Masturbation

Leviticus 15: 16 & 18, “Now if a man has a seminal emission, he shall bathe all his body in water and be unclean until evening. If a man lies with a woman so that there is a seminal emission, they shall both bathe in water and be unclean until evening.”

I have noticed something very different about the 20 something generation from mine. That is they have forthrightness about their propensities to masturbate. Not that every generation has not, and does not continue to do it… masturbate that is… not forthrightness. Just that this younger generation is honest about it.

For me I encounter this honesty in my travels as men much younger than myself suffer with the moral issues of masturbation and pornography, and beautifully express this struggle. And why not? Recently Montreal University tried to study porn’s effects on young adults but according to the article http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1232787/Pornography-study-doomed-fail-scientists-single-man-hadnt-viewed-x-rated-material.html “Scientists studying... fell at the first hurdle – after failing to find a man who had not viewed X-rated material.”

Yet no one talks about it. Masturbation… masturbation… masturbation… say it with me. Ministers don’t address it, even though the bible clearly did. And if it is address by the “church” it is condemned as evil, sinful, lustful, and even classified by some as fornication. But in my opinion, and as Paul would say, I have the Holy Spirit… it is not sin, nor evil, nor any different that actually having intercourse with your spouse. Isn’t that what Moses’ law says? If you have intercourse with a woman (lie) and an organism… then you are unclean until you have washed and evening has come. And if you are a man alone and have an orgasm, then you too are unclean until you have washed and evening has come.

You do not know this, but I have debated this very scripture in a public forum. One gentleman tried to argue that Lev 15:16 was only there to cover wet dreams. This is ridiculousness. Other’s argued that masturbation as it involves fantasy was a sin because of what Jesus said in Matt 5:28, “… that EVERYONE who looks at a woman with lust for her has ALREADY committed adultery with her in his heart.” And we are all sinners without Christ. And we will always be a sinner, never achieving any time without sin while alive on earth. That to me is the point of what Jesus said… that perfection is in Him and only Him. He was not making a commentary on masturbation.

Certainly without argument porn is evil. But for me and in my opinion, masturbation is not in any way evil, and I do not think we as Christians, or a society should condemn men and women for its practice.

I saw a recent map of the STD epidemic in the United States. Red marked the highest areas of outbreaks. Did you know the red on the map also marked what is commonly known as the Bible Belt? Why is that?

Does the church putting masturbation on the same level as adultery or fornication make the first less appealing? Do people reason with themselves that if having sex and masturbation are sins, then why not have sex? If so the results of rampantly spreading STD’s is not surprising.

And what of the stories of your palms turning hairy. I can find 100 articles of health benefits derived from the practice for every hairy palm myth claiming negativity. Benefits like improved sperm quality, prostate health, less STD’s… and on and on and on.

Point is that I just don’t see where my God condemns masturbation. We are required to “bring all thoughts into subjection to Christ.” But having the thoughts, having the natural desires in and of themselves are not sin, and masturbation in its purest form is not a sin either. At least that’s how I read God’s word in Leviticus. Forgetting God’s grace and the forgiving power of the blood of Jesus. 

To those young men who feel the need to share with me your struggles. I do not believe it is a struggle at all. I just think it's part of being human. I don't need to hear your perceived problems. Porn... not that's a whole other issue. For that focus on Christ, starring at the sin, avoiding the sin, is never the answer, it just leads to more. But then again, if you need to talk about it... do... I will try not to be embarrassed, to giggle, or succumb to socio-religious beliefs imposed by others. But rather being as un-condemning as Christ.