Overcoming matsurbation and other sexual sins (scriptures, sin, Bible, sex)

[daisiesnfreckles]

Originally Posted by ByChristsBlood

When struggling with masturbation (and, yes, it is definately wrong, because God intended sex to be between a man and a woman, not between a man and his lust), it is important to avoid the "near occasion of sin". This means that we must steer clear of bad situations. Examples: don't look at impure images or get yourself aroused unnecessarily, don't let your mind wander too much at night (even take sleeping pills if you have to), etc.

Another tried and true method is to offer up small sacrifices throughout the day, such as refraining from second helpings or being nice to someone who says something mean to you. This will do two things for you:
(1) help you have better self-control
(2) if you offer up these sacrifices to Christ and unite them to the suffering of the Cross, you will grow closer to Him.

I'd say not taking a second helping of dinner is worth self-control/growing closer to the Savior who died for you, wouldn't you?

I have not yet fully overcome this sin myself, but I can guarantee you this: the struggle will be hard, but worth it.

And "if at first you don't succeed, try try again". The greatest danger of battling a sexual habit is falling into despair. Have hope!!!

I'm sorry, but if you were talking to me, I'd be completely offended and immediately defensive. Control your thoughts at night...take sleeping pills if you have to?!?! I'm flabbergasted that anyone would say such a thing.

[daisiesnfreckles]

Originally Posted by Alanboy395

Has any christian on this forum ever dealt with masturbation and other sexual sin? How did you overcome it? Did you take any other steps along with prayer? Just curious.

My advice to you would be to prayerfully study the scripture and follow God's guidance. I'm not an authority on the Bible by any means, but I have yet to find anything that would classify masturbation as a sin. There are other things that people generally link to masturbation that would be considered a sin (looking lustfully at another person...or pictures of another person, having impure thoughts of other people, etc), and to masturbate while doing those things is definitely sinful (because of the association with those things, not because of the masturbation itself). But until I find verification in scripture that masturbation, specifically, is wrong, then I won't agree with that assertion. I wish you well in your quest for truth.

[esselcue]

Originally Posted by Alanboy395

Has any christian on this forum ever dealt with masturbation and other sexual sin? How did you overcome it? Did you take any other steps along with prayer? Just curious.

I am not a Christian but this thread is impossible to ignore. First of all, masturbation is one thing...it harms no one, it's a natural body function, and there are no victims involved. I think it's ridiculous and absurd to believe one has to overcome it or do pennance for it. Good grief!!!

"Other sexual sins" may include rape, sodomy, murder, child molestation, etc, and that's a totally different topic! Those things go way beyond simple "sin" and require a lot more thank asking god for forgiveness or doing pennance. Just cannot lump those things in with "masturbation"

[Towhee]

Originally Posted by yhwhshalomjr

So, would you agree with me if I said that I didn't watch television apart
from the news and weather;
But now even the news media has crept in with fleshly images and commercials
are seductive;
so what do you do now;
and most of the believers I know , watch at least prime time television;
which BTW is as trashy as some of the rated channels

Boy..have you got that right! Even the shows that I used to like have become more vulgar in both pictures and speach this season. I am wondering just how far it will go, and how many gullible people are watching it?

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by daisiesnfreckles

My advice to you would be to prayerfully study the scripture and follow God's guidance. I'm not an authority on the Bible by any means, but I have yet to find anything that would classify masturbation as a sin.

Agreed.

... There are other things that people generally link to masturbation that would be considered a sin (looking lustfully at another person...or pictures of another person, having impure thoughts of other people, etc), and to masturbate while doing those things is definitely sinful (because of the association with those things, not because of the masturbation itself). But until I find verification in scripture that masturbation, specifically, is wrong, then I won't agree with that assertion. I wish you well in your quest for truth.

Man can not make-up new sins at will.

Only God can say if a thing is sin.

God clearly lists the sins.

MB is not one of them.

[Ringwielder]

xamples: don't look at impure images or get yourself aroused unnecessarily, don't let your mind wander too much at night (even take sleeping pills if you have to), etc.

Wear boxing gloves to bed.

I have not yet fully overcome this sin myself, but I can guarantee you this: the struggle will be hard, but worth it.

Dont bank on ever overcoming it. And if you dont believe in sex before marriage, like the religion I was in didnt, then you will not know if your wife/husband to be will want to fulfil your sexual needs. My first wife, who I was married to for 25 years, was not very interested in sex and to get rid of my daily frustrations when I was a young man, I masturbated.(also seen as a sin). So dont think getting married will automatically end your problem.

Needless to say I felt tremendous guilt all the way into my 30's and then I just gave up, reasoning that my wife had driven me to sin frequently and God would understand, as he gave me those needs.

I dont believe its a sin now, just a natural release for the pent up hormones of a youthful body.

What about masturbation during foreplay? Is that a sin too?

[Oakback]

Originally Posted by forest beekeeper

Agreed.





Man can not make-up new sins at will.

Only God can say if a thing is sin.

God clearly lists the sins.

MB is not one of them.

1 John 2:16

[LogicIsYourFriend]

Originally Posted by Oakback

1 John 2:16

1 John 2:15-17 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
17And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

So it's only a sin (or "not of the father") if you "love" it. I'd say the same about overeating, while eating is a necessary part of life.

[Jesse69]

Yeah, masturbation is hard to give up, especially when you're usually single and don't have promiscious sex. Growing up in H.S. and college, I kinda laughed at the students that were having sex / sinning much, I said why not masturbate instead of sex where you can have unwanted children and STDs. Then my neighbors in college were often having hot sounding sex and this got me so horny I got into a bad habit of masturbation after Jr yr college. Then I did it crossdressed and it seems God didn't like that that way and I've had several weird paranoid episodes where I'd see / hear strange things.

Now I get scared if masturbation is a grave or mortal sin. For the past 3 weeks I went to confession every Saturday, but couldn't refrain from masturbating the next week. This week - maybe I'll be successful.

I think it was Vatican doctrine condemning masturbation "as a grave sin." So I Googled - Vatican Masturbation - and there are sevral good results from that. Maybe here's one, but it's such a long article! - Courage Home Page (http://couragerc.net/PIPMasturbation.html - broken link)

Well, I hope masturbation is not a mortal sin, because sometimes I gotta do it!

Then some priest say at the confession -
- it's a grave sin
- your body is a Holy Temple
- it's a venial sin

But then if you knowingly do it knowing it's a sin, it becomes mortal? - Crap, I hope not!

You know, some of you quote the Bible, but then some of you use Bibles that are not Roman Catholic authorized with the "Nihil Obstat" term, meaning free from doctrine error.

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by Oakback

1 John 2:16

Yes, Thank you, my point indeed.

Pride is a terrible thing.