Is masturbation a sin if you believe in God?

It's a sin regardless. It makes you create lust in your mind, which is a sin (Matt. 5:28).


Bible.com (http://www.bible.com/bibleanswers_result.php?id=252)

No, it's not a sin. It's a sin to spell the word wrong though. The correct spelling is "masturbate"

So which one is it YES or NO

God gave you free will so if you want to do it you are more than able to. All I'm saying is it causes you to create lustful thoughts in your mind. God knows what you are thinking. He does not condone lust. Click on that link I gave you.

One of the seven deadly sins, lust that is. So yes technically, but I try to stay away from religious debates. They only muddy the waters.

Phoenix, you will never get 100% agreement about masturbation. Some cultures and religions including Christian fundamentals/evangelicals say masturbation is always wrong, is a sin, an occasion for lust. (Like no one can be lustful without masturbation?? ) It's a way to find out how your body works, but don't overdo it. If one spends a lot of time masturbating, he/she isn't involved in life, especially social life. Also, masturbation can become an obsessive-compulsive habit that rules one's life.

Masturbation is not necessary for mental or physical health. It can be a relief for sexual tension or a type of contraception or a way to forestall premature ejaculation.

Humans are social animals and were made for sex between male and female, not for solitary sex.

Moved this post to Christianity, where you may get more discussion about whether it's a sin.

It's only a "sin" if you don't enjoy it and don't get a fabulous release!

Christian leaders and philosophers have gone way out of their way to spoil an individual's sexual life for many millennia. The big lie is that there is a separation between a person's body and a person's mind---dualism---and that living in one's head and puishing the body is a good thing--IT IS NOT A GOOD THING! In reality, an individual **IS HIS/HER BODY** which includes a brain, hence consciousness. The body is *not* to be punished deprived or scorned, WHAT NONSENSE. :)

Individuals are their bodies!! Just to reiterate. It is unhealthy to think with Dark Ages (my definition-fall of Rome to the Enlightenment) speculation done by weird guys who had no knowledge and plenty of neurosis'.

I'm a follower of Aristotle... **EVERYTHING** in moderation. (Including "religion")
Have a full well balanced life, everything in moderation.

It is only a sin if you believe it is a sin. Personally I do not think it is a sin. You really need to decide for yourself how much you believe in God and the words of the bible. But remember, you are no saint - you are a simple human being. And if the bible is the word of God - God forgives everything.

It's a sin regardless. It makes you create lust in your mind, which is a sin (Matt. 5:28).


Bible.com (http://www.bible.com/bibleanswers_result.php?id=252)

I would not necessarily agree, though that is no doubt often (or more likely most of the time) the problem. Lust is not wrong if the subject of that interest is your wife - that is the one exception. But I do agree that the majority of the problem with masturbation is that it does involve the sin of lust.

Masturbation is often called the sin of Onan because of this passage, which is often used to justify calling it a sin:

Gen 38:6-10
7 But Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD killed him. 8 And Judah said to Onan, "Go in to your brother's wife and marry her, and raise up an heir to your brother." 9 But Onan knew that the heir would not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in to his brother's wife, that he emitted on the ground, lest he should give an heir to his brother.
NKJV

Now this is not specifically masturbation. The sin here is that he was to raise up an heir and he sinned by not doing so.

It depends on how you interpret the scripture's admonitions against fornication and adultery. Since masturbation involves sexual "relations" with "someone" other than one's spouse, in all likelihood it's arguably sinful.

It depends on how you interpret the scripture's admonitions against fornication and adultery. Since masturbation involves sexual "relations" with "someone" other than one's spouse, in all likelihood it's arguably sinful.

Why do you assume that it is not the person's spouse that they are lusting over? I grant you, your assumption is probably true most of the time, but what about a case where the spouse is away on a trip, or in hospital, or unable to have sex for medical reasons. My point is that we ought to be careful about making a blanket statement.

In any case we really don't truly know what the bible might have meant. Simply because that it's been altered too many times.

in any case we really don't truly know what the bible might have meant. simply because that it's been altered too many times.

Really? Why do so many people make this claim, and yet no one brings forward any evidence of the so-called alterations.

Okay, if you can manage to masturbate on feelings alone, then no, but if you need to create mental images of women, which most men do, then yes, it is lust.
The only thing the bible directly mentions is in leviticus, saying that it is shameful for a man to spill his seed on the ground...
So its not a sin, but I think that if you want to please God, which is our purpse, and as christians we have decided to embrace that purpose, then you will abstain...

It really doesn't matter anyway because you have tons of time to pray for forgiveness. I always clean my seed up with a towel. LOL

The only thing the bible directly mentions is in leviticus, saying that it is shameful for a man to spill his seed on the ground....

Could you give a reference in Leviticus? The only reference that I have heard used before is the sin of Onan in Genesis 38, but as I piointed out earlier, the Genesis 38 passage does not apply to the specifics of what we are discussing.

For Christians, the OT is a guidebook, not a lawbook. The Ten Commandments no longer condemn us, but lack of love does.

For Christians, the OT is a guidebook, not a lawbook. The Ten Commandments no longer condemn us, but lack of love does.
Yeah I have to mention that wondergirl is right. The old testament laws were in the old covenant, the laws by which the jews must abide in order to seek atonement for their sins.
And the seed on the ground wasn't in leviticus, what I was thinking of was

Lev. 15:16 And if any man has a discharge of semen, he shall wash all his body in water, and be unclean until evening. 17And every garment and every skin on which the sperm comes shall be washed with water, and be unclean until evening.


Either way, that's old law, not governing over us anymore.

Lust is a sin, not masturbation. Let us not mix up the two. To masturbate does not necessarily involve lusting after another person. True lust is an obsession and dangerous. THe term lust has been overused to mean that a person looks at another and finds them willing to consider that person for copulation. Frankly, that is part of what God programed into us. If we are not interested in copulation, there would be no way to spread the word of God! Enjoy yourself, especially if it is your only means of release. You are not hurting God's feelings or hurting anyone else. People who have not practiced some sort of masturbation, also only tolerate sex. A healthy body and psyche enjoys the physical pleasures of the body God gave us.

Lust is a sin, not masturbation. Let us not mix up the two. To masturbate does not necessarily involve lusting after another person. True lust is an obsession and dangerous. THe term lust has been overused to mean that a person looks at another and finds them willing to consider that person for copulation. Frankly, that is part of what God programed into us. If we are not interested in copulation, there would be no way to spread the word of God! Enjoy yourself, especially if it is your only means of release. You are not hurting God's feelings or hurting anyone else. People who have not practiced some sort of masturbation, also only tolerate sex. A healthy body and psyche enjoys the physical pleasures of the body God gave us.

Matthew 5:28 But I say to you that everyone who so much as looks at a woman with evil desire for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Mark 4:19 Then the cares and anxieties of the world and distractions of the age, and the pleasure and delight and false glamour and deceitfulness of riches, and the craving and passionate desire for other things creep in and choke and suffocate the Word, and it becomes fruitless.

What if the desire is not evil?

What's the definition of "evil desire"?

Yeah I have to mention that wondergirl is right. The old testament laws were in the old covenant, the laws by which the jews must abide in order to seek atonement for their sins.


Agreed. The OT laws do provide us with a view as to God's standard for our lives, but it is a standard that we cannot hope to achieve on our own. The law was intended to make us aware of that and to point us to Christ. (Gal 3)


And the seed on the ground wasn't in leviticus, what I was thinking of was

Lev. 15:16 And if any man has a discharge of semen, he shall wash all his body in water, and be unclean until evening. 17And every garment and every skin on which the sperm comes shall be washed with water, and be unclean until evening.

I think that to say that the intent of this passage was masturbation is a stretch.

It's a sin regardless. It makes you create lust in your mind, which is a sin (Matt. 5:28).


Bible.com (http://www.bible.com/bibleanswers_result.php?id=252)
Hello Biggie My name is Bianca I am not against you I believe that masturabation is a sin and I don't cover my sin I have done a lot of bad things that is close to masturbation so it is easy for me to tell you about this.:) thank you for showing me this site and also thank you for telling the truth.I have a question for you what if you masterbate and repented and did it again would god for give you again and again of do you have a chance.:eek: :(

Matthew 5:28 But I say to you that everyone who so much as looks at a woman with evil desire for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Mark 4:19 Then the cares and anxieties of the world and distractions of the age, and the pleasure and delight and false glamour and deceitfulness of riches, and the craving and passionate desire for other things creep in and choke and suffocate the Word, and it becomes fruitless.
MASTURBATION CAUSES LUST :mad: :( THEY BOTH ARE SINS

DO YOU THINK YOU SHOULD WAIT TO HAVE SEX AFETER YOU GET MARRIED I THINK IT IS MUCH SAFE BUT YOU THINK WHY DOES IT MATTER EVERYBODY DOES IT!

LUST IS BAD LUST IS BAD LUST IS BAD DONT DO IT IN THE BIBLE IT SAYS SIN SIN SIN

I'm gulity to

Is masterbation a sin if you believe in God?

There are many people who believe in God and unfortunately we don't all agree on everything which constitutes sin.

Speaking as a Catholic, yes, masturbation is a mortal sin.

2396 Among the sins gravely contrary to chastity are masturbation, fornication, pornography, and homosexual practices.
CCC Search Result - Paragraph # 2396 (http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/2396.htm)

So, I imagine you want to know why the Catholic Church considers masturbation a sin.

Because sex is so important that God ordained it for man and wife within the sacrament of Holy Matrimony for the procreation of children. Sex is a gift to man and wife whereby they give love to each other with the language of the body and it is open to life.

A man will cleave to his wife and they will be one flesh. This one flesh is the child that results from their union and he becomes the living icon of their love for each other and God's love for them.

So, sex practiced on oneself is neither open to life nor a gift of love between man and wife but is simply a spilling of the gift of life which God gave to man.

I hope that helps.

Sincerely,

De Maria

Ask this question: Is masturbation a sin if you DON'T believe in God? God is God, whether you believe in Him or not.

More importantly: What are you stealing from God by having an orgasm without a partner? Be honest. What do YOU think?

Is masterbation a sin if you believe in God?

Sin is sin, whether you believe in God or not. So the question is whether masturbation is a sin. Chances are that you wouldn't be asking if it wasn't. The only time we begin to wonder is some activity is a sin, is if something inside us is uncomfortable after participating in the activity.

Others have given you the scriptural references for masturbation being a sin, however there are consequences aside from that. God doesn't say not to do something just to keep you from having "fun", but usually there are consequences. In the case of masturbation it usually requires stimulation from either lustful fantasy or pornography, which can lead to an inability to fully participate in a marital relationship.

it is a sin. Its in the bible. And when u masterbate what do u think of pornography. But its not a sin to think of pornography because the devil is putting those images in your head for u can sin.(masterbate)

Masturbation is a sin. It shows lack of appreciation for the gift of the sacred of life. It also contributes to a lack of self-control. It distorts one's natural function of his body. It also may ruin one's chance of a normal sex life in the future. When self abuse is practiced it becomes habitual. Why deliberately form a bad habit. Why spill life producing semen, when it proper use is to share it in normal intercourse with a spouse that one loves. Yes, masturbation is a sin and a shame, but it is not as bad as fornication.

If one has a problem with this habit there are things one can do to break the habit.

The BIble states that even lust is grounds for eternal damnation in the lake of fire.
Matthew 5:27-30 27Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: 28But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. 29And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 30And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

The Bible condemns all those involved in sexual immorality:
Galatians 5:19-2119Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
In context uncleanness is listed with other sexual sins. Leviticus 15:16-18 would suggest uncleanness would be masturbation.

All those who sin (including sexual sins) need a savior. The good news is that Christ died for sinners. All those who place their faith in his atonement have eternal life.

1 John 1:7-10 7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
8If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

I make some assumptions about you which will affect the answer I here give.
1. You are a young man. 2. You are a Christian. 3. You are feeling guilty.
The answer to your question is both yes and no. To illustrate, is intercourse with your wife sin? The answer is no and yes. Circumstances determine the answer to that.

Lev 20:18
18 And if a man shall lie with a woman having her sickness, and shall uncover her nakedness; he hath discovered her fountain, and she hath uncovered the fountain of her blood: and both of them shall be cut off from among their people.
(KJV)
The words “cut off” denote capital offence. They would be stoned. So you see that sex with your wife could be sin, otherwise it is not.
The answers you got deal with more than masturbation. There is lust and pornography also.
Flee porn as you would hard drugs, because it alters the brain somehow, it is addictive, and any addict finds he needs larger doses and stronger porn to satisfy. Looking at porn is DEFINITELY sin.
Lust is definitely sin. The question is, when does attraction become lust? I believe it is when the attitude becomes, “I would if I could”. I've heard that several times, and that is lust, and it is sin because God now judges our attitudes as well as our actions.

We are ultimately going to have to base our thoughts and actions on what the Bible says on the subject. We have all the sexual sins listed in Leviticus, chapter 20, verses 10-21. Look it up. Sex forbidden with neighbor's wife, close relatives, someone of same sex, menstrous woman, and animals. Masturbation is not mentioned, and I expect they had a word for it, don't you?
Scriptures used have been posted. Matt. 5:20 deals with lust, a separate issue.
Lev 15:16-18
16 And if any man's seed of copulation go out from him, then he shall wash all his flesh in water, and be unclean until the even.
17 And every garment, and every skin, whereon is the seed of copulation, shall be washed with water, and be unclean until the even.
18 The woman also with whom man shall lie with seed of copulation, they shall both bathe themselves in water, and be unclean until the even.
(KJV)
While verse 16 COULD refer to masturbation, the context, vs.18 would indicate that it does not. In either case, the only thing is that he or they would be considered unclean until sundown. They could not take part in any religious ceremony for the rest of the day.
The other scripture cited is usually this one.

Gen 38:9
9 And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother.
(KJV)
Onan was practicing birth control, withdrawal. He openly rebelled against the law, and died for it. It was not masturbation.
So is it sin? Read 1 Cor. 7:1-5 and you will find that if a spouse withhold sex from the other it is sin. That can push the offended partner into sin, maybe in the arms of someone else. So here masturbation is sin.
I do not believe that God puts us in a corner and then zaps us. He gave us our sex drive. The reason we are uncomfortable with masturbation is because we are supposed to be attracted to our mate, otherwise how would the world be populated? We are supposed to be uncomfortable with it! Sexual tension can be a terrible thing. I don't know about the female, but with the male it is both physical and mental, and it is unremitting. When tension is high, I believe that lust is more likely to occur, not less likely. To say that a man who has no wife cannot relieve himself seems unreasonable. To find casual sex is sin, and he may remain unmarried for a long time.
You should pray about your feelings, and if God gives you some answer different, then by ALL MEANS listen to Him.
And guys, it's really easy for us who are old and married to say “don't” but if you are honest, you will admit that you have faced the same problem, and may again if you become widowed.

Supberb please PM me I want you as my mentor