Most monotheist religions, especially Christianity, believe that masturbation is unclean and that you are committing adultery in your heart with that person if you give in to those unclean thoughts and is therefore a sin.
Buddhism believes that if you are capable of freeing yourself from worldly temptations as this in mind and body than you will attain true wisdom and will achieve nirvana and become a buddha, but does not say that you will be punished in rebirth for crimes of thought.
Paganism is a complete inversion of this and believes nature and sex go hand in hand with each other and worship sex as a form of power, including homosexuality, which, in most forms of paganism the penis is considered a sign of power. You will notice this in early forms of pagan culture such as in ancient Rome.
2006-09-26 18:40:57
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answer #1
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answered by Anonymous
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Big can of Worms Open to debate from ALL sides!
My Personal Opinion is that if it comes between You and Your Relationship with God-Then it's a bad thing!
But on the scale of things-You should be worrying about other issues to do with Living in this World!
2006-09-26 18:34:20
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answer #2
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answered by J. Charles 6
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Hinduism has no official stance, it is left to the individual to decide. If one has become an ascetic then masturbation, sex, and erotic thoughts are generally discouraged (they are seen as obstacles) whereas if one chooses not to be ascetic then it is generally thought that kama (pleasure) should always be enjoyed so long as it done in moderation and does no harm to others.
Hinduism says that the goals of life are four
Dharma
Artha
Kama
Moksha
Dharma is the first and the founding principle. It is how one lives one's life. There are five basic components of dharma
1) honor God through prayer, rituals, rememberance, practices, etc
2) honor parents and teachers by sharing knowledge
3) honor ancestors through rememberance, rituals, etc
4) honor humanity through assisting those in need when needed, providing charity, showing compassion, etc
5) honor all other living beings and the universe itself through assisting when in need, showing compassion, being respectful, remembering one's place, not doing anything to cause harm
Dharma is also summed up in the Ten Commitments
1. Ahimsa - do no harm (never injure intentionally)
2. Satya - do not lie (be truthful)
3. Asteya - do not steal
4. Brahmacharya - do not overindulge (use moderation)
5. Aparigraha - do not be greedy (only what is needed, no more)
6. Saucha - be clean
7. Santosha - be content
8. Tapas - be self-disciplined
9. Svadhyaya - study (sacred texts, knowledge, and also self)
10. Ishvara Pranidhana - surrender to God (remember God, try to see God in all things)
Artha is prosper and Kama is pleasure. When one prospers or enjoys pleasure within the boundaries of dharma it is considered helpful for spiritual progress and helps aid towards moksha, the ultimate goal in life. Moksha is the liberation from samsara (the cycle of birth death birth death birth death) and union with God (Vaishnavite Hindus say that we unite with God and experience God's bliss and our God's eternal companions. Saivite and Shakta Hindus say that we merge into God and experience God's bliss. Smarta Hindus say that we merge into God and our individual identity ceases to exist).
Thus so long as one masterbates within the confines of dharma and is not an ascetic then Hinduism doesn't seem to say anything bad about it. And one mustn't forget kundaliniyoga (tantra) which is the opposite of ascetic practice, it is exstatic practices (instead of retreating from the world as the ascetics do, tantrics fully engage in the world and use it to help them reach moksha). Most Hindus are neither exstatic or ascetic practicers. They are those who follow the middle paths of Hinduism.
2006-09-26 18:49:00
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answer #3
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answered by gabriel_zachary 5
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The Bible says that the woman's breast should give the man pleasure and rubbing your wife's breast is a form of masturbation you are playing with them!! I do think that if both partners agree to have toys or to try other positions it is not a sin. Besides God never said have this in this form only (OK well it does have to be between a male and female).
2016-03-18 01:47:43
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answer #4
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answered by Aline 4
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In Catholicism, it is highly discouraged. Every sperm is sacred (thank you, Monty Python!) and none are to be shed onto the ground.
Other Christian denominations don't discourage it... it is a healthy way to relieve sexual tension, preferred over extramarital or premarital sex.
Frankly, I wouldn't want to worship a god who made masturbation feel so darned good but made it against his wishes. That's just sadistic.
2006-09-26 18:32:30
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answer #5
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answered by Rogue Scrapbooker 6
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The bible doesnt talk specific on this subject as far as I have known,but it does say to keep your mind and thoughts pure.When youre married,I believe those things are private between husband and wife and are shared under the sacredness of marriage,so in other words,single,no,married yes,but thats my opinion,I may not be right on this one,but I dont think Im wrong either.
2006-09-26 18:34:37
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answer #6
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answered by luv2bawifenmom 2
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Gen.38:9-10
And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother. And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also.
2006-09-26 18:30:21
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answer #7
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answered by Anonymous
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I am a Baha'i. The guidance from our Writings is stated below. I was going to try and summarize but the words stand for themselves...
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"We have found in the Holy Writings no explicit references to masturbation, but there are a number of principles and teachings which can guide a Bahá'í to the correct attitude towards it...
'The Bahá'í Faith recognizes the value of the sex impulse, but condemns its illegitimate and improper expressions such as free love, companionate marriage and others, all of which it considers positively harmful to man and to the society in which he lives. The proper use of the sex instinct is the natural right of every individual, and it is precisely for this very purpose that the institution of marriage has been established. The Bahá'ís do not believe in the suppression of the sex impulse but in its regulation and control.'
"In response to another letter enquiring if there were any legitimate way in which a person could express the sex instinct if, for some reason, he were unable to marry or if outer circumstances such as economic factors were to cause him to delay marriage, the Guardian's secretary wrote on his behalf:
'Concerning your question whether there are any legitimate forms of expression of the sex instinct outside of marriage; according to the Bahá'í Teachings no sexual act can be considered lawful unless performed between lawfully married persons. Outside of marital life there can be no lawful or healthy use of the sex impulse except self-control which, when exercised, undoubtedly has a salutary effect on the development of character and of personality in general, and on the other should be advised, nay even encouraged, to contract marriage while still young and in full possession of their physical vigour. Economic factors, no doubt, are often a serious hindrance to early marriage but in most cases are only an excuse, and as such should not be over stressed.'
"In another letter on the Guardian's behalf, also to an individual
believer, the secretary writes:
'Amongst the many other evils afflicting society in this spiritual low water mark in history, is the question of immorality, and over- emphasis of sex...' "This indicates how the whole matter of sex and the problems related to it have assumed far too great an importance in the thinking of present-day society.
"Masturbation is clearly not a proper use of the sex instinct, as this is understood in the Faith. Moreover it involves, as you have pointed out, mental fantasies, while Bahá'u'lláh, in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, has exhorted us not to indulge our passions and in one of His well-known Tablets 'Abdu'l-Bahá encourage us to keep our "secret thoughts pure". Of course many wayward thoughts come involuntarily to the mind and these are merely a result of weakness and are not blameworthy unless they become fixed or even worse, are expressed in improper acts. In 'The Advent of Divine Justice', when describing the moral standards that Bahá'ís must uphold both individually and in their community life, the Guardian wrote:
'Such a chaste and holy life, with its implications of modesty, purity, temperance, decency and clean-mindedness, involves no less than the exercise of moderation in all that pertains to dress, language, amusements, and all artistic and literary avocations. It demands daily vigilance in the control of one's carnal desires and corrupt inclinations.'
"Your problem, therefore, is one against which you should continue to struggle, with determination and with the aid of prayer. You should remember, however, that it is only one of the many temptations and faults that a human being must strive to overcome during his lifetime, and you should not increase the difficulty you have by over-emphasizing its importance. We suggest you try to see it within the whole spectrum of the qualities that a Bahá'í must develop in his character. Be vigilant against temptation, but do not allow it to claim too great a share of your attention. You should concentrate, rather, on the virtues that you should develop, the services you should strive to render, and, above all, on God and His attributes, and devote your energies to living a full Bahá'í life in all its many aspects."
2006-09-26 18:49:05
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answer #8
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answered by LivingDownSouth 4
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I've got cats, cable and a vibrator, What makes you think you can compete?
2006-09-26 18:44:16
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answer #9
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answered by Anonymous
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Single people by definition cannot commit adultery.
2006-09-26 18:31:03
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answer #10
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answered by ZenPenguin 7
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