Intro: Protestant position on masturbation
Welcome to our channel where we explore different perspectives on controversial topics. In this article, we will be discussing the Biblical perspective on masturbation, specifically why it is considered a sin.
Masturbation is a topic that has been debated for years. Some people argue that it is a natural and healthy activity, while others claim that it violates religious teachings.
From a Biblical perspective, masturbation is considered a sin because it is against God’s plan for sexual intimacy in marriage. Masturbation is often associated with lust, which is condemned in the Bible.
Moreover, masturbation is seen as a form of sexual self-gratification, which is selfish and focuses on individual pleasure rather than the mutual pleasure shared between spouses.
Additionally, masturbation can lead to addiction, which can harm one’s mental and physical health.
Religious Position: Diversity within Protestantism
What is the Protestant position on masturbation? In other words, what attitude do Protestants take to masturbation?
The Protestants never claimed a common position on self-defense or documented such a position, and did not even establish a unified position on this act.
However, it is easily assumed that society’s generally negative attitude toward masturbation. This attitude was convenient from the 18th century to the 20th century. Therefore, it may have influenced the Protestant way of thinking.
Now let’s look at the Protestant stance on masturbation. The author of the book I quoted says that there are six positions regarding masturbation.
Now let’s look at each theory. Today, I will look into the claim that masturbation is a sin and share a counterargument to it.
Masturbation is a sin
This view concludes that masturbation is a sinful habit against God’s will and that it is an evil act to use God’s gift as a bowl.
This position has been taken by most evangelicals in the past. A typical example is Jay E. Adams.
Although there are no specific passages that point out that masturbation is a sin in the Bible, he explains that masturbation is against the will of God. The four principles he lists are as follows.
(1) Christians should not be obsessed with anything, but young people often become slaves to masturbation.
(2) Masturbation is accompanied by sexual fantasies, which means that there is no way to avoid the reprimand of Jesus Christ in Matthew 5:27-28.
(3) For Christians, masturbation cannot be recognized as a third way because there are only two ways: moderation or marriage
(4) The reason why masturbation is a perverted sex act is that sex exists not for yourself but for your spouse, and masturbation only pleases you.
Aside from these four grounds, some argue that masturbation’s guilt proves its sin.
Objection to the idea that masturbation is a sin
Now let’s go over the five pieces of evidence used to support the guilt of masturbation one by one.
First， Let’s see the argument that masturbation entangles the actor and makes moderation almost impossible.
In general, moderation is critical, but even if it is not restrained, it is often impossible to condemn unconditionally.
For example, falling in love or falling asleep An excellent example is being obsessed with poetic imagination.
However, the actions listed above are not considered sins since they weaken the consciousness of God and control the will.
Further, although it is rare, masturbation can occur in moderation, and Adams’ objection is not appropriate.
“Having sexual desire” referred to in Matthew 5:27 and 28 is not a counterargument, as masturbation can sometimes occur without sexual imagination.
Third, based on Corinthians 7:9, “If you can’t control, marry,” there is some ambiguity in the argument that there are only two ways to be Christians: abstinence or marriage.
In other words, it is a matter of how to understand the ‘restraint’ that appears here.
Adams understands this moderation to be related to other sexual tests, including masturbation.
Therefore, if you are a person who can’t control even masturbation, it means you should get married.
However, this interpretation is too strong. Given the context of Paul’s Epistles, it is very significant that ‘out of control’ is mentioned in relation to ‘conduct’.
In other words, Paul uses the expression ‘uncontrollably’ to refer to falling into conniving due to the absence of a marriage partner.
These people cannot help but commit to yin and yang, so they must ultimately choose the path of marriage.
However, since marriage is often possible after waiting for various conditions, such as the emergence of a spouse, environmental convenience, and time suitability, contrary to Adams’ argument, it is possible to rely on the pattern of masturbation behavior during this waiting period.
According to Adams, masturbation is not representative of the ideal between men and women.
However, when it is impossible to have sex with a spouse due to unavoidable circumstances, masturbation can only be condemned as a perverted phenomenon.
Fifth, there are those who feel no guilt at all while masturbating, and in this case, the theory of self-defense based on guilt loses ground.
Based on the above argument, the argument that masturbation itself is considered a sin is not a very persuasive theory.
Conclusion
In conclusion, masturbation is viewed as a sin from a Biblical perspective due to its association with lust, sexual self-gratification, and addiction. And I learned that there are some objections to the idea that masturbation is a sin.
We hope this video has shed some light on the topic and provided some insights into why it is considered taboo in some religious circles.
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