Re: Help me please - (Lust & Sexuality)
This is what happens when religion gets too restrictive. God gave us bodies. Those bodies get sexual urges because that is the way God made these bodies. Why would you be embarrassed about God's work?
As humans, we have the extra responsibility of control over our animal bodies. True control only comes from understanding God's intent. Self-control is only the individual's ego screaming to be heard. Understand that last sentence carefully, because it does not mean that we should not control ourselves. It only speaks to the how and why of controlling ourselves. Self control that is not of God's will is called stubbornness, and there are consequences - like obsession.
In countries where a woman's ankle is considered a sexual thing, the men find a bare ankle unbearably arousing. In countries that saw the mini-skirt go in and out of fashion, and where bikinis are what women use for swimwear, an ankle is just the part of the body that connects the foot to the leg.
What is it that you have an issue with? That you masturbate and some prudish religion says that's bad? It doesn't matter who says what - including me - but it is the why that matters.
Yes, masturbation is particularly bad for guys when you lose precious bodily nutrients, especially zinc, so be sure to take your vitamins. It is also good for guys as it releases toxins, decreases blood pressure, and has a variety of other health benefits. The true issue is moderation. If you are not doing something that you ought to be doing because you are whacking off too often, then whacking off is bad - but the same could be said of anything. If you are not doing what you are supposed to be doing because you are too busy playing video games, then video games are bad. Neither masturbation nor video games are inherently a sin - it is how you use these things in your life that matters.
Looking at pornography - at this point, sometimes it is close impossible to know the karma on that one. If the person in the porn is being degraded, watching that and getting aroused by that kills your soul in large chunks. If the person is unashamed and enjoying it, and is being treated well, and you are not causing any harm by watching it, then it is not a sin. The truth behind that last sentence is difficult to ascertain because we don't always know whether a person is actually enjoying that or was manipulated into pornography.
If you need pornography to masturbate, then you do not need to masturbate. If an image is in your head so much that it is a distraction to you, the relief may be to masturbate. Looking at porn to work yourself up is unreasonable.
