Where in the Bible does it say masturbation is a sin anyway?

[Eukaryote]

Yes, this is another religous thread. Sorry.

I've heard some people say masturbation is sin, but I've never heard of any passage in the bible that says so, and I was never taught agansit it in church. So where in the bible does it say masturbation is a sin and why?

 

[joycem10]

Its the story of Onan, see below.

http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/monanism.html

"Judah got a wife for Er, his first-born; her name was Tamar. But Er, Judah's first born, was displeasing to the Lord and the Lord took his life. Then Judah said to Onan, "Join with your brother's wife and do your duty by her as a brother-in-law, and provide offspring for your brother." But Onan, knowing that the seed would not count as his, let it go to waste whenever he joined with his brother's wife, so as not to provide offspring for his brother. What he did was displeasing to the Lord, and He took his life also."

And the only reason I know is because I asked someone why Harry masturbated in a pot on The Tudors. So dont think I'm an advocate of the above or some kind of biblical scholar.

 

[classical_hero]

It depends on the situation. If it happens between two happily married people (to each other), it is okay, but under every other situation it would be wrong.

BTW, there is no passage such as thou shalt not masturbate", but it comes under the heading of sexual immorality when it is not done in the confines of marriage. I hope that answers the question.

 

[silver 2039]

It depends on the situation. If it happens between two happily married people (to each other), it is okay, but under every other situation it would be wrong.

Why is masturbation ok then but not any other time?

 

[Phlegmak]

Some guy spilled his seed on the ground and god killed him for it. joycem10's post seems to cover it, but the wording in his post looks extremely different from what I read in the Bible.

 

[warpus]

What if you don't spill it and put it in a jar?

 

[CrazyScientist]

Its the story of Onan, see below.

http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/monanism.html

"Judah got a wife for Er, his first-born; her name was Tamar. But Er, Judah's first born, was displeasing to the Lord and the Lord took his life. Then Judah said to Onan, "Join with your brother's wife and do your duty by her as a brother-in-law, and provide offspring for your brother." But Onan, knowing that the seed would not count as his, let it go to waste whenever he joined with his brother's wife, so as not to provide offspring for his brother. What he did was displeasing to the Lord, and He took his life also."

To interpret this story as "masturbation is wrong" seems to me a strange interpretation. The way it's written here at least, it seems like this Onan guy disobeyed a direct, specific order from God ("Go impregnate this woman."). The way I read it, it was Onan's deliberate defiance that God was pissed about, and not so much about masturbation in general.

Then again, I'm not even a believer, much less a biblical scholar, so my opinion should definitely be taken with a grain of salt. Maybe there's a very good, logical reason to interpret the passage the other way.

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

Its the story of Onan, see below.

http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/monanism.html

"Judah got a wife for Er, his first-born; her name was Tamar. But Er, Judah's first born, was displeasing to the Lord and the Lord took his life. Then Judah said to Onan, "Join with your brother's wife and do your duty by her as a brother-in-law, and provide offspring for your brother." But Onan, knowing that the seed would not count as his, let it go to waste whenever he joined with his brother's wife, so as not to provide offspring for his brother. What he did was displeasing to the Lord, and He took his life also."

And the only reason I know is because I asked someone why Harry masturbated in a pot on The Tudors. So dont think I'm an advocate of the above or some kind of biblical scholar.

See, that's just wrong. The sin is that he would not provide his brother with a child, which would have been an honorable thing, but instead just slept with his sister in law for the hell of it. That's the sin, not "spilling his seed" on the ground and making it useless.

EDIT: Crosspost!

 

[joycem10]

What if you don't spill it and put it in a jar?

Hence King Henry VIII in The Tudors on Showtime. He had some guy hold a jar while he yanked it, which is what prompted me to find out this crap in the first place.

Evidently the late Renaissance thought was that is was OK if it didnt hit the ground.

 

[Rik Meleet]

Its the story of Onan, see below.

http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/monanism.html

But Onan, knowing that the seed would not count as his, let it go to waste whenever he joined with his brother's wife, so as not to provide offspring for his brother.

Read what it says. Onan had intercourse with Tamar, but instead of ejaculating inside her he kept withdrawing.
That's not masturbation, now is it?

 

[Urederra]

It depends on the situation. If it happens between two happily married people (to each other), it is okay, but under every other situation it would be wrong.

Weird. So if you are married you can masturbate your wife and vice-versa, or you can masturbate when you are at home alone only if you are married, or how this thing works?

Some guy spilled his seed on the ground and god killed him for it.

God is a tissue paper fanatic.

 

[classical_hero]

Some guy spilled his seed on the ground and god killed him for it. joycem10's post seems to cover it, but the wording in his post looks extremely different from what I read in the Bible.

That wasn't masturbation, but pulling out before you cum. God did this to show that family lines are very important to keep. In that culture, a male relative was allowed to have sex with a widowed woman that was once married to his brother, so that the male offspring would then assume all family responsibilities that he mother's husband once did, thus so continuing the family line. God killed that man for trying to stop a family name from continuing, but it is much more complicated than that.

 

[Bartleby]

Where in the Bible does it say masturbation is a sin anyway?

Oh noes! You're already going blind!

 

[odintheking]

Masturbation isn't a sin. Lust is, though. So you can keep wanking it as long as you keep those nasty thoughts out of your head, .

 

[Mr. Dictator]

Its the story of Onan, see below.

http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/monanism.html

"Judah got a wife for Er, his first-born; her name was Tamar. But Er, Judah's first born, was displeasing to the Lord and the Lord took his life. Then Judah said to Onan, "Join with your brother's wife and do your duty by her as a brother-in-law, and provide offspring for your brother." But Onan, knowing that the seed would not count as his, let it go to waste whenever he joined with his brother's wife, so as not to provide offspring for his brother. What he did was displeasing to the Lord, and He took his life also."

And the only reason I know is because I asked someone why Harry masturbated in a pot on The Tudors. So dont think I'm an advocate of the above or some kind of biblical scholar.

sounds like god just has a problem with people pulling out while nailing their brother's wife.

 

[Rik Meleet]

And to dismiss Onan's (non)-action as being masturbation once and for all: a little history and culture class.

Er is Onan's older brother. Er is Juda's heir (and Juda is quiet wealthy). After Er's death, Onan is the next heir. If Onan impregnates Tamar, than Onan is no longer the next heir, but Tamar's son (who is considered to be Er's son) will be the heir. Onan's refusal to impregnate Tamar (but enjoying her body at the same time) is an act of pure selfishness, and not of masturbation at all.

 

[classical_hero]

Weird. So if you are married you can masturbate your wife and vice-versa, or you can masturbate when you are at home alone only if you are married, or how this thing works?

Generally the Bible says that any sexual contact should be between married couple. While this does include anal sex and masturbation, I would say that if you choose those two options over vaginal sex, then I would say that something is not quite right there.

 

[Erik Mesoy]

It doesn't. It's been interpreted in.

 

[Mr. Dictator]

another question...

does god see anal sex as sex or would he lump it in with a handjob and stuff like that?

 

[odintheking]

I don't think God cares what kind of sex you have with your wife...