Self-abuse Is Sinful And Unhealthy

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And it doesn't make sense to not relieve tension. Is there really a difference between soaking my hands in hot water and jerkin the gherkin?
Why would it make sense? Isn't that shameful simply considering that the outcome's gonna be a waste and not gonna produce any fruit?
 
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Why call it self abuse? There's no abuse involved.
Because your body is not you. Your body is only a vehicle for your soul. It wrongs the soul to be satisfying your carnal desires alone when its main function is procreation. The pleasure is already there to be enjoyed with your spouse when he/she's to come. Until then, it's purer and more of a blessing to respect God Who's Omnipresent rather than to lose that sense of modesty. Again, abstention>self-indulgence.
 

rainerann

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Even the Christians over at GotQuestions are against it

https://www.gotquestions.org/masturbation-sin.html
Nope, that is not what the article said at all.

"Question: "Masturbation - is it a sin according to the Bible?"

Answer:
The Bible does not mention masturbation or state whether or not masturbation is a sin. The passage most frequently associated with masturbation is the story of Onan in Genesis 38:9–10. Some interpret this passage to say that “spilling your seed” is a sin. However, that is not what the passage is saying. God condemned Onan not for “spilling his seed” but because Onan was rebellious. Onan refused to fulfill his duty to provide an heir for his deceased brother. The passage is not about masturbation but about fulfilling a family obligation.

A second passage sometimes used as evidence that masturbation is a sin is Matthew 5:27–30. Jesus speaks against having lustful thoughts and then says, “If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away.” While there is clearly a connection between lustful thoughts and masturbation, it is unlikely that Jesus was alluding to the specific sin of masturbation in this passage.

The Bible nowhere explicitly states that masturbation is a sin, but there is no question that the actions that usually lead to masturbation are sinful. Masturbation is nearly always the result of lustful thoughts, inappropriate sexual stimulation, and/or pornography. It is these problems that need to be dealt with. If the sins of lust, immoral thoughts, and pornography are forsaken and overcome, masturbation will become much less of an issue and temptation. Many people struggle with guilt concerning masturbation, when, in reality, they would be far better off repenting of the sins that lead them to masturbate."

Emphasis added to what GotQuestions as our position on the subject from a Christian perspective.

Pornography, sins of lust, immoral thoughts need to be repented of and will subsequently reduce the temptation to masturbate. That is what the article is saying. I agree with this position because pornography will cause divorce and damage relationships and cause other negative consequences. The churches position is to oppose these things.

However, we do not present the judgment that masturbation is considered a sin that requires repentance. A 16-year-old experiencing and struggling with hormonal changes do not need to repent of things they don't often feel in control of. A lot of times, this is how the experience of masturbation is described during puberty. We do not preach that this means that these children are sinning because of this.
 

Etagloc

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Lol.... I like how you quote the article but only part of it.... you only quote part of it which seems to support your position. Okay. Let's quote the whole article.

"Question: "Masturbation - is it a sin according to the Bible?"

Answer:
The Bible does not mention masturbation or state whether or not masturbation is a sin. The passage most frequently associated with masturbation is the story of Onan in Genesis 38:9–10. Some interpret this passage to say that “spilling your seed” is a sin. However, that is not what the passage is saying. God condemned Onan not for “spilling his seed” but because Onan was rebellious. Onan refused to fulfill his duty to provide an heir for his deceased brother. The passage is not about masturbation but about fulfilling a family obligation.

A second passage sometimes used as evidence that masturbation is a sin is Matthew 5:27–30. Jesus speaks against having lustful thoughts and then says, “If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away.” While there is clearly a connection between lustful thoughts and masturbation, it is unlikely that Jesus was alluding to the specific sin of masturbation in this passage.

The Bible nowhere explicitly states that masturbation is a sin, but there is no question that the actions that usually lead to masturbation are sinful. Masturbation is nearly always the result of lustful thoughts, inappropriate sexual stimulation, and/or pornography. It is these problems that need to be dealt with. If the sins of lust, immoral thoughts, and pornography are forsaken and overcome, masturbation will become much less of an issue and temptation. Many people struggle with guilt concerning masturbation, when, in reality, they would be far better off repenting of the sins that lead them to masturbate.

With that said, is masturbation itself a sin? While the Bible does not directly answer this question, there definitely are some biblical principles that can be applied to the issue:

(1) “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). If we cannot give God glory for something, we should not do it.

(2) “Everything that does not come from faith is sin” (Romans 14:23). If we are not fully convinced that an activity is honoring to God, it is a sin.

(3) “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19–20). Our bodies have been redeemed and belong to God.

These great truths should have a powerful impact on what we do with our bodies. In light of these principles, many conclude that masturbation is always sinful. Masturbation is a questionable activity, at best—whether it can glorify God; whether it can be done in absolute confidence that it is right; and whether it can honor God as the owner of our bodies.

If done with absolutely no lust, immoral thoughts, or pornography, with full assurance that it is good and right, with thanks given to God for the pleasure it brings (see 1 Corinthians 10:30), is it still a sin to masturbate? The most we can say is maybe not. However, we have serious doubts whether this scenario ever truly exists.
"

I said they were against it and it's pretty clear that they're against it. If we look at it from a Biblical perspective, we have to do a lot of logical gymnastics to reach any other conclusion.
 

rainerann

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No, I was quoting part of it because the GotQuestions usually have fairly long articles. The rest of the article reiterates the first part of the article that encourages what I already said was the conclusion I agreed with so there was no reason to include the whole article. The article does not go in a different direction from the part that I already quoted and confirms that the Bible does not call masturbation sin. So when a young adult is struggling with their hormones before they find someone to marry, and they masturbate, they are not committing sin for experiencing a sexual attraction that is part of the natural process of development.

What it does say is that we should refrain from immoral thoughts, lust, pornography. These have an effect on relationships and this is why these things are discouraged within Christianity. For example, an inability to control lust can lead to adultery. This can damage marriage, children, family, girlfriends, boyfriends. There are a whole lot of people who can be affected by lust.

However, lust is different than the inherent capacity for sexual attraction. Lust is knowing that someone you work with is married and having fantasies about them anyway that lead to a change in behavior when you are around them. Lust is knowing that the sexual attraction you are having is inappropriate and violates boundaries that you should have within a certain relationship. Lust is not sexual attraction.

Sexual attraction is the natural response that we have in order to create close relationships with other people. Being sexually attracted to someone is not a sin under certain conditions. Being sexually attracted to a nice guy that you met at school that you are considering having a relationship with, is not a sin. Having a sexual response to watching a guy having sex with someone else is lust. Lust is disruptive to creating intimacy between two people.

So there is a difference between lust and sexual attraction that is evidenced by the reality that masturbation is not isolated as a sin according to boundaries provided in scripture for sin, as the article suggests, and as I already agreed with for the same reason that including the full-length article doesn't change. They discourage lust, immoral thoughts, and pornography as a conclusion, not masturbation. Just like I already said.
 
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Who said that? Why is it that you have to go looking for all the extreme and uncommon situations to try to disprove me? Just handle the truth?
 

justjess

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Umm because homosexual sex and masturbation are BAD because they don't produce fruits. Two infertile people would know their sex would not produce fruits so therefore if sex is for procreation infertile people having sex would also be BAD.

I'm following your logic to its ultimate conclusion. If you don't like it then I suggest examining your premises.
 
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