Porn, porn and more porn!

[Brian37]

Now that I have your attention, time to address the elephant in the room. I have always just wondered why religion is so interested in controlling what people do with their bodies. I mean, how is masturbating or watching porn such a bad thing? Where does this concept stem from? Things like this to me just give more evidence that religion is more of a mechanism for control. I know in some religious circles watching porn or touching yourself is highly frowned upon and you will be treated like you just murdered hundreds of people. 

What's the motive behind all this control?

Having opinions about sexual morality that differ from your own doesn't mean we are being "controlled."

Anyway, as Steve said, if you are actually interested in knowing the answer to your question, the link he shared is a good start, and we can discuss it if you want.

Long story short is we believe sex is a sacred thing that should be reserved as an act of love and life long commitment. (Oh the horror!!)

If you want to masturbate and watch women get paid to get naked and screw random men, go for it I suppose. No one here is saying it should be illegal or that you should go to jail for it. But for our own selves, we believe it morally best to try to steer clear. Simple. I'm not sure why you would take issue with that or say that we are being controlled.

CL there is a huge difference between LEGAL rights, and what old books of mythology preach.

Sex is a social bonding, and it is NOT sacred and it can be done and has always existed even outside the ARTIFICIAL human invention of marriage.

Marriage as humans concocted it was about PROPERTY bonding between families, and had little to do with the wishes of females back then. 

To be fair, I am NOT singling out Christians or Jews or Muslims. I am saying BACK THEN marriage was a bartering between families and females were the currency.

I am for the idea of consent. I am for trying to avoid STDs and unwanted pregnancies. But NOBODY in antiquity, WORLDWIDE had any modern understanding of human biology. 

MARRIAGE does not stop STDs, it does not stop unwanted pregnancies. The only thing that stops those things is EDUCATION of how one's body works. 

I find the blind worship of anything to be absurd. I think the bullshit idea of a "forever" far too often sets the couple up for failure. It isn't that long term relationships cant or dont happen. But more along the lines that marriage gets sold as a perfect utopia, and when they fail, instead of parting peacefully, you end up with all sorts of horrible animosity involving revenge even to the point of pitting kids against their parents.

I am NOT against marriage. I am against selling ANYTHING as a utopia cure.

Sex is a form of social bonding even outside of marriage. Sex existed long before any human language or nation or religion. 

What matters is communication, cooperation not superstition. Not old mythology.

[Neo-Scholastic]

This comes up pretty regularly. I wonder why so many are so interested in defending porn and masturbation. Don't you want to, you know, have real sex with a real woman?

I'd bet the married Christians here are getting more than the atheists here, but we're called repressed because we prefer real sex to jacking off to internet porn. 

Yes, but....the question for Christians, and I think it is a legitimate question, is whether or not masturbation clearly falls into the fornication category. The only clear biblical reference to masturbation is Onan spilling his seed and even that seems to be more about him using the pull-out method to avoid his marital obligation. What is clear in several places is that cultivating lust is clearly sinful. To my mind there is a BIG difference between a teenager relieving him- or herself to release pent up sexual energy and a married 40-year old secretly salivating over the Story of O. The teen isn't cultivating lust; it's already there! It's just a matter of keeping kids away from graphic materials that will permanently warp their sexuality.

I would also add that I have great sympathy for people for whom finding a partner is extremely difficult, such as those who are severely disfigured. Such people still have needs. In the absence of a clear biblical prohibition, I don't see why they should be expected to comply with prudish Victorian era attitudes about sexuality. Similarly I do not have a problem with the husband rubbing one out to collect sperm for artificial insemination of his wife, even if that means looking at pictures of women with staples in their abdomens.

[Brian37]

And CL, if I took your "marriage is sacred" as iron clad, I am not kidding, when my wife said she was leaving me, the way you want to look at marriage, as absolute, and as shitty as I felt at the time, you would not be talking to me now. BUT I survived my divorce because I don't think like you. I went into it just happy that it happened. Sure I was upset when she wanted to leave, but if I had bought into the absolute "forever" like you want it to be, I would have killed myself.

[notimportant1234]

I don't know Brian , from my point of view people strat to take marriage too lightly , they fuck for 5 months , like it than they go for marriage than they divorce after a couple of years. Marriage can satisfy the need of love and belonging.

[Brian37]

I don't know Brian , from my point of view people strat to take marriage too lightly , they fuck for 5 months , like it than they go for marriage than they divorce after a couple of years. Marriage can satisfy the need of love and belonging.

UGGGGGGGGGGG

First off, the thread is about PORN, not marriage. 

Secondly theists are NOT even talking about the biological aspects of human pairing, they are viewing it through old comic book mythology.


Our species are not like penguins whom do a fair better job at pairing than humans. 

The issue for humans should not be either or, but EDUCATION and consent. Not old superstitions.

Arm the public with EDUCATION, then let them make the choice. Selling ANYTHING, as a utopia is a good way to fuck things up.


CONSENT, AND COMMUNICATION are what increase the odds, not the scripts of antiquity.

Again, if I bought the utopia of marriage at the time of my divorce the way theists sell, I WOULD HAVE KILLED MYSELF.

Point is, you cant slap a script on a biologically diverse species. All you can do or should do, is inform and educate and let the individual make their own choice as to comfort level.

Marriage BACK in antiquity was not about what the west thinks as mutual consent. BACK THEN it was about using females as currency to bond families together.

[Whateverist]

Apparently you can summon the debil by ringing the devil's doorbell or rubbing his stick. But there is no danger if you can get a choir boy to do it for you, apparently.

[notimportant1234]

Well actually , you and CL took it to marriage . You weren't talking about how should we make our choices , you were talking about marriage . It could had been the case back then but we are not back then , we are now. I just wanted to point out that marriage can be benefical.

[Brian37]

Well actually , you and CL took it to marriage . You weren't talking about how should we make our choices , you were talking about marriage . It could had been the case back then but we are not back then , we are now. I just wanted to point out that marriage can be benefical.

UGGGGG

Viewing ANY aspect of human  life through artificial labels is BULLSHIT. I could care less if we were talking about marriage, or religion or political party, or economic view.

POINT is there is no such thing as a utopia. 

Sex in and of itself is not bad. Selling blind scripts to ANY aspect of life isn't a cure ON ANY SUBJECT.

GOOD relationships, even between friends, even between political parties, isn't about domination, but communication and consent.


Marriage is NOT A CURE. It is only a  label attributed to our species EVOLUTIONARY bonding. But bonding ALSO happens outside marriage too.

That makes marriage an artificial construct. What is important, in ANY relationship, even between family, or co workers, isn't staying or leaving, long term, but CONSENT and communication.

[John V]

Yes, but....the question for Christians, and I think it is a legitimate question, is whether or not masturbation clearly falls into the fornication category. The only clear biblical reference to masturbation is Onan spilling his seed and even that seems to be more about him using the pull-out method to avoid his marital obligation. What is clear in several places is that cultivating lust is clearly sinful. To my mind there is a BIG difference between a teenager relieving him- or herself to release pent up sexual energy and a married 40-year old secretly salivating over the Story of O. The teen isn't cultivating lust; it's already there! It's just a matter of keeping kids away from graphic materials that will permanently warp their sexuality.

Teenagers will release pent up energy. Doesn't particularly concern me if that's all it is. I'm not even concerned about the moral aspect of it. That's between them and god. I am becoming concerned as a citizen though. Birth rates are below replacement and dropping, and guys addicted to porn is probably one factor contributing to that.

I would also add that I have great sympathy for people for whom finding a partner is extremely difficult, such as those who are severely disfigured. Such people still have needs. In the absence of a clear biblical prohibition, I don't see why they should be expected to comply with prudish Victorian era attitudes about sexuality.  Similarly I do not have a problem with the husband rubbing one out to collect sperm for artificial insemination of his wife, even if that means looking at pictures of women with staples in their abdomens.

That's between them and god. Doesn't concern me.

[notimportant1234]

Wow dude ,seriously I didn't imply any of the things you sayed , I get it that this is your perception but why are you trying to impose it on me ?