Is masturbation REALLY a sin?

[CounselorForChrist]

My whole life I have rarely heard from any specific denomination that masturbation is a sin. My dad who was catholic but then seen it was wrong and became nondenominational says Catholics usually are the ones that believe in this. I asked some other people to about this and they all said theres no mention of masturbating being a sin.

They said to have sex with someone else when not married is a sin, but to have sex with yourself (essentially) is acceptable.

Whats your opinion?

 

[Gracchus]

My whole life I have rarely heard from any specific denomination that masturbation is a sin. My dad who was catholic but then seen it was wrong and became nondenominational says Catholics usually are the ones that believe in this. I asked some other people to about this and they all said theres no mention of masturbating being a sin.

They said to have sex with someone else when not married is a sin, but to have sex with yourself (essentially) is acceptable.

Whats your opinion?

Sixty years ago, when I was in Catholic school, masturbation was not only a sin, but a mortal sin, that would send you to hell if you died with the sin unconfessed. As a matter of fact, entertaining any sexual thought at all, if you were not married, was also a mortal sin, and sometimes even if you were married.

Eating meat on Friday was also a mortal sin then, but I have heard that that has since changed.

I have always wanted to ask a Catholic if those who went to hell for eating meat on Friday were released from hell when the rules changed.

 

[lawtonfogle]

Adultery is a sin. It was punished by death. Masturbation and sex before marriage were not punished by death. They are not sexual sins.

 

[Cabal]

I have always wanted to ask a Catholic if those who went to hell for eating meat on Friday were released from hell when the rules changed.

Those still alive got penance credit

 

[Zebra1552]

Adultery is a sin. It was punished by death. Masturbation and sex before marriage were not punished by death. They are not sexual sins.

Smoking is not punishable by death, however you would be destroying the Holy Spirit's temple (the body) in the process. Does that mean it's still not a sin? Your argument is inconsistently applied, and contradicts Paul's words in 1 Corinthians.

That said, masturbation isn't mentioned anywhere in the Bible. Lust, an unrestrained desire to have sex with someone, is condemned. Masturbation, at least for most people, has a restrained desire which can be seen the the lack of an unreasonably large number of rapes or sexual assaults. Which means that most people can keep their sex drive in check, either by masturbating or during masturbation, and prevent it from doing something wrong, like having sex before marriage.

 

[lawtonfogle]

Smoking is not punishable by death, however you would be destroying the Holy Spirit's temple (the body) in the process. Does that mean it's still not a sin? Your argument is inconsistently applied, and contradicts Paul's words in 1 Corinthians.

I didn't say they couldn't still be sinful. As you point out, the problem is not masturbation, but lust.

But as to sex before marriage, the big issue here is what constitutes a marriage before God? Promiscuity is a major issue, but if you are having sex within a committed relationship, must the state have to approve of it for it to not be a sin?

That said, masturbation isn't mentioned anywhere in the Bible. Lust, an unrestrained desire to have sex with someone, is condemned. Masturbation, at least for most people, has a restrained desire which can be seen the the lack of an unreasonably large number of rapes or sexual assaults. Which means that most people can keep their sex drive in check, either by masturbating or during masturbation, and prevent it from doing something wrong, like having sex before marriage.

 

[Zebra1552]

I didn't say they couldn't still be sinful.

Actually, you did say that.

Masturbation and sex before marriage were not punished by death. They are not sexual sins.

Last I checked, they is plural.

But as to sex before marriage, the big issue here is what constitutes a marriage before God? Promiscuity is a major issue, but if you are having sex within a committed relationship, must the state have to approve of it for it to not be a sin?

It doesn't matter if the couple believes themselves to be married if people think they are not married, they still make people stumble. Marriage isn't just some agreement you make, it's a contract with the other person and God in front of witnesses. You can't have a marriage without the contract.

 

[The Nihilist]

It's only a sin if you're doing it right.

 

[CounselorForChrist]

lol I love the answers! Yeah I agree, if your doing it wrong its pretty much a sin. Of course one has to think....how else do do it if your not using your mind? For men they have to think about something to get going.

 

[knowledgeIsPower]

Masturbation is harmless. I really don't get the whole sin angle on masturbation.

 

[keith99]

Masturbation is harmless. I really don't get the whole sin angle on masturbation.

It is based on misunderstanding the story of Onan. Not entirely unlike the common misunderstanding of the story of Sodam and Gommorah.

 

[Poweranimals]

Masturbation is lust though, isn't it?

 

[bored]

Actually, you did say that.

Last I checked, they is plural.



It doesn't matter if the couple believes themselves to be married if people think they are not married, they still make people stumble. Marriage isn't just some agreement you make, it's a contract with the other person and God in front of witnesses. You can't have a marriage without the contract.

No where in the bible does it say that a marriage has to be a cerimony or a contract in front of other people. Not that I have read anyways, maybe you can post some scripture where this is explicitly stated.

 

[Zebra1552]

No where in the bible does it say that a marriage has to be a cerimony or a contract in front of other people. Not that I have read anyways, maybe you can post some scripture where this is explicitly stated.

Gen 2:24 Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh.

Right there it's named as a contract, and even something deeper- a joining of two people to become one.

 

[Poweranimals]

I think they mean in the legal sense. Marriage itself is a contract but it doesn't say you need a contract to be considered married.

 

[bored]

Gen 2:24 Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh.

Right there it's named as a contract, and even something deeper- a joining of two people to become one.

I dont see it, maybe you can help me better understand. The way I see that scriputre is sex makes them one flesh, since state contracts did not exist at the creation of man.

 

[yasic]

Masturbation is lust though, isn't it?

Yes, but so is flirting and dating.

In fact, unless you go back to a system of arranged marriages or some form of lottery marriage, you cannot get married without 'sinning' lust.

 

[Beanieboy]

My whole life I have rarely heard from any specific denomination that masturbation is a sin. My dad who was catholic but then seen it was wrong and became nondenominational says Catholics usually are the ones that believe in this. I asked some other people to about this and they all said theres no mention of masturbating being a sin.

They said to have sex with someone else when not married is a sin, but to have sex with yourself (essentially) is acceptable.

Whats your opinion?

With a world that is full of killing, murder, greed, adultery, rape, theft, terrorism, torture that is government ordered, child molestation and child sales for sex trade, I really don't think masturbation is one of the real problems that the world has.

 

[Zebra1552]

I dont see it, maybe you can help me better understand. The way I see that scriputre is sex makes them one flesh, since state contracts did not exist at the creation of man.

Yes they did. God gave them commands that they were to follow, and in turn God provided for them. In what way is that not a contract? And how do you pull sex out of that passage?

 

[Zebra1552]

I think they mean in the legal sense. Marriage itself is a contract but it doesn't say you need a contract to be considered married.

If marriage is a contract, then marriage cannot happen without the contract. Legally, you need a contract and a license to be married.