Path: utzoo!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: janski@vipunen.hut.fi (Janne Olavi Salmi) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Biblical Sexual Morality Message-ID: Date: 18 Mar 91 15:45:12 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: Helsinki Univ. of Tech., Finland Lines: 33 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu [Daniel Zappala commented ... Since God fully knows the human reproductive system, he must have had his reasons for declaring masturbation and homosexuality as sins. I'm willing to take his word for it --clh] The Bible doesn't say that masturbation is a sin. For example, if one views the sexual act as a union of woman and man on the level of a unifying of spirits, as well as bodies, then it is quite possible for me to see masturbation as a pale shadow of the full sexual act, and hence unpleasing to God. Note, I make no claim for this as a Biblical concept. I myself can settle for God's will without needing a complete reason. Yes, that is quite right. It's like playing chess against yourself. You don't really win anything. But, again, it's not a sin in itself. You can, however, find other things that are connected to it that are sins, like "lusting thy neighbor's wife" that makes one do it. -- ************************************************************************** * Janne Salmi / "Money, I need more money, just a * * / little more money, yeah, I need more * * Email:janski@niksula.hut.fi / money" -Extreme * ************************************************************************** [As far as I know, the usual citation is Gen 38:8 ff, where Onan is condemned for "spilling his semen on the ground". However there was a specific context there. Onan had accepted the reponsibility of raising up children for his dead brother, and this was a violation of that responsibility. Does anyone know another citation? --clh]