Masturbation and religion

    • Masturbation and religion

      Are you and/or your family religious?

      If so, what religion are you?

      Does your religion have a position on masturbation, like saying masturbation is a sin?

      If your religion condemns or frowns upon masturbation or says its a sin or something like that, do you masturbate anyway or refrain from it?

      If so, do you confess that you masturbate at confessional?

      Have your parents, siblings, friends, or anyone else caught you or otherwise know you masturbate?

      If your parents know, what is their reaction or feelings about you masturbating?

      If you don't masturbate because of religious reasons or religious or overbearing parents, have you had wet dreams or ejaculations from other methods?

    • My family goes to a Methodist Church and our church doesn't have a position either way on masturbation and I've never heard it brought up in sermons or any other time. I don't masturbate, but that's my choice not to, not because my religion or parents say not to. My parents probably assume I do, but they've never said anything about it and probably wouldn't care if I did.

    • Are you and/or your family religious?

      No, though I have been exposed to Christianity outside of the family, know something about it and have heard and read some of the arguments made. I will also continue with the other questions as best I can.

      Does your religion have a position on masturbation, like saying masturbation is a sin?

      I did post about this and Christianity in another thread on here, Sin, which was a bit similar to this one, so I will just link that. It maybe worth reading the rest of that thread too.

      If your religion condemns or frowns upon masturbation or says its a sin or something like that, do you masturbate anyway or refrain from it?

      I cannot imagine having a religious belief that was sufficiently strong that it would prevent me from masturbating. The urge is really strong because it is part of our sex drive, i.e. exactly the same urge that causes us to have sex when we have found someone we want to do that with who also wants to do it with us, and thus has also been the reason the human species has continued as long as it has.

      It is my belief that interpretations of religious text that seek to narrow people's sexual behaviour, for example to "only within marriage" (and therefore excluding masturbation) or even "only for procreation" don't create well-adjusted people but instead just cause people to feel guilty.

      Have your parents, siblings, friends, or anyone else caught you or otherwise know you masturbate?

      Firstly, I prefer the term "walked in on" rather than "caught" as "caught" implies you are doing something wrong.

      I mentioned the incident with my mum where, as far as I know, she didn't see me either exposed or doing it, but I had just finished zipping up and I think she knew what I had been doing. That didn't really cause a reaction but she did, on another occasion, ask that I not make extra washing for her. Now I do my own laundry so that doesn't apply any more.

      With friends it is no big secret. Some of us have talked about masturbating. Some have even been in the same tent together at camp doing it at the same time, usually under the covers but certainly not trying to pretend not to be doing it.

      This is also something that has changed over time. I was an early developer and, at the start, it was "newsworthy" if someone in the class admitted to masturbating. Now it would be more surprising if someone claimed they didn't - we pretty much just assume we all do it.

    • pahern0317 wrote:

      I am a practicing Roman Catholic. As far as I know, masturbation is not a sin. Then again, this is not the type of question you ask a priest.
      In doing a simple Google search, the Catholic religion and a few others were the main ones that says masturbation is a sin and definitely frowned upon. Do you masturbate and do you have to do the confessional thing at church?

    • Pepsifan wrote:

      In doing a simple Google search, the Catholic religion and a few others were the main ones that says masturbation is a sin and definitely frowned upon....
      It's not just masturbation. In one sex-ed class the teacher divided methods of contraception into two groups and seemed to be favouring ones that were known to be less reliable. That had us wondering if he was a Roman Catholic

      As far as I can make out, the Roman Catholic view is that if one ejaculates, and makes sure it doesn't result in pregnancy because the sperm don't end up inside a woman to search for an egg, then it is a sin because you've intervened in a decision, whether or not pregnancy results, which should be down to God.

      On that basis they also oppose the use of the condom. I have heard a few jokes along the lines of "Joe has a big family, doesn't he?", "Yes, but they're Catholic". There is also a debate on YouTube between Stephen Fry, a British commedian and intellectual, Christopher Hitchens, another public intellectual vs. Archbishop John Onaiyekan and Ann Widdecombe, a UK politician, Catholic and prude, about whether the Catholic church is a force for good in Africa. That centres around the Catholic opposition to the condom, the fact that HIV is very prevalent in Africa and the condom is the most effective way of limiting its spread, and that therefore the Catholic stance on contraception has resulted in higher levels of HIV infection and deaths from AIDS-related conditions.

      But I am sure some people do ignore bits of their religion they don't find it easy to accept. In the New Testament, Jesus is quoted as saying "It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven". That seems to be ignored by a large number of rich Christians including some of the TV evangelists. The bible does have some inconsistencies and people, and religious sects, selectively quote it to support a position they are taking for other reasons.

    • My family doesn't participate in any religion, though my parents were raised Catholic.

      They know my brother and I masturbate and consider it a normal activity for boys, girls too I guess but I don't have a sister. They have told us it's nothing to be ashamed of and nobody's business what we do as long as it's consensual

    • Are you and/or your family religious?
      Yes.

      If so, what religion are you?
      Baptist

      Does your religion have a position on masturbation, like saying masturbation is a sin?
      Idk I think so.

      If your religion condemns or frowns upon masturbation or says its a sin or something like that, do you masturbate anyway or refrain from it?
      I haven't really started.

      If so, do you confess that you masturbate at confessional?
      We don't have confessions.

    • No I'm not religious

      As far as I know no religion (if your referring to books/manuscripts/texts) actually says anything about masturbating being a sin. Most reference sexual acts (usually with others, that some interpret to be all) being a sin

      If you want the most extreme view then it's against the law (or highly inappropriate) to hold hands in some Arabic cultures unless you are married (and even then it can be seen as to sexual an act)

      So most belief on what sexual acts are a sin/appropriate are defined by interpretation of individuals (and not really religion)

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    • BJade wrote:

      So most belief on what sexual acts are a sin/appropriate are defined by interpretation of individuals (and not really religion)
      I think if people follow a religion they should be clear about the difference between the core religion and the particular sect or church. For example, Christianity is a religion with a certain set of core beliefs and a core religious text, i.e. the Bible. There are then various sects such as Roman Catholicism and lots of different protestant sects. Those sects add a level of interpretation to the core texts and produce their own set of documents and conventions which followers are expected to adhere to and many people simply go along with the interpretation pushed by the sect they have found themselves part of.

      I think you're partially right in the sense that people have their own view of their religion and often choose which of the teachings to which they have been exposed they will practice and which they will ignore. Certainly many rich men ignore the sermon which include that "a camel may more easily pass through the eye of a needle than a rich man enter the kingdom of heaven" but if one is the studious type then it would be good to read the core texts of your religion yourself and see how you interpret them.

    • Sean2001 wrote:

      BJade wrote:

      So most belief on what sexual acts are a sin/appropriate are defined by interpretation of individuals (and not really religion)
      I think if people follow a religion they should be clear about the difference between the core religion and the particular sect or church. For example, Christianity is a religion with a certain set of core beliefs and a core religious text, i.e. the Bible. There are then various sects such as Roman Catholicism and lots of different protestant sects. Those sects add a level of interpretation to the core texts and produce their own set of documents and conventions which followers are expected to adhere to and many people simply go along with the interpretation pushed by the sect they have found themselves part of.
      I think you're partially right in the sense that people have their own view of their religion and often choose which of the teachings to which they have been exposed they will practice and which they will ignore. Certainly many rich men ignore the sermon which include that "a camel may more easily pass through the eye of a needle than a rich man enter the kingdom of heaven" but if one is the studious type then it would be good to read the core texts of your religion yourself and see how you interpret them.
      I agree. There are a lot or Christianity based religions that use similar core beliefs but interpret them someone differently, hence why we have several Christian religions, such as Catholicism, Baptist, Protestant, Methodist, Lutherans, etc. Each one teaches the same basic core beliefs, but with some differents. Like I'm Methodist and have been to the occasional Catholic service. They both have similar services, but the Catholics take it further such has having alter boys, all male priests (other religions allow females to be preachers) and they can't get married, having to kneel at times, and have, for a lack of better term, more theatrics to their service. But some religions have beliefs in place about sex (like premarital sex and masturbation is a sin) and use of contraception like condoms and such.

    • nibri wrote:

      first they ban abortion rights because of religious reasons
      next they cum up with a all gender mastubortion act
      Really, have I missed something?

      There was some ridiculous proposal for a law that would require guys to give each load of sperm they ejaculated from masturbation a proper Christian funeral just as one would have for a still-born child. There was a counter proposal suggesting that guys instead post their semen soaked tissues to the senator/legislature concerned.

      Later, those behind this attempt claimed it was tongue in cheek and intended to show how ridicolous a more serious piece of legislation was, but I don't remember the rest of the details.