Does masterbation break the law of chastity?


Anonymous1101
 Share

Recommended Posts

Welcome, Anonymous1101!

The short answer to your question is, "yes".

The slightly less-short answer is that while all violations of the LoC are problematic, they are not all equal in gravity.  A person who has a porn problem probably isn't going to see the same ecclesiastical discipline as an adulterer, for example.

But, they do all require priesthood-leader assistance to resolve.  And combining porn and masturbation creates and reinforces some neural pathways and associations that will be very, very hard to undo from an addiction/mental health standpoint; so the earlier you break those habits, the better off you'll be.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes.

Quote

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.

(Matt. 5:27-28) emphasis added

Christ counseled specifically against looking upon a woman to lust after her, and compared it to adultery.  Both are violations of God's Law.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Anonymous1101 said:

So in church we had a lesson on chastity and why it is important to keep and during it i started to wonder if because I masturbate and look at porn does that break the law of chastity?

Yes and yes.  

Sexual activities are reserved for bonding between spouses, which is holy and enjoyable.   When you look at a women other than your spouse sexually, you are violating the LoC and cheating on your future wife.  Every time you engage in sexual activity with someone other than your wife (including just yourself), you are cheating on her and violating the LoC.

Cheating is addictive.  Stopping these habits is something you can't just "white knuckle" try to quit on your own.  You need help.  Go speak to your bishop and he will point you in the right direction.   You need not be chained with this sin any longer.

Edited by Jane_Doe
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Beside the ecclesiastical reasons of which are quite valid, mental health wise, looking at porn gives a very unrealistic view of the nude human body, for NORMAL people are not "Built" like that (usually), the expectation can be projected upon a spouse of future spouse, and there's trouble. Twofold, sexual release with viewing porn is no less than having had relations with the women you are viewing during release. 

Porn is absolutely the devil's playground, it's inherently dangerous. Don't think for a moment those are victimless crimes, you may have a handful of players, yet so many more that are victims of human trafficking. Much suffering goes into porn, there is the physical suffering, the self esteem loss, then the spiritual suffering (Separation from God and the holy spirit). 

No one will, or should, be more beautiful to you in a disrobed state than your wife, or wife to be. I am blessed to be married to the woman of my dreams, whom shares with me the things only a husband should ever know. I don't just have her body, but I have her beautiful heart too. Blessed be the name of the lord, I thank him for my wife, who loves me so much. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Welcome @Anonymous1101. As several others have pointed out the answer is yes it is. Here is an article on the topic for parents teaching children about the Law of Chastity, but the principles apply to everyone  https://www.lds.org/ensign/1986/12/talking-with-your-children-about-moral-purity?lang=eng

Avoid pornography like a plague my friend it will lead you too nothing but misery and unhappiness. But don't despair. The church has a large number of resources to help you get over this. First go to your Bishop, confess, and follow his counsel as he is Christ's servant. In addition take a look at the Church's addiction recovery book. I promise you that through the Grace of Jesus Christ you can be forgiven and can overcome your problems with the Law of Chastity. The earlier you start the better. 

Edited by Midwest LDS
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Anonymous1101 said:

So in church we had a lesson on chastity and why it is important to keep and during it i started to wonder if because I masturbate and look at porn does that break the law of chastity?

Masturbation is not a good thing. You need to develop the self-control not to masturbate. As an adult or even a teenager, you are expected to have overcome this. If you want to be worthy of a temple recommend, you will need to stop masturbating. If you can't overcome this alone, please talk to your bishop.

Looking at pornography is a bad thing. It destroys your ability to feel the Spirit and badly warps your view of women and sexuality. Please, get help from your bishop immediately to quit the pornography usage.

Masturbating to pornography is spiritual cyanide. Absolutely, by all means, please do not do this, and if you're doing it, take whatever steps are necessary to stop it. Masturbating to pornography can lead ONLY to despair and sexual/spiritual ruin. Nothing good -- NOTHING -- can come of such a thing. I cannot overemphasize how harmful it is to masturbate to pornography. In doing so, you are literally programming your brain and your genitals to respond to exactly the thing you don't want to do. PLEASE, BROTHER, FOR YOUR OWN SAKE, TALK TO YOUR DAD AND/OR MOM (if you're a minor) AND/OR BISHOP ABOUT THIS IMMEDIATELY. TONIGHT.

I am serious. Go for help right now. Do not wait. It probably seems like a big, embarrassing thing, but you don't want to put this off. Please do not risk a lifetime of suffering because of some youthful pride. What you are doing risks destroying some of the most important aspects of your personality and very being. Please get help NOW.

Come back and tell us what's going on. Stay anonymous, that's fine. Just let us know that you're proactively doing something about this.

And by the way: YOU CAN'T DO THIS ALONE. If you think you can, you are almost certainly deceiving yourself.

Edited by Vort
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quote

Before marriage, do not do anything to arouse the powerful emotions that must be expressed only in marriage....Do not allow anyone to do that with you. Do not arouse those emotions in your own body.

That's straight out of For the Strength of Youth. 

Council with the Lord and His stewards over you (priesthood leaders) on the best way for you to stop this behavior. Clear your browser history and take anything remotely pornographic to the nearest trash receptacle, and then take them to the nearest dumpster. Don't even wait for garbage day. These are your weapons of rebellion. Bury them deep, my friend. (Alma 23 and 24)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, Anonymous1101 said:

So in church we had a lesson on chastity and why it is important to keep and during it i started to wonder if because I masturbate and look at porn does that break the law of chastity?

Short answer yes.  

i suspect that you may be a minor.  If so STOP looking at porn. Stop it now. It has been said in previous posts it will infect your mind and your spirit. It is not real, those who make it are victims and those who consume it become victims of the evil within it. If you are unable to stop or have frequent relapses see your bishop ASAP. 

As far as masturbation is concerned you need to learn to control your body. This is not an easy task especially when you are young but it is not impossible. If you have a problem with self abuse see your bishop immediately. 

I would highly recommend a conversation with your bishop and let him know where you stand. he can get you on a path that leads you in the right direction. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

@Anonymous1101

I am convinced that sin is bad not because of what it does to others but what it does to the person that sins.  Often it seems to me that evil and sin are defined by what it does to others.  For example, we think of the sin of murder as a horrible thing because it seems to be the ultimate damage to someone else -because it ends their life.  What is overlooked is the damage that is done to the person before they even commit the murder.  Jesus touched on this when we warrened about anger – which includes revenge. 

Truth is that G-d can fix anything you do to anyone else.  He can restore them and make them whole.  What he cannot do is fix the damage you do to yourself.  The damage you do to yourself is the problem of repentance.

The problem with masturbation and porn is not what such things do to others but what these things do to those that get caught in this trap.  Like the worm of the fish hook the person enticed does not realize their loss of freedom and agency until it is too late and that the hook will limit and bind them and make them captive.  It will define for them their passions and desires and remove from them the power to choose and determine their passions and desires.

It is interesting to me that without exception every homosexual I know started their sexual experiences with masturbation.   Not that everyone that masturbates becomes a homosexual but everyone that becomes a homosexual masturbates.  So powerful is this hook placed into their flesh that they believe they are powerless and unable to choose anything else – they are in complete bondage to their desire and passion to be a homosexual.

 

The Traveler

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Absolutely

Fom my own personal experience, masturbation is the catalyst for all other perversions and sexual defilements. I am inadequate to express in words how wrong this practice is. It is not innocent or "not that bad." In my opinion, it is foremost among sexual wrongs, not by law, but by the danger and potential it carries. 

Pornography is arousal on demand. The things which you see in pornography are things you were never supposed to see. It broadens what's possible in your descent down the hole of depravity, it is a rocket fuel for personal and social wickedness. Couple that with the self agitation of the genitals and you have a disturbing situation.

Let me tell you a short story. I've had a masturbation problem since I was 6 or 7 and a pornography problem since 15. The only attraction I'd ever had for girls was "sexual" (or a variation thereof.) They were a pillar of flesh whose individual parts I got to fantasize about and stare at on the computer. 

Since I'm anonymous, I'll share something else with you, something you might hear when discussing porn addiction. I got bored of "normal porn" and slowly ventured into gay porn, then slowly into beastiality, then slowly into pornographic cartoons of children.

The constant sexual haze I had been subject to, and the neurological changes which accompanied it, ruined any normal response to the opposite sex I was supposed to have. This changed at age 22 and only after years of trying to quit and prayer and revelation. As far as I'm concerned it was an act of grace,  that the damage I had inflicted upon myself had begun to reverse and a new view of love and women shown to me by revelation. Nowadays, happily for me, a smiling girl is mind blowing, whereas before I wouldn't have noticed, how gray.

I still have a problem with pornography and masturbation. However, its not nearly as bad as it used to be. There has been much healing performed.

Do not trifle with these things. Get away now.

Edited by Snigmorder
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This depends...are you asking from an LDS viewpoint, or from some other viewpoint.

This is a delicate subject and I hope the mods are understanding as they have been of others who have discussed this in the thread above. I am personally uncomfortable when I typically discuss this very delicate sin.  I hopefully avoid offending anyone, as much of this is at first from a most scholarly approach, and then an application of it.  If I accidentally offend anyone in discussing this sensitive subject, I beg for your forgiveness as it is completely unintentional.  I also ask forbearance from the start as, believe it or not, I am excessively uncomfortable (even when it is a discussion held in private) regarding this subject and thus my writing may not convey precisely what I am trying to say in a very careful and unantagonistic way towards the original poster.  I apologize for any weaknesses of mine in regards to the subject knowledge or the subject itself, or being empathetic enough.  I hope you forgive me of any weaknesses or mistakes I make in this, and understand that I am only mortal and a man and thus am not perfect (yet).

To the OP...

You have mentioned TWO different items here, and I will address both of them separately, first discussing masturbation, and secondly, porn, as you mentioned both.  You did not list your religion, so I am also addressing it from an LDS and a more general Christian consideration.

To be clear, there is NO scriptural basis in the Bible, or any other LDS standard work that actually condemns or mentions masturbation.  Many religions have recognized this today.  There was a movement in the 18th century s caused by an inerrant reading of the Bible and an improper interpretation by a quack medical interpretation that led to a rise of condemnation regarding masturbation.

The story was based upon Onan, who, as per the Bible, spilt his seed on the ground and was promptly struck dead by the Lord.  The thought was that he was killed for masturbation.  It ignores the rest of the story.  However, it is where the term Onanism arises in much of it's current usage, though it has other definitions that were utilized more often previously (and more akin to his actual sin).  Onan was supposed to marry his brothers wife after his brother died and raise up children as his brothers.  He indeed went into his brothers wife, but instead of raising up children, he choose to specifically mock the Lord in that instance and hence, spilt his seed on the ground.

It had always been viewed with some suspicion, but gained a fully on furor of being proclaimed excessively sinful around the 18th century.  In the early 1700s a theologian wrote a paper that garnered more fame as it went, and eventually, had many claiming the same effects from masturbation.  This ranged everywhere from vomiting and nausea to paralysis and insanity.  Madness, epilepsy (yes, this was blamed on masturbation....), and all sorts of items were claimed as being caused by masturbation and was actually verified by what is now recognized as quack science...by medical doctors who did research on this subject.

Hence, what had once been a disturbance...became a full on crusade by the 19th century (or the time of Joseph Smith) that masturbation was in fact one of the most vile sins.  At that time you see widescale acceptance (up to and including the idea that masturbation leads to homosexuality and then to suicide or insanity as a natural punishment from heaven) of it as a major sin. 

Now, remember, there is NOTHING in the scriptures in this regard.  This is MAN writing this.

The last and greatest person to buy into this quack still has a famous name to day.  He was John Kellogg (of the cereal fame).  In the early 1900s, he was famous for coining a phrase you may hear nowdays occasionally in the LDS church.  He was against any "unnatural acts" in regards to sexuality.  His arguments went far beyond just masturbation, but one of his major focuses was masturbation.  Despite science starting to emerge showing the inaccurate medical conclusions from the past, he pushed much harder in this regard, arguing that masturbation indeed led to paralysis and spinal problems, insanity, and even suicide.  It is ironic, considering that some of his ideas were quite revolutionary (for example, at the time many felt alcohol was a stimulant, but Kellogg argued otherwise, that it was actually just the opposite).

If one follows the LDS regulations in history (as a historian at least), it follows this furor and ideology quite closely, at least up until around the 1960s and 70s when this quackery came to the forefront.  In addition, there is some history to indicate that when it was notated as a sin, it was more due to public acceptance of the idea, than anything other than that as the trends in the LDS church and ideas of it CLOSELY adhered to what everyone else though historically up until the mid 20th century.  Some may hypothesize that it may, some day, be seen more as racism in the early church is today, rather than a specific revelation on the topic, at least in historical essays.  As I stated, though traditionally the LDS church had followed the trends in regards to how it considered masturbation, this started to change in the mid 20th century. Instead, rather than paying heed to the medical and science, the LDS leadership still held that masturbation led to homosexuality, as revealed in the Miracle of Forgiveness by Kimball.

So what does this all mean?

For a Christian, it means, it depends on whether you believe the Bible, or man.  If you believe the Bible, there is really nothing on it found within it.  We don't know, but nothing seems to condemn it specifically.

If you are a Scientist, and a Christian, you probably will realize that up to 60-70% of ALL MEN masturbate, and up to 90% HAVE masturbated at some point of their life.

If you are a Scientist, and a Jokester, but not a Mormon but joking about Mormons you would say...8 out of 10 Mormons masturbate and tell someone, the other 2 out of 10 lie about it.

However, if you ARE MORMON, it means something entirely different.  We, as Mormons, do not believe in participating in any unnatural act.  This has actually been specified at certain times in the LDS history (and I could fill everyone in on a pretty comprehensive list, but that list is no longer used today, and listing it all may not actually be in good terms with the rules of this site, in fact this entire topic...I'm not really comfortable with to be honest).  Masturbation, historically has been included in that list.

We, as Mormons, believe in continuing revelation from the Lord.  From the Lord, hence, the idea then, is that this act is not approved upon by the Lord specifically, at least that's the interpretation I've heard from many.  On it's own, however, it is a minor sin.  In fact, it is FAR more minor than what I've seen most here state.

 As I stated above, some, especially from a historical viewpoint, see a close correlation to the quack science of it and how the LDS church saw it at the time...HOWEVER...and I should be clear on that, it does NOT matter in regards to church policy if you are LDS.  If you are LDS, it has been listed as something that is wrong to pursue, and something no young man should be a part of. (or old man for that matter).

Thus, it is still considered a sin in the LDS church, and as a Mormon, you need to abstain from it if you can (there are medical situations I've heard of that may arise at times...but they are very rare).

However, there is a far more serious sin that is connected to it.  I have very rarely met a youth who has confessed of masturbation without the confession of a far more serious sin.  As the Lord has stated...

Quote

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.

Almost to an individual, they suffer from breaking this.  Now in the lightest form, this is not breaking one of the 10 commandments or the lower law, but it IS breaking the Higher law, of which we strive to live.  Hence, it is not a major sin such as fornication, or adultery, but it can have consequences.  This is what I see as a great plague on the church today.

This sin is most commonly seen today in people viewing pornography.  Whether a Mormon, or a Christian (or at least most Christian sects), this is seen as a sin. 

However, this is not the end of it.  The actual interpretation of the scripture goes into that it can actually mean, not just lust, but coveting someone else's wife.  This, in fact, IS breaking one of the ten commandments (coveting) and the lower law, and depending on how far it has gone and what actions people have taken in this regard, can be rather serious.  I am not going to go into the details of what actions will get you into huge trouble, but lets just say, hopefully people can't imagine some of the things I've heard and seen in that regard.

In essence, though, you should avoid any unnatural acts in regard to sexuality, whether you are married our not.  Be aware this is more for Mormons, than others.  However, in general, these sins, though greivious, are NOT as hefty as many try to make them out to be.  Many a spouse at times has the greater sin wanting revenge and having the church levy some heavier punishment upon their spouse for these sins, because they imagine how terrible it must be, rather than what it normally (not always, sometimes it is far more serious) is.  I've seen what I consider a far greater sin of spouses divorcing their spouse due to things of this nature, because they view it as far more serious a sin than it normally is (in my experience).  I find how much divorce occurring the church today ALSO a plague, and a FAR MORE SERIOUS one than that of pornography...in my personal estimation.

This can be a difficult sin to overcome.  We can offer support, and love, but it is ultimately up to the individual.  The first individual, if he is there, and you are indeed Mormon/LDS that I would confess to probably would NOT be your Bishop.  It would be your Father.  It can be worked from there in regards to repentance, which, if you are LDS and from your description, may also include your Bishop.

 

Edited by JohnsonJones
clarification
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, The Folk Prophet said:

By what authority do you make such a claim?

Experience and what one can find about it in the Church Handbooks and elsewhere when needing to make decisions and judgments in this regard, as well as hearing what many will say or explain in places like this board.  In addition, from the experience I've seen where on many occasions I've seen many shocked at how "light" they think I, or their own leadership have handled it in regards to the repentance process.

Unfortunately, I see those that would want a huge number of their brothers and sisters excommunicated over such things, and cannot understand why we don't do this, when this would destroy the church and disable our goal of making strong family units that follow the Lord in righteousness.

From their reactions, it seems many equate it with adultery, fornication, or other sins of such a nature of more serious effect, or murder, and treat it accordingly.  When this happens, I've seen a LOT of grief caused by such treatment, and only terrible and sad events occur.  It deters those who need to come forward from coming forward and repenting for fear.  It makes others give up hope before they've even tried.  Others expect the worst immediately and think it condemns them.  As I mentioned, even in marriage, I've seen wives AND husbands decide to divorce over thinking it is such a terrible sin, doing the opposite of what our goal is and breaking up families and separating children from parents, which I view as FAR worse.  It is a horrible stone that people hang around theirs and others necks.

Because I state it is not as hefty as many try to make it out, does NOT mean it is not a sin...it is something individuals need to try to overcome and repent of just like any other sin.  It is just that it is not as bad or harsh in punishment or condemnation or any other factor as many make it sound or seem.  In fact, many are surprised at how minor it is compared to how major they made it out to be in their minds, or how others (who may be in the same boat as they and also have made it out worse than it should be) have represented it to be to them.  Is it a sin...yes.  Is it as bad as many make it sound...no, and as such, one shouldn't need to fear that their church membership is in any danger normally (especially if one is wanting to participate in the repentance process).

Because this is such a widespread problem, (and if science is correct, it is FAR wider than those that admit a problem), it is something that needs to be addressed.  It is perhaps one of the most common sins committed out there, and as such, especially with young people, needs to be discussed.  It is my opinion this is actually one reason it is brought up so often in conference and otherwise.  Unfortunately some equate with how much it is brought up with how terrible a sin it is, and thus some put it above other worse and more horrible sins (for example, fornication, which is FAR worse in many cases).  This is a misperception. 

Many who suffer from it would be surprised at how widespread it is in the church, and there are some that notice the mote in other's eyes instead of the beam in their eye in their haste to condemn their fellow man.  Others, because of how hastily others are to condemn them (but normally NOT their bishop, which they would actually find it if they asked, rather than assuming others condemning them so harshly are telling the truth), decide repentance is beyond them, or that they are doomed because of the misperceptions I spoke of above.  This is the LAST type of idea we want to spread, as this stops our fellowman from the blessings they can receive.

For some, they think they are the ONLY one that has this difficulty, when it could not be further from the truth.  As I said, I think this is perhaps one of the most common sins that people struggle with today.  If they only knew how many of their brothers and sisters out there are struggling right there with them, and how they should not need to fear from trying to repent, I think many of those who are fearful of even trying to repent, would be encouraged instead to try to repent and be clean.

Edited by JohnsonJones
Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, The Folk Prophet said:

Nonsense.

I wish.  This very thread you have people comparing it to things one would get excommunicated for in many instances (for example, this is NOT equivalent to cheating, nor is it spiritual cyanide anymore than any other lesser sin one habitually commits nor many other things far worse).  It is this type of attitude that frightens people into thinking never to repent, or that they are doomed because the think the sin is far to large for them to ever repent of. 

That's the real nonsense that I see, and it's an absolute terrible thing that we tell people such nonsense, when in truth, it is FAR more minor than that.  Is it a sin.  Absolutely...but generally (there are always exceptions) it's not anywhere close to adultery (though many spouses think that and this thought process leads to the other problem of members using it as an excuse to divorce their spouses at times), or fornication, or even heavy petting (IMO on that one).  It breaks a commandment of the higher law, but normally it is not breaking a commandment regarding the lower law.

This one sin brings around so much unnecessary grief and  hardship, and in my opinion, part of it is because people many times label it far more harshly than they should.  In this, the words they use are far more harsh in expression, rather than showing love and support for the one who needs it.

We talk about it so much because the problem is so prevalent, but many people lose sight of how it is just like many other minor sins.  Unfortunately, many will ignore other sins of equal magnitude, or even sins of greater magnitude (for example, habitual shoplifting or one I saw that still confounds me...outright grand theft) and focus solely on this one.  I am particularly harsh on this and what I consider pornography (for example, most romance novels In my opinion are straight up pornography), but it seems many who should be supportive of an individuals road to repentance instead seem to question me soon after on WHY I did not level a harsher punishment or do something far more drastic than what I did.  Instead of feeling the relief and the burden lifted as the individual dealing with the problem hopefully feels, they seem to want to have some sort of vengeance exacted.

Unfortunately, I see this all too often.  Perhaps I just deal with this type of thing so often that it has slanted my view in regards to the general LDS view...I've heard that can happen.  My experiences though, indicate that people judge it far more harshly than what it really is.

Anyways, this is a pretty uncomfortable topic to discuss for me anyways.  I deal with this too much as it is, and I don't even feel comfortable in a private setting talking about this stuff with those who confess or bring it up (where it is necessary in many instances and I have to discuss it whether I really want to or not), much less on a forum with many individuals. 

Edited by JohnsonJones
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, JohnsonJones said:

  It is this type of attitude that frightens people into thinking never to repent, or that they are doomed because the think the sin is far to large for them to ever repent of. 

I'm sorry, but stating the seriousness of a sin is not fright tactics, and we should not shirk away from stating when something is serious because it might frighten someone.  If someone is frightened (or even if they aren't), then we talk the power of Christ's magnificent atonement because that's the major thing here (or in any situation involving any sin).

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

35 minutes ago, Jane_Doe said:

I'm sorry, but stating the seriousness of a sin is not fright tactics, and we should not shirk away from stating when something is serious because it might frighten someone.  If someone is frightened (or even if they aren't), then we talk the power of Christ's magnificent atonement because that's the major thing here (or in any situation involving any sin).

 

All sin is serious, but sometimes we like to focus on minor sins like this to the point that people forget that there are a lot more serious sins out there that are far more damaging to the individual or others. While I agree the individual involved needs to take action, there is no need to frighten them needlessly.  What will happen if the Bishop is told, most likely (I can't guarantee anything TBH) is something VERY minor, and in many instances I find it is FAR less (if anything) than what the individual THINKS will happen or occur.

If I told someone that was traveling 5 miles over the speed limit that they were breaking the law and going to go to jail for the rest of their lives if they ever were caught and to stop it...most would think I was going a little overboard. 

On the otherhand, if I said to someone breaking the law by committing grand theft and murdering the store owner that this could lead to life in prison and possibly execution in some states..

The two aren't really comparable.  Both are breaking the law, but one has a much heavier punishment affixed.  The focus for many police will be speeding, and the speeding tickets.  The first is FAR more prevalent and applicable to more people when discussed.  If more people wear seatbelts and follow speed limits, the number of deaths would probably go down much farther if the first is enforced, than telling people about the second one.  The second is still enforced by the police, but with the amount of time and tickets, the first probably takes more time in discussion and otherwise.

The same would apply in the discussion.  The sin discussed in this thread is perhaps the most prevalent in the church from my perspective currently.  It is one that probably affects every member in some way, either because a family member is committing the sin, or a relative is involved with the sin, if not the individual themselves.  This should mean that the leaders of the church address such a prevalent sin at almost every conference or general meeting in many instances.  It is as bad, if not worse, than any plague.  The numbers of members involved with the sin, from my perspective, is staggering.  Anyone involved with it, is absolutely not alone in their suffering. 

However, it is in no way comparable to how hefty the punishments (at least in most cases, there are exceptions, as I've stated previously) are for other sins of a more damaging form for both the individual and others.

The very first thing I would want someone to understand is that they are not alone.  That it is very easy to repent of, if they WANT to repent.  And that they should not despair.  There are MANY I've met that have given up all hope of ever overcoming this sin when they meet with me.  They have already condemned themselves in their minds...there is no reason for us to reinforce such things.  The message I would bring is that of repentance and that they can repent, and in many instances will be FAR EASIER than what they've made it out to be in their minds. (though that does not mean it will necessarily be EASY...just easier than what they may think...and it may take a long time to over come as well.  But it is possible, and with faith in the Lord, their burden maybe made light).

Edited by JohnsonJones
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, JohnsonJones said:

All sin is serious, but sometimes we like to focus on minor sins like this to the point that people forget that there are a lot more serious sins out there that are far more damaging to the individual or others. 

Saying "well this sin is worse" is totally unhelpful.

1 hour ago, JohnsonJones said:

While I agree the individual involved needs to take action, there is no need to frighten them needlessly. 

Again, stating the seriousness of the sin is not freight tactics.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, Jane_Doe said:

Saying "well this sin is worse" is totally unhelpful.

Again, stating the seriousness of the sin is not freight tactics.

ALL sin is serious, is there a reason one would choose to make this one more serious than...say...assault and battery?  or murder?  Or grand theft?  Or maybe not keeping the Sabbath day holy?  Or taking the Lord's name in Vain? 

Sin is serious, I agree.  Focusing on one sin and making it the bogeyman above all others, especially if it is such a minor sin comparatively to many others, in my opinon, is not helpful or encouraging to someone to try to repent of the sin.  Making mountains out of molehills only scares someone from walking over a molehill easily because they think it is a mountain instead.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, JohnsonJones said:

ALL sin is serious, is there a reason one would choose to make this one more serious than...say...assault and battery?  or murder?  Or grand theft?  Or maybe not keeping the Sabbath day holy?  Or taking the Lord's name in Vain? 

I don't understand why you keep bringing up all these things that have no relation to the OP.  We're not talking about them.

1 hour ago, JohnsonJones said:

Sin is serious, I agree.  Focusing on one sin and making it the bogeyman above all others, especially if it is such a minor sin comparatively to many others, in my opinon, is not helpful or encouraging to someone to try to repent of the sin.  Making mountains out of molehills only scares someone from walking over a molehill easily because they think it is a mountain instead.

No one is making any bogeyman above all others-- we're not even talking about others!  

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bad news: Yes, it does.  

Good news: As a former porn-addict, I can testify that breaking a porn-addiction is a wonderful opportunity to experience the enabling power of Christ!  By submitting myself to Christ, I made progress resisting pornography I didn't think was even possible!  My testimony of the enabling power of the Atonement is now unshakable!  And Christ will do the same for you!  Remember, God never gives us a commandment - such as the LoC - without first providing a way for us to fulfill it!

Good luck on your journey, brother!  Check out reddit.com/r/nofapchristians/ if you need a online support group.

Edited by chasingthewind
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share