Comfortable w/ masturbating?

[HideInPlainSight]

Ohkay, so my boyfriend is a deeply religious Christian, and because of that, as well as overbearing parents, he doesn't masturbate and isn't very comfortable with the topic. Whenever the subject comes up, he says it's gross sinful, saying it's disgusting to him that people do that. Which is kind of awkward when he's saying this to his agnostic girlfriend, who loves masturbating... X3
However, it does bring the question to mind, how many religious people are ohkay with masturbating? And if you do or do not, what is your reasoning behind said decision?

I, personally, am a non-religious female who masturbates, because it helps relieve stress for me.

[Ashthefox]

I think it's fine, but my upbringing makes me think it isn't.

[sshep]

Biblically speaking, there is little (if any) info on self pleasure. This being said, I think we would not have the urges unless they were controllable, but I also think that self pleasure is healthier and more sound than any other form of release. (If you absolutely must release, its better to masturbate than to have premarital sex.)

[HideInPlainSight]

Thank you, the three of you, for your replies, and those who have responded to the poll so far. ^^

@sshep;; See, that's what I think. Yes, it may be frowned upon to be sexual, but every human has those urges and hormones, so it seems like it would be better to release some of that pressure instead of putting yourself in a place where you never get to let it out and end up doing something you frown upon as a result.
I dunno, I can't speak from a truly religious pov, but that just seems... logical to me.

[Arie_]

There is no direct verse in the bible that bans masturbation. I think he doesn't do it because whenever someone masturbates they usually think of sexual stuff like lusting a man/woman which can be viewed as sinful to Christians. I'm a Jew and I masturbate.

[ska8er]

im not that religious but I masturbate and I don't have
any feelings that it is wrong. I find that everyone masturbates.
those that say they don't probably do. u can get very screwed
up if u r going to get religion into it. yeah it may say it is wrong
but there a lot of other things that we do an don't think twice
of doing having feelings that it is wrong. if u r religious and feel
ur doing something wrong ur going to feel that u sinned.

[WintersuN]

As somebody who's progressively become less Christian over the past few months due to the overbearing activities of my church, I can give you a bit of insight into what the Bible says is sin when it comes to masturbation and my own personal opinion.

Masturbation is not directly frowned upon, but it isn't clearly accepted either. In fact, there's no Biblical mention of masturbation that I know of. However, aspects of masturbation, such as the use of pornography, lustful thoughts or physical interaction with others for the purpose of arousal are definitely sinful. For most men and women, it is nearly impossible to separate masturbation and these aspects, which is why it's not the act of masturbation but the means of doing it that are considered sinful.

In Matthew Chapter 5, verses 27 - 28, this is explained by Jesus who is giving a sermon: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart."

The adultery is pretty loosely defined but I'd say it's having sexual relations out of marriage. Jesus is saying that when you look at somebody with lustful intentions, in our case for the purpose of sexual arousal, it's just as bad as committing adultery because you're heart is telling you to commit a sin.

[HideInPlainSight]

That... actually clears things up quite nicely. ^^
That does make a lot more sense, when you put it in that perspective. It, of course, doesn't help that his parents are so... yelly when he doesn't do what they want... But that does make it much more logical.

[nklarke]

I'm not a Christian but wanted to point out that the background of the masturbation prohibition is found in Gen. 38:8-10 "8.So Judah said to Onan, "Come to your brother's wife and perform the rite of the levirate, and raise up progeny for your brother.
9. Now Onan knew that the progeny would not be his, and it came about, when he came to his brother's wife, he wasted [his semen] on the ground, in order not to give seed to his brother.
10. Now what he did was evil in the eyes of the Lord, and He put him to death also."

As you have read, in fact the situation there was a man who didn't come in the vagina, he come on the ground, but the sin was "wasting his semen" so the parallel is with the masturbation, when you "waste" your semen that should be used to procreate.

I'm not giving an opinion, saying if masturbation is ok or not, just showing where the issue with male masturbation come from.

[Luminous]

I was raised Orthodox Jewish and I am now just nothing (I don't consider myself atheist or anything else, I'm just... me) and I masturbate now and did a little bit before but more for exploration than anything because I didn't become whatever I am now until I was 12, at least, I never told anyone until then.

[tarheelboy8888]

I am a devout born again Christian, and I believe that masturbation is an uncontrollable urge that most (if not all) teenagers has. However, like Christ said, once you look at a woman (or man for girls) lustfully you have committed adultery with her/him in your heart. I am saddened to say that I have committed this sin many, many times and that I really am working on getting this fixed so that I can have a clear conscience and worship my Lord and Savior without knowing that I have this unconfessed sin in my heart hindering myself from His glory.

[Kochanek]

I was raised Orthodox Jewish and I am now just nothing (I don't consider myself atheist or anything else, I'm just... me) and I masturbate now and did a little bit before but more for exploration than anything because I didn't become whatever I am now until I was 12, at least, I never told anyone until then.

Is masturbation forbidden for orthodox jews?

[Luminous]

Is masturbation forbidden for orthodox jews?
I'm not sure. It's definitely frowned upon as my parents never said a word about it, they kept their sex lives extremely secretive, etc,

[Kathy]

I'm religious (Catholic) & I masturbate.

[Sandra Main]

I think that its normal and natural to masterbate.

[pjones]

not religious and masturbate for pleasure

[nklarke]

Is masturbation forbidden for orthodox jews?

It's not encouraged but nobody would tell you what to do.

[beachbro69420]

I'm as Christian as the Pope, ja feel, but I gotta level wit u all, I jack off at least 9 times a week. Here's my reasoning, though. And just hear me out, okay? Jesus said Love Thy Neighbor, right? Well who's closer to you, then your own dick-rod and/or pussy-hole? You gotta show it some love. It's right there in the Bible. Plus (and I dunno if this has any religious confirmation, ja feel) when I cum my buckets of semen, I feel as if I have purged the Devil that resided within me, and that he's now sprayed on the bathroom wall, instead of pent up within my testicles.

[Kochanek]

I'm religious (Catholic) & I masturbate.

And do you feel guilty about it?
Do you try to do it as seldom as possible?

[Kochanek]

I was raised Orthodox Jewish and I am now just nothing (I don't consider myself atheist or anything else, I'm just... me) and I masturbate now and did a little bit before but more for exploration than anything because I didn't become whatever I am now until I was 12, at least, I never told anyone until then.

So do you feel gulity about it?
Or try to go without masturbation?

[Luminous]

So do you feel gulity about it?
Or try to go without masturbation?

God no

[Dark Hatred]

I'm Christian and there is nothing in the Bible (that I am aware of) against masturbation. I know that some Catholics are against it, however. I honestly think nothing is wrong with it - my friends are mostly Christian and also masturbate.

[Dark Hatred]

I'm as Christian as the Pope, ja feel, but I gotta level wit u all, I jack off at least 9 times a week. Here's my reasoning, though. And just hear me out, okay? Jesus said Love Thy Neighbor, right? Well who's closer to you, then your own dick-rod and/or pussy-hole? You gotta show it some love. It's right there in the Bible. Plus (and I dunno if this has any religious confirmation, ja feel) when I cum my buckets of semen, I feel as if I have purged the Devil that resided within me, and that he's now sprayed on the bathroom wall, instead of pent up within my testicles.

this is the funniest motherfuckin thing ive seen in a while

[Hermes]

As you have read, in fact the situation there was a man who didn't come in the vagina, he come on the ground, but the sin was "wasting his semen" so the parallel is with the masturbation, when you "waste" your semen that should be used to procreate.

Indeed I have heard that passage before and that reasoning before but as far as I can see the reasoning is faulty. The reasoning seems to be: "on this occasion onan wasted his semen and God was angry therefore whenever anyone wastes his semen God will be equally angry". I don't think that follows at all. To me it is more like a naughtly child. God told onan to get his brothers wife pregnant but onan had his own will and disobeyed God. Surely that would be what made God angry such that he put Onan to death?

I wonder if this passage is also behind the objecton some catholics have to contraception.

Now we also know the sperm only live for a certain period of time before they die even if they are not ejaculated. That means if you think that wasting your sperm is a sin then it is every bit as much as sin to refrain from any kind of sexual activity as it is to masturbate. And if you further believe that sex outside marriage is a sin then there is clearly only one way to avoid sin; as soon as you reach sexual maturity you need to marry and start having children!

Of course, I am not advocating that as a course of action, just taking what I believe to be a faulty argument to its logical conclusion.

And after that rather serious discussion for something funny look on YouTube for the Monty Python video "Every Sperm is Sacred".

[Kochanek]

I am a Christian, but not religious. And if masturbation was a sin I could not help being a sinner. I have the urge every day, and it is so damn powerful !!!

[tarheelboy8888]

I am a Christian, but not religious. And if masturbation was a sin I could not help being a sinner. I have the urge every day, and it is so damn powerful !!!

How exactly is it possible to be a Christian and not be religious?

[Kochanek]

How exactly is it possible to be a Christian and not be religious?

I believe in God, but I don't care much about the church and I usually don't pray except being in a church sevice for a wedding, funeral, christmas or so.
For me "religious" means to tackle your faith in allday life.

[tarheelboy8888]

I believe in God, but I don't care much about the church and I usually don't pray except being in a church sevice for a wedding, funeral, christmas or so.
For me "religious" means to tackle your faith in allday life.
Oh ok. I gotcha.

[chrisf55]

He was probably ashamed/embarrassed and lied. If not, I guess it's just very strange.

[JayDilla]

my mom is catholic but she doesn't what i do in my room.or when I have my friend katie over and we do stuff when she's not around lol

[Living For Love]

Please don't bump old threads. :locked: