is it a sin to masturbate?

[bman123457]

i am a baptist christian and i was wondering if it is a sin to masturbate?:confused:

[Kitty Purry]

No it is not a sin to masturbate. :-)

[Blastoperzz]

no no no no no

[TravM]

It's not a sin to masturbate. You need to follow in what you believe in, even if your religion doesn't reflect that. Even though I'm not religious, I know a lot of Christians who sometimes try to force their opinion to make everyone believe it. If Hilary Duff jumped off a cliff, would you do it too? Hahaha

[PatrickZii]

Well...if it is, I truly believe 99.9% of the population is outta luck.

[TravM]

I agree with Patrick. Everybody does it.

[Spoookster]

I am also a Christian ,and i consider the ACT not a sin. Cause it's just simulation. But based on the Bible, u sin with ur thought. SO yes it might be a sin, considering what ur thoughts are...

[Aves]

Simple answer. Yes. It actually is, but most people overlook the fact.

[Atonement]

That's up to you. Your interpretation of the Bible, Torah, or Quran. I'd talk to your clergy, look through religious text, google it, get the facts, and make your decision of what you believe.

[nick]

I dont think its that simple to say, it comes down to what you believe yourself really.

[CuriousDestruction]

i hate this kind of question not because you ask it because i hate to answer it. if you adhere to everything the bible says and all the things it declares sins, yes. it is. you cannot "spill your seed" outside of your wife. however, if you adhere to the bible it also says that you must not eat shellfish, shrimp, or have milk and meat in the same room. so i'd say the same thing as nick, it's up to your interpretation.

[SomeRandomDude]

No, it's not a sin. It's natural.

[maestro15]

Well lets see Im Jewish and my rabbi's son has "experemented". I think in the main three religions it is most certainly not a sin!

[JackOfClubs]

Based on the Bible, yes it is a sin. But its nothing like killing someone or rape or something.

[kdddd]

well boingguy223, i am a christian and have some jewish friends, the way i understand what we have talked about ( me and my friends) it is really hard to distiguish if its a sin or not some say yes some say no, but some of it needs to be based on your opinion, but anyways i sorta think it might be a sin but i still do it

[ray8806]

I used to think so, when I was 13-14. When I hit 15, I actually started to think and pray about it. God lead to the conclusion that masturbation is NOT a sin. It is just a personal 'fun' time. No harm in it. Unless you put masturbation before God, it does no harm. Just a release. However, looking at porn and etc. IS a sin. But masturbation itself isn't.

I am a Pentecostal Christian, so our beliefs are similar. I hope this helps. If you have any more questions or comments, Private Message me, and I will respond as best I can.

:)

[GeneralCrash70]

I'm going to tell you that yes it is. Now this is based upon MY faith (I'm Catholic), and I'm not sayin that you should follow this if you don't believe it. But if you are a catholic, then yes, it is highly sinful...

[cody2010]

I am also a Christian ,and i consider the ACT not a sin. Cause it's just simulation. But based on the Bible, u sin with ur thought. SO yes it might be a sin, considering what ur thoughts are...

exactly. it is a sin to lust. therefore masterbation can be thought of as a sin.

[Tarragona]

I don't believe it is a sin

[Cloud]

its actually a sin cos technically sex is for reproduction and your in reality wasting the sperm and the basis of life
so for all those people who say it isnt
your wrong it is actually noted as a sin HA

[nick]

its actually a sin cos technically sex is for reproduction and your in reality wasting the sperm and the basis of life
so for all those people who say it isnt
your wrong it is actually noted as a sin HA
Well lets look at it this way, is it in the 10 commandments, no, not a mention, the only sexual sin there is adultery. Does Christ himself every mention it, no, not a word. So what is this based upon, the teachings of priests whose own record of sexual fallibility usually goes far beyond a quick wank. Most of this thinking comes from Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274), so did not get formulated for more than 1000 years after the death of Christ.

Now lots of people will at this point refer to "The Sin of Onan". Well lets get this right, Onan's sin was not about masturbation, it was about refusing to make a wife whom he had not chosen for himself pregnant. There is nothing that says he would have commited a sin by having a wank providing he had still done his "duty" in impregnating the wife. In fact its a mistake to think that the story of Onan is about masturbation at all, its not, there's not even a mention of it. According to the story Onan was having sex with his wife, just pulling out to cum.

[wolfbird_94]

i am a baptist christian and i was wondering if it is a sin to masturbate?:confused:

No... I'm one also And I do it all the time!
The Bible says that Its Better for it to go into the belly of a Horror... but in the Bible it says nothing about it. But its A sin to lust, if you Lust for Masterbating Then yes. If not then your clean. If you really Want to know, talk to your Pastor, or a Decon of the church, ask if it can be inbetween you and Them. They will answer, They have to cause thats their Job.

[Konnor]

sin.. sounds sexy

[Wonders]

well... im Catholic, and catholics and baptis are like night and day and its a sin for me. but i say, its natural and healthy, at least your not having sex! and if you dont masturbate, eventually you'll start having wet dreams, and we all dont want that to happen! talk about embarsiing! and to tell you the truth, i but jesus did! LOL! he went through puberty too! he was just a BIT different from the rest of us.

[Salvi]

Of pleasure and happiness is a so then yes masterbation is a sin. but it's only a sin if belive it to be

[Uprising]

I am slightly religious and I do not think it is

[JustANaverageGUY]

Yes, it's a sin. I am Catholic and it is considered a sin. We follow the Pope and the Church fathers and stuff and they say it's a sin. he's the boss.


BUT....


does that mean if you sin by masturbating you will go to hell? NO! God forgives. I masturbate and yes I do eventually want to stop, but if you feel guilty you should just do it less often and not watch porn. Some say that if you just focus on your body it;s not a sin because you are not having dirty thoughts. Just calm down. ultimately you will sin your whole life. If you try not to and feel sorry God will forgive you.

[trouble]

I am Catholic and according to the Bible it is a sin to masturbate since the act is usually commited with lust and it goes against the fruits and gifts of the Holy Spirit you recieve when you are baptised, some say it falls under adultery according to the Ten Commandments.

[trouble]

Well lets look at it this way, is it in the 10 commandments, no, not a mention, the only sexual sin there is adultery. Does Christ himself every mention it, no, not a word. So what is this based upon, the teachings of priests whose own record of sexual fallibility usually goes far beyond a quick wank. Most of this thinking comes from Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274), so did not get formulated for more than 1000 years after the death of Christ.

Now lots of people will at this point refer to "The Sin of Onan". Well lets get this right, Onan's sin was not about masturbation, it was about refusing to make a wife whom he had not chosen for himself pregnant. There is nothing that says he would have commited a sin by having a wank providing he had still done his "duty" in impregnating the wife. In fact its a mistake to think that the story of Onan is about masturbation at all, its not, there's not even a mention of it. According to the story Onan was having sex with his wife, just pulling out to cum.
Sorry to say but it is mentioned in the Bible that man should not spill their seed. Look it up.

[kyle95]

If it were, your hampton wouldn't be so conveniently located. When someone calls something that natural "a sin", he's the evil one mate, not the act. Keep this in mind: Nature calls, Evil lies

[ray8806]

Sorry to say but it is mentioned in the Bible that man should not spill their seed. Look it up.

Yes well "spilling the seed" is part of the story of Onan. I believe our friend summed up that story...but with a little mis-understanding.

Onan's brother had died without an heir to his family. Onan's father told Onan to go and lay with his brother's wife to raise up a child to take on his brother's name. When having sex with his sister-in-law, Onan pulled out and cummed on the ground instead of inside of her so that she could bear a son in the name of her late husband. That's all. The sin was not 'spilling' his seed, but rather purposefully not producing an heir to his brother's name.

[trouble]

You are right, but how do you know the sin was purposefully not producing an heir to his brothers name?? That is only one point of view.

[HillBillyWilly]

Yes TECHNICALLY it is, but most of those laws were followed by the old Catholic church, such as no meat on fridays and not to eat shellfish. most Christians don't follow that, i know i don't.


Regarding Masturbation:

I dont think it is a sin, because you're not actually having sex and you are doing somethnig natural to al human beings. Looking at porn while masturbationg is a sin. havign sex before marriage is a sin. but masturbation is not.

[Trackstar29]

Ive heard it was, but i dont belive it

[josh93]

No it aint a sin to masterbate.

[greg95]

i am a baptist christian and i was wondering if it is a sin to masturbate?:confused:
technicaly, I dont think it is written anywhere, like in the bible or whatever. its just an interpretation by religious, priests and stuff, who are probably the most narrow minded people in the world

my opinion is that as long as it doesn't cause harm to anyone, it's not a sin

[iamniokekun]

nope

[DanielJoe]

the last part of your comment only referred to the jews under the moaic law at the time, not "spilling your seed"

[kirikiri94]

It's definitely NOT a sin to masturbate. Jesus never mention masturbation in his preaches. He just asked us to do the good. Is ther anything bad in masturbating?

[tomcut2000]

it is a sin to lust.. not a sin to masturbate

[Setzer]

oh come on! God loves you!! that's why you're going to hell because you had fun with your wiener ;P really, touching YOUR body isn't a sin.

[suprise]

yes, it is. it's concidered adultry for the unmarried (adultry = one of the ten commandments) and in the bible, it says "though shalt not spill thy seed" which means you shall not ejaculate. so, technicly speeking, yes.

SOURCE:
10 commandments = Confirmation class.

[walpoler93]

if it were heaven would not exist, everyone would be jerking it together in hell

[paintballguy]

i am a mormon, and in my faith, masturbation is a sin. it is one way that almost all boys and men lust in themselves. i know it is wrong as do many people, but it is hard not to do it.

[chaoscatcher]

NO! solo sex is NORMAL, if it is a sin, then every teenage guy is going straight to hell!

[Mysterious Skin]

i dont think it is but im no christian

[lolimbrando]

Some religions say it is...like mormans....but if God didn't want us to do it...he wouldn't give us the power to.

[Milo1234]

lets cut the crap. some religions view it as a sin. everyone else probably doesnt. personally i dont think it is, i think the idea of masturbation is a sin is ridiculous but thats just my opinion.

[Cazzman]

NOOOO of course its not go ahead and have fun

[Muscleteen92]

i dont believe so

[Wiserthanilook]

Yes it IS a sin. Here are my reasons for thinking this way:

1: I am Catholic (so if you think this doesn't apply to you, it's not my problem) and every priest I've ever asked has clearly stated that it is a sin.
2: Your conscience is how God let's you know what is right and wrong. If you feel bad or guilty about something (which is how many people feel after masturbating) then that means that it is wrong. If people don't feel guilty after masturbating, then that means that either they have closed their heart to God or they are unaware of what they are doing.
3: Can you honestly imagine God saying that it is OK to masturbate?

Sorry about my rant here, but I have a very strong opinion on this matter. I've been waiting for someone to ask this question.

[soulcrusher24]

No, it's not a sin. It's natural.
Exactly and i don't see why people who are really into their religion lie about that that stuff, If it's natural why would it be considered a sin?

[sjordantls]

its not a sin n a healthy thing to do ..ur doin it in ur own privacy without offending anyone.

[Clawhammer]

Some things you just have to find out for yourself lad. Don't believe or reject anything just because your pastor said so, or your parents, or your friends. However, the Bible is silent on the matter of masturbation, so I have to go by instinct, and I figured out that the only way it's harmful is if you believe it to be a sin. Otherwise it's a personal matter, just don't get carried away by it.

And if it is a sin, I just have to trust that God will have grace, and pray he will find my judgment just and my heart righteous. All you can do is pray, hope, and trust.

[Wiserthanilook]

Anyone who says that it is the 'natural' thing to do is right. But, that doesn't mean that it isn't a sin. If you follow only what your body tells you to, that is the surest way to get sent to Hell. The road to Heaven is the harder path, the path least travelled. It is easier to give in to your body's demands for sexual gratification, but that is not necessarily what you should do. Satan lures people in with physical gratifications at the cost of your soul; God satisfies your soul (which is eternal, not fleeting like our bodies) at the cost of physical pleasure in this world. If you don't take this to heart from my words, you will realize at a later point in your lives what the best path to follow is.

If you still don't care, then at least I tried...

[Chris95]

Some religions say it is...like mormans....but if God didn't want us to do it...he wouldn't give us the power to.
Sorry but that's bull. It's called free will, and God gave it to every human. He doesn't want us to lie, kill, or steal, yet we clearly have the ability to do so.

[DanielBoy]

No, it says no where in the bible that it is a sin, although most churches say it is a sin of the flesh; churches tend to interpret the bible in a standard way, and leave little room for other interpretation, I don't like that. It is 100% normal and okay to masturbate, it helps to relieve stress, sexual tension and excess seamen. God is not going to deny you entrance to heaven because you masturbate, don't sweat it.

[XpopularX]

no not at all

[dec_1892]

The act of masterbating is not a sin, but impure thoughts can be.

[darkwoon]

2: Your conscience is how God let's you know what is right and wrong. If you feel bad or guilty about something (which is how many people feel after masturbating) then that means that it is wrong.
Just as a side note, the depressing feeling a lot of people feel after masturbation has been proven to be related to hormonal/chemical changes as a consequence to orgasm. Hence, it is not really indicative of any morale inclination of people, but simply on how strongly their bodies react to purely biological processes.

If people don't feel guilty after masturbating, then that means that either they have closed their heart to God or they are unaware of what they are doing.
Or that their biological reaction is less strong?

3: Can you honestly imagine God saying that it is OK to masturbate?
Honestly? Yes, why not? After all, God is - according to the Christian doctrine - an omnipotent being. So if he's the one who created man, then he would have known in advance that urge to masturbate. Why implement such an urge if not to allow us to do it?

You could of course think that "it is a test of resistance to test our faith", but that would really look sadistic to me, and quite in disagreement with the basic message of the Christian God.

[usedtobejv]

For chistians, yes it is a sin :'(

[Wiserthanilook]

After all, God is - according to the Christian doctrine - an omnipotent being. So if he's the one who created man, then he would have known in advance that urge to masturbate. Why implement such an urge if not to allow us to do it? (...) and quite in disagreement with the basic message of the Christian God.

He didn't create man that way; the tendency to sin was instilled in us by the devil, the serpent that persuaded Eve to eat of the Forbidden Tree of Knowledge. Following the devil in any way is sinful. I am VERY
knowledgable on this topic (sin in general), and there will always be a seemingly feasible counterargument for many sins, which is why God gave us a conscience to know what the right thing to do is. Science is very misleading; many scientists manage to make things sound irrevocably true. One example of how science is false is the 'theory' of evolution that we are all taught is fact; I absolutely refuse to believe that our current society was a random byproduct of the water, gas and rocks that, at one point, was all that Earth was. It is a stretch to go from cavemen 10000 years ago to conscious beings typing up their thoughts to post on a teen forum. If you don't believe me, I don't care.

PS: There is no Christian God, I'm sorry to say. There is but one God, whom Jews, Muslims, Catholics and Christians all worship (sorry if I missed one). Yes, Muslims do worship the same God, although they listen to Muhammed rather than Jesus.

[darkwoon]

He didn't create man that way; the tendency to sin was instilled in us by the devil, the serpent that persuaded Eve to eat of the Forbidden Tree of Knowledge.
So, if I follow your logic, the urge to masturbate is a creation of the devil. But then, since the urge is caused by biochemical interactions - thus, by the body itself - isn't it contradictory with the idea that God created Man as its own image? I'm not sure the Bible ever told about the serpent corrupting the human body. Since you are VERY knowledgeable on the topic, can you please enlighten me on this?

Following the devil in any way is sinful.
Quite certainly, though I don't get how satisfying a biologically-driven need would be in any way "following the devil". Again, your explanation on this would be interesting.

there will always be a seemingly feasible counterargument for many sins, which is why God gave us a conscience to know what the right thing to do is.
That's an interesting point indeed. So if my conscience tells me that masturbating is not a sin, then it probably isn't, right?

Science is very misleading; many scientists manage to make things sound irrevocably true.
Completely wrong. By definition, science can only manage to irrevocably disprove things. Religion is the field of absolute certainty, not science, as science implies critical debate.

One example of how science is false is the 'theory' of evolution that we are all taught is fact
I wasn't taught it as a fact, but as what it claims to be: a theory that is currently the one that matches and explains facts the most accurately.

I absolutely refuse to believe that our current society was a random byproduct of the water, gas and rocks that, at one point, was all that Earth was. It is a stretch to go from cavemen 10000 years ago to conscious beings typing up their thoughts to post on a teen forum. If you don't believe me, I don't care.
I don't need or feel the need to believe you or anybody else in that respect; I have reason, which I find infinitely superior to blind faith.

PS: There is no Christian God, I'm sorry to say. There is but one God, whom Jews, Muslims, Catholics and Christians all worship (sorry if I missed one). Yes, Muslims do worship the same God, although they listen to Muhammed rather than Jesus.
I used the term "Christian God" to speak about "the divinity worshiped by Christians". The judeo-christian divinity is not the only one in which humanity believes, though: mazdaists, hinduists, sikhs or taoists all believe in other, completely unrelated divinities. I thus refer to "the Christian God", just like I'd to "the Sikhist God" or "the Zoroastrian God".

[Brandon K]

no no no=]

[Judas]

No, it isn't.

[jimmy-magic]

no man. peace.

[WakeyEr]

Im not religous at all, like ill go to church if my friends want me to go, but thats it. But I wouldent think it would be. But i couldent tell you. Talk to someone in your church, preist or something, they could tell you

[Wiserthanilook]

So, if I follow your logic, the urge to masturbate is a creation of the devil. But then, since the urge is caused by biochemical interactions - thus, by the body itself - isn't it contradictory with the idea that God created Man as its own image? I'm not sure the Bible ever told about the serpent corrupting the human body. Since you are VERY knowledgeable on the topic, can you please enlighten me on this?


Quite certainly, though I don't get how satisfying a biologically-driven need would be in any way "following the devil". Again, your explanation on this would be interesting.


That's an interesting point indeed. So if my conscience tells me that masturbating is not a sin, then it probably isn't, right?


Completely wrong. By definition, science can only manage to irrevocably disprove things. Religion is the field of absolute certainty, not science, as science implies critical debate.


I wasn't taught it as a fact, but as what it claims to be: a theory that is currently the one that matches and explains facts the most accurately.


I don't need or feel the need to believe you or anybody else in that respect; I have reason, which I find infinitely superior to blind faith.


I used the term "Christian God" to speak about "the divinity worshiped by Christians". The judeo-christian divinity is not the only one in which humanity believes, though: mazdaists, hinduists, sikhs or taoists all believe in other, completely unrelated divinities. I thus refer to "the Christian God", just like I'd to "the Sikhist God" or "the Zoroastrian God".
Aha! Finally, a worthy opponent.

I am going to reply based on your individual replies to portions of my post.
1: You aren't following my logic quite perfectly; there is no explicit urge to masturbate; rather, it is a general sex drive. The sexual urge was created by God (my logic is not infallible here, rather, I have a general idea that will inevitably have some loopholes) with the intention that human beings would marry a member of the opposite sex and participate in sex for the purpose of creating life and bonding. Never was it intended to cause people to masturbate for the purpose of pleasuring themselves when sex is not available. The serpent didn't corrupt our bodies, rather, our minds and, in turn, our souls. By the way, I meant that I was knowledgeable in the area of what is a sin or not. I do know some philosophical things, but not to a great extent.
2: I think I already covered this, but I will summarize it anyway: Masturbation isn't a bodily urge, rather an improper way of relieving the sexual drive. (which, I admit, is hard to resist; it took several months and a lot of praying to overcome masturbation)
3: If you strongly believe that you feel it is the right thing to do for you, go for it; but my conscience tells me it's wrong and that is what I am going off of. Also, most Christian denominations say it is sinful (including the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches, which were directly founded by Saint Peter). Also, I heard somewhere (so this is by no means guaranteed) that some denominations of Christians were created because members of another denomination felt that masturbation wasn't sinful, and wanted to have their own church that wouldn't teach it as sinful.
4: Sorry, mistype. I meant to say that science CAN BE misleading, rather than IS. I do like your description of science as being only capable of disproving things, though.
5: Lucky! My idiot biology teacher mentioned that it was a theory once and taught it all as fact without any other potential views. I made that teacher angry all the time because I always wrote the correct answers sarcastically to imply that I thought they were false. Once again, feel free to believe what you want, but I know the truth.
6: My faith is by no means blind, Jesus is my light in this dark world of ours. Reason can only get you so far until you start to question "Why am I here? What is my purpose for living?" I've already got my answer, which is why I can say that I am wiser than I look.
7: Let me clear this up a bit; any religion that believes in one almighty God that created Earth and Man believes in the same God as I. I am not familiar with all os the religions that you mentioned, but I am sure that at least the Hindus are polytheistic, meaning that they do not believe in God, rather they believe in gods.

Hopefully that clears up all the loopholes I left in my previous post; however, if you find any others, feel free to try me again.

[darkwoon]

Aha! Finally, a worthy opponent.
Merely a disagreement on views... "Opponent" sounds so military! :)

1: You aren't following my logic quite perfectly; there is no explicit urge to masturbate; rather, it is a general sex drive. The sexual urge was created by God (my logic is not infallible here, rather, I have a general idea that will inevitably have some loopholes) with the intention that human beings would marry a member of the opposite sex and participate in sex for the purpose of creating life and bonding. Never was it intended to cause people to masturbate for the purpose of pleasuring themselves when sex is not available.
For a Christian follower, that reasoning does hold a lot of sense for sure; actually, for those who do not see a divine intervention there, the reason is quite similar: evolution favored the existence of sex drive as a good way to ensure that individuals mate and keep species alive.
Now, on the theological side, I see at least two issues there:
- If God created our bodies (and thus, the sex drive, since it is purely a biological process), he cannot have done it without knowing that it would drive a lot of people to self-pleasuring - it is hard to imagine a "ooops, I didn't think they'd do *that*" from the omnipotent being that is the Christian God;
- The affirmation that God created Man in his own image leaves an interesting question: wasn't sex drive (and thus, all its consequences) *also* a part of God? Fact is that the Scriptures do not give us details about what was the "image" of God, and what was added afterwards, as a "necessary functional gimmick", so to speak. Hence the same can be said for the intend: was the sex drive created only for the purpose of reproduction through marriage? Again, I'm not sure the Scriptures have a definite answer in one way or another.

The serpent didn't corrupt our bodies, rather, our minds and, in turn, our souls.
Yep, that was exactly the point I was trying to make - since it didn't corrupt our bodies, then the sex drive is indeed divine creation. Hence we're back to what I said before: a God not having thought out all consequences is not a serious hypothesis, so this leaves the question of intends open.

: I think I already covered this, but I will summarize it anyway: Masturbation isn't a bodily urge, rather an improper way of relieving the sexual drive. (which, I admit, is hard to resist; it took several months and a lot of praying to overcome masturbation)
You did, yet at the same time are dodging the real question. If masturbation is not a proper way of relieving the sexual drive, then what is? Intercourse with a purpose of reproduction is clearly one, but that's only an option for consenting adults. What about the younger ones? Or simply those who have no partner?
One common answer to this is: "pray". But we both know that most people, especially younger ones, do not have (yet) the strength of mind to endure that, and would deeply suffer from that situation. Hence my question: why would God ask us to suffer like that?

3: If you strongly believe that you feel it is the right thing to do for you, go for it; but my conscience tells me it's wrong and that is what I am going off of.
Again, exactly my point. And one that again dodges rather than solves the issue: either it is a sin, or it is not. Conscience alone does not suffice in that case, since labeling the act "right" or "wrong" cannot be done without references (since masturbation by itself, the mechanical act, causes no physical or mental damage).

Also, most Christian denominations say it is sinful (including the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches, which were directly founded by Saint Peter). Also, I heard somewhere (so this is by no means guaranteed) that some denominations of Christians were created because members of another denomination felt that masturbation wasn't sinful, and wanted to have their own church that wouldn't teach it as sinful.
Since when the belief of the majority is necessarily correct?

5: Lucky! My idiot biology teacher mentioned that it was a theory once and taught it all as fact without any other potential views. I made that teacher angry all the time because I always wrote the correct answers sarcastically to imply that I thought they were false. Once again, feel free to believe what you want, but I know the truth.
That's for sure that teaching scientific theories as unquestionable facts is ignorant and quite the opposite of what science aims to be: a permanent questioning of the nature of the universe.
Now, do not conclude hastily that his theories were false - they were wrongly presented, which is quite different. Proving them false would requires unquestionable factual data contradicting its conclusions, as well as another theory that can better explain those facts. That's where it is important, I think, to never say: "I know", but always say: "it is reasonable to think so".
I do not "believe" anything about this, by the way; as I said before, science is about facts and reasoning, and isn't an act of faith. I think the current major scientific theories are way more probable than theological ones (Intelligent Design, Creationism, etc) because they do not require an X-factor (an external, hypothetical, unmeasurable element) and explain the world in a more accurate way than any other proposal available today. And I know that they are imperfect, or sometimes wrong at their border cases - that's their biggest strength, as they can be refined or replaced as we learn more about the universe around us.

6: My faith is by no means blind,
By "blind faith", I was speaking as opposed to the idea of scientifical theory: in that context, every faith is necessarily "blind" in that, at one point or another, it requires to believe without measurable factual data. Science never requires believing in anything (except maybe that the physical world we perceive is not a dream, of course :) ).
Now, it does not mean that faith is blind when it comes to the philosophical matters - the "why?" question. Quite the contrary, faith in sets of values (that may include divine ones) is at the center of the debate; in that context, faith is only "blind" when it falls into integrisms and fundamentalisms of all sorts.

Reason can only get you so far until you start to question "Why am I here? What is my purpose for living?"
There are philosophers that believe the contrary - stoicism is a good example of that.

I've already got my answer, which is why I can say that I am wiser than I look.
Well, that's nice that you found your own inner harmony - as long as you keep your mind open.

7: Let me clear this up a bit; any religion that believes in one almighty God that created Earth and Man believes in the same God as I.
Err, no. The god of Zoroastrians for example does not follow the same principles of the Christian one, does not propose the same philosophy, and has not the same attributes.
Now, there is indeed an hypothesis that all gods worshiped around the world are actually nothing but different perceptions of a single entity: the monism. Even gods of polytheist pantheons would then be a different view of the entity perceived as unique by the judeo-christian world. I tend to agree with that view myself.

Hopefully that clears up all the loopholes I left in my previous post; however, if you find any others, feel free to try me again.
Well, there is still the point of knowing if masturbation is a sin or not, and why...
I've made some research myself after your post, since I'm not by far expert in the Christian message. I found some interesting thoughts. Allow me to quote two of them. First, from the First Epistle to Corinthians:

"Everything is permissible for me"—but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me"—but I will not be mastered by anything.

And from James:
For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

The message there seems to me that what constitutes a sin is not the act by itself, but rather if that act starts to dominate your mind and your soul, and turns you away from important things, God included. And is masturbation driving someone away from God? I'm not sure of that - after all, when the sexual drive is relaxed, your mind tends to be clearer and can more easily focus on important matters. Some are containing their instincts by praying - and others by self-pleasure. I haven't found so far a reference saying that one way was more despicable than the other to God.

Hence my conviction that masturbation not only is not a sin, but can - should - be accepted as part of the natural acceptance of our own human nature in the path Jesus defined. (Writing it in bold so readers are not forced to digest everything I typed to find my conclusion ;) )

I admit I'd be deeply interested to know if you have references in the Scripture to share that explain how masturbation is a sin, as it would indeed help resolving the debate.

[Wiserthanilook]

Ok, I'm not going to quote your post this time (where do you find the time to type all this up!?!) but I figure we are basically wrapped up anyway. I still have a few counterpoints to throw in, however.

In your first bullet, you mention that God would have known that giving us a sex drive would lead some (or many) to masturbation. Yes, he did know that; however, he gave us free will to decide for ourselves whether or not to sin. Your second bullet I can only say this: We will never know God's reasoning for making us the way we are, and we can only guess as to exactly what He made our sex drive for. Moving on, a couple paragraphs later you ask why God would let us suffer. Again, I know not the whole truth about this, but I would say that it is because there can be no light without the darkness, no good without evil (in a sense, you know what I mean). Thus, suffering was introduced so that we could feel pleasure (ironic, isn't it, but there doesn't seem to be a better word that fits). Later, you also ask 'Since when the belief of the majority is necessarily correct?' I agree with you there; foolish liberals are wrecking everything here in the U.S. Yes, I know what you really meant, but what I said speaks for itself. Next paragraph: I didn't conclude this hastily; it has been taught to me three times now, and each time just reassures me of its falsehood. Skip a few paragraphs, and we get to my number 7. As I mentioned (you didn't quote this), I am not familiar with all of those religions and I don't feel like looking them up, so I will take your word for it. Ok, your last few paragraphs... Well, I'm not even going to bother looking for references to masturbation in the Bible because there aren't any direct references (besides a story of someone cutting off part of a man's cloak while he was 'covering his feet', which is a euphemism for either urinating or masturbating. As for it being in the 'path that Jesus defined', there is no quote by Jesus in the Bible about masturbation, so, unfortunately, we have nothing directly from God about it. Rather, it is found as a sin because of our consciences telling us so (us as in Catholics) and also by the words of the Pope. Which I am not going to quote because I don't know which Pope.

[darkwoon]

Ok, I'm not going to quote your post this time (where do you find the time to type all this up!?!)
It is holidays, and it is raining outside... :) Plus I think it is an important issue for Christians, so I believe devoting some more minutes to deliver a proper answer is nothing compared to the help it can provide to them.

God would have known that giving us a sex drive would lead some (or many) to masturbation. Yes, he did know that; however, he gave us free will to decide for ourselves whether or not to sin.
So? You are still missing the point. That God gave Man means to go against its own instincts and decide with free will is one thing; that God would have spared Man a cruel morale dilemna by designing the sex drive differently is another. What I'm strongly questioning is the whole concept of God basically presenting a way to get pleasure without harming anyone, yet at the same time arbitrarily marking that pleasure as a sin. I see it strongly contradictory with the God of Love as described by Jesus.

On the other hand, if you don't consider masturbation as sinful, then the contradiction disappears: masturbation becomes a gift of God to Man, as a harmless way of controlling its primitive instincts.

We will never know God's reasoning for making us the way we are, and we can only guess as to exactly what He made our sex drive for.
My point exactly, except that again you avoid answering the point: nobody knows what God made the sex drive for. Was it to promote reproduction? Certainly. Was it also as a form of harmless pleasure? You cannot rule out that possibility, since, as far as I know, nothing in the Scriptures says the contrary.

I would say that it is because there can be no light without the darkness, no good without evil (in a sense, you know what I mean).
That's manicheism. *Of course* there can be light without darkness (That's precisely what life in Eden was before the Serpent came, actually).

Thus, suffering was introduced so that we could feel pleasure (ironic, isn't it, but there doesn't seem to be a better word that fits).
That suffering is necessary to access pleasure is a rather strange concept. I don't think it is part of the message of Jesus, so I'd ask for more informations on this.

Later, you also ask 'Since when the belief of the majority is necessarily correct?' I agree with you there; foolish liberals are wrecking everything here in the U.S. Yes, I know what you really meant, but what I said speaks for itself.
I'm not an US citizen (I'm French), and I admit I don't understand your reference to liberals. I'd be glad if you could reformulate your explanation in a more generic way (let's not forget not everybody here is aware of US internal political twists! :) )

As I mentioned (you didn't quote this), I am not familiar with all of those religions and I don't feel like looking them up, so I will take your word for it.
Well, I'm not a theologian either, I reassure you :). And indeed, I didn't comment that part, since I didn't feel I had more to say on that point.

Well, I'm not even going to bother looking for references to masturbation in the Bible because there aren't any direct references (besides a story of someone cutting off part of a man's cloak while he was 'covering his feet', which is a euphemism for either urinating or masturbating. As for it being in the 'path that Jesus defined', there is no quote by Jesus in the Bible about masturbation, so, unfortunately, we have nothing directly from God about it. Rather, it is found as a sin because of our consciences telling us so (us as in Catholics) and also by the words of the Pope. Which I am not going to quote because I don't know which Pope.
So, if I read you well, we can then conclude that nothing in the message of Jesus or God tells us that masturbation itself is a sin. I find that very reassuring for Christians, as it means they indeed shouldn't feel guilty doing it, as long as they do it while respecting their body and don't fall into excesses of all kinds.

As for the authority of the Pope, I'll just underline that although he's the servant of God on Earth, he's in no way an incarnation of divinity. This means he is a simple man that can, like everybody else, make mistakes, consciously or not (besides that, many Christians are not Catholics).

I'm quite happy we had this discussion, as the conclusion is indeed quite positive and enlightening for Christians. All comes down to letting your conscience decide: is self-pleasure morally acceptable? God obviously doesn't stamp the practice as a sin, but rather, seeing us as responsible children, let us doing it in the limits our conscience finds acceptable. Yes, it can become a sin, but only if it gets in the way of your values - it is the "I will not be mastered by anything." of the Epistle to Corinthians.

Or, to summarize it: masturbation is not a sin, but its excesses are.

[taylor115]

my teacher said its not a sin to masterbate but when u like fantisis and linger on the thought then its a sin i think thats what he said

[CrAzMaN011]

:(It is from what i hear. it is a distraction from christ even if not for lustfulness (which is also a sin).

[neigh]

jerking off is normal. everyone does it. even the pope, and president of the united states and the prime minister of canada.
anyone says they don't jerk off r telling lie or has no arms and hands.
if i'm wrong, then i will see u in hell. --lol
all guys do it. neigh

[Patrick Jackson]

Nope

[DJK22]

of course its not a sin

[VTry007]

Interesting question. A survey I read showed that 3 % of guys have NEVER masturbated. You know, I believe that 1 in 30 guys have never jerked off.

A lot of boys - probably most boys, likely everyone - when they first start masturbating, feel quilty after doing the deed. This certainly suggests that there is something inside of you - your conscience or your spirit - that is telling you that it's wrong. But, of course, if you just keep doing it, then that guilt will go away (searing your conscience).

I know there are Christians who have sought after and received a lot of God's anointing. When you have a lot of God's anointing in you, you will sense that God can not be involved with you when you are masturbating. You know that God can not be involved with you when you are sinning. That just makes sense.

Remember, there is no masturbating in heaven because there is neither male nor female in heaven - ie no genitals or boobs.

When God created mankind in His image, He created everyone with a body, a soul (your mind, your emotions and your will) and a spirit. Your spirit, which is attached to your soul, lives forever - so you live on forever. It's just your body that dies.

Since everyone has sinned, everyone ends up in hell unless they receive the Spirit of Jesus within them by accepting Jesus as their Lord - which means read the Bible and do what it says.

The reason Jesus died on the cross is to pay the penalty for everyone's sin. But to be covered by Jesus' paying the penalty for your sins, you have to be connected with Jesus by receiving His Spirit within you by accepting His Lordship (do what God says to do, which is laid out in the Bible).

Does the body have desires for sexual experiences? Yes, of course. So how do you explain that?

Remember when Jesus was praying and had asked his disciples to pray with him, but when Jesus returned to them He always found them asleep? Jesus said, "The Spirit is willing, but the flesh in weak."

So your body has these weaknesses. But the Spirit of Jesus in you, does not have these desires.

I know that the closer you are to God, the less you want to sin. You just don't have a desire to sin because you are living by letting the Spirit of Jesus in you influence your thinking and behaviour. (You become a low maintenance person.)

I know that there are a lot of 11 year olds who have a lot of God's anointing and they are protecting it and they are living by learning how to live their life with Jesus in their life.

Is it possible that at least one person in your class has a lot of God's anointing and is living their life with Jesus to the point where they have never masturbated? Yes.