Many people have debated about this, but I have not found any conclusive
answer yet. Is masturbation sinful?
Is masturbation sinful?
Moderator: Moderators
Post #51
I believe there is a big difference between a healthy sexual imagination and lusting after someone.
What is the difference?
But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. (Matthew 5:28)
If you imagine you are with this woman while masturbating, are you committing adultery in your heart as well?
I don't see that their is much of a difference...
You did not address all of my post. God created us with an imagination...a sexual imagination. It is one thing to admire and enjoy a woman's beauty, and another to "breath hard after" her. If you, as a man, try to contain your sexual imagination because you think it is wrong...you will be dragged down into satans trap. His trap is one that trys to twist the truth.
Here is my original post.
We are sexual creatures. It is good that we are attracted to the opposite sex. It has been explained to me that the word lust is translated from if translated literally means "to breath hard after". I believe there is a big difference between a healthy sexual imagination and lusting after someone.
Post #52
What do you mean by "satans trap"....?If you, as a man, try to contain your sexual imagination because you think it is wrong...you will be dragged down into satans trap. His trap is one that trys to twist the truth.
so if I chose to not have anything to do with sex or masturbation because I think it is rong.... then I'm falling into satans traps?
One love, one heart
Lets get together and feel alright
One love, hear my plea, one heart
Give thanks and praise to the lord, and I will feel alright
/ Bob Marley
Lets get together and feel alright
One love, hear my plea, one heart
Give thanks and praise to the lord, and I will feel alright
/ Bob Marley
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Cheesewheel
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Post #53
I have personally been struggling with this issue for quite some time. I won't go over my entire life history as far as the subject goes, but I feel as though I have to post my own personal findings and feelings, though they may be extensive, so I can get some feedback on how the rest of you feel about the things I currently understand as the truth. Anyhow, enough babble, here it is:
In response to Aslan: As far as enjoying the beauty of the human form that God Himself has given us, yes, that's perfectly fine. He wants us to be attracted to the opposite sex. If we weren't at all attracted to them, how could He expect us to fulfil his command to multiply and populate the earth? "Breathing hard" after someone, as I have understood it's meaning, is something entirely different. While the translation of "lust" may be "to breathe hard after", it's meaning does not change. As by Random House Webster's Dictionary, revised and updated Third Edition, "lust - 1. intense sexual desire or appetite. 2. an overwhelming desire. 3. ardent enthusiasm. 4. to have a strong desire." Some may claim, as an effort to justify their actions, that according to this definition they simply have an "ardent enthusiasm" towards the opposite sex while they masturbate (which, technically, would still be lust anyway). You can't stop there, though, as masturbation is clearly a sexual act. So we then take the "intense sexual desire or appetite" and "an overwhelming desire" definitions given and come to the understanding that this certain type of imagination and act is very sexual and lustful, not just "enjoying the beauty of a woman". Now that we know this is a sexual lust, we can better understand this specific situation: using our sexual imagination to both stimulate and carry through with masturbation. Masturbating to these types of sexual images is just like masturbating to pornography. It creates evil and sinful lust, the type that you take to a sexual degree and thereby give in to. Conclusion: it is fine to think, "wow, that woman is really pretty!" or to notice, "Oh my goodness, that lady has huge boobs!" but it is totally impure to dwell on those things to the point of sexual release (masturbation, fornication or otherwise) as you have explained is the situation, as this takes it to the peak of lust which is plainly written out in the Bible as sinful.
As for my own experiences: I have constantly wondered, "Is there a right and wrong way to masturbate?" As for the wrong way, I clearly have found that to be giving in to lustful desires. As far as a right way goes, I am torn in two opposite directions. Personally, without the use of impure thoughts or images, focusing only on the pleasure and on my own body's reaction to stimulation, I still would feel tremendously guilty afterwards. I thought to myself, "why am I feeling so bad about this? I did it in the purest way I knew how, and yet still I feel that I have commited some terrible sin." So, I went to the bible with this in mind and tried to find as much about any type of "seed" I possibly could. As with a lot of other sexual acts, I found something in Leviticus, though nearly transparent, that could possibly explain why I had been feeling such a way. Leviticus 15:16, 17. "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./And every garment, and every skin, whereon is the seed of copulation, shall be washed with water, and be unclean until the even." As for verse 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," it obviously is referring to fornication. To go back and elaborate on 16 and 17 now, they talk about emissions of semen. A "seed of copulation" is literally an outpouring of seed. So, by taking the translation and definition of this "seed of copulation" we can pretty much make sense that any outpouring of semen is impure and causes pollution of the spirit. While no sacrifice was required for these discharges, the partaker still was made unclean and had to wash himself. Does this mean it's sin, though? No, or else it would have required the sacrifice of a sin offering (getting saved through Jesus, the final and ultimate sin offering and sacrifice, meaning that every time you masturbated you would backslide and need to get saved all over again), or at least that is as much as we can take from this scripture. So, knowing that it makes you unclean but doesn't require a sacrifice, we can say that though it is not a sin, God still looks at it as an act of satisfaction of the flesh, and because the flesh in itself is sin and will want everything the world has to offer, by giving in to its demands (those not required for survival, mind you. You still need to eat! =P) you are in a way tainting yourself, showing a weakness to the flesh, and thereby possibly making yourself more succeptible to sin in the future. Therefore we can safely say that masturbation, as long as it is done in a pure way, is most likely an act that you must repent for (washed with water), but not one that could cause you to lose the Holy Ghost (as long as you don't allow it to get to, or TAKE it to, a sinful degree, such as masturbation being the result of lust, or by letting it become an addiction).
I suppose the main thing I mean by all this is that while masturbation is not described at all in the Bible as being an outright transgression against God, we still need to be careful that we always have control over our body. The flesh is strong, it will pull you toward every sin it can, and Satan will never fail to tempt you to take part of something your soul knows is impure. You always need to make sure you are in control of your flesh, that through God's grace you can withstand its demands and stay strong for God through the battle He and Satan are waging over your eternal soul. My best advice, and the advice I myself have decided to follow: Do your very best never to masturbate, as it is an urge of the flesh, not of the spirit. By giving in to it, you are showing weakness to the flesh, and therefore allowing Satan to take one more step towards your soul. If at all possible, don't masturbate at all. Pray for the strength when the urge arises; immediately start praying that God send you His grace and that He give you the strength and the resolve of mind to get up and ignore the flesh completely. Every time you are able to control the flesh, instead of having it control you, it becomes easier to do so the next time, and hopefully God will give you the power to conquer it completely so that the urge is but sand beneath your feet. God himself said that His yolk is easy and His burden is light. Put your troubles on His shoulders -- He'll carry you through. =)
In response to Aslan: As far as enjoying the beauty of the human form that God Himself has given us, yes, that's perfectly fine. He wants us to be attracted to the opposite sex. If we weren't at all attracted to them, how could He expect us to fulfil his command to multiply and populate the earth? "Breathing hard" after someone, as I have understood it's meaning, is something entirely different. While the translation of "lust" may be "to breathe hard after", it's meaning does not change. As by Random House Webster's Dictionary, revised and updated Third Edition, "lust - 1. intense sexual desire or appetite. 2. an overwhelming desire. 3. ardent enthusiasm. 4. to have a strong desire." Some may claim, as an effort to justify their actions, that according to this definition they simply have an "ardent enthusiasm" towards the opposite sex while they masturbate (which, technically, would still be lust anyway). You can't stop there, though, as masturbation is clearly a sexual act. So we then take the "intense sexual desire or appetite" and "an overwhelming desire" definitions given and come to the understanding that this certain type of imagination and act is very sexual and lustful, not just "enjoying the beauty of a woman". Now that we know this is a sexual lust, we can better understand this specific situation: using our sexual imagination to both stimulate and carry through with masturbation. Masturbating to these types of sexual images is just like masturbating to pornography. It creates evil and sinful lust, the type that you take to a sexual degree and thereby give in to. Conclusion: it is fine to think, "wow, that woman is really pretty!" or to notice, "Oh my goodness, that lady has huge boobs!" but it is totally impure to dwell on those things to the point of sexual release (masturbation, fornication or otherwise) as you have explained is the situation, as this takes it to the peak of lust which is plainly written out in the Bible as sinful.
As for my own experiences: I have constantly wondered, "Is there a right and wrong way to masturbate?" As for the wrong way, I clearly have found that to be giving in to lustful desires. As far as a right way goes, I am torn in two opposite directions. Personally, without the use of impure thoughts or images, focusing only on the pleasure and on my own body's reaction to stimulation, I still would feel tremendously guilty afterwards. I thought to myself, "why am I feeling so bad about this? I did it in the purest way I knew how, and yet still I feel that I have commited some terrible sin." So, I went to the bible with this in mind and tried to find as much about any type of "seed" I possibly could. As with a lot of other sexual acts, I found something in Leviticus, though nearly transparent, that could possibly explain why I had been feeling such a way. Leviticus 15:16, 17. "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./And every garment, and every skin, whereon is the seed of copulation, shall be washed with water, and be unclean until the even." As for verse 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," it obviously is referring to fornication. To go back and elaborate on 16 and 17 now, they talk about emissions of semen. A "seed of copulation" is literally an outpouring of seed. So, by taking the translation and definition of this "seed of copulation" we can pretty much make sense that any outpouring of semen is impure and causes pollution of the spirit. While no sacrifice was required for these discharges, the partaker still was made unclean and had to wash himself. Does this mean it's sin, though? No, or else it would have required the sacrifice of a sin offering (getting saved through Jesus, the final and ultimate sin offering and sacrifice, meaning that every time you masturbated you would backslide and need to get saved all over again), or at least that is as much as we can take from this scripture. So, knowing that it makes you unclean but doesn't require a sacrifice, we can say that though it is not a sin, God still looks at it as an act of satisfaction of the flesh, and because the flesh in itself is sin and will want everything the world has to offer, by giving in to its demands (those not required for survival, mind you. You still need to eat! =P) you are in a way tainting yourself, showing a weakness to the flesh, and thereby possibly making yourself more succeptible to sin in the future. Therefore we can safely say that masturbation, as long as it is done in a pure way, is most likely an act that you must repent for (washed with water), but not one that could cause you to lose the Holy Ghost (as long as you don't allow it to get to, or TAKE it to, a sinful degree, such as masturbation being the result of lust, or by letting it become an addiction).
I suppose the main thing I mean by all this is that while masturbation is not described at all in the Bible as being an outright transgression against God, we still need to be careful that we always have control over our body. The flesh is strong, it will pull you toward every sin it can, and Satan will never fail to tempt you to take part of something your soul knows is impure. You always need to make sure you are in control of your flesh, that through God's grace you can withstand its demands and stay strong for God through the battle He and Satan are waging over your eternal soul. My best advice, and the advice I myself have decided to follow: Do your very best never to masturbate, as it is an urge of the flesh, not of the spirit. By giving in to it, you are showing weakness to the flesh, and therefore allowing Satan to take one more step towards your soul. If at all possible, don't masturbate at all. Pray for the strength when the urge arises; immediately start praying that God send you His grace and that He give you the strength and the resolve of mind to get up and ignore the flesh completely. Every time you are able to control the flesh, instead of having it control you, it becomes easier to do so the next time, and hopefully God will give you the power to conquer it completely so that the urge is but sand beneath your feet. God himself said that His yolk is easy and His burden is light. Put your troubles on His shoulders -- He'll carry you through. =)
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AClockWorkOrange
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Cheesewheel
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Post #55
addict - 1. to cause to become physiologically dependent on a drug. 2. to abandon oneself to something compulsively or obsessively. 3. one who is addicted.AClockWorkOrange wrote:masterbation is only as "addictive" as ANYTHING that is habitual.
habit - 1. a pattern of behavior acquired as a result of frequent repetition. 2. customary practice or use. 3. addiction, esp. to narcotics. 4. the garb of a particular profession, religious order, etc.
While the third definition does in fact tie in with an addiction, the way in which you used habitual, as I see it, was more in a sense of "I wake up every morning at seven and go to bed every night at eleven." This is clearly not the addiction, as you could most certainly decide to sleep in whenever you feel like it. An addiction, however, is something you depend on or are "compulsively or obsessively" interested in. Masturbation, in most situations, is simply an addiction, not a habit, though they are very close in nature. I suppose the thing any one person has to ask themself about the situation is, "Do I NEED it? Am I obsessed with it? If I get the urge to masturbate, am I able to turn that urge off and change my focus?" If you do need it, if you are obsessed with it and thinking about it all the time, and if you give in to every urge that arises and just can't possibly turn it off, you are an addict. The first step to conquering an addiction is realizing you have one.
Note: Just so no one feels that I'm being judgemental, I'd like to say that I myself was most certainly addicted to masturbation. If I got an erection I masturbated, I couldn't turn it off, and it was almost always on my mind. Every chance I got I would do it. The first thing that got me over it was realizing I had a major problem. God opened my eyes to the fact that something simply was not right! The second step was going to God so that he could give me victory over it, and I must say He most certainly has. Thank you, God!
Post #56
You poor man, masturbation isn't sinful, it's pleasurable. Enjoy it. It doesn't tarnish your soul. Break free from your self-inflicted chains.
To the believer, no proof is necessary; to the skeptic, no proof is enough.
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Cheesewheel
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Post #57
I never said it wasn't pleasurable, but it can easily become sin. Sexual pleasure is one of Satan's most powerful weapons! If we aren't careful, we can easily fall to it. The main thing to remember is that the flesh is sin, it will want to sin, it will go for everything it can see, feel and touch. While masturbation, if done in the right way with the right intentions, is not sinful, we become weaker to it every time we give in to it! If you never experienced a sexual release/orgasm, then masturbation wouldn't even enter your mind as your body has never known the pleasure and therefore can't crave it. But because most people explore their body at a younger age, most of the time before the age of accountability, they open themselves up to a possible port that satan can use as a weakness, a thorn in their side, if you will.WelshBoy wrote:You poor man, masturbation isn't sinful, it's pleasurable. Enjoy it. It doesn't tarnish your soul. Break free from your self-inflicted chains.
I'm not at all saying, never have, that masturbation in itself is a sin and because you do it that you're a sinner. I have no right, it's not my place to judge. I'm simply trying to explain that satan will use anything he possibly can, however pure it may start out, to get into our minds and tempt us to give in to something that IS a sin. Satan is very tricky and very deceptive. If he can find even one tiny, weak thread, he'll slowly and masterfully weave an entire mess of sin into your life.
So, be careful. Masturbate if you need to! If you absolutely can't hold out one second longer or you'll totally go insane, then do it! It is a natural drive God Himself gave us, it was His command to multiply and populate the earth, and if we had no drive to have sex, we wouldn't do it! The main thing is to be sure of your intentions, and to take extra care that it doesn't develop into a problem. Masturbating to keep your thoughts and priorities straight is one thing, masturbating to get off to a hot chick you're fantasizing about is another.
Post #58
Another fabulous example of the religious need to 'criminalize' all of our most basic aspects. Seriously, Satan is made up. And I can hear you wheeling out that wonderful bit of wisdom about Satan wanting to convince us he doesn't exist - give me a biblical reason why you believe that statement, and I'll stop thinking that the lack of an explicit Satan is actually because he doesn't exist.
Free yourself from this madness of thinking that the non-existent is actually merely craftily invisible.
Satan also may not be what you think he is. There are plenty of other threads addressing the problem of Satan - for example how can he present himself before the Lord in Job, when God cannot look upon evil? Anyway, this isn't the thread for that. Masturbation is fine, and it is a peculiar trait of the religious to introduce guilt into the natural.
Free yourself from this madness of thinking that the non-existent is actually merely craftily invisible.
Satan also may not be what you think he is. There are plenty of other threads addressing the problem of Satan - for example how can he present himself before the Lord in Job, when God cannot look upon evil? Anyway, this isn't the thread for that. Masturbation is fine, and it is a peculiar trait of the religious to introduce guilt into the natural.
To the believer, no proof is necessary; to the skeptic, no proof is enough.
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Cathar1950
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Post #59
You took most of the words out of my head.WelshBoy wrote:Another fabulous example of the religious need to 'criminalize' all of our most basic aspects. Seriously, Satan is made up. And I can hear you wheeling out that wonderful bit of wisdom about Satan wanting to convince us he doesn't exist - give me a biblical reason why you believe that statement, and I'll stop thinking that the lack of an explicit Satan is actually because he doesn't exist.
Free yourself from this madness of thinking that the non-existent is actually merely craftily invisible.
Satan also may not be what you think he is. There are plenty of other threads addressing the problem of Satan - for example how can he present himself before the Lord in Job, when God cannot look upon evil? Anyway, this isn't the thread for that. Masturbation is fine, and it is a peculiar trait of the religious to introduce guilt into the natural.
I wanted to say that but not as well.
Besides the hand and genitals are the devils playground Cheese wheel sounds a little creepy as it pertains to:
And yet it is one of God’s best gifts. It seems that some of religious use it as a weapon.Cheesewheel wrote: Sexual pleasure is one of Satan's most powerful weapons!
Some seem more attached to the concept and myth of Satan then they are to their genitals.
How is the flesh sin? It will want to sin? Did you somehow get separated? Are you having a problem with body identification? Yes we like to feel and touch. I think that is how we are made. “Choose life” or “I would rather be saved while I am alive” seem rather silly with out feeling or touching. So much for the heart of man usually a symbol of feeling and emotion while God is suppose to give them new hearts or write on there hearts you seem to want the filthy organ removed.Cheesewheel wrote: The main thing to remember is that the flesh is sin, it will want to sin, it will go for everything it can see, feel and touch.
Cheesewheel wrote: While masturbation, if done in the right way with the right intentions, is not sinful, we become weaker to it every time we give in to it! If you never experienced a sexual release/orgasm, then masturbation wouldn't even enter your mind as your body has never known the pleasure and therefore can't crave it.
I can sense your frustration.Cheesewheel wrote: they open themselves up to a possible port that satan can use as a weakness, a thorn in their side, if you will.
Lots of things are messy. But I will do my best not to let Satan touch anything with his tricks and lies.Cheesewheel wrote: I'm not at all saying, never have, that masturbation in itself is a sin and because you do it that you're a sinner. I have no right, it's not my place to judge. I'm simply trying to explain that satan will use anything he possibly can, however pure it may start out, to get into our minds and tempt us to give in to something that IS a sin. Satan is very tricky and very deceptive. If he can find even one tiny, weak thread, he'll slowly and masterfully weave an entire mess of sin into your life.
I will be careful. I hope it isn’t the only thing keeping me sane. So what do you suggest with think about when we are masturbating old shoes, socks, dirty rags or what?Cheesewheel wrote: So, be careful. Masturbate if you need to! If you absolutely can't hold out one second longer or you'll totally go insane, then do it! It is a natural drive God Himself gave us, it was His command to multiply and populate the earth, and if we had no drive to have sex, we wouldn't do it! The main thing is to be sure of your intentions, and to take extra care that it doesn't develop into a problem. Masturbating to keep your thoughts and priorities straight is one thing, masturbating to get off to a hot chick you're fantasizing about is another.
Do you think it is healthier to think about something other then a person? I like wet dreams because you never know who is going to show up and it is never a bad experience.
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Cheesewheel
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Post #60
In response to WelshBoy:
I'm not here to argue, simply to address the issue to the best of my ability. As far as satan not existing, well, you were correct that this is not the thread for that, but I pity those who think such, as they are sadly blinded. He is not "merely" or "craftily invisible." He is everywhere you look. Satan runs this world and everything in it, and most people, unfortunately, are just helping him accomplish the destruction and misleading of souls he so entirely wants. What I had said earlier about him creeping into something non-sinful and twisting it to something that is, he does do that! He DOES disguise himself so that he can more easily approach those who are tender hearted towards God. He wants to keep them from the truth at all costs, and that's exactly what he tries to do, no matter how he must appeal to them. Secondly, masturbation is fine. You seemed to miss that entire thing of where I said, "I never said it was a sin in itself." But because satan is so desperate to get to our souls, he'll try to use it against us and to make us sin. Can you go through your entire life without masturbating in sin? OF COURSE! If that's the case, then by all means, do it! Most, however, can not say that they masturbate in a sinless fashion, and in that case then they'd better question their standing with God. And lastly, you said it's "a peculiar trait of the religious to introduce guilt into the natural." I am not tied to any religion or religious organization. Religion is false and is the root of most, if not all, of the misdirection in the world today. Christianity is the false woman God speaks of, and He tells us to, "come out of her my people." I am not using religion to inject some sort of psychological guilt into anyone's mind, but simply explaining my own situation and findings so that maybe they can better understand why they're feeling the guilt, if they do, and how theirs might be similar to mine. God and the Bible are the only things you need to tell you the truth, and the only thing I trust to lead me in the right direction.
In response to Cathar:
Yes, sexual pleasure is one of God's greatest gifts, I never said that wasn't so, but more importantly one of Satan's favorite tools to get us to fall from glory. Sex is definitely a good thing, and most enjoyable and free of guilt, if you do it in the right way. Sorry for coming across as creepy when I mentioned it, as that was not my intention. Just trying to explain how satan can use it against us. And as for the "myth" of Satan, he is very real, and all around us. I'm not at all attached to him, though, as I want nothing to do with him or his sin. And while I am attached to my genitals, I also am aware that satan can and will try to use them against me, and in that sense I try to ignore them. That doesn't mean they're not there or that I can't feel the urge or pleasure a normal person could, I simply choose not to for the fact that it was the avenue Satan used to keep me down before I got saved. As for your second question, yes, the flesh is sin in the fact that it will want to sin. You ask a good question about being separated, and though you came across as being sarcastic, it is true. When someone is born again into God's glory, as a child of God they are in fact, separated in soul and the flesh. The soul wants to follow the word of God, the flesh wants to follow the temptations of satan. When someone is indeed a child of God and born again, their soul becomes the governing entity, rather than the flesh governing the soul. It is in this way that they are separated, though not in a physical, literal sense. As far as the new heart, that is also true, and a part of being born again. I don't want my heart removed (please don't mock me, I was trying to be helpful), it is God's throne in my life. I love Him above anything else. The thing is that some people allow their hearts and minds to be lead in the wrong direction. It's not that the heart is evil, it's that we sometimes allow them to be filled with evil intentions and desires. I still have feelings and am able to love, but it is the purity that God has instilled in my heart that allows me to love more completely and entirely, and it is what keeps evil desires from my heart. You seemed a bit confused about the "if you haven't experienced it you can't crave it" statement, though that's exactly how it is. Look at it in a non sexual perspective. If you never had ice cream, never even heard of it and have no idea that it even exists, then are you gonna want that ice cream? No, you don't know what it tastes like. However, if you get some of that famed ice cream and, oh my goodness, it's the best thing you've ever tasted, well, you're going to start getting cravings for it.
That's simply what I meant by that. As for the rest of your post, I can't tell if you're agreeing with me or sarcastically trying to dispute everything I said. To answer you're question of what to think about, I honestly don't know what to say. The best thing is probably not to think about anything in particular, or better yet thank God in prayer while masturbating for the outlet he has allowed. If you've ever tried tickling yourself, you know that the fact we're even able to masturbate is a gift, so thank him for it. Think of anything you want but that which defiles the soul, such as lusting after a person, beast, or what have you. Just keep your thoughts pure, that's pretty much all I can suggest. Now, you mentioned wet dreams, and those are something that can't be helped. If you dream about someone and ejaculate in your sleep, you should not feel guilt about that, as you probably don't. God only holds us accountable for what we can control. We can't possibly control some of the thoughts that come into our mind, and obviously we can't control our dream cycle, as it is all a subconcious matter. A wet dream for a man is like a period for a woman, can't help it, just a function of the body that can't be controlled. Anyhow, it is not my duty to argue or to judge anyone, but if nothing else I hope all of this is at least helpful to those that are truly struggling with the issue.
I'm not here to argue, simply to address the issue to the best of my ability. As far as satan not existing, well, you were correct that this is not the thread for that, but I pity those who think such, as they are sadly blinded. He is not "merely" or "craftily invisible." He is everywhere you look. Satan runs this world and everything in it, and most people, unfortunately, are just helping him accomplish the destruction and misleading of souls he so entirely wants. What I had said earlier about him creeping into something non-sinful and twisting it to something that is, he does do that! He DOES disguise himself so that he can more easily approach those who are tender hearted towards God. He wants to keep them from the truth at all costs, and that's exactly what he tries to do, no matter how he must appeal to them. Secondly, masturbation is fine. You seemed to miss that entire thing of where I said, "I never said it was a sin in itself." But because satan is so desperate to get to our souls, he'll try to use it against us and to make us sin. Can you go through your entire life without masturbating in sin? OF COURSE! If that's the case, then by all means, do it! Most, however, can not say that they masturbate in a sinless fashion, and in that case then they'd better question their standing with God. And lastly, you said it's "a peculiar trait of the religious to introduce guilt into the natural." I am not tied to any religion or religious organization. Religion is false and is the root of most, if not all, of the misdirection in the world today. Christianity is the false woman God speaks of, and He tells us to, "come out of her my people." I am not using religion to inject some sort of psychological guilt into anyone's mind, but simply explaining my own situation and findings so that maybe they can better understand why they're feeling the guilt, if they do, and how theirs might be similar to mine. God and the Bible are the only things you need to tell you the truth, and the only thing I trust to lead me in the right direction.
In response to Cathar:
Yes, sexual pleasure is one of God's greatest gifts, I never said that wasn't so, but more importantly one of Satan's favorite tools to get us to fall from glory. Sex is definitely a good thing, and most enjoyable and free of guilt, if you do it in the right way. Sorry for coming across as creepy when I mentioned it, as that was not my intention. Just trying to explain how satan can use it against us. And as for the "myth" of Satan, he is very real, and all around us. I'm not at all attached to him, though, as I want nothing to do with him or his sin. And while I am attached to my genitals, I also am aware that satan can and will try to use them against me, and in that sense I try to ignore them. That doesn't mean they're not there or that I can't feel the urge or pleasure a normal person could, I simply choose not to for the fact that it was the avenue Satan used to keep me down before I got saved. As for your second question, yes, the flesh is sin in the fact that it will want to sin. You ask a good question about being separated, and though you came across as being sarcastic, it is true. When someone is born again into God's glory, as a child of God they are in fact, separated in soul and the flesh. The soul wants to follow the word of God, the flesh wants to follow the temptations of satan. When someone is indeed a child of God and born again, their soul becomes the governing entity, rather than the flesh governing the soul. It is in this way that they are separated, though not in a physical, literal sense. As far as the new heart, that is also true, and a part of being born again. I don't want my heart removed (please don't mock me, I was trying to be helpful), it is God's throne in my life. I love Him above anything else. The thing is that some people allow their hearts and minds to be lead in the wrong direction. It's not that the heart is evil, it's that we sometimes allow them to be filled with evil intentions and desires. I still have feelings and am able to love, but it is the purity that God has instilled in my heart that allows me to love more completely and entirely, and it is what keeps evil desires from my heart. You seemed a bit confused about the "if you haven't experienced it you can't crave it" statement, though that's exactly how it is. Look at it in a non sexual perspective. If you never had ice cream, never even heard of it and have no idea that it even exists, then are you gonna want that ice cream? No, you don't know what it tastes like. However, if you get some of that famed ice cream and, oh my goodness, it's the best thing you've ever tasted, well, you're going to start getting cravings for it.
That's simply what I meant by that. As for the rest of your post, I can't tell if you're agreeing with me or sarcastically trying to dispute everything I said. To answer you're question of what to think about, I honestly don't know what to say. The best thing is probably not to think about anything in particular, or better yet thank God in prayer while masturbating for the outlet he has allowed. If you've ever tried tickling yourself, you know that the fact we're even able to masturbate is a gift, so thank him for it. Think of anything you want but that which defiles the soul, such as lusting after a person, beast, or what have you. Just keep your thoughts pure, that's pretty much all I can suggest. Now, you mentioned wet dreams, and those are something that can't be helped. If you dream about someone and ejaculate in your sleep, you should not feel guilt about that, as you probably don't. God only holds us accountable for what we can control. We can't possibly control some of the thoughts that come into our mind, and obviously we can't control our dream cycle, as it is all a subconcious matter. A wet dream for a man is like a period for a woman, can't help it, just a function of the body that can't be controlled. Anyhow, it is not my duty to argue or to judge anyone, but if nothing else I hope all of this is at least helpful to those that are truly struggling with the issue.
