is masterbation a sin? (Old Testament, Biblical, science, reform)

[Big Sky Heidi]

No, it is not a sin pe se. The often-cited story of Onan is a misinterpretation. Onan's sin was disobedience of the Lord by refusing to impregnate his dead brither's wife, not in masturbation!

[eViL pOp TaRt]

Masturbation can be a souce of solace for the single, the lonely, or the isolated. No sin. As a matter of fact, I can imagine some circumstances in which helping someone with this might fall under the Corporal Works of Mercy. That was one perspective that was advanced back when I was in school.

[ShanesG]

Not At All....go At It!

[happynoodleboycey]

As human beings we all have sexual urges. It is in our nature to do so and so therefore is natural. After all, masturbation has been observed in the animal kingdom too so it's not just some perversion of the human character.

There's an old saying that goes "95% of all people masturbate, and the other 5% lie about it". Although there are no doubt a few people who don't masturbate, the vast majority of people do because, as I have already said, it is in our human nature. If something brings pleasure to oneself and does not harm or upset anyone else in any way then I really can't imagine God would have much of a problem with it. What could possibly be wrong about enjoying the body that he (supposedly) blessed us with? And also, if he didn't want people to masturbate then why would he make it feel so good? Surely he's intelligent enough to realise that people don't reproduce just because sex feels good, they reproduce to have children. Whether sex felt good or if it was just a neutral feeling, people would still reproduce so the only other reason he would make it feel so good would be for us to enjoy it. If masturbation really is such a terrible sin then God isn't going to have much company in Heaven.

[Bob Bagumelo]

I think so...but I also agree that almost everyone has already masturbated.
there's a saying that goes: "if God didn't want us to masturbate, He would have made our arms shorter..." but I don't know about that.

[YoungDaddyTC]

signed up just to post...

all i could think about after reading through all the posts was how many times people said 'we're human, it's in our nature.' there's a passage of scripture in the new testament that talks about how when we're born again, born of the spirit, that we 'die' to that old sin nature.

so even if it was ok before we were saved, we're not supposed to be ruled buy those types of desires. in other words, we have the power through christ to overcome.

now why would the bible tell us that unless we needed that power to overcome something in our bodies that had previously hindered?

to say it's just natural is correct, but doesn't mean that it's ok spiritually. i believe sex no matter what form is both physical and spirital. you may live in a natural body, but your spirit and who you really are, was bought at a price. so honor God with your body, and with your thoughts, and with your life.

[Tricky D]

Originally Posted by YoungDaddyTC

you may live in a natural body, but your spirit and who you really are, was bought at a price. so honor God with your body, and with your thoughts, and with your life.

God gave us our free will for free, but we have to pay for our body?
I thought only the devil dealt in transactions with hidden drawbacks.
Isn’t God supposed to be straightforward?

[YoungDaddyTC]

" God gave us our free will for free, but we have to pay for our body?
I thought only the devil dealt in transactions with hidden drawbacks.
Isn’t God supposed to be straightforward?"

no, we dont have to pay for our body. there's nothing we could possibly do that would be enough. the price i talked about was God choosing to send the only son he had to die a horrible, excruciatingly painful death. his blood is our currency into heaven. this is the price for our salvation.

it is because of this very act, not in spite of it, that we should honor God with our bodies.

[Nickc121]

When you masterbate you are almost always having impure thoughts, which we KNOW is a sin

[AONE]

It is not a sin. But many are very uncomfortable with their body and sexual nature and will say otherwise. Be free of the guilt you are loved by God ....even if you masterbate :-)