The reasoning in favor of masturbation is quite curious: if we tell people it is wrong and that God disapproves, what happens to those [implied multitudes] who aren’t able to stop? They grow up thinking God hates them or that they are some miserable, shameful, dirty creature that belongs under a rock. Therefore, let them do it . . .
It’s essentially a secular libertarian, or even utilitarian argument, not a Christian one. It’s contradicted whenever the same advocates decry pornography and contend that exposure to it might begin a terrible and perhaps lifelong addiction. As pornography is addicting, so is masturbation, and often they coincide. So do we also argue that pornography ought to be freely available, as a good thing, lest those who can’t break the habit feel condemned and worthless and turn against God as a result?
Do masturbation champions advocate free availability and moral sanction of cocaine and heroin, or approve of alcoholism (or oppose remarkably successful programs like AA)? Do they also take a position that homosexual acts are permissible and moral simply because the lifestyle is extremely hard to break (as we know it is)? Why make an exception for masturbation?
The Catholic Church disagrees, of course, It regards masturbation as a mortal, soul-threatening sin. And it will continue to do so, no matter what the prevailing zeitgeist may be. If something is wrong, it’s wrong. What period of history (or cultural decadence) we happen to be in has no bearing on that wrongness. Strong Church authority is precisely what prevents these “slippery slope” descents into sexual compromise.
Masturbation is a form of non-procreative sex. It perverts sexuality and has an adverse effect on proper, healthy sexual development. It turns sex into something entirely selfish, rather than giving and other-directed. This “if it feels good, do it” mentality is in perfect harmony with the sexual revolution and humanist ethics and hedonism, but in perfect disharmony with traditional Christian sexual morality.
— Dave Armstrong, Biblical Evidence for Catholicism, Masturbation: Thoughts on Why it is as Wrong as it Ever Was, August 14, 2019
Any Catholic who thinks his priest isn’t at least masturbating to relieve the stress of enforced celibacy is a total idiot. He’s really upset about jacking-off given the really harmful sexual behaviors know to occur in the Catholic clergy?
I suspect that Dave Armstrong masturbates also.
Oh, bother! Masturbation feels good because the orgasm encourages sex and guess what sex does…. It peoples the world! Evolution encourages coupling and it does it partially through sensual feelings. It feels great to get laid. It feels good to masturbate. No wonder the church opposes it! Christianity is designed to harm and God’s struggle to help us be anti-feeling, anti-sex, anti-free is just what Jesus ordered, correct?
Be dumb as a dildo: Say no to orgasm! Let’s bring all those dildoes to church and have a dildo burning! Don’t forget your books and CD’s and MP3’s and 4’s. They tend to give pleasure too! Just stop all that filth and get clean as driven snow!
And don’t complain that it hurts because that hurt is God-directed and good for you! Suffer for God. Hurt yourself and others for sweet Jesus. Remember, God is Love. Prey for me.
There isn’t anything the church won’t stick it’s nose in. If it’s enjoyable, then it must be bad, right? Thor forbid anyone be happy!
Religious arguments against masturbation are lame to say the least. Masturbation can be a great stress-release, a way to learn more about what one likes sexually, and a way to better explain to one’s partner what’s pleasing. These religious rules about sex are literally just for controlling human behavior.
Ok, personally I would drive a few hundred miles to see a good old-fashioned dildo burning, but only for the novelty.