• Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
    • Access to private conversations with other members.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

How does your religion view masturbation?

biased

Active Member
How does your religion view masturbation? Is it inherently wrong in all accounts? I've heard Christians attempt to dodge this by saying they can masturbate without lusting which I suppose is possible but seems...complicated.

Maybe I'm a godless heathen but I don't see anything wrong with it. I don't think God cares about my sexual habits.
 

Sunstone

De Diablo Del Fora
Premium Member
I'm not religious, but I'm pretty sure most major religious are downright phobic of masturbation. At least, they have been for long, dark periods of their histories.

One of the minor reasons I do not subscribe to those religions is my belief that any so-called "holy" person who is opposed to a little wanking now and then cannot possibly be profoundly holy, and must instead be of a lesser order of holiness, if holy at all. But what do I know?
 
Last edited:

Sunstone

De Diablo Del Fora
Premium Member
Probably the reason why it's frowned on is because (human) people know if you control the sausage, you control society.

I think that might be the single most important reason that masturbation avoidance is widely encouraged for average folks by most of the world's major religions.

I also think that, in at least some circumstances, avoiding masturbation (or any kind of sex) might help a relative novice focus his or her awareness and energy on his or her spiritual development.

I do not, however, think masturbation avoidance is beneficial for the average person, nor even beneficial for the profoundly spiritual person. But I'm guessing about the last bit, especially.
 

Poeticus

| abhyAvartin |
I also think that, in at least some circumstances, avoiding masturbation (or any kind of sex) might help a relative novice focus his or her awareness and energy on his or her spiritual development.

What if masturbation is part of a person's spiritual development according to that person's faith?
 

Sunstone

De Diablo Del Fora
Premium Member
मैत्रावरुणिः;3467604 said:
What if masturbation is part of a person's spiritual development according to that person's faith?

That might interest me.
 

Sunstone

De Diablo Del Fora
Premium Member
मैत्रावरुणिः;3467624 said:
It would totally go against the notion that to be spiritually advanced, sexual appetite has to be discarded, wouldn't it?

It's widely known to field anthropologists, I believe, that many peoples around the world have taboos against one aspect or another of human sexuality. Those taboos are so wide-spread, M.V., that it seems arguable the teachings against masturbation in the world's great religions most likely have some of their roots in primitive taboos.

As to your question, yes, I agree.
 

Sha'irullah

رسول الآلهة
I have no religious obligations to like or despise masturbation as I am not religious. Although personally I just believe one should be able to control their sausage or taco without fretting.
The primary conclusion for this reasoning is because I am beginning to find a strong fixation upon this in society. Sex is becoming a reason to live and this is undeniable negative to the betterment of life itself.

So my only recommendation is to not worry about such things because it has no place of concern for god. Seriously, god created the thing and gave you the capability to do the dead.
 

Sunstone

De Diablo Del Fora
Premium Member
Practice several times a day. It's a prerequisite for all the top jobs. Government too.

To nit-pickingly qualify your remark, Steven, if masturbation necessarily led to government office, I would by now be the longest serving president in American history. Just sayin'.
 

sandandfoam

Veteran Member
To nit-pickingly qualify your remark, Steven, if masturbation necessarily led to government office, I would by now be the longest serving president in American history. Just sayin'.

Geez, now I'm going to have to figure out the difference between masturbater and banker with a w.
 

Vinayaka

devotee
Premium Member
In Hinduism we don't have "Do this, don't do that!" set rules. We have guidelines, and overindulgence in anything would be considered an unhealthy balance. Too much food, too much TV, too much yoga, etc.

In this case, avoidance would be only truly applicable in the case of monks, (sadhus, yogis, sannyasins, swamis, in Hinduism). But for regular people not choosing the path of renunciation, moderation and guidance from elders would be recommended.

One difference I see in Hinduism and in Buddhism is this monastic path. Often there are two very distinct sets of guidelines depending on which path a devotee is on. a householder does not need to (nor should he, or she) follow the stricter regimen meant for renunciates. And also the opposite is true. No monk should be acquiring wealth, etc.
 

Sunstone

De Diablo Del Fora
Premium Member
In Hinduism we don't have "Do this, don't do that!" set rules. We have guidelines, and overindulgence in anything would be considered an unhealthy balance. Too much food, too much TV, too much yoga, etc.

In this case, avoidance would be only truly applicable in the case of monks, (sadhus, yogis, sannyasins, swamis, in Hinduism). But for regular people not choosing the path of renunciation, moderation and guidance from elders would be recommended.

One difference I see in Hinduism and in Buddhism is this monastic path. Often there are two very distinct sets of guidelines depending on which path a devotee is on. a householder does not need to (nor should he, or she) follow the stricter regimen meant for renunciates. And also the opposite is true. No monk should be acquiring wealth, etc.

Very helpful, I think. Thanks!
 

Levite

Higher and Higher
The attitudes in the tradition vary from strong condemnation to dismissive and offhand relegation of it to "undesirable peccadillo."

What that means is that if you ask someone Orthodox, they will tell you-- with varying degrees of severity, depending on where in the spectrum they fall-- that it's a sin and/or forbidden.

If you ask someone non-Orthodox, they'll tell you that it's not forbidden, and in some cases is even to be encouraged (as a means for relieving sexual desires that may actually be forbidden, or in remaining committed to monogamous relations).

My personal opinion is that there is nothing wrong with it. As my uncle used to say, "If The Lord didn't want you touching it, your hands would grow right out of your shoulders."
 

Sunstone

De Diablo Del Fora
Premium Member
In Hinduism we don't have "Do this, don't do that!" set rules. We have guidelines, and overindulgence in anything would be considered an unhealthy balance. Too much food, too much TV, too much yoga, etc.

Your comment puts me in mind of a story told as true in the book, Karma Cola.

I think it went like this: A certain Westerner felt guilty, shamed, and troubled by his horniness. Asking around, he was advised that the Indians were exceptionally wise in such matters and well knew how to overcome sexual desires. He promptly took time off to go to India in search of a guru.

In India, he spent some time going from one ashram to the next, begging their gurus to help him. But no advice he got would work for him. Finally, he heard of a man, a former Indian Supreme Court Justice, who he was told, really could help him.

He found the man standing in the water of the Ganges, praying. Being an American, he shouted to the sage greetings and pleas to be helped. The sage told him to wait.

When sundown came, the sage first finished his prayers, then asked the Westerner how he might help him. The Westerner explained how his sex drive was out of control, how he had bedded many women and, yet, he lusted to bed even more, and then, how guilty and ashamed it made him feel to have such desires.

When the Westerner had finished, the sage removed his loin cloth to, in turned out, display an erection. Then, the sage began masturbating himself while simultaneously teaching the Westerner with words along these lines: "Observe that I am satisfying my body's needs and hungers without, however, disturbing in the least my ability to focus on and address your concerns. My mind is calm, tranquil, and my sexual desires are powerless to upset its tranquility. Go now, and learn this yourself!"
 
Top