Thou shall not masturbate. I’m joking, guys. I needed a dramatic entry. Now that I have your attention, I want to walk you through today’s topic, Masturbation, and Religion.
Thinking of it, Masturbation and Religion are two lines that should never meet. They are like black and white, here and there, this and that(you get the picture now). I feel like a superhero trying to bring two distinct fields together for comparison. I hope I can scale through without getting scathed.
There is a growing reliance on masturbation for s3xual satisfaction today. Everyone is resisting it because it seems easy, quick, and efficient. This is not a masturbation advertisement. Follow me, please. Masturbation is an all-round solution, whether for singles that can’t find love or couples that are not s3xually satisfied.
The effect of masturbation is an issue not everyone can agree on. Everyone has different ideas about it and its health effects. The undecided notion about masturbation does not deter people from practising and masturbation is effectively recruiting more disciples. With the growing relevance, religion has its take and conclusion about this s3xual-related matter.
So, what is Religion’s beef with Masturbation?
I think we can answer your question Mr. Masturbation.
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Masturbation and Religion
Let’s define Religion.
Religion is a system of faith and worship with an unwavering dedication to a God or gods. The keyword to note there is “Unwavering”. Religious people will tell you that anything that successfully distracts you from your dedication to a God or gods is unacceptable.
I’m sure you are aware of how distracting masturbation can be. There is no book or Jotting I am writing from. As I’m speaking to you, the picture is getting clearer. Walk with me, Ladies and Gentlemen.
There are many debates about whether smoking, drinking, and other morally controversial topics are religiously acceptable. Many people forget that religion might not judge the action from a first-time point of view. They look at the after-effect of addiction and negligence of one’s supreme duty.
Negligence to a God or gods service.
Most religions out there would not agree or would completely disagree with masturbation as a s3xual practice. They’ve turned a blind eye to the many “supposed” health benefits and decided the only thing that matters is an unshakable devotion and sin-free life.
Oops, I said it
Now, I have your attention and can see what’s on your mind. Is masturbation a sin? I wouldn’t want to nail myself to the cross at the early stages of this article, so follow me to find out.
I’m sure you yearn to know the different religious takes on masturbation. Let’s look at it.
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Religious Takes on Masturbation
There are different examples of religions. We have Taoism, Sikhism, Zoroastrianism, Shinto, Jainism, Confucianism, and many more. I know you were expecting some popular ones. I’ll get there.
Many people have chosen to believe in different gods and powers, hence the number of religions. We would be basing our conclusions on the top 5 religions out there. If I don’t touch your religion, don’t be vexed, you can tell me what your religion thinks in the comment section.
So, we’d be looking at the following;
- Christianity
- Islam
- Judaism
- Buddhism
- Hinduism
A question just popped into my head now, guys. Can you classify Atheism as a religion? Tell me what you think.
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Christianity’s View
The Bible, which is the book that guides the ways of Christians, is very clear about its do’s and don’ts. They have the ten commandments for that. Thou shall not lie, Thou shall not steal, Thou shall not kill, e.t.c, not anywhere did I find, thou shall not masturbate.
Does that mean the Bible is “Pro-masturbation”? No, The ten Commandments are not the only place in the Bible that clearly states things that are sins and not. This instruction might come in the form of advice or teachings. Christians follow these to live lawfully.
A notable verse in the Bible is Ephesians 5:3, which says. Still, among you, there must not be even a hint of s3xual immorality, impurity, or greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.
Another verse can be found in Colossians 3:5, which says; Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: s3xual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry.
These are clear instructions that Christians should avoid s3xual sin or immorality. So, while the Bible does not say particularly “masturbation”, it is clear about its stand on any s3xually related matters.
When you think about it, lust and evil desires are efficient amplifiers of masturbation. This is the bible’s on masturbation.
Islam’s View
Just like Christianity, Islam also forbids Masturbation. A verse in the Quran states, “Muslims must not participate in any s3xual process to satisfy themselves apart from the one Allah has provided for you”. That verse is paraphrased.
This means that any other process that leads to s3xual satisfaction apart from the normal man-to-woman way is prohibited. Recently, There have been different points of view from Islamic scholars.
Some Islamic scholars portray a more lenient stance on the issue of masturbation. I have many Muslim friends, who consistently frown on adultery and fornication. Islam has a strong stance against both s3xual pillars.
Why did these Islamic scholars decide that masturbation is not a sin?
They believed masturbation was a more acceptable approach to satisfy s3xual urges. They believe it would prevent you from committing adultery and fornication. If it does, I believe you should not be sinning.
But, if you masturbate and commit adultery and fornication, my friend, you just won the sin jackpot.
Judaism’s View
Judaism is one of the oldest religions in the world. The Jews follow the leadings and writings of the Talmud. They have very strong correlations with the Old Testament.
To explain the stance of Judaism on Masturbation. Let’s open our bibles to the book of Genesis, chapter 38(I’m not preaching). You will find the story of a man who was supposed to sleep with his dead brother’s wife. He knew the child wouldn’t be his and decided to spill the sperm on the floor. The Lord put him to death.
That’s extreme punishment, right?
That is enough proof of Judaism’s stance on masturbation. Masturbation is tantamount to murder in Judaism and is forbidden.
A more watered-down version of Jews will tell you masturbation is not a sin as long as it is for s3xual release and educational purposes. They forbid an addiction to it, though. But, is addiction something you can control? Moving on…
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Buddhism’s View
Here’s where the line gets blurry. Buddhism doesn’t complete masturbation as a form of s3xual satisfaction. They buy into medical practitioners’ idea that it has certain health benefits.
The line gets blurry when masturbation is forbidden for monks and nuns. It is a sin for them. This immediately smells like double standards, but I guess there should be no form of s3xual actions for monks and nuns.
SEE: 10 Amazing Fruits That Boost s3xual Prowess
Hinduism’s View
In Hinduism, there is a more chill approach to it, just like the picture up there. Hinduism believes the validity of personally related s3xual matters like masturbation should be left to the participator to decide. No law prohibits masturbation outrightly.
That’s it, guys! The views of the top five religions on masturbation.
Conclusion
Whether masturbation is wrong or right, I guess we’ll never really know. It is up to you to decide after reading this.
I promised I’d tell you if masturbation is a sin. The idea of masturbation being a sin depends on how you feel after the action. Do you judge yourself? Do you feel relieved?
The answer to your question is with you. Find it.
