IS MASTURBATION A SIN OR NECESSARY EVIL ?

Masturbation is defined as the manual stimulation of the genital organs (of yourself or another) for sexual pleasure. There are many slang names for masturbation There are many slang terms for masturbation which include ; jacking off , jilling off , jerking off, spanking the monkey, double clicking the mouse, self-love, self service and a date with vaselina! lol

A woman in cloud 90

HISTORY OF MASTURBATION

While there are no direct references to masturbation in cave paintings or other prehistoric artifacts, the practice of masturbation by Bonobo chimpanzees, which share 98.4% percent of our DNA, provides some confirmation that masturbation has likely been practiced since the dawn of mankind.In the ancient world, depictions of male masturbation are relatively common.  The Egyptians, for example, celebrated masturbation as the process by which the sun god, Atum, created the first Adam and Eve equivalents, Shu and Tefnut.  "With the hand of their god, Atun masturbated and brought forth the first pair of souls."

The Sumerians, who invented the first written Western language, make reference to the Mesopotamian god Enki masturbating, his ejaculation filling the Tigris River with flowing water.

Condemnation of masturbation is as old as fertility-worship and is probably based on early man’s realization that there is safety in numbers.  A bigger tribe is more likely to gain new territory and expand its power base.  In theory, this is this reason that any form of sexual pleasure unlikely to result in a population increase (e.g. masturbation, homosexuality, oral/anal sex) has routinely been denounced as wrong.  They also felt masturbation mocked the natural laws of reproduction GOD has instituted .

In the Judeo-Christian tradition prevalent throughout Western society, the main Scripture quoted by Christians to denounce masturbation is Genesis 38.  In biblical times, under Jewish law, a brother was required to procreate with his brother's widow. Onan of Judah refused, and "spilled his seed" (i.e. ejaculate), on the ground instead. This is the origin of the term Onanism (The Sin of Onan) which is incorrectly used in place of masturbation — in fact, what really happened was premature withdrawal (i.e. coitus interruptus).

In the 18th and 19th century the fear of masturbation was so great that throughout the world, extreme preventative measures were instituted including the use of mechanical restraints, genital surgery, and physical discipline. By the 19th century the cereal magnate John Harvey Kellogg declared "sex for anything but reproduction" to be "sexual excess." Kellogg and others began advocating routine circumcision of males as a deterrent to masturbation.

The term, spermatorrhea, was even invented to explain nocturnal emissions, as no man was willing to admit to masturbating. Between 1856 and 1932, the U.S. Patent Office, awarded 33 patents to inventors of anti-masturbation devices.

Here are some examples Antimasturbation devices:

1. Simple Bondage-- For some, the simple answer was to tie the masturbators up and prevent them from touching themselves.

2. Leather-Jacket Corset-- A corset made out of leather and steel to be used by boys, was created by Dr. Fleck in 1831. It included a metal penis tube and "a steel band riveted to the shield permanently and attached to the body with an encircling steel band in such a manner that it cannot be removed and prevented access to the testicles." The doctor once reported that "it closes with greatest accuracy, fits to perfection, and the boy wears it continuously without having succeeded even once in reaching his genitals or pulling the machine away from his body so as to produce friction on his genitals."

3. Spike-lined Ring-- Created to prevent the nocturnal emissions and any display of night time sexuality, spike-lined penis rings were created in the 1950's by doctors in Boston.

4. Spermatorrhea Bandage-- These devices kept the penis tightly bound, thus making it impossible to have an erection.

5. Stephenson Spermatic Truss-- Patented in 1876, this device placed the penis in a pouch, and then stretched and tied down between the legs, which made erection impossible. Stephenson changed his device slightly 21 years later, adding a metal hood under which the penis could move freely. Any erection would drive the penis against painful spikes.

6. Bowen Device-- This device was like a cup that was placed over the head of the penis and attached to pubic hair by chains and clips. When the wearer got an erection, the pubic hair would be plucked painfully and the wearer would have to respond.

Bowen device

7. The Cage-- The Handbook of Medicine in 1885 offered a metal cage that could be put around a boys genitals. It would allow erections, which weren't seen as wrong, yet would prevent the boy from touching himself.

8. Dr. Moodie Apparatus for Boys-- Scotch physician John Moodie invented this truss-and-shield device in 1848. It included a penis tube with a slot on the side for the boy to push his penis out in order to urinate.

9. Penis-Cooling Devices-- These devices cooled an impending erection with either air or water; Frank Orth invented both types and patented them in 1893. He said that "the penis is inserted in the hole and between the levers so that if during the night an erection occurs, the dilatation of the penis spreads the levers, thus separating the jaws, and permitting the cold water to flow through the tube to the sack or envelope. The cold water... cools the organ of generation, so that the erection subsides and no discharge occurs."

10. Sexual Armor-- A jacket with leather pants which supports a large piece of steel armor. Perforations in the armor allowed urine to escape, yet the bolted, padlocked trapdoor at the rear would have to be opened for other business.....NA WAH O!

..Even the women were not left out!...

Beginning with the Kinsey Report of 1948, masturbation was demystified and even discovered to be beneficial. In 1966, Masters & Johnson  revealed the practice to be virtually universal in North America, cutting across all boundaries of sex, age, race, and social class. In 1971 Goldstein, Haeberle & McBride determined masturbation to be the most common form of sexual activity among humans.
It is clear that masturbation has had a dynamic and varied history.  It now almost universally accepted by the medical community that masturbation is a common, safe, and normal practice which occurs in infants, teenagers, and adults.

Despite this new attitude, the actual practice and discussion of masturbation continues to be a social taboo within most societies.  Former Surgeon General Jocelyn Elder was immediately dismissed by President Clinton in 1994 after she stated that masturbation “is something that is part of human sexuality and its part of something that perhaps should be taught.

ADVANTAGES OF MASTURBATION :

Undoubtedly, there are a few persons who masturbate and who are of immature mind, but so are there persons who do not masturbate have less sexual desire or have hang-ups about sex.

• There is no basis for the belief that people who masturbate have less sexual desires or have hang-ups about sex. A recent survey in fact, showed that people who masturbate have increased sexual desire and have more sexual drive than those who do not. There are people who because of previous experience, as discussed in the early part of this book, are afraid of sexual intercourse. Such people find solace in masturbation for the release of their sexual desires but they are in the minority.
• Masturbation provides an alternate sexual intercourse – free of the need and complications or cost of finding a consenting partner, free from the risk of sexually transmitted diseases, free from HIV/AIDS and free from the risk of unwanted pregnancy. Masturbation provides a chance for the girl or woman to explore her sexual response and for the man, to release his tensions when aroused at a time he is alone or not bold enough to have a regular girl friend.
• Masturbation develops self love and familiarizes oneself with one’s own sexual response. One can relieve sexual tension without imposing on any body else.   
• Mutual masturbation, the act by which two or more partners stimulate themselves in the presence of each other, allows a couple to reveal the map to their pleasure centers. Witnessing a partner masturbate is an educational activity to find out the method a partner pleases themselves, allowing each partner to learn exactly how the other enjoys being touched
• PREVENTION OF PROSTATE CANCER : Prostate cancer is a common problem for middle-aged men. They will be glad to know that regular masturbation greatly reduces the risk of this disease. An Australian study discovered that men masturbating at least five times a week had 33% less risk! If you're concerned about prostate cancer, here are some of the symptoms to watch for: Strange lumps on the prostate , Slow urine flow, Blood in urine , Pain in the groin area
• MENSTRUAL CRAMP RELIEVER :While men get a reduced risk of cancer, women get their own unique benefit from masturbation. Menstrual cramps are an extremely annoying and painful part of being a woman, but orgasms provides a natural method of relief. In addition, masturbation helps with all these related health issues: Chronic back pain, Painful menstruation andYeast infections...[ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON HOW MASTURBATION HELPS RELIEVE THE EFFECT OF YEAST INFECTIONS WILL BE APPRECIATED..kindly post as comment ]

• STRESS RELIEVER: We all deal with varying levels of stress every day, but spending time with your friend Palmela Handerson can help a lot. The body releases chemicals called endorphins that reduce pain and boost satisfaction. Having an orgasm actually provides the highest natural boost of dopamine possible. A few other activities that produce endorphins include: Running, Biking ,Playing sports and Yoga.
• WEIGHT LOSS :You don't want to abandon your regular exercise plan or anything, but masturbation actually provides a decent workout for the time it lasts. While actual intercourse is a much more rigorous workout, one session of playing with yourself should burn at least 100 calories. In addition, you'll gain these sexy benefits :Improved pelvic muscles Prevention of erectile dysfunctionBetter endurance in bed (you'll last longer)
• NIGHT CAP : if you're having trouble going to sleep or you just want to take a nap, then you might consider a quick masturbation session. The chemicals released during orgasm include a natural sedative that will put you right to sleep. Don't bother with sleeping pills, and have some fun instead!

Hmmmmn..Interesting!

DISADVANTAGES OF MASTURBATION

• Most people who masturbate have a feeling of guilt of doing something they have been made to believe is bad. Most of these feelings arose from religious or cultural taboo and traditional beliefs on sexual behaviors and practices.
• Bruising of the genital organs can occur during masturbation, particularly if they are handled roughly during the act or if there is not enough lubrication. These can cause a lot of pain and can lead to serious infection if contaminated by germs.
• Like all habits, it may be difficult to break for some people. The tendency is also there for adolescents to do nothing else but masturbate whenever they have some free time. This is bad as it does not allow them to develop other aspects of their talent and broaden their horizon for the world ahead.
• There is the danger that masturbation may be preferred to normal sexual intercourse, and this may affect sexual relationship after marriage.
• In men, masturbation has been known to be associated with premature ejaculation, that is, having ejaculation before or just after sexual intercourse.

PROS VS CONS

Masturbation can make you a ‘slave to various desires and pleasures and fantasies ,’ and it fosters attitudes that can be mentally dehumanizing.  At the same time, is self-masturbation  a form of gross sexual immorality, worse than fornication? If a husband travels and his wife is in the mood , should she TOUCH HERSELF OR PRAY FOR HER SEXUAL DESIRE TO DISAPPEAR... AND IF SHE MASTURBATES , IS HER SIN OF MASTURBATION WORSE THAN THE WOMAN WHO HAS FORGOTTEN HER VOWS AT THE ALTAR AND DECIDES TO COMMIT ADULTRY...??  OR THE WOMAN WHO KNOWS SHE IS MARRIED AND ENCOURAGES MEN TO MAKE ADVANCES ON HER BY VISITING "FRIENDLY" MEN IN THEIR HOMES ? 

AND SHOULD THE MAN WHO IS ADDICTED TO SEX AND CANT TAKE HIS EYES OFF ANYTHING IN SKIRTS (he needs deliverance) CONTINUE TO SATISFY HIS SEXUAL URGES WITH DIFFERENT WOMEN BECAUSE MASTURBATION IS A SIN ?....Hmmmn.

Hence, if you have a problem with masturbation, you need not conclude that you have committed the unforgivable sin. The key is to resist the urge and never to give up your fight against its influence on you and your loved ones..thats if you believe its a sin o! ..

I will love to hear your views.....lol !

However Pastor Chris of Christ Embassy insists that masturbation  is not a sin.. watch Him speak by clicking on His picture..

......Culled from..

http://www.afraidtoask.com/masturbate/History.htm

http://www.globusz.com/ebooks/Masturbation/00000018.htm

http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/sex-101/masturbation-23901.htm

http://www.chacha.com/gallery/3903/health-benefits-of-masturbation/finished

HENCE THE QUESTION STILL STANDS...IS MASTURBATION A SIN OR NECESSARY EVIL?...please keep your comments clean and logical!