I was in a "christian" (Yeah... right... more athiests than christians.) chatroom, where the topic of masturbation came up.

While I got the athiest view on it ... there weren't many christians who were willing to state their view. What do you think? Sin, or not?

Should this be classified under sexual impurity? Impure thoughts?

I think everyone went to find their 10 foot pole...



will gather myself together and post some thoughts, after I can think of them...

Hmmmm...I'm interested to hear everyone's take on this, because I really don't know what to say! Pretty sure it's a sin (although wouldn't it be much easier to be a Christian single and remain pure if it wasn't!) but I'm not sure what classification it would go under... I've wondered this myself to be honest...you couldn't always classify this under impure thoughts, because it doesn't always require you to think impure thoughts. (I've heard! ) And you aren't actually violating yourself by joining with someone outside of marriage...so what would it be classified as? Where in the bible does it say that this is wrong? I'm sure it has to be somewhere! (now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to find my 10 foot pole! I looked for it and couldn't find it...hence the reason why I ended up posting!)

Here's a couple of verse I found.

Genesis 49:4

"Turbulent as the waters, you will no longer excel, for you went up onto your fathers bed, onto my couch, and defiled it."

Doesn't really say it's wrong... but...

Deuteronomy 23 9-14

This one I found in my bible searcher thingy under "masturbation." Although I'm not sure they're talking about urine or... uh... yeah.

so what did the verse in deuteronomy say?

Oh... Yeah... right... hahaha.

23:9-14

"When you are encamped against your enemies, keep away from everything impure. If one of your men is unclean because of nocturnal emission (?), he is to go outside the camp and stay there. But as evening approaches he is to wash himself and at sunset he may return to the camp. Designate a place outside the camp where you can go to relieve yourself. As part of your equipment, have something to dig with, and when you relieve yourself, dig a hole and cover up your excrement. For the lord your God moves about in your camp to protect you and to deliever your enemies to you. Your camp must be holy so that he will not see among you anything indecent and turn away from you."

Well... after reading it again, it probably isn't urine.

But then, if God were to turn away from you it must be bad...

Then again, he'd probably not wanna stay and watch either.

I always thought that was just talking about normal everyday bodily functions...since they didn't have toilets and all...??? But what do I know?

Deuteronomy 23
9
When you are encamped against your enemies, keep away from everything impure.
10
If one of your men is unclean because of a nocturnal emission, he is to go outside the camp and stay there.
11
But as evening approaches he is to wash himself, and at sunset he may return to the camp.
12
Designate a place outside the camp where you can go to relieve yourself.
13
As part of your equipment have something to dig with, and when you relieve yourself, dig a hole and cover up your excrement.
14
For the LORD your God moves about in your camp to protect you and to deliver your enemies to you. Your camp must be holy, so that he will not see among you anything indecent and turn away from you.

Whenever we are engaged in something that is sexual, I believe God always turns away. I don't have to state the obvious...masturbation is something that you do in private. I don't think that the Lord peeks in when a married couple is in the midst of passion tho either.

Here, in this passage, I'm not sure the bible is clear on the circumstance. When it speaks of a nocternal emission, it's not clear if that is something like a wet dream (excuse my forwardness) or if it is masturbation. Either way, the man was expected to leave the camp because it was a Holy place and not to be defiled.

If it is sin, so is lust a sin. Sometimes lust occurs when you least expect it. A particular thought about someone, a fleeting image...hard to put a harness on those things.

Sometimes things totally nonsexual will strike a cord and bring on unexpected responses.

If I may be so bold...I would've really liked the bible to have said...

Commandment 11:

Do Not Masturbate...

( of course, I am wishing that purely for the purpose of answering any questions others may have on the subject )

Well said, embie!!! My thoughts exactly...it would be so much easier to explain it to those who are a little in the gray on this issue...ROFLOL.

For the record: I'm admiting NO guilt. Just a simple question.

I think we're pleading a collective 5th...

pleading the 5th? bah...I'm not sure...what was it we were talking about???!

A good question that we will all find out one day,but for now I think that it can be summed up in dying to your flesh daily. When are not made sinfull by what we eat, but by what comes out of our hearts. When you are thinking impure thoughts, we are coveting something that we do not have. Even if that person is in your mind and not physically there, you are mentally depriving yourself of God's best for you.

innerdawg

<----I just noticed... My icon is really cute. Who picks those out?

Hey Michelle, we go together.

very good point...but what if you're not thinking anything??!!

*

Too cute, Ashley! My guess is that Allen picks them out....mine fits me pretty well, eh?

Yeah..we go together...fitting since we think alot alike!

Not to change the subject or divert the topic or anything... ROFLOL.

We keep posting one minute away from eachother.