Are there any Christians or other religious people who find that masturbation is wrong?
Originally RE153. Click here to see responses in original archives. Click 'To respond' below to respond.User Detail :
Name : Naomi, Gender : F, Race : Black/African American, Age : 20, City : Lansing, State : MI Country : United States,
A number of Christian denominations base their condemnation of masturbation on the story of Onan in Genesis 38. He "spilled his seed," (presumably by interupting intercourse) and so displeased God that he was slain. The Roman Catholic Church teaches that deliberate masturbation on the part of a male or female, to achieve one's own sexual pleasure, is a "gravely disordered" action. That is because one's sexuality is understood to be ordered to proper use only within marriage, for the mutual relationship of spouses and the procreation of children.
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Name : C.J.L., Gender : F, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Catholic, City : West Bloomfield, State : MI Country : United States, I'm Christian (practicing) and I do it. It's a natural bodily function. I cannot understand how it could be wrong. It does not affect the way I behave toward other people, and that is what matters.
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Name : Sarah, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Catholic, Age : 21, City : Ennis, State : NA Country : Ireland, Occupation : Piano teacher, Education level : 2 Years of College, The Bible does not specifically mention masturbation. References to wasted sperm are referring to interrupted intercourse. Yet other principles in the Bible can lead someone to come to the conclusion that masturbation is not something of which God approves. It is a selfish activity by definition. You are focusing on pleasing yourself. Selfishness is something a Christian should try to overcome. Also, when someone masturbates, they probably think of things that might be inappropriate, such as someone to whom you aren't married. In the Bible at Matthew 5:28 just looking at a woman with passion is trouble. Summary: All the information given in God's word points to God wanting sexual activites to be kept within the marriage arrangement, and if someone is not married, he or she would want to do their best to not become overwhelmed with sexual feelings to the point of doing something possibly immoral. My take on it: Would I want God to watch me masturbate? If I think smoking or swearing would disappoint him, I'm sure the same is true about masturbation.
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Name : Stacey, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Jehovahs Witness, Age : 28, City : Boston, State : MA Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, When I masturbate am I focusing on pleasing myself? You bet I am. My husband, although a wonderful man, is impotent. Over the course of our 11-year marriage, we have tried everything, including Viagra. You may think it 'selfish' of me to pleasure myself, but don't you think it would be even more so for me to have an affair? Masturbation is better than nothing, and just for the record, when I do it, I am fantasizing about my husband making love to me.
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Name : RG30361, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Lutheran, Age : 37, City : Woodbridge, State : VA Country : United States, Occupation : Housewife, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, Isnt it natural to look at a fanciable person in a passionate way? you say its wrong but i dont agree after all god made us this way didnt he?
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Name : Kassius, Gender : F, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 18, City : London, State : AK Country : United Kingdom, Occupation : student, Education level : 2 Years of College, Stacey: I disagree with the notion that masturbation is selfish. My take: Masturbation allows an individual to relieve themselves of natural sexual energy. It seems to me if I want to avoid fornication or adultery, then this form of sex is an acceptable alternative. Lest not forget a woman cannot get pregnant,contract aids or any other sexually transmitted disease masturbating.She does not have to compromise her morals by being sexually active with someone else if she in fact values waiting to have intercourse till she marries. Further, masturbation, also referred by some as self-love, is far more mentally healthier than engaging in sexual activity with another individual who may not have one's best interest at heart. Let me get this straight: Another human being, preferrably only my husband can enjoy my body, but I can't? And why is sex dirty outside of marriage? God gave me a sex drive. Why, in Christianity is God portrayed as sexually repressive? I believe God is quite sensual and sexual. How else could I who is created by God be something (sexual) that God is not? And to answer your question. Yes, I could masturbate knowing God is 'watching me' because in my belief, God is within. I'm not hurting anyone including myself. I don't buy this notion that I have to deny my sexuality. What I do need to do is to consider seriously how I act or don't act upon my sexual energies.
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Name : annonymous, Gender : F, Race : Black/African American, Age : 34, City : Detroit, State : MI Country : United States, 
JoParticipant
The Bible says to 'Think about the things that are true and honorable, right, pure, beautiful and respected.' (Philippians 4:8 New Century Version). Also, to not offer your body to be used for evil, but to offer it for good (Romans 6:13) Masturbation isn't this "big-bad-sinful-act-that-will-lead-you-straight-to-hell" sort of thing. It's what can start you off with sexual activeness. Basically, masturbation is a basis for your actions in the future. Sexual expression is for the people God intended sex for, married people. I guess the ultimate question is: What Would Jesus Do?
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Name : Jo, City : Sydney, State : NA Country : United States, Something just doesn't compute here. If, as you say, 'sexual expression is for the people God intended sex for, married people', then why would God have invested such intense sexual drives and urges in, say, pubescent teens who most Western societies contend are too young for marriage. Why would a non-vindictive God punish innocent youth by imbuing it with such powerful drives which, by your argument, must/should go unrequited for up to a decade? One questions whether God's intent is really what you claim it to be and whether this is just another example of our confusing the ways of God and man.
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Name : Floyd L., Gender : M, Age : 59, City : Memphis, State : TN Country : United States, If your head itches, you scratch it. So scratch the itch and forget it.
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Name : Suzy27510, City : Detroit, State : MO Country : United States, While religious conservatives may think differently, I don't think Genesis condemns masturbation. Onan's crime was not that he masturbated, but that he refused to impregnate his late brother's wife. In the Law of the Bible, a man was required to marry his sister-in-law if his brother died. If he refused, she got to spit in his face in public. The goal was to carry on the name of the deceased. By practicing withdrawal in his marriage, Onan was preventing his brother's name from living on. Masturbation is only 'selfish' if it takes the place of pleasuring one's spouse. For an unmarried person, there is likely nothing wrong with it spiritually. In a previous response, a Christian woman wrote that masturbation would require impure thoughts. From a Christian perspective, that might be true, but not from a Jewish one. I think a Jewish sage said that the sex drive is a good thing because it encourages people to get married, which is what God wants. She also said she doubts God would would want to see her masturbate any more than God would want to see her smoke or swear. But smoking hurts oneself, and swearing is said to hurt others. Modern researchers say masturbation is by no means harmful and can actually be healthy.
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Name : M.W., Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 22, City : Cleveland, State : OH Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, The danger with sexual taboo is,that with men,their is such a thing as Testicular Cancer.And from watching a programme called'Private parts',which had one of its documentrys on the male member,one Jewish guy said'if it wasent for my parents being open minded about sexuality,I probably would never of realised that lump on my scrotum was Cancerish,and it could of killed me'. What about Carrie from the film 'Carrie'. She was a daughter to Jehovah,s Witneeses,and they were very taboo on this subject. When she had a period leak at school in the shower,she thought she was posesest or internelly bleeding. I think mastubation is perfectly natruel.
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Name : Rob S., Gender : Male, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 24, City : Poole, State : NA Country : United Kingdom, Occupation : na, I am not Christian. I am Hindu. As per my religion, the greatest sin is to call someone a sinner. As regards masturbation, we have enough proof from Yoga, etc. that this act only strenghthens the impulsive nature of a person. The whole of our culture is based on restraint, chastity and sacrifice. Self-control is the highest ideal for us, and meditation is one of the ways for doing this. Masturbation happens to be an act, in 90 percent of cases, that is a response to some craving for immediate satisfaction. This in the long run, as per my experience, only weakens a person. Biologists will not admit this fact, but a person who regularly masturbates only has to try not to think of sex thoughts or masturbation for a month or a week to realize what he/she is up against. It's nothing short of addiction in some cases I have seen. So it's not something someone should be guilty about, but we must realize that we have been given a chance to perfect ourselves in this human form and hence must struggle intensely for self-control. Masturbation happens to be a great impediment. Only a person who has gained control over these animal impulses completely can understand the power that flows through him. All that 'unstoppable' energy can be redirected somewhere else for stunning results.
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Name : Shashikant, Gender : M, Race : Asian, Religion : Hindu, Age : 21, City : mumbai, State : NA Country : India, Occupation : Student, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, to religion it is wrong but I find it hard to believe with every going on in the world God would be upset by it as its a natural thing that probally 99.9% of all people do or have done.
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Name : Cliff, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 35, City : na, State : PA Country : United States, Occupation : self emplyed, Education level : Technical School, Social class : Middle class, I personally do not believe so. However, you asked if any religious people do and based on the Bible I'm sure some do feel it is wrong. The Old Testament has a story about how Aaron's sons were killed by the Lord for 'spilling their seed on the ground', ie, orgasm without ability to produce children. You'll see this referenced as 'the sin of Onan' or the old term for masturbation, onanism. This is also the basis for saying homosexual acts are sins, incidentally.
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Name : Mantha-A, Gender : F, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 37, City : Portland, State : OR Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, 
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