I should clarify I’m speaking academically here.
Yes friend, but the constant and undeniable one Truth, is Christ Jesus! John 14:6. I agree with you completely, and man always has influenced and manipulated Scripture to appease the crocodiles. Still, the Holy Spirit is the promise, our down payment on earth for what awaits in heaven–our heaven on earth. Knowing that Jesus Christ died as propitiation for our sins, that he took our place on the Cross–surrendering to God’s will and letting the old man pass that the new creation arise–being transformed from the inside out. This is the Truth! Jesus is the Truth! And as you stated, we can go on and on and on and on… but the only advice we can give confidently is to hit one’s knees and cry out to Jesus. He sent His Spirit to abide in us, if our temple is clean. And this unification is where we begin to change and gain understanding.
If you don’t like masturbation being a sin, you can always start a new religion where it is a sacrament.
What I’m more worried about is how all of my unexpected erections will be judged. Some of those boners were highly inappropriate.
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Christians don’t go to those kinds of parties. See 1 Peter 4:1-5.
“Why are the pages all stuck together in our holy scripture?”
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I see you haven’t met many Lutherans - they love beer and parties and are most definitely Christian. Paul’s letters being included in the New Testament is shady at best anyway.
Where did all these Christians come from?
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You gotta read Genesis to know the answer to that one!
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See PT Barnum.
This is why confession exists.
I used to be pretty devout (and i’ll admit ignorant). Grew up in private school and attended church regularly until I was about 30. Started really examining what I actually believed and more of the history surrounding when/why the Bible was composed and fell away from it (I also think a lot of things are problematic, but this isn’t the thread for that).
I think if more sat down and truly examined their own beliefs many would come to much more interesting conclusions about life/how to act.
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Oh, I’m aware of your history, as we’ve had several conversations about it before.
I completely agree. I think very few Christians, especially American Christians, have any clue what they actually believe. And most of them, even people on here, use it to belong to a group or something to make themselves feel good, but little else about what they say and do is appropriate given their supposed beliefs. Like with politics - I think most American Christians view their religion through the lens of their politics, rather than their politics through the lens of the Gospel.
I’ve had the opposite experience as you - as I get older and experience more life, I am further convinced of the beliefs I already held, but I have made efforts to educate myself, and my beliefs, actions, and perspectives, while unchanged at the core, are not the same as they were 10 years ago.
Anyway, OP, yeah - from a Christian perspective, masturbation’s a sin. I don’t see how that’s up for debate. I wouldn’t expect any non-religious person to agree.
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I’m getting old - my memory is going, lol.
I’m leaning into the Buddhist teachings lately and studying those. A lot of the ideas there mirror what today is known as “secular humanism”. Interesting rabbit hole to go down if you like studying differing viewpoints.
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Highly recommend the Tao Te Ching as a companion piece for Buddhism.
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Have read that a couple of times. It’s short but hard to digest.
I believe that the Bible helps reveal when God sees masturbation is a sin and when it is not.
Matthew 5:27 “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.”
Throughout the Bible there are numerous places that indicate that fornication and adultery are sins in the eyes of our Lord.
In Matthew 5;28 Jesus says that what’s within your heart commits the sin, whether the act is done or not.
If you are masturbating thinking of another person, you are committing fornication with them in your heart. That is sin. If you are married and masturbating thinking of another person, you are committing adultery with them in your heart. That is sin.
If you are masturbating thinking of your wife, you are having sex with her in your heart. That is not a sin.
If you are bed with your wife and you are masturbating each other consult Hebrews 3:4, “Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.” This is not a sin.
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I don’t know much about Buddhist teachings. Some of what I do know seems incompatible with my own beliefs, but some teachings also seem fine.
I think pretty much all cultures and religions have things worth learning and following to some extent. I think St. Augustine said something about not only valuing the wisdom of Christians. He was probably referring to Greek/Roman philosophy, but still, the point stands.
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This entire thread immediately made me begin thinking about Beavis and Butthead whacking off in Anderson’s toolshed, which probably isn’t doing my sin score any favors.
Or let Zen blend them for you!
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What if I’m imagining my wife while I’m watching porn?