miracles as well as rise from the dead.

St.Pauls letter to the Hebrews 4:15 says that Jesus was tempted in all ways but did not give into sin
so i am fairly ssure that sexual temptations fall into the "tempted in all ways" catagory
the Bible does not have to spell out every little thing for us to know it is true
"where in the Bible does it say that John the Baptist only had two arms?"

 

[OGM]

St.Pauls letter to the Hebrews 4:15 says that Jesus was tempted in all ways but did not give into sin
so i am fairly ssure that sexual temptations fall into the "tempted in all ways" catagory
the Bible does not have to spell out every little thing for us to know it is true
"where in the Bible does it say that John the Baptist only had two arms?"

You don't know if that is a literal meaning of "all" versus a figurative one. I doubt it was literal because "all" would mean even sociopath behavior. Which would not make sense.

 

[8462]

okay. . . i think some of us got off topic there for a bit. . . But in my opinion as I stated earlier. .. I do not believe masturbation to be a sin. For example. . . I am 8 months pregnant now. My DH and I can't be intimate even if we wanted to due to physical hinderances on my part. . . So like so said before. . . I would rather him a towel and lotion or the shower instead of another woman. . . Make sense? I know that he has to have relief and to be frank. . . I enjoy him so much better when he has had that relief. it keeps us both in good moods.

 

[mysinisforgiven]

Well i am going to be totally honest, but i think masturbation is a sin. God says somewhere in the bible that you are not suppose to spill thy seed. What about girls? They don't have seed to spill? Also, I wouldn't exactly say i have addiction to pornography but i am very weak to it. Now i know its a sin to look at and lust over porn. And i am not trying to be perverted in anyway, but i think the female body is absolutely beautiful. Its like a instinct for me to want it. Maybe its the porn? But i do know it puts a wedge between God and I.

And i said it was a sin. Because guys can't not "touch" without something to achieve erection. just saying!

 

[Hakan101]

Well i am going to be totally honest, but i think masturbation is a sin. God says somewhere in the bible that you are not suppose to spill thy seed. What about girls? They don't have seed to spill? Also, I wouldn't exactly say i have addiction to pornography but i am very weak to it. Now i know its a sin to look at and lust over porn. And i am not trying to be perverted in anyway, but i think the female body is absolutely beautiful. Its like a instinct for me to want it. Maybe its the porn? But i do know it puts a wedge between God and I.

And i said it was a sin. Because guys can't not "touch" without something to achieve erection. just saying!

I have heard this before, I cannot remember the verse or book. But, I remember the context of that passage was not against the mere act of masturbation. Instead, the man God was speaking to was refusing to impregnate his wife when God told him to. So he was "spilling his seed" instead of obeying God.

My new pastor taught a seminar on sex and intimacy, and he says masturbation is a sin if you think of a woman while doing it. He said he believes it's possible to touch without doing this (but he didn't say how, I have no idea).

Concerning lust, I have heard it said that the context of Jesus speaking about a man looking at a woman lustfully includes the fact that most women were married or engaged in those times. Therefore, they were forbidden, and it was lusting after that which is forbidden that makes it a sin. But in today's culture, women are often single, so it is rather complicated.

The best thing we can do is pray to God that he gives us someone to love and satisfy, so we don't "burn with passion" like Paul mentions.

 

[mysinisforgiven]

Very well said. what about when you look at a girls picture? That in a way is lusting, not unless i am the only guy out there that doesn't have at least one thought that goes through my head, saying shes hot. lol...its confusing, but like you said, pray an we shall receive the strength to overcome.

 

[firesoforion]

I actually just read all 16 pages of this thread and found it very interesting. I struggle with knowing the right answer to this question, and in all honesty i dont think it is possible to know for SURE. All i can judge on is the things God has revealed to me in my quiet times.
Before i was a christian I did touch. And after coming to know God I have still done so quite a few times. But I have always felt convicted - and strongly. I dont know if it is right or wrong to touch in the eyes of God, all i know is that when I do - i feel distant from God and guilty. Hence my wanting to avoid it - I long to be in a close relationship with God and when things make me feel distant from him I avoid them.

This is *exactly* how I feel.

 

[8462]

GENESIS 38:8-10
" 8 Then Judah said to Onan, “Sleep with your brother’s wife and fulfill your duty to her as a brother-in-law to raise up offspring for your brother.” 9 But Onan knew that the child would not be his; so whenever he slept with his brother’s wife, he spilled his sperm on the ground to keep from providing offspring for his brother. 10 What he did was wicked in the LORD’s sight; so the LORD put him to death also."

This is the reference that some of you were speaking of. . . God did not put him to death because he just simply spilled his seed. . . He put him to death because he disregarded a demand from God. He did wickedly because he was out to serve himself. . .

As for some of your comments as well. . . Men do look at pictures of women and think lustful thoughts about them but what if a man lusts after his wife? Is he not supposed to?

All disrespect aside and not trying to be crude but Is it still a sin when a man and woman touch together if they are married? What about oral sex? This still constitutes as "spilling the seed". I think there is a lot that is left to interpretation in the Bible but we must look to the New Testament at Paul's teachings in order to kind of get an idea on these things.

I mean.. lets be realistic. When a husband and wife sleep with one another and have sex there is no way than when he [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse] inside of her that ALL the sperm is not "wasted". The sperm is eventually flushed out of the woman's body either in the toilet when she uses the restroom or in the shower or whatever. So is this still "spilling the seed"? If so then why are we all not put to death?

I think there is a fine line between masturbation to get relief and Masturbation while watching or looking at porn. When you touch and look at porn you are lusting over the people or persons within the photo's or movie. . . When you are at home and intimately involved with your husband or wife and that is the person you are thinking about then I do not think that it constitutes as lust or a sin.

When they were talking about lust in the Bible. . . It was actually talked about in the Sermon on the Mount. Matthew 5:27-32

"27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’[e] 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.
Divorce

31 “It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’[f] 32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery."

It does not say that lusting is bad if you are married and the person you are lusting after is your spouse.

I know that these verses can be interpreted in many ways but when looking at them and reading them from my standpoint I don't think that Masturbation within a marriage is wrong.

I am still convinced that these verses and the interpretation of them basically boil down to a basic understanding of Hermeneutics.

 

[3rdHeaven]

I just can't believe that such a common, timeless practice such as masturbation, if it was indeed a sin, would not be mentioned specifically in the Bible. If it was a sin they would have mentioned it! As it is, it's not talked about at all.

Onan was not masturbating. He was using the withdrawal method so he wouldn't get whoever he was having sex with pregnant. God wanted him to get whoever he was having sex with pregnant, so he disobeyed God by not [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse] inside her. The reason why God was angry was because Onan deliberately disobeyed his wishes.

I can think of one reason. The bible was written by men was it not? The Apostles were men, were they not?

Imagine some thing like this, Peter, Paul, James, Luke, Matthew, and Mark and other Apostles too are discussing what they should be addressing to new Christians..

Ok guys, lets make a list shall we.

1. Fornication

all in favor say aye!(every one says aye at once)

2. Homosexuality say aye (slowly every one says aye)

Peter, I did not hear you say aye?

Peter: I said aye! You just did not hear me!

Ok then moving along,

3. Worshiping false idols (all ayes!)
4. Baptism (all eyes)
5. masturbating (room is silent)

I said masturbating! (still silent)

Come on guys whats it going to be here?

Peter starts to speak but is interrupted by Matthew, any one else besides Peter?

Luke speaks up, as a physician I see no harm in it, not that I do it, I would never do it, but speaking as a physician only.

Room is silent every one looks around each other.

Ok then perhaps we can come back to this one..

 

[8462]

3rdHeaven you posted "I can think of one reason. The bible was written by men was it not? The Apostles were men, were they not?"

I tend to disagree with you. Yes these men wrote the Bible but the Bible is the divine WORD of GOD. Is it not? These men wrote what it was that God derived for them to write. Every word was inspired by God. If God wanted to address something in the Bible then it would have been addressed. I frankly don't believe what you said. It might have been pinned by man but it was inspired by God therefore it is the WORD of GOD!

 

[3rdHeaven]

Well for any one who lacks a sense of humor let me make it easier for you.

I WAS ONLY KIDDING!

 

[Hakan101]

Wow, I just actually read that passage with Onan in Genesis 38 for the first time. I never realized how short it was, and it isn't even about masturbation!

I guess it helps to examine these things...firstHAND!(ba-dum tshhh)

 

[8462]

No the passage about onan is not about masturbation at all. . . but yet it does keep getting brought up as an argument against it. Unfortunately people aren't reading the passage for themselves before they start spouting on and on about how God Killed this man for masturbating. . .

Thank you for reading it though Hakan101. It lets me know that I can be of some help when it comes to Bible Passages.

 

[Rhamiel]

No the passage about onan is not about masturbation at all. . . but yet it does keep getting brought up as an argument against it. Unfortunately people aren't reading the passage for themselves before they start spouting on and on about how God Killed this man for masturbating. . .

Thank you for reading it though Hakan101. It lets me know that I can be of some help when it comes to Bible Passages.

it is about a sexual act that was not taken to completion
so contraception and touching yourself and oral sex and homosexual sex are all realated
they are unnatural forms of sex, unnatural in the classical sense of what is natural, not the more modern usage

 

[Hakan101]

it is about a sexual act that was not taken to completion
so contraception and touching yourself and oral sex and homosexual sex are all realated
they are unnatural forms of sex, unnatural in the classical sense of what is natural, not the more modern usage

Not quite...the passage of Onan is literally 3 verses, and it doesn't talk explicitly about masturbation. Judah told Onan to sleep with his brother's wife so he could fulfill his duty and raise offspring for her. When he refuses to impregnate her, God sees this as wicked. So the passage is about Onan having sex with his wife, then spilling out the seed instead of giving her offspring.

I can sort of see this as perhaps being against contraception, but masturbation? It isn't addressed very well here. What I mean is, there must be more Scripture than this to condemn it.

 

[strelok0017]

It is very wrong. I'm not going to say in my opinion, if only to make some of you guys who do it think. Masturbation is gratification of the flesh and it is against God's design. If it's done without lust it's pointless and if you lust when doing it then it's very wrong. In either case I have never seen anyone make a good Biblical argument that would make it plain that masturbation is a way to go for singles and the reason is simple. There is nothing in the Bible that would support it. And honestly, I think it would be soul wrecking to all those who seek to please God. I'm totally for it if it's done in marriage between a husband and a wife but other than that it is just a raging fire, ready to devour souls and before you know it you might become addicted. I can't see it not being not just wrong, but also a sin. Those are my 2 cents.

Blessings!

 

[Sadiegrl]

I voted other because i have not read directly anything condemning that specifically...however i know that in renewing our minds it is so very important to monitor all thoughts, and masturbating is a form of pleasuring the flesh. To say that you dont do it without thoughts or memories or scenarios in your mind is a bit robotic as humans feel and thrive on fulfilling fleshly desires. Thats the key, we desire...and we need to have our human desires changed to Godly desires. So it is probably not what you want to be thinking or doing as it isnt what i believe to be holy and pleasing to God...:/

But from knowledge of human bodies and especially men how their bodies are designed and operate it can seem to be necessary or at least appropriate that God created human relationships of love and marriage for the woman to fulfill that need, but in respect to God of honoring marriage and staying pure. So i cant say for certain but more so that i just dont know completely, its probably something more complex than a simple yes or no...humans have faults and we sin everyday in many ways subtle and not so...i guess its about the heart and if as children of God are we pursuing a relationship with Him to attain peace and truth and things of above? Or simply going day to day pleasing the flesh?

 

[AndrewZinc]

For me (single and unmarried), it is most certainly a sin and something to flee from. I have been given a conscience and I feel guilt whenever I have done it. I also am aware of 'pushing God out' at those times, not just feeling distant and that is wrong, so wrong.

I am surprised that so many posters here see no problem with it.

 

[Waltah]

This was the only open thread I can find on the subject and being a new guy on the forum, it looks like I picked quite the topic.

I'm having a hard time with this. I'm 26, married, and away from my wife and daughter for a few months. If I touch it is to the videos or pictures I have of my own wife and I to get me by. My wife is okay with this obviously and I don't lust after other females or have other fantasies when I do it. I'm just struggling with what God would think and it seems there isn't anything specific in scripture.

God bless you all, looking forward to being a part of the community.

 

[hedrick]

This was the only open thread I can find on the subject and being a new guy on the forum, it looks like I picked quite the topic.

I'm having a hard time with this. I'm 26, married, and away from my wife and daughter for a few months. If I touch it is to the videos or pictures I have of my own wife and I to get me by. My wife is okay with this obviously and I don't lust after other females or have other fantasies when I do it. I'm just struggling with what God would think and it seems there isn't anything specific in scripture.

God bless you all, looking forward to being a part of the community.

I think this is the situation where there would be the least objection. Many people would actually recommend it if it helps you resist temptations. And of course many Christians don't object at all, or at least feel it's not a big issue. James Dobson, who is ordinarily pretty conservative, says that although he doesn't endorse it, guilt the many people feel over it is a more serious problem than the act itself.