MASTURBATING Dear friends here is the answer to your question: Is masturbating a sin? This question is very important, and I shall answer it to the best of my ability. Let me start by saying I am a former masturbator, and therefore, I can identify with some of the questions that arise and are ignored by the religious society over this subject. Masturbating is a physical desire the same as eating, and it only becomes sinful when we over indulge or harm others for the sake of fulfilling our sexual desires. When masturbating becomes the main focus of our existence, as it was with me, then we are sinning because our minds are overshadowed with the act, rather than with the creator. When we take matrimonial vows we declare our bodies to one another, meaning both will share equally in sexual pleasure. If masturbating is agreed upon by a couple, to enhance sexual pleasure, who is to say it is wrong? But, when one derives more pleasure from masturbating than their partner it causes confusion. There are certain cases were masturbating may be your only choice. What if you are married to someone and they have an accident which leaves them paralyzed? Here masturbating is better than having an outside affair. A young couple engaged and refusing to have sex before marriage may use masturbating as a means of keeping themselves pure. I find nothing wrong in such acts as long as masturbating does not dominate sexual fulfillment. To deny our sexual drive or attempt to remain pure is not Godly. This means those that have taken an oath to God to remain celibate have taken an oath against the very God they want to serve. To abstain for a certain time or with the consent of both partners, is normal, for we were created to be sexually active, but if our sexual activity determines our lifestyle than something is wrong. Masturbating relieves sexual pressure, but having sex with a loved one is God’s plan for humanity. God created a man, and woman so they could share in all the things that belong to life. Now there is a negative side of masturbating, being the desire to satisfy yourself rather than sharing your sexuality with a partner. Or masturbating so often that you become addicted to it. At one point in my life it was easier to masturbate than be with someone, but masturbating is just as addicting as other drugs, and can dominate ones life if allowed to continue unchecked. To God sin is anything that separate mankind’s heart from communicating with him. God is not holding masturbating against mankind for He knows our makeup. Now please don’t accept what I have said as a license to masturbate, but as a ray of light on a subject that has puzzled mankind throughout history. I will tell you that I now enjoy sex with my husband more than masturbating. So as long as we use masturbating as a means of sustaining ourselves temporarily we will not be condemned, but if masturbating is all we want than it will cause us to fall into selfishness, which is sin. Remember masturbating is not God’s prefect plan for mankind, if so, He would not have given Adam a mate, but neither does He condemn us for such an act. God loves us despite our human weaknesses.