Re: Masturbation...a sin?

[NaturaLCalamity]

Hi to all. I've been talking to a couple of friends of mine who have been taking human sexuality classes this semester, and one brought up the topic of masturbation. I've heard before that Christians aren't allowed to masturbate because it is a sin. Why? I really don't know but I haven't read that part in the bible that states that also. I've also heard that if a man stares at a woman with lust, then he has already committed to adultery. I find this all to be nonsense and absolutely ridiculous. I did some research and found out masturbation is 100% normal and should be performed not only for pleasure, but it lowers a man's chance of getting testicular cancer. I think it doesn't matter whether you're religious or not, every man in this world has at least masturbated once. Yet, in some articles I've read, religious men, particularly Christians, are ashamed they masturbate daily but don't know how to deal with it, so they pray and ask for forgiveness after their "fun time." Besides the obvious health reasons to masturbate, why do religious people do it anyways then? I do get angry sometimes, when "Christians" who claim they are in fact Christians, yet, they feel bad about the sins they've committed. My 20 year old friend, who is not married, is already 4 months pregnant and it bothers me. The baby's father is also my best friend by the way. I don't talk to either of them anymore and it saddens me. She was one of the most religious person I know, but somehow she is very excited to have this baby.

I don't get how people who have committed sins purposely, yet still expects God to allow them into Heaven. It also bothers me to see young, religious teen girls who get pregnant, yet praise God for the gift He has given her. Religion does saddens me, and questions my thoughts on human life. Sorry about my long post, but thank you for reading. Anyways, my question was really why masturbation is a sin? Or any kind of sexual activity for that matter. Sex is beautiful and everyone should experience it when they're READY.

Thank you again! Toodles!

[curiosityandthecat]

If masturbation is a sin they'll have to open up a whole new level of hell for me just based on my teen years!  

[NaturaLCalamity]

If masturbation is a sin they'll have to open up a whole new level of hell for me just based on my teen years!  

Yes. They should make room for you, plus the 5 other billion people who have masturbated.

[VanReal]

This must be that covet thing, coveting is a big no-no I guess there was no need to be specific "thou shall not covet thy own goodies".  Or maybe adultery?

[Will]

"And if any man's seed of copulation go out from him, then he shall wash all his flesh in water, and be unclean until the even. And every garment, and every skin, whereon is the seed of copulation, shall be washed with water, and be unclean until the even." Leviticus 15:16-17

You're unclean, but unclean isn't exactly sin. Moreover, when you start to look up cases of "unclean" in the Bible, you start finding the more funny verses. Shellfish? Unclean. New mother? Unclean. Touch a dead person? Unclean. You get the picture.

[VanReal]

"And every garment, and every skin, whereon is the seed of copulation, shall be washed with water, and be unclean until the even." Leviticus 15:16-17

Geepers, that sounds like there was an expectation of lot of seed spilling since it was apparently everywhere!  But not so bad that it required soap, a quick rinse and your absolved.

[Recusant]

By a fairly convoluted path, masturbation's status as a sin in Christianity is generally traced back to Genesis 38:6-10; the story of Onan.  According to an excellent article from The Straight Dope, it was Thomas Aquinas who formalized masturbation as a sin.

 

...he set up a category of four "sins against nature" or "unnatural vices." These are considered more sinful than illicit sex, because they violate the laws of nature as well as the laws of society and the Church. In order from least to worst sinful:

Ejaculation without coitus, i.e., masturbation
Deviation from the "natural position" (face to face contact, female on her back)
Copulation with an "undue sex" (i.e., homosexuality)
Copulation with non-human creatures, i.e., bestiality.

I find it interesting that he considered pleasuring oneself more sinful than adultery, which after all is specifically mentioned in the Ten Commandments.

[Tom62]

I find the story of Onan very fascinating from a moral point of view.

Judah has casual sex with a Canaanite woman which results in two sons, Er and Onan.
Er was killed by God, because he was wicked.
Judah ordered Onan to marry his brother's wife and make her pregnant.
Onan performed the sex act, but didn't want to make her pregnant so he spilled his seed on the ground.
God was unhappy about this and killed Onan.

And years later the Catholic Church used this story to condemn masturbation and birth control
My moral lessons learned from the story:

1. God is a  nitpicker, who loves to kill people for silly reasons.
2. women have no rights in the Bible and they should be treated as cattle.
3. God should have slain Judah, for proposing such an immoral act to Onan.
4. if masturbation is such a great sin then why has God not slain billions of other people (including me) for committing this sin?

[karadan]

"And if any man's seed of copulation go out from him, then he shall wash all his flesh in water, and be unclean until the even. And every garment, and every skin, whereon is the seed of copulation, shall be washed with water, and be unclean until the even." Leviticus 15:16-17

You're unclean, but unclean isn't exactly sin. Moreover, when you start to look up cases of "unclean" in the Bible, you start finding the more funny verses. Shellfish? Unclean. New mother? Unclean. Touch a dead person? Unclean. You get the picture.

I always grew very bored very quickly when our school reverand used to read bible verses. The way it is written is simply awful! When they made the new testament, couldn't they have updated the way it was written as well?

"And god said, 'don't masturbate because i think it is bad and we all know where bad people go when they die, don't we? Hmmm? Now i think it's time for a SEXY PARTY!"

There's a lot less reading between the lines to be done with that statement.

[Enoch Root]

Hi to all. I've been talking to a couple of friends of mine who have been taking human sexuality classes this semester, and one brought up the topic of masturbation. I've heard before that Christians aren't allowed to masturbate because it is a sin. Why? I really don't know but I haven't read that part in the bible that states that also.

I grew up as a teenager in a conservative, "fundamentalist" church, but never heard one sermon or bible study or whatever about masturbation.  It was one of those "don't talk about it and maybe it'll go away" topics.  Realistically, I'd bet the majority of the people at my old church would just say it's a matter of personal conviction: if you think it's wrong don't do it, and generally mind your own business about it.

So they really weren't that crazy about the issue.

I've also heard that if a man stares at a woman with lust, then he has already committed to adultery.

In the bible's defense, that verse is specifically talking about a married man looking at a woman other than his wife, and "lust" refers to a very intentional, consuming desire.  Not a "wow she's pretty" glance.  It's an important distinction, my church didn't go around telling all teenage guys that they were evil for noticing girls.

I don't get how people who have committed sins purposely, yet still expects God to allow them into Heaven.

They believe all sin--intentional and unintentional (besides, isn't "unintentional sin" a contradiction?)--was paid for by Jesus' death and therefore can be forgiven.

It also bothers me to see young, religious teen girls who get pregnant, yet praise God for the gift He has given her.

It'd be a bit hypocritical if they started preaching to others about sexual purity, yes.  But they're only human, I'm not sure if it serves our purpose to get on their case about it if all they're doing is praying for a healthy baby.

Anyways, my question was really why masturbation is a sin? Or any kind of sexual activity for that matter. Sex is beautiful and everyone should experience it when they're READY.

I've never heard of a church that thought sex between a husband and wife was sin.  They just think it's sin when taken out of that context.  The distinction is important, and you won't convince anyone to change their mind on an issue by misrepresenting their views.  As for masturbation, I'm sure you'll get every answer under the sun if you ask different churches, but I'm also fairly certain the vast majority of Christians are like the majority of everyone else: they'd rather you just mind your own business regarding such a personal matter.

[curiosityandthecat]

"And god said, 'don't masturbate because i think it is bad and we all know where bad people go when they die, don't we? Hmmm? Now i think it's time for a SEXY PARTY!"

Everybody loves a sexy party!

[SSY]

95% of men masturbate, the other 5% lie.

FACT

[liveyoungdiefast]

There is nothing wrong with masturbation and for most people, it is probably a healthy activity.

Also, I am a male but I find the gender double standard to be stupid. Females should be able to be just as open about masturbation as most males are.

[karadan]

"And god said, 'don't masturbate because i think it is bad and we all know where bad people go when they die, don't we? Hmmm? Now i think it's time for a SEXY PARTY!"

Everybody loves a sexy party!

Haha! I was hoping you'd take the bait.

[curiosityandthecat]

Haha! I was hoping you'd take the bait.

What can I say... I'm predictable.