Masturbation
To The Teenage Panel:
I must say that I enjoyed your discussion awesome job. I am doing my dissertation on this topic. Masturbation and Religion:
I will have several other Bishop’s listening in that are in my class. We truly enjoyed this debate. So let’s debate..God bless you.
Masturbation is perhaps one of the most debated--yet rarely solved—subjects in the church. The views and opinions about masturbation, its effects, and consequences (especially spiritual) have been swirling through the church probably since it first began. This discussion is an effort to add another voice to the mass of opinion. In reality, it cannot be clearly said that the act of masturbation is in itself a sin, for the Bible never uses the word, nor does it imply or hint about the act of masturbation. Obviously, the Bible does deal in some depth with sexual immorality, perversions, and the like, but masturbation is never spelled out as belonging to any particular category. So, since Scripture is silent about it, should masturbation be classified as a sin? Or if not, are there ways in which masturbation may be used to the glory of God and the building of His Kingdom of souls?
The questions beg an in-depth answer. Throughout the history of the church, various voices have arisen, either decrying masturbation as self-abuse and onanism, or simply calling it something which may not be the best God has to offer, but is certainly not the worst either. Both viewpoints, I believe, are flawed. And it is in the wake of questions to which there seem to be no solid answers that teenagers, especially boys, have long been struggling. It is to the children who are struggling with this issue (and to the parents and other caring adults trying to help them). that this discussion is addressed. If I can bring a fresh voice to the debate and cause serious believers to take an honest look at this issue and perhaps help a young person struggling with questions of their sexuality, then the effort will not have
I must say that I enjoyed your discussion awesome job. I am doing my dissertation on this topic. Masturbation and Religion:
I will have several other Bishop’s listening in that are in my class. We truly enjoyed this debate. So let’s debate..God bless you.
Masturbation is perhaps one of the most debated--yet rarely solved—subjects in the church. The views and opinions about masturbation, its effects, and consequences (especially spiritual) have been swirling through the church probably since it first began. This discussion is an effort to add another voice to the mass of opinion. In reality, it cannot be clearly said that the act of masturbation is in itself a sin, for the Bible never uses the word, nor does it imply or hint about the act of masturbation. Obviously, the Bible does deal in some depth with sexual immorality, perversions, and the like, but masturbation is never spelled out as belonging to any particular category. So, since Scripture is silent about it, should masturbation be classified as a sin? Or if not, are there ways in which masturbation may be used to the glory of God and the building of His Kingdom of souls?
The questions beg an in-depth answer. Throughout the history of the church, various voices have arisen, either decrying masturbation as self-abuse and onanism, or simply calling it something which may not be the best God has to offer, but is certainly not the worst either. Both viewpoints, I believe, are flawed. And it is in the wake of questions to which there seem to be no solid answers that teenagers, especially boys, have long been struggling. It is to the children who are struggling with this issue (and to the parents and other caring adults trying to help them). that this discussion is addressed. If I can bring a fresh voice to the debate and cause serious believers to take an honest look at this issue and perhaps help a young person struggling with questions of their sexuality, then the effort will not have