How Do I Defend The Church's Teaching On Masturbation?

[HollyWilliams]

Hey everyone. I am on a forum where there are Christians of all stripes, including Catholics. Well, a person told me that the Church's teaching on masturbation is not Biblical. I know that we don't rely on the Bible alone for doctrine. However, I am just wondering, how can I defend the Church's teaching on masturbation primarily using Scripture?

[Laudate_Dominum]

Maybe verses about purity of heart. The gifts of the Spirit. Adultery committed in the heart (i.e., lusting) connected with masturbation. Stuff like that?

[MissyP89]

It's absolutely Biblical. For them to say otherwise shows a lack of understanding of Scripture, IMO.

Man and women are made to be fruitful and multiply.
Of course, there's the story of Onan's wasted seed.
Lust is condemned as a sin over and over in Scripture.
Self-control is a virtue. St. Paul says we're not to be slaves to passion.
He also says better to marry than to burn with lust. He doesn't say anything about touching oneself as an outlet.
Sexuality is about unity. Masturbation is about isolation, lust and selfishness.

Hope that helps.

[HollyWilliams]

Unfortunately I don't think this person will accept anything that isn't directly related to masturbation but I will try.

[MissScripture]

So, being Catholic, I don't have as good of a grasp on where things in scripture are as I should, but isn't there a part about how it is a sin for a man to spill his seed? And isn't that what inevitably happens with masturbation (at least in the case of a male)?

[MIKolbe]

yes, that was Onan. God struck him dead on the spot.

[Lil Red]

[quote name='HollyWilliams' timestamp='1314678638' post='2297424']
Unfortunately I don't think this person will accept anything that isn't directly related to masturbation but I will try.
[/quote]
perhaps try to reach outside of Catholicism/Christianity to the Eastern religions? don't they have rules about this too? just trying to be helpful.

[Amppax]

(warning: this post will contain trace amounts of sarcasm) Considering we Catholics don't read the bible at all , its interesting when talking to people of different christian denominations how much we actually do know, especially the ones from which much of our theology is derived. I usually find that when in an argument I'm asked to reference scripture, I can usually reference something biblical (albeit I usually have know idea where exactly its located). Its also funny how other Christian groups think [i]Sola Scriptura [/i]is such a great idea. You know, cause its working so well for them. Anywho, I thought it was interesting how most of us had plenty of stuff right away. GO CATHOLICS!

[Papist]

In the "Sermon On The Mount" in Mathew 5: 27-28, Jesus said, "You have heard that it was said to those of old, "You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

Ask the person when he masturbates, what images is he picturing in his mind. I am sure it is not Jesus Christ, his Lord and Savior.

[Basilisa Marie]

I think the Church's teaching on masturbation is something that is a logical conclusion from other teachings that are directly biblical. The problem with a lot of other Christians is that they think that [i]everything [/i]must directly come from the bible, when not everything does. Conjugal love is about "two becoming one flesh." If you go [url="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P55.HTM"]Here [/url]in the Catechism and click the footnote numbers, it will take to you to the corresponding bible passages (and other church documents). Masturbation goes against all of that. At it's core it's an act that is self-serving and lustful...while Christians are supposed to master their lust and be selfless.

[Seven77]

I'm curious, Holly, what Is it exactly that this person rejects as [i]unbiblical[/i]? From Genesis it clear that all sexual acts must be ordered toward and open to life. God even spelled it out to Adam and Eve: "be fruitful and multiply" and "therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh." And these commandments are the context of two--a man and a woman, and not of one person by themselves. In other words, [i]that[/i] is for [i]that [/i]and vice versa. Also, like others have pointed out, the story of Onan, who was punished for “spilling his seed" in Genesis 38 illustrates how biblical the teaching really is.

[Jesus_lol]

[quote name='Papist' timestamp='1314821945' post='2298237']
Ask the person when he masturbates, what images is he picturing in his mind. I am sure it is not Jesus Christ, his Lord and Savior.
[/quote]

thankfully.

[tinytherese]

Just because the word masturbation is not in the Bible doesn't mean that the Bible doesn't talk about it. Does this person believe in the trinity? Find that word for me in Sacred Scripture. It isn't, yet most Christian denominations can refer to passages from Scripture in which they base their belief. The word Bible ironically isn't in the text of the Bible.

The question with other Christians isn't so much where it is in Scripture sometimes. They'll probably say that they understand where you're coming from but say that they disagree with your interpretation of Scripture. That's when the conversation can really get interesting because you can talk about by what authority you base biblical passages on. You can ask them how so many different Christians can have so many different interpretations on Scripture and start their own churches. You can go into talking about Tradition, how the magisterium works, how the Catholic Church interprets Scripture, how the Church is the one who gave us the Bible, and show them quotes from the Early Church Fathers.

[Papist]

I'd also ask why does the Bible have to specifically condemn the act. If that is the case, there are a lot of other things we can do, such as cheat on a test or eavesdrop on peoples private conversations.

[MithLuin]

Perhaps we should provide actual Biblical references here:

Genesis 2:24
For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.

This verse is extremely important. It's quoted by both Jesus (Matthew 19, Mark 10) and St. Paul (Ephesians 5) in the New Testament. It tells us what marriage is all about, and how it is integral to our identity as human beings 'from the beginning.' If sex is ordered towards the joining of two people in one flesh, sexual activity that acts counter to that is damaging to the person's call to marriage (or celibacy).

Matthew 19: 3-9
Some Pharisees came to Jesus, testing Him and asking, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason at all?"
And He answered and said, [color="maroon"]"Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning [size="1"]MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE[/size],[/color] [color="maroon"]and said, `F[size="1"]OR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE[/size], [size="1"]AND[/size] [size="1"]THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH[/size]'?[/color] [color="maroon"]So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate."[/color]
They said to Him, "Why then did Moses command to [size="1"]GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE AND SEND[/size] her [size="1"]AWAY[/size]?"
He said to them, [color="maroon"]"Because of your hardness of heart Moses permitted you to divorce your wives; but from the beginning it has not been this way.[/color] [color="maroon"]And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery."[/color]


Why you shouldn't be fantasizing about pin-ups in the first place:

Philippians 2:1-7
Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.

Philippians 4:8
Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

Ephesians 5:1-5
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. (actually, all of Ephesians 5 is great for the meaning of marriage!)


Onan's sin is actually closer to artificial birth control rather than masturbation; what he did was coitus interruptus (or pulling out). Of course, masturbation is also sex without the possibility of procreation, so I can't see how it would be pleasing to God.

Genesis 38:6-10
Now Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. But Er, Judah's firstborn, was evil in the sight of the LORD, so the LORD took his life. [color="#3e4136"]Then Judah said to Onan, "Go [/color][color="#3e4136"]in to your brother's wife, and perform your duty as a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring[/color][color="#3e4136"] for your brother." [/color]Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; so when he went in to his brother's wife, he wasted his seed on the ground in order not to give offspring to his brother. But what he did was displeasing in the sight of the LORD; so He took his life also.