Created Dec. 10, 1999  -  Updated Oct. 11, 2010

Is Masturbation Really Prohibited?

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What Is This Mosaic Cleanliness?
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In the Mosaic law (Leviticus 15), a man becomes unclean if he has a discharge of semen in the night. By this some assume that masturbation must certainly be wrong. Well, even if this were true it would still leave the female free to do as she likes as she does not have emissions like the males; or at least, none are mentioned. But she was unclean if she had a menstrual flow. If a man had sex with his wife and discharged semen in her, then both would be unclean. Men were not allowed to have sex when carrying out any holy mission of God, including but not limited to war campaigns ordered by God.

It should be understood that this being unclean was referring to ceremonial uncleanness. What that meant was in order to go into the tent of God's tabernacle and later the temple of God in Jerusalem, one had to be ceremonially clean. The purpose of this ceremonial cleanliness was threefold.

One, it emphasized the high degree of majesty and holiness (cleanliness or purity) of God as compared to that of man. Man (or woman) had to be at their very purest and most holy to approach God. Their respect in approaching God (at the temple) was intended to be of a healthy amount; profound, really. Even earthly kings required a lot of honors and proper protocol when being approached. God demanded that his subjects also have a great respect by insisting on a stringent protocol in their approach at the temple.

Second, physical cleanliness was very important in their hot climate. Germs and decay could progress rapidly in such a climate so physical considerations of cleanliness had to be vigilantly observed for preserving their health. These also symbolized what was intended to be a spiritual/psychological cleanliness as well.

Third, the law of Moses with all its regulations in regards to cleanliness was intended to amplify our inherited lack of control over our own behavior, a condition known and named as sin. The law was to show our sinfulness, our lack of ability to fulfill the law in all its requirements due to our fallen nature. It also amplified our fallen defective genetic/physical condition which issues forth from us and is passed on through sex. It is this same fallen state which causes us to eventually die.

When a man had semen go forth, then all garments and cloth stained would have to be completely washed, then the man would bathe and become clean by evening sunset. If a couple had sex, then they would both wash and become clean by evening. Obviously, if a couple was to appear in the temple to give sacrifice then they would have to refrain from sex the night before in order to appear clean before God. A woman would be unclean for seven days from the start of her menstrual flow; then she would wash on the seventh day and become clean by evening.

The sacrifice of God's son Jesus would (did) eliminate the condition of uncleanness and sin in the eyes of God. God's people would no longer have to go to the temple with sacrifice and practice the ceremonial cleanness that was part of that worship. Jesus' sacrifice would open up the opportunity for all to have eternal life either on earth or heaven, depending on how you read (interpret) the Bible's promises on that subject.

Now that we understand what this being unclean was all about, let us think about what was said regarding the male. If he had a discharge of semen then he would be unclean. What is not said at all is what kind of discharge or more specifically; how that discharge was achieved. Most assume it to be a wet dream but it does not state that as being the cause. Any cause that discharged made him unclean.

Remember that having sex with his wife (and discharging semen) would make him unclean, too. Yet sex was sanctioned and commissioned by God between a married couple; yet, uncleanness resulted. So a discharge of semen as a result of self stimulation could also be the cause, this much is for sure. The unclean state achieved by this action may be no more wrong than having legitimate sex with one's wife. The Mosaic law never mentioned self stimulation at all, right or wrong, unless we assume that it was implied in the uncleanness we have been discussing.

There exists one account in the book of 1 Samuel 21:5 where David is asking a priest for show bread that had been offered at the temple. After being offered at the temple, the bread was only to be eaten by someone of a holy purpose such as a priest, prophet, or king in a clean state. David told the priest he was on a mission from the king. So the priest said it could be had, provided that David and the young men he was to meet, had been kept from women. David said that they had for three days and that the young men's "vessels" were holy (or clean depending on which translation you read).

That word "vessels" comes from the Hebrew word "Keliy" (pronounced kel-ee'). It is rendered by nearly every translation of scripture as "vessels" but there are four translations I know of that use another word. The original Hebrew suggests a sort of prepared apparatus such as a vessel, thing, tool, implement, utensil, even weapon. Three of the four translations (New International Version, Jerusalem Bible, and Byington's Translation) translate "the men's Keliys" as "the men's things". The fourth translation (New World Translation) puts it as "the organisms of the young men."

That last translation may actually be right. Married men (David was married - to King Saul's daughter, no less) would have to have avoided intercourse with their wives as required by the Mosaic law by men on a holy mission or a war. And since David had assured him that none had been near women for 3 days, that should have ended that subject. But David went on to assure the priest about the young men. Likely, some were not married and so David assured the priest that these, too, were clean as regards their "vessels." Very possibly, he was referring to their genitals, that they were clean. David may very well have been saying that they had not been masturbating just the same as if they had been with a woman. Remember, a man becomes unclean by having a discharge (ejaculation) whether it is with his wife or by some other circumstance.

David may have been candidly acknowledging the possibilities of the "habits of young men." I am, of course, referring to masturbation. It is possible, maybe even likely, but not absolutely certain, I grant.

The only place where the topic of self stimulation may possibly be inferred is in the New Testament writings of the Apostle Paul in Colossians 3:5. Jay Green's Literal Translation words it: "Then put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil lust, and covetousness, which is idolatry." Evil lust is a mistranslation of the original Greek text of this passage. It should read more like "desire evil" or "evil desire." The two words that could have implication on our subject are the words, "uncleanness" and "passion."

Now it should be understood at this point that all people have some degree of passion or lust in their hearts. This can not be avoided, given our inherited makeup or nature. It is ourr God-given natural and proper appetite for sexual relations. It is what causes us to seek out marriage and reproduce. What Paul is referring to in verses 6 and 7 is the wrath of God coming on those disobedient as some among those now being written to once were. It has more to do with actions than thoughts. God will not judge us simply for thoughts. But we are to deaden our members, our desires, which we all have to some degree, for the things condemned such as pre-marital sex or lust (excessive desire which is not to be confused with reasonable desire).

The uncleanness mentioned here is not to be confused with ceremonial uncleanness in the Mosaic law. Ceremonial uncleanness existed before Jesus and even made normal habits such as marital sex unclean and Paul is not forbidding marital sex in this passage.

The uncleanness in Colossians is sandwiched between two other words, both dealing with sex. So it is likely referring to unclean sexual practices of an immoral nature that might not be strictly classified as total or complete intercourse such as oral sex, the use of hands, or some similar practice between two people. While it may not be full sex with the dangers of sexual diseases and pregnancy, it is still considered forbidden in scripture. And it could certainly build and excite more desire for the other person that could lead to total sex. That is why we are to deaden our members to these practices.

The words to stress here are 'deaden' and 'practices.' We are to avoid things that lead to such activity. Now this does not rule out the possibility that self stimulation is implied here. I can not say that for certain to you. I do not think anyone can. But it seems likely to me that the practices condemned are practices between two people. If it never goes any further than one's self then sin never actually happens. One can not be called a fornicator by himself. It takes two. In order to lust or have passion, one needs an object of lust or passion. I believe this is the area where this mentioned uncleanness falls into. Self pleasure doesn't qualify in those areas. No pregnancy can happen, no disease can occur (provided you wash), no one is used nor are their feelings hurt or betrayed.

Only one possible danger exists from masturbation. What does one imagine (assuming he or she likely does imagine something) while stimulating themselves. The only even possible danger is that one might be cultivating unhealthy desires and growing strong desires that may lead to actual sins forbidden, so the argument goes.

I have to say this as regards to cultivating or growing harmful desires. While it may be possible that what one does in one's head to excite one's self to climax may possibly build harmful desire, I don't believe that this is likely the case. I think sexual orgasm is a release of tension, desire, and pleasure, and not a means to store desires. Instead, you are letting them out, exorcising the demons you might say. Your letting them out in a safe protected way that leads to no one's harm, assuming it hasn't been condemned by Colossians.

On the other hand, as desires build and the tension and desire is not released and given vent, then danger certainly does exist at that point. I believe that self stimulation may actually be a protection and prevention; a release valve of sorts. And one may try to suppress or deny desire but we all have them and they tend to build up; we can't stop that. So it is good to have a safe outlet through which to release the build up.

But I have to say at this point that what is contained, and more importantly, what is not contained or mentioned in the Mosaic law has a lot of bearing on this passage in Colossians. One can't ignore how men's discharge of semen is relegated to a spiritual misdemeanor rather than an outright sin such as is the case with other sex crimes clearly outlined and punished in the law of Moses. There is no punishment of ejaculation. There is not even a whisper of masturbation's existence.

Naturally, we don't want to go looking for things that build, intensify, and aggravate carnal desire but as I said, it can not be avoided that, eventually, desire is going to build anyway. Some people's desires may be more extreme or bizarre than others but we all have them and it is not our fault. It is our inherited nature. And self play is a way to offset that toxic buildup. If it is not forbidden then it probably should be pursued as it is likely to be a protection rather than a temptation to worse things.

And may I again mention that while a man is unclean for what might be masturbation in Leviticus, the woman is not mentioned at all, anywhere, ever, in the law of Moses. So help yourselves, ladies; enjoy! Surely, if such a thing were a sin, wouldn't the Bible mention it and address it just as it has for pre-marital sex, incest, rape, homosexuality, bestiality, and every other sex crime imaginable. It is ludicrous to think that it would not. Not mentioning it only seems to lend permission to it.

This is not a small or insignificant issue by any means. This could hold such importance in our lives. Kids (teenagers for the most part) could grow up without feeling unreasonable guilt about their sexual identity and cravings. They would also have a release from those desires. And instead of experimenting with others, they could safely explore themselves without fear or danger since now they are not committing sin this way and no longer fear God's disapproval. Fearing God's disapproval can make it very difficult to worship God in a positive way.

Many young people conclude that whereas if masturbation is wrong then they sin either by intercourse or by masturbation and figure they might as well explore the real thing with a partner since they are doomed either way. Eliminating the status of sin from masturbation gives them an option that, while not quite as exciting as the "real thing," its a satisfactory (barely so) substitute until such time as they can pursue the real thing within the laws and regulations of God. It would make adolescence and religion both seem almost bearable. Currently, many youths find religion unrealistic, unbearable; impossible to fulfill or live up to. That's not good.

Of course, adults are also threatened by masturbation being vilified. Temptation is no less strong in them. They might be able to live up to the Bible's demands of no sex before marriage since they can pursue release without unfair guilt or compromise of God's laws. And for those whose desires are unusual (homosexuality or whatever) or out of the ordinary (toward deviance), self play could give them a vent so that they could resist pursuing the real thing, whatever it may be. It must be very trying to find yourself attracted to the same sex and have no legitimate outlet for that desire. Self stimulation could be such an outlet and relief.

I would go so far as to say that getting real familiar and comfortable with your own body and how to stimulate it would actually make the transition to marriage a lot smoother since both partners are much more prepared for the new encounter as at least they know themselves even if they don't know their partner. Too many virgin marriages are frustrating or disappointing because they don't even know what it is that stimulates themselves, never mind the partner! This, in addition to the guilt they may have. They might feel uncomfortable with their bodies or desires as well.

I can't say enough good things about self stimulation. It really looks like God's way to me. I think people need to take a real close careful look at this subject as taboo and scary as it is. It could make such a difference in all our attitudes and behaviors. We might actually be better people for it. It will take courage, I'm sure, but it merits courageous exploration. Think about it, please! It does matter; if not to you, perhaps others; others that you might care about.

Why is this subject important or necessary? For one, it is not easy for any of us to adhere to the high standards of God as espoused in the Bible. Making those standards much higher than they really are can make living up to those standards impossible. Many will not even try. So we need to be very careful that what we interpret is not beyond what the scriptures actually insist upon.

Being overly righteous will destroy us according to scripture (Ecclesiastes 7:16). God wants people to understand that His ways are not too high, especially since we have been bought by the blood of His Son. One would be wise not to underestimate the power and value of that sacrifice.

Reviewing This in 2010
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I wanted to see how far this subject has progressed as of Oct. 5, 2010, now 10 years since I first published this. On my original site, a home page with Roadrunner, which I called Bitter Truth but used my home page given by Roadrunner in late 99. I got tons of hits on all my articles. I had tapped into a unique vain (website) that the time that was very popular at that time. It has since splintered and died out. But Google does not recognize continuity of articles but only website addresses so while my site enjoyed some huge popularity at one time, it is not recognized now for that. You are only as good as they can suppress. There are far more sites about Masturbation now than in 99. There were about 5 or 6 back then. Now far more but most of it is junk. Google does not allow much for custom searches although they think so. It is all about popularity and not variety of information and voices. They say the net (search engines in particular) is free speech but don't kid yourself. It is as controlled as the media is.

The difference is that those who control our world get and encourage (often fund) different parties to fill the net with useless meaningless articles and get their buddies to link so that these come up most often instead of sites that are truly meaningful. So the mindless arguments dominate the internet. The same old tired stupid simplistic and poorly thought out arguments continue to be the norm. So I will address the main objections that still hurt God. When denominations or leaders argue the stupid and senseless, they drive young people away and destroy the credibility of God and the Bible. God does not take too kindly to that. Here was a comment/post that really got to me:

http://www.revelife.com/708937882/masturbation-is-not-a-sin/?page=1&jump=1495536761#1495536761
Masturbation: #1 reason why teenagers stop going to church.
Posted: 8/4/2009 6:29 PM by Pcgecko85@xanga ( message)

It was/is the absolute truth said as concisely and pointedly as possible. Young people know a stupid assertion when they hear it. But why is it the religions and their leadership can't also see that? They are not willing to think more carefully about what they are teaching and why. But if they are harming God and Jesus warned that who ever stumbles one of these little ones, it would be better if a millstone were tied to his neck and pitched into the sea. Yet, still, these "shepherds" do not get it. They are obviously not serving God. The problem with too many of these big mouths who got lots to say is that they are often married, over 35, and have life nice. They are getting laid, lost much of their sex drive anyway, and long forgot what it is like to be young and at the peak of sexual desire. So it is easy to condemn that which the big mouths have no problem with. But its a big problem for the young and/or single. Many will say, then just get married.

Oh, another stupid simplistic error. If you have unusual religious views, who shall you marry that is in harmony with you. It easy for mainstreamers to say since they travel the broad road of destruction. But the narrow cramped road is a bit more difficult to walk. They would not know cause they never went near that narrow cramped road. Further, since the economy has long been in decline, earning enough income to attract a mate is unlikely. In the USA, it is a sin to be living with mom and dad over 18, although that is now rapidly changing. So if one chooses some morals and is concerned about who they marry, marriage will not be easy. In fact, the Bible suggests that especially in the last days, nothing would be easy. But don't tell this to a mainstream church goer because everything is just rosy and fine for them. Selling out does have its advantages for a brief time but not much longer.

So critics of masturbation preach a gospel only useful to a few. They alienate the majority of people who are not having an easy time of life. But God's will is that His message should hold out hope and salvation to all, not just the few who got it made and had it easy. So now I introduce a typical site that repeats the stupid and moronic as an example to pick apart. Its words are in red. Mine will be in black.

http://bible.com/bibleanswers_result.php?id=252
"Isn't it still better to masturbate than to commit fornication?"

The easy answer to this question would be, "Yes, it is better to masturbate, because at best it corrupts only one person. It certainly is the lesser of two evils." However, why would a loving, holy, all-powerful God abandon you to a situation in which you have to choose any evil, whether it be "lesser" or "greater?" To really answer this question, we must again go back to God's original plan for sex.

First of all, masturbation will not truly relieve the sexual pressure that one may feel. It may for a short moment, but in the long run it only creates a deeper desire and capacity for sex, which will lead to more masturbation. If you let yourself become enslaved to a sexual high, you will find that you need to go to increasingly extreme acts to maintain the same degree of excitement. There are even ungodly sex therapists who recommend masturbation as a way of increasing sexual desire, not lessening it. This creates a vicious circle, like the junkie who craves a "fix," but is only temporarily satisfied. The more he indulges in his dependency, the more ensnared by addiction he becomes. This is the nature of all sin. That is why Jesus declared that all who sin become a slave to sin (John 8:34).

>> Do you see that? It says "masturbation will not truly relieve sexual pressure." Spoken like a true blue idiot. Anyone who has ever masturbated or had sex knows that instant relief and relaxation follow. Oh, sure, it builds back up in time but for the time, its gone. In fact, many are not able to repeat after the first release. In fact, the above says: "in the long run it only creates a deeper desire and capacity for sex." Another complete and absolute lie, if ever there was one. It will build up again, but more and deeper? As if! But this is quite typical of those who can not address or will not address the facts and can't repel truth. They simply resort to lies and falsehood. This is why teens turn away from God in droves because of insane liars like this one I post here. He suggests that the more you do it, the more addicted you will become. Lies, lies and more lies and many know it.<<

Furthermore, masturbation usually involves fantasy, visualization, and often pornography . The Bible is very clear as to what God expects of us in these areas of fantasy and lust. It teaches that we must not look lustfully at each other nor should we behave in such a manner as to entice others to lust after us.

All anti-masturbation articles come down to this argument about lust. This is the real and only argument they could possibly make. But in view of the fact that almost anyone on the net admits, even those against masturbation, that there is nothing in the Bible that actually mentions or addresses masturbation directly or openly. Isn't that odd? Damned Odd!!! For if the understanding of lust is that if you even think of a woman in a sexual way, you have lusted and fornicated or committed adultery. Do you know how insane that is and totally void of logic and reason? We often react before we even have time to think. Once it is there, you have sinned according to them. You might reject it or block it out but the damage is done. You're now going to hell in a hand-basket or maybe even a high speed train, huh? No mention of a natural God-given desire for the opposite sex. In fact, they all say we can banish our instinct and be done with it! Really? Why didn't someone tell me?  Oh wait, more lies, right? You got it! They are not realistic or reasonable. They never were.

So I have written a very in depth article on Lust for this is the real heart of all masturbation arguments and many others as well. The meaning of lust is totally missed by those who are stupid and not led by God or brains. Be sure to check it out. I have linked to it at the end of this article as well. This article should put this baby to rest. But to show you that there are a few voices of sanity and reason besides my own, I have collected together other links, what few there are, that defend masturbation and take a closer look at so called lust.

Other Sources that Agree
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When I first published this article in 97 on a forum and then in 99 on my own site, I was virtually the only one who defended masturbation. But no longer is this so. Christianity Today, a very mainstream organization and site, has an affiliate site named Marriage Partnership. This site does not fully condone or justify masturbation, reserving lust as still a sin if done while employing self sexual stimulation. But if you are not lusting but just acting physical, then it is OK. Of course, while that can be done, most often the mind and imagination want to join in. But that such a source can admit that at least some forms of masturbation do not violate any rules, then that is quite amazing.

Originally published in: Marriage Partnership, 1997, Fall; Titled: Real Sex - Sex as a Solo Act, Premarital Regrets and Questions of Infertility - by Louis and Melissa McBurney
http://kyria.com/topics/marriagefamily/marriage/romancesex/7m3056.html

While I think it is a shame that they have not comprehended the real meaning of lust and the lack of distinction between lust and sexual appetite that drives us all to marry, I have to applaud progress in such a mainstream arena. Perhaps more changes will come through time. Let me quote an excerpt from this article.

Excerpt >>
     Question: I've been married for several years, and our sex life is pretty good. But I admit that occasionally I masturbate. Is this something that will damage my relationship with my wife?
     Louis: It's clear that masturbation holds some potential dangers to your marriage. The first is if your masturbatory fantasies are adulterous. if you find pleasure in thinking about having sex with another woman, that can erode your erotic feelings toward your wife. And that's a thin-ice situation.
     The second danger is in gradually replacing marital sex with self-stimulation. Some men find this a convenient way to avoid marital intimacy.
     A third danger is giving your wife a feeling of being inadequate or unappealing. Many women have no inkling of how common masturbation is, and they are astonished when they discover that their husband does that.
     On the other hand (no pun intended), masturbation can have some positive effects. It can relieve sexual tension when a man and his wife have very different sex drives. It can be an alternative way to find pleasure together when intercourse isn't desirable due to advanced pregnancy, recent childbirth or a mild illness. It may also provide a hedge against unfaithfulness when your wife is unavailable and temptation presents itself.
     Since you have doubts about the effect masturbation might have on your marriage, it would be good to ask your wife how she feels about it. Her response will tell you a lot.
<< End Excerpt

Remarkably sound in many respects. I even like the little bit of humor in "On the other hand . . ." with no pun intended. Rare for Christians types, but sorely needed even if not intended.

Here are some of my top picks for articles that defend masturbation. They may have other crazy ideas but they get this one right.

http://www.layhands.com/IsMasturbationASin.htm - - - Is Masturbation a Sin?
This one is by David Root. Most of his ideas are in error to me. But he is right here. When I first found this site, I believe he was selling a small book on the subject. He has since rewritten the article and stopped offering the book. He used to make his site look just like mine in format. But he has switched to the Wikipedia style since. He notes updates as I do and to his credit, does not reserve copyrights on his material or at least this article. My compliments to him on this.

What makes David's article so good is that better than perhaps anyone else I have encountered, he makes excellent use of Aristotle's technique of Syllogisms, where logic is employed to show if one thing is not so, neither is any other like it. Of if something is so, it does not mean that all are, by showing an example that does not fit. He really pokes some serious holes in the twisted logic of the idiots. Though I dislike most of his articles, this one really shows some brains.

AN important point to note here, which is why I post a link or article even when I disagree with most of the site is that no source is 100% wrong or 100% right. Even the worst are apt to get one or 2 things right. Maybe even half their stuff right. But the Bible, according to Paul writing to Timothy:
2 Timothy 3:
16 All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Put another way, the Bible gives us everything we need to makes sense of all things, discern all things, correct or reprove all things. Lies have no threat or power against God or truth. Errors can not stand up to God or truth. We have nothing to fear from lies, errors or ideas contrary to our own. We can tell what are errors and what are not. So when you find a site that does not agree with every little thing you believe, it does not mean they have no value whatsoever. We take the good and leave the bad. 

I now post here some of David's comments which show good judgment and discernment. They deserve reading.

"The Bible doesn't specifically condemn masturbation, nor does the Bible specifically condone it. This tends to be one of those "taboo" subjects that people don't often talk about, but if it's a sin then it's important for us to know that. I have tried to deal with this subject carefully, but please forgive me if anything I say makes you uncomfortable. Personally, I don't believe that God cringes at the subject of masturbation (or any other subject), so we should try to set our fleshly reactions aside for a moment in order to seek God's view on the matter. Possibly you will be surprised at my conclusions (I certainly was!), and perhaps you'll disagree with me, but it's important that we don't allow our feelings to dictate our beliefs."

"Everyone has biases, and personally I always assumed that masturbation was probably a sin. But instead of trying to defend my bias, I wanted to find out what God's view is towards masturbation. Here's what I discovered when I studied the Christian arguments against masturbation and compared them with the Bible."

From his conclusion to his article:

>> "Masturbation is one of those subjects which brings out strong emotional reactions in Christians, but it's important to guard against letting our feelings dictate our beliefs.

As we have seen throughout this article, the Bible never says or implies or hints that masturbation is a sin.

We saw that there are several passages which might be a description of masturbation, and we saw that those passages do not condemn or forbid masturbation in any way. Apart from those passages, the Bible never mentions masturbation at all. Try doing a computer search in any version of the Bible, and you won't find any form of the word "masturbation" anywhere in the Bible. Try looking in any New Testament Greek or Old Testament Hebrew dictionaries or lexicons, and you won't find any listings for any form of the word "masturbation." Try looking in any Bible concordances or topical Bibles, and you won't find any listings for any form of the word "masturbation." Masturbation is a non-issue in the Bible. It's never treated as a sin.

God condemned various forms of sex between a man and a woman (e.g. Leviticus 18:6-20), and between members of the same sex (see my article called Is Homosexuality a Sin? ), and between humans and animals (Leviticus 18:23), but not once did He condemn or forbid masturbation.

After reading this article you might be saying to yourself, "But I still feel that masturbation is a sin." If so, then ask yourself what Scriptural evidence supports your feeling that masturbation is a sin. There isn't any! The Bible provides us with no evidence at all to support the idea that masturbation is a sin. Therefore, your view is not based on Scripture, but instead it's based on your feelings. In other words, you have elevated your feelings above the authority of Scripture, which is a form of pride.

Remember, our goal should always be to honor the Lord in all that we say and do and believe. Therefore, we should always try to be prayerful and honest and thorough and objective when we study a doctrine. For some reason, masturbation is a subject which causes many people to allow their feelings to dictate their beliefs, but this is not honoring to the Lord.

We must elevate Scripture above our feelings and our reasonings, and we must believe what God has chosen to tell us. There's no Scriptural evidence whatsoever that masturbation is a sin. I certainly didn't expect to come to that conclusion when I began this study! But like anything else that we do, it's important to make sure that masturbation is not done in a way which might dishonor the Lord (e.g. becoming addicted, using pornography, improper fantasizing, etc.).

God did not think that masturbation needed to be addressed in the Bible. As Dr. James Dobson of Focus on the Family said, "It is my opinion that masturbation is not much of an issue with God." (Preparing for Adolescence, Dr. James Dobson, p.83)"
End of David's material <<

I find that on most doctrines, people are stuck with what is passed on and down to them rather than reason carefully for themselves. I call it running on auto-pilot. They react with simplistic reasoning, a knee jerk response that requires no effort or thought. It shows, too! Another site much like David's is this next one.

bibleissues.org/lust1.html             bibleissues.org/pdfs/Masturbation.pdf             students.eng.fiu.edu/~denver/pdfs/Masturbation.pdf

The name of the author is Denver. He really tears into the stupid ideas and rips them up. The first 2 are his articles in his site and the 3rd is his on his home page where he went to college. Again, most of his ideas are not of my liking but he nails this one.

Now the next link to a forum is remarkable. It's a Catholic forum.

The Catholic Church is interesting because they don't always like to publicize changes in doctrine. Changes in their mind, do not look good. But changes are necessary when errors are recognized.

http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=182270
I went to confession about half an hour ago and I'm still upset by the experience.
I went to confess the sin of masturbation. It's not something I would normally discuss on these forums, but what the priest said after I confessed disturbed me deeply. Here are some of his words as best I can remember them:

"I went on sabbatical recently and consulted with other priests about masturbation, to discover its status as a sin. The view of masturbation has changed dramatically. It's very different from what I was taught in seminary many years ago. We just don't talk about masturbation anymore. It's part of human nature, and people cannot be held responsible for acting according to their nature. The church's position on this changed after Vatican II. We now know that mortal sin is extremely rare. To commit a mortal sin, you have to genuinely hate God. Virtually no one commits mortal sin."

This experience could shortly be shared by many of us - I was quite surprised to hear from several seminarinas from two different German dioceses that the spiritual of the seminary did indeed tell them that masturbation was not a sin but good and necessary for the right treatment of sexuality while living celibately :-)
Hopefully, this is just an exception... but... hm.
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Apparently, it is not an exception but neither is it well known or publicized but at the mouth of 2 or 3 witnesses let a matter be firmly established, then it would appear that the church really has changed and if so, I applaud it. But members do not seem to like it. Why? The RCC is right in this case. Good for them! But note the last line of the 2nd poster. It appears as if maybe the poster is suggesting that maybe they reconsider or that maybe there is some doubt whether it is an exception or not.

Now I must point out that of the links to follow, some are quite liberal, and opinions are not always Biblically based but they are legitimate reasoning. As well, the "little people" seem to be of the complete opposite view of the religious mainstream which is against masturbation. The regular people favor it as acceptable by a substantial margin. I will discuss soon why leadership is at such odds with the average person's beliefs. Same as it is with government vs the people.

http://www.wayneandtamara.com/masturbation.htm    Masturbation - What The Bible Says
http://www.wayneandtamara.com/malemasturbation.htm     Male Masturbation, A Primer for Women
http://www.wayneandtamara.com/topicmasturbation.htm     Letters and answers from the newspaper column Direct Answers: Masturbation

The above are good because they deal more with the nature of a man that women seem to misunderstand. I cover the same material in other sex articles of mine.

http://patriot.net/~bmcgin/pearl-masturbation.html     Private Masturbation Is Not A Sin

http://www.sexinchrist.com/masturbation.html    Masturbation: God's Great Gift to Us
http://www.sexinchrist.com/vice.html

http://www.scarleteen.com/article/pink/is_masturbation_okay_yep

http://www.religioustolerance.org/masturba3.htm    What the Bible says about masturbation

http://www.twopaths.com/faq_masturbation.htm    What does the Bible say about masturbation?

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080208152032AAxt8Jc     All 10 voters said it was not a sin.

http://www.createdebate.com/debate/show/Do_You_Think_Its_Bad_To_Lust_For_A_Man_Or_Woman
33 respondents said it is.   64 say it is not a sin. How odd that when individual people vote or express ideas, the odds change dramatically from what "official" religious denominations typically say. How odd that Google can't seem to find such articles and sites that do not condemn all lust. An accident? I doubt. How better to cast doubt on the Bible that to allow others to think lust is always wrong and make God and the Bible look bad. Nice try, Satan . . . I mean, Google.

The following is a book that looks like it may also defend masturbation, but it will cost you $8. Don't bother. I give it all to you for free on my site as have these other links as well.
http://www.biblicalsex.info/             http://www.biblicalsex.info/The_Book.html     "Biblical Sex", By Calebb Cross

Stupid StatementsRefuted
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Here are a few stupid statements I would like to rip to shreds.
"Masturbation is selfish" or "It only is concerned with its own satisfaction"
Well, just because something feels good, then wanting it is selfish they say. Oh, so when I want something tasty to eat, I am selfish. If I want to buy something nice, I am selfish. If I like going swimming and enjoy it, then I am selfish. They have made everything pleasant or likeable to be selfish. Make sense? Obviously not!!! Retarded? Absolutely! It seems to be a sin to them to enjoy anything in life. So they have even turned God into a monster for making anything in life good or enjoyable. Nice bunch, eh?

Further, just because your receive pleasure from another (your wife or husband, of course) does not mean you can not also care about the other and give them pleasure, too. There is some argument that masturbation instead of pleasing your mate when they are in desire of sex, would indeed by a sin. Sex is pretty much an obligation of each partner in a marriage. Paul say do not be depriving each other except by mutual consent. On the other hand (pun intended), if your mate did not want sex, you would be free to masturbate without guilt.

Many excuses center around "You can only have those pleasure if you are married."  Oh, really? Where does the Bible say I have to get married? It doesn't! I can not have sex with another person if I am not married. I agree with that. But the pleasure, without another person, is not prohibited. In fact, if Lust were as most say it is, merely thinking about a woman you are not married to, then God most surely should have made masturbation forbidden. That He did not do so is yet another indication that Lust is not what most define it as being. My article on Lust takes care of the rest of the reasons.

Most don't even argue that one must breed or have children. It is not a commandment. One can avoid children or even marriage if they like. Jesus said woe to those giving suck to children in those last days. He also spoke of those who become "eunuchs" for the sake of God's Kingdom. That is, they give up marriage in order to pursue God's Kingdom with all their time and energy.

It is suggested that masturbation will make desire become stronger. What? I never had that happen though I am not sure I would mind if it did. Sexual release is also relief. Many men need a rest period after a climax. Some will be down for an hour or 2. What is more, most do not find the 2nd time as being as intense or strong as the first. I don't know what some smoke but masturbation is the the cause if some progress to worse sins. Some have bad desires and they try to gain satisfaction and release through masturbation or porn and when that does not work, they then go no to worse stuff rather than be constrained by the word of God. It is not the fault of masturbation.

Honestly, the dumbest ideas are offered by these idiots to condemn masturbation. Clear evidence of the brain not being engaged when their mouths flap or fingers type. But what it is also indicative of is that these people do not care about those they are preaching to. They have not put themselves in the shoes of the other person. Everything they say or preach has only themselves in mind. They are the real selfish ones. It is easy for them so it should be easy for anyone. Their gospel is useless and even harmful and toxic. It leaves people without hope or a way out.

I must point out that this was the sin of the Pharisees. They would place heavy loads on people that they would not try to budge with one finger. They looked down on everyone and make them feel like they were hopeless. They had no mercy or compassion for people. They despised people being healed. Jesus spoke of them with great scorn and now today we have a whole new crop of Pharisees and their toxic gospels. Time to cast them off even as Jesus did, and embrace a gospel that is far more realistic and merciful. If we have love in our hearts and mercy in our souls, we will try to comfort people and show them a way out that does not violate God's law. Jesus was all about mercy and compassion. By their fruits you will know them. Do they have and show mercy and compassion or are their hearts and teachings cold and merciless? That should reveal who they serve!

Sexual Topics page         What is Lust, Anyway?         Our Sinfulness Reviewed         A Gospel 4 All

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