What offends God more - sex before marriage or self pleasuring?

Question

The bible has a lot to say about fornication ( sex before marriage) but doesn't mention self pleasuring. Or is masturbation included under fornication?

Answer 1

Good question. In Catholicism, both masterbation and fornication are gravest type of sin--called mortal sins (assuming that the sinner has full knowledge of what he/she is doing and that he/she is doing it on his/her own will--i.e. not being forced). As to which is worse, that is up for some discussion. I mean to say that there is no official teaching that would distinguish one mortal sin from another. But, there is a tradition of such discussions throughout the history of Christianity. St. Thomas Aquinas, for example, examined exactly this issue in his Summa Theologica (here:http://www.newadvent.org/summa/3154.htm#11) but it is hard to follow since he does not use terms like "pleasuring onesel" or "masterbation" to refer to materbation---he uses really convuluted sentences like "by procuring pollution, without any copulation, for the sake of venereal pleasure"--the meaning is the same, of course. Also, St. Thomas links homosexual acts with masterbation since such acts are really just mutual masterbation. So basically, he believed that since masterbation is essentially a sin against a nature (i.e. one is trying to use their sexual faculties in an act for which they were not created), it is worse than fornication. Keep in mind, however, that is the objective look from St. Thomas. Subjective details could change everything. For example, sex before marriage and against your partner's will increases the seriousness of fornication (now it would be rape). Also, knowing the harm that you are doing to your partner by having sex before marriage....really, there's a plethora of subjective factors that could change such circumstances.
But both fornication and masterbation are grave sins. They are both quite serious.
Again, while the Bible does not mention masterbation by name (did the word even exist then?), it certainly does mention lust as a sin TIME and TIME and TIME again. Jesus told us it was a sin of adultry to lust after another person. Masterbation requires lust. Masterbation increases lust. Masterbation is the physical act of the internal lust in the actor. I think both actions are pretty clearly covered by the Holy Bible.
Thanks for reading and God bless!

Answer 2

Shalom Star,

You ask a interesting question. The whole sex and masturbation concepts consists of many many layers the mass majority aren't cognizant of. The scriptures are multi dimensional or consists of a threefold nature that you are suppose to apply physically, soul and spirit. People don't understand the importance of marriage and I'm not speaking about marriage given by man but a divine marriage in the eyes of God. Which is when both the male and female become one flesh and walk the path of righteousness and truth to reach the inner kingdom of God.

Physically sex before marriage has caused a lot of problems within our society. Which are wedlocks, various sexually transmitted diseases and people not being faithful to their spouses and often having more than one companion. All this could be avoided if they understood the genuine concept of why man was given woman and woman man. The more a male squanders away his seed to more and more women, the more he becomes a animal. And the more sexual partners a woman has, she becomes bound by them on a etheric level. And this is important when trying to manifest the kingdom inside of you, because these serve as great obstacles to get past.

From a higher perspective of things, fornication is whoring your lower nature to the ways of this world. This is why in the OT God said he is a very jealous God or in the NT it was given who ever is a friend of this world is a enemy of God. This is basically speaking about those who whore themselves into worldly endeavors and wish to remain faithful to the royal law of God.

And in regards to masturbation. You must understand that your body is operating automatically for you. And these are biological needs, just like how you have to use the bathroom etc. The scriptures do not mention anything in regards to masturbation. People often confuse Onan spilling his seed upon the ground as masturbation, but its not portraying that at all. Its portraying how mankind squanders his inheritance to reach the kingdom to the earth, or how in the talent parable one of the servants buried his talent in the ground or how Esau gave up his inheritance for a mere morsel of food. They are all speaking about the same thing.

If man was faithful to his woman and woman to their man, a lot of the problems that exist within our society would not be here today.

Peace

Aza

Answer 3

This is an interesting topic, in the Qu'ran there is no revelation relating directly to self-pleasuring, here is the verse about fornicators.

[024:002] The fornicatress and the fornicator, flog each of them with a hundred lashes. Let not pity withhold you in their case, in a punishment prescribed by God, if you believe in God and the Last Day. And let a party of the believers witness their punishment. [This punishment is for unmarried persons guilty of the above crime (illegal sex), but if married persons commit it (illegal sex), the punishment is to stone them to death, according to God's Law].

Some Classical scholars have said that since self-pleasuring involves thinking dirty thoughts one should avoid, especially nowadays when you can view many dirty pictures it should be refrained. Others have said that it is O.k, with the stipulation you are doing it to prevent your self from fornicating.
And God knows best what we do.

[059:023] He is God, beside Whom Lâ ilâha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the King, the Holy, the One Free from all defects, the Giver of security, the Watcher over His creatures, the All-Mighty, the Compeller, the Supreme. Glorified is God! (High is He) above all that they associate as partners with Him.

[059:024] He is God, the Creator, the Inventor of all things, the Bestower of forms. To Him belong the Best Names. All that is in the heavens and the earth glorify Him. And He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.

Answer 4

Masturbation is not included under fornication. The fact that you are probably thinking of some woman during masturbation, means you are "lusting" after that woman and THAT is forbidden.

A catch 22. Good luck. Pops

Answer 5

Well surely the Divine created us, right? So that includes all the bits that make sex pleasurable. Why would He/She have done that if we weren't supposed to take pleasure in sex?
I don't think either is offensive to the Gods provided the partner is willing

Answer 6

Sex before marriage comes with possible ill effects as an unwanted pregnancy or disease. Masturbation is a safe release of a bodily function of a sexual being. I hope God would not be offended at masturbation since he is the one who made us with these urges.

Answer 7

Uh, use your brain a bit. Who do you think created sex any how? answer is God/dess. Unfortunately puritanical Victorian attitudes are still prevalent throughout the world. But sex is for pleasure and it is Sacred...it is a little glimpse into being God/dess-like.
Grow up!

Answer 8

Read the old testerment, the first self pleasurer who spilt is seed was struck down by God. Sex before marriage seem not to have the same effect on God, unless someone know different.

Answer 9

Sin is sin. Whether you harbor anger toward another human being or steal a car. It's all against God's plan and purpose.

The thing most people fail to realize is that sin is much more than offensive to God, it almost always effects our lives in negative ways.

Answer 10

This may not be popular, but I have to believe that the only thing that offends God are things that are damaging to others. Masturbation is healthy and safe. Anyone who thinks masturbation is evil sure shouldn't have children...that way they can't screw up someone else's sexuality.