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***Christian males Only*** Porn and Masturbation

RedDragon94

Love everyone, meditate often
Matthew 5:28 says "But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart." What does Jesus mean by lustful intent? Does he mean masturbation or actual penetration with a member of the opposite sex?
 

Deidre

Well-Known Member
I not a Christian, nor a male...but I was a devout Christian at one time, so hopefully you don't mind me chiming in...

My belief that what he intended was to mean if you are going to have sex, it shouldn't be due to lust in your heart. That all sexual acts shouldn't have lust as its originator. And if you look at a woman in lustful way...only seeing her as a sex object, that too can be construed as adultery.

Tough words.
 

nazz

Doubting Thomas
Matthew 5:28 says "But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart." What does Jesus mean by lustful intent? Does he mean masturbation or actual penetration with a member of the opposite sex?
It's any consciously promoted desire or fantasy to sleep with a married woman.
 

RedDragon94

Love everyone, meditate often
I not a Christian, nor a male...but I was a devout Christian at one time, so hopefully you don't mind me chiming in...

My belief that what he intended was to mean if you are going to have sex, it shouldn't be due to lust in your heart. That all sexual acts shouldn't have lust as its originator. And if you look at a woman in lustful way...only seeing her as a sex object, that too can be construed as adultery.

Tough words.
Okay, what if the woman benefits from me lusting at her? You know, being a porn star is an occupation.
 

Deidre

Well-Known Member
Okay, what if the woman benefits from me lusting at her? You know, being a porn star is an occupation.

lol hmmm...

Well, if you are interested in following Jesus, which is hard to do I know, in this world we live in...then, you have to not justify things you do, in order to ''get around'' his words. I say this, and I don't have a problem with men viewing porn, in general...but, it sort of falls under that whole 'you can't serve man, and serve God' school of thought. You know?

If you want to give this habit up, just keep praying about it. We're all works in progress. :)
 

RedDragon94

Love everyone, meditate often
The sexual act has no place outside a valid marriage. If you therefore hold sexual intent or cultivate prolonged lust for unmarried woman you still commit sin. Even if it's not dictionary adultery.
So, how do we define lust? Is it simply to look at a woman and the biological factors kick in?
 

RedDragon94

Love everyone, meditate often
lol hmmm...

Well, if you are interested in following Jesus, which is hard to do I know, in this world we live in...then, you have to not justify things you do, in order to ''get around'' his words. I say this, and I don't have a problem with men viewing porn, in general...but, it sort of falls under that whole 'you can't serve man, and serve God' school of thought. You know?

If you want to give this habit up, just keep praying about it. We're all works in progress. :)
Right, thanks. I imagine this has been awkward for you.
 

Glaurung

Denizen of Niflheim
So, how do we define lust? Is it simply to look at a woman and the biological factors kick in?
Mere temptation isn't sin, and overcoming it is spiritually meritorious. You fall into lust when you actively participate in the cultivation of inappropriate sexual desire. It's one thing to see a nice girl, but if for example, you allow yourself to fantasise having sexual intercourse with her, then you've stepped into lust.

Guard your eyes and thoughts. A little bit of discipline goes a long way.
 

Baladas

An Págánach
As a male and a former Christian, I was always taught that it literally meant that your impure thoughts can be held against you as sin if you entertain them (fantasize, etc). I was taught that Jesus said this to emphasize that everyone sins, and that the porn watcher is little better than the literal adulterer in the eyes of God. The latter only being the worse for the harm he caused to others. This, of course ties into the need to be saved from said sins by Christ.

Now, I would add that though I no longer believe this, I do know from experience that excess fantasizing and pornography can potentially be harmful, as your mind can end up in destructive thinking habits. I had a period of time where my thoughts were impacted in this way before, and to my shame I ended up objectifying certain women.

I think it is more of a personal thing, but one that is difficult to master and to be honest with yourself about.
Just pray about it, and try to be honest with yourself about how much or little it is affecting your thinking and relationships.

That's my advice. I hope you figure this all out. :)
 

thau

Well-Known Member
Matthew 5:28 says "But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart." What does Jesus mean by lustful intent? Does he mean masturbation or actual penetration with a member of the opposite sex?

What I believe the message here is that --- if the situation presented itself where you could act upon your desires and you would --- then and only then have you committed adultery in your heart. If another greatly desires an attractive woman not his own and knows it would be a pleasurable experience, but if the opportunity presented itself he would decline to go through with it because of his faith or other reasons of obedience, that man has not committed adultery in his heart.

Temptation by itself is not sin. Any sexual act outside of marriage does have some degree of wrongfulness attached to it. But it varies greatly.
 

Brickjectivity

Turned to Stone. Now I stretch daily.
Staff member
Premium Member
Matthew 5:28 says "But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart." What does Jesus mean by lustful intent? Does he mean masturbation or actual penetration with a member of the opposite sex?
I would say to make sure you read the chapter this verse is in. It begins with the 'Beattitudes' and continues with the comment "Your are the salt of the Earth" which is the emphasis that Jesus is going for. The law says to do such-and-such, so that is the law and its 'Pretty good' to obey the law. According to Jesus then in order to be the Salt of the Earth you have to be even better! You can't just stick to the minimums! Jesus is talking in this whole chapter, not just this one isolated verse. Its a general principle, not picking at one single issue.
Jesus is using a very commonly understood example and is expanding upon it. He is not changing the law.
So yes, in the law adultery is a sin and that is really what is a sin -- but For YOU that isn't enough, because you want to do one better than the minimum. YOU who are trying to be like Salt have to not even THINK about it, not even Wink at the pretty married girl. You have to do some level better than what the law specifies. Somehow you have to make things better by finding a way to be even better than what is required.

Example: Kicking a dog is mean. Everybody knows that its kind of mean to randomly kick your dog. ---> Therefore to be the Salt of the Earth you have to find a way to be even better than that. It isn't enough to simply not kick dogs, because everybody already knows not to do that. If you have a dog and want to be the Salt, then that dog had better be the best cared for dog in the world. When people meet your dog they should think "I swear that dog smiled." What use are you and in what way are you making things better than they are -- than the minimum requirements? If you aren't making things better and are satisfied with everything staying the same, then you aren't the Salt of the Earth.
 
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Brickjectivity

Turned to Stone. Now I stretch daily.
Staff member
Premium Member
Now, technically there is no law against porn. People can wat
I think brick is saying you shouldn't look at your dog that way.
:) I know you are joking, but since I can at times be hard to understand...

The verse being discussed is about going above the standard. You have neighbors. Everybody knows that you shouldn't annoy your neighbors. Are you keeping that standard? Great! You are doing better than Genghis Khan! If you want to be salt invite your neighbors over regularly. Help your neighbors get to know each other and make your neighborhood a better place. That is what this passage about. So it isn't about porn in particular.
 

BilliardsBall

Veteran Member
But a great many porn stars were teen runaways who are old and used up before their time "thanks" to porn--and a great many men are the same due to porn and masturbation. Many porn stars use a lot of drugs to get through "work" and there is much VD and pregnancy/abortion on the scene. Many porn stars talk about their inability to find real love--very few people want to date a working pornographic actor and there are a lot of testimonies about self-destruction and suicidal behavior. Also, most of the porn sites and film companies are mob-owned and controlled. It's like asking (and I'm not trying to offend you) if it isn't helpful to drug dealers to buy drugs so they can be employed.

And the statistics are clear that men who masturbate to porn have sex far less often with their spouses and at are a much higher risk for adultery.

This website will help you: Freedom from habitual sin: Overeating, Pornography, Smoking, Drinking
 

atpollard

Active Member
Okay, just asking, what if she's not married?
Then it is Fornication, rather than Adultery.
Which is splitting hairs compared to the Jaw Dropping revelations that Jesus was making throughout that whole section of scripture.

The core point is that you should not think that because you have not acted on wrong impulses, that you are somehow 'good' in the sight of a holy God.
Thinking about sin ... entertaining fantasies, indulging emotional states ... is still Wrong.
Hating is like Murder, Wanting (sexually) is as wrong as Doing (Adultery and Fornication), and so on.

It is offered in support of Jesus claims that everyone needs forgiveness from God and no one should approach the throne assuming that they are good enough in their own morality to meet God's standard for perfection.
As stated by others, it is a call to more than legalism, finding loopholes and minimizing our sin.
Jesus is preaching the opposite of 'Well, its not so bad ... only a little sin."
 
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