Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!wuarchive!cs.utexas.edu!rutgers!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: BVAUGHAN@pucc.princeton.edu (Barbara Vaughan) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Tithing; masturbation; politicking Message-ID: Date: 8 Aug 90 07:25:17 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Lines: 14 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu [MARK@ucf1vm.cc.ucf.edu asked, among other things, about the Biblical position on masturbation. cms@dragon.uucp said she didn't think there was any condemnation. I commented that based on Lev 15:16ff and Deut 23:10 ff it would at least cause ritual uncleanness. --clh] Wasn't Onan struck dead by God for 'spilling his seed upon the ground' in order to avoid raising up an heir for his brother by marrying his brother's widow? This of course doesn't make clear whether the trans- gression was sexual or whether he was being punished for greed, but either masturbation or _coitus interruptus_ (withdrawal) would seem to be 'spilling seed upon the ground'. Barbara Vaughan