masturbation anyone?

[gseeker]

So how does masturbation line up in various religions. How do different religions approach that subject. Is it frowned upon only in Christianity and the Jewish faith. How can the various religions against it argue that its a sin while ignoring the major health benefits involved? If God is the Creator and since it involves so many health benefits didn't God invent it to provide health benefits?

 

[Gjallarhorn]

So how does masturbation line up in various religions. How do different religions approach that subject. Is it frowned upon only in Christianity and the Jewish faith. How can the various religions against it argue that its a sin while ignoring the major health benefits involved? If God is the Creator and since it involves so many health benefits didn't God invent it to provide health benefits?

The only place masturbation even remotely was sinful in the Bible was Onan, and that was coitus interruptus and a butt-load of apologetics. The punishment bestowed by God had nothing to do with the "spilling of seed" in general.

But then you have Jesus saying his whole "lusting in your heart" bit...

 

[gseeker]

Actually the term fornication in Romans is inferred to include masturbation. I have Christian friends on Facebook basically screaming, beat your meat, burn in heat.

 

[Shuddhasattva]

The idea that masturbation has health benefits is a very suspect one, with not much real evidence. Certainly not enough to be trumpeted as a medical certainty, which it often is.

 

[Orias]

So how does masturbation line up in various religions. How do different religions approach that subject. Is it frowned upon only in Christianity and the Jewish faith. How can the various religions against it argue that its a sin while ignoring the major health benefits involved? If God is the Creator and since it involves so many health benefits didn't God invent it to provide health benefits?

It is partially in my belief that God blew his load and created the universe. The Big Bang I guess

 

[Shuddhasattva]

Masturbation is frowned on in every religion I'm aware of.

In the ones I'm most familiar with, Buddhism & Hinduism, it's viewed as a senseless (or sense-engrossed) waste of essential energy. The semen is held to be a spiritually charged fluid containing the physical essence of pure consciousness; the vital essence.


It's an incredibly information-dense substance [fact], and [conjecture supported by evidence] its chemicals when processed by the body give rise to nourishment for the brain, and the neurotransmitters associated with mystical experience - say, DMT.

It's not so much it's a sin in that you're hurting someone, it's a 'sin' that you're limiting yourself to lower states of mind. Sin in the sense that a less-than-optimal condition is arrived at. It's its own punishment, so to speak. In this sense, every form of mundane fixation is a sin, a karmic fetter.

In other news...

Masturbation feeds a false addiction. It can also result in distorted sexual relationships with others, and create inclinations, fantasies and shape orientations in such a way as to make actual sexual relationships with others less-than-satisfying, and incomplete as compared to the tastes one has developed, especially when paired with pornography.

 

[Shuddhasattva]

It is partially in my belief that God blew his load and created the universe. The Big Bang I guess

Father time blowin' nuts up in mother space's guts?

(...Ripped off from Diabolic or Akir's freestyle on a hiphop radioshow I listened to on youtube, will source if anyone cares.)

 

[Orias]

Everything you said has actually be proven at one point to be beneficial for some relationships.

It just depends on culture mainly I suppose, even if something is moralistically looked down upon societies might not necessarily frown upon it.

 

[gseeker]

The idea that masturbation has health benefits is a very suspect one, with not much real evidence. Certainly not enough to be trumpeted as a medical certainty, which it often is.

The release of brain chemicals and the fact that masturbation decreases prostate cancer is well proven in multiple studies.

 

[xkatz]

I don't know... I guess I would say for many religions, masturbation is a STICKY subject.

[youtube]6YMPAH67f4o[/youtube]
YEEEEAAAAAAAAHH - YouTube

 

[Sir Doom]

[youtube]1ikqx1P1DSk[/youtube]
Self-Casting: Kubrick in Dr. Strangelove (Deny them my essence) - YouTube
Had to be done.

 

[gseeker]

Again I say that it isn't about the evidence but about the way evidence is interpretated. Still saying that you shouldn't do something because God frowns upon it, I need to know the reason God frowns upon it. If there is no reason then God is unreasoning and why would I want to seek that God? When evidence supports the benefits of masturbation and religious people shout that its wrong, it doesn't support reason.

 

[Shuddhasattva]

That the release is beneficial is not, the correlation to prostate cancer isn't that significant, excessive masturbation can also be a factor in creating prostate cancer - this is also documented.

 

[Cassiopia]

Again I say that it isn't about the evidence but about the way evidence is interpretated. Still saying that you shouldn't do something because God frowns upon it, I need to know the reason God frowns upon it. If there is no reason then God is unreasoning and why would I want to seek that God? When evidence supports the benefits of masturbation and religious people shout that its wrong, it doesn't support reason.

My god does not frown upon it at all, quite the reverse.

(From the 9 Satanic Statements of Anton LaVey's Church Of Satan)

1. Satan represents indulgence, instead of abstinence
8. Satan represents all the so-called sins, as they all lead to physical, mental, or emotional gratification

Masturbation is a perfectly natural and often both pleasurable and beneficial thing to do. Obviously, like most things in life it can become harmful in some senses at least if it becomes obsessional and stops a person from living fully and healthily in other ways.

 

[gseeker]

That the release is beneficial is not, the correlation to prostate cancer isn't that significant, excessive masturbation can also be a factor in creating prostate cancer - this is also documented.

So all that means is everything in moderation. That applies to every aspect of life. It still doesn't mean masturbation is detrimental to physical, mental, or spiritual health.

 

[gseeker]

My god does not frown upon it at all, quite the reverse.

(From the 9 Satanic Statements of Anton LaVey's Church Of Satan)

1. Satan represents indulgence, instead of abstinence
8. Satan represents all the so-called sins, as they all lead to physical, mental, or emotional gratification

Masturbation is a perfectly natural and often both pleasurable and beneficial thing to do. Obviously, like most things in life it can become harmful in some senses at least if it becomes obsessional and stops a person from living fully and healthily in other ways.

I thought you might show up on this tread after your response to the thread on prostitution. Hmm the fact that Satanism says that masturbation being a physical pleasurable experience is a good thing it makes me want to retreat to my old state of Christianity. Kidding. I hold no preconceived notions of any other religion because essentially I have no other knowledge of other religions. Still it seems just doing something or not doing something just for physical experience or spirituality mutually exclusive of each other is very limiting.

 

[Shuddhasattva]

So all that means is everything in moderation. That applies to every aspect of life. It still doesn't mean masturbation is detrimental to physical, mental, or spiritual health.

"It" and "that" you are referring to are one small aspect of the ancient study of masturbation and its effects. That excessive masturbation causes increased risk of prostate cancer does not, in of itself, mean that moderate masturbation is bad for physical, mental or spiritual health.

But many others sources show that even moderate masturbation is bad for mental and spiritual health.

 

[Cassiopia]

Still it seems just doing something or not doing something just for physical experience or spirituality mutually exclusive of each other is very limiting.

Why do you say that? Just curious... Also I'm not quite sure what you mean.

 

[gseeker]

Why do you say that? Just curious... Also I'm not quite sure what you mean.

I mean just doing something physical just for the sake of physical pleasure or not doing something for the sake of spiritual pleasure becomes meaningless. Masturbation feels good but unless there is a benefit medical, spiritual, emotional, or mental then its meaningless and most experiences in life should be meaningful or they can hardly be called experiences. I think that's my problem with Christianity right now, at least one problem. They make statement like this is wrong or that is wrong without backing it up with other aspects of life other than their so called spirituality. I guess my mind doesn't work the same as theirs after bouncing on Bourbon street for so long. I was friends with wiccans, satanist, followers of Crowley and other such.

 

[Cassiopia]

^^ Sadly I have to go to work now so don't have time to reply in detail. I don't think masturbation (or anything else) are meaningless just because they may or may not lead to physical pleasure or spiritual development.
I think masturbation has physical, emotional and spiritual benefits.