Is masturbation a great sin and why?

What is the sin of masturbation

The sin of masturbation in Orthodoxy is considered serious and is identified with malakia, and both concepts are easily found in the Bible, where they are indicated as a type of adultery.

The Bible about the sin of masturbation

At the root of this ungodly action lies lust - the desire to satisfy one’s flesh, no matter by what means. Sex is a sacred sacrament that occurs only (!) between legal spouses who have been blessed by the Church . And masturbation is a sign that a person cannot control his body and lives according to its laws and aspirations.

About bodily relationships:

About intimate relationships in an Orthodox family
On marital intimacy during Lent

A person, trying to satisfy his lust, pleases himself on his own, using auxiliary erotic materials, which today are found in abundance on the Internet.

Important! The Church considers malakia a perversion, on a par with homosexuality, since sexual intercourse takes place without the participation of the other sex. Masturbation defiles a person's body, soul and spirit.

The negative consequences of this process are manifested in:

alienation from wife;
termination of sexual relations in marriage;
artificial replacement of marriage.

A man who masturbates loses interest in his wife or in a possible marriage, because he gets satisfaction on his own. He begins to look lustfully at other women, spend a lot of time reading erotic magazines and watching videos. This not only negatively affects his relationships with the female sex, it corrupts him more and more, and can lead to him committing the sin of adultery.

Important! Scripture says that adulterers will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Malakia in women and children

There are no examples in Scripture of women who would please themselves on their own, but this does not mean that there were none or that they were allowed to do so. As we know, there is no sin that men or women can commit.

Sin is prohibited for a person, regardless of his gender, therefore female masturbation is condemned no less than male masturbation. Everyone is equal before God, and everyone will suffer the punishment for fornication and lust in equal measure. Women who have stumbled must, like men, repent, confess and strive for pure thoughts.

But the issue of child masturbation is different. Teenagers often perform this action without realizing what they are doing. Hormonal changes, puberty, tight clothing or unspoken questions lead to exploration of one's body and masturbation. You should not scold a child for this or publicly punish him. You need to talk to him calmly and privately; he will most likely feel shame even without publicity.

The role of the parent here is to find out the reason for this behavior and solve it, to help the child cope with the harmful desire.

How to help a teenager

What not to do:

punish;
publicly shame;
arrange interrogations and inspections.

Need to:

buy loose clothes;
monitor the regularity of hygiene procedures;
talk and answer all questions;
walk outdoors together.

Advice! If adults follow the lead of their lust, the child, most often, follows the lead of an incomprehensible desire and ignorance. You just need to calmly explain everything to him and help him overcome it.

Female masturbation

Girls love masturbation just as much as boys, but the process itself in this case is more complicated, and the likelihood of injury is greater. Self-satisfaction involves caressing the clitoris and external intimate organs. What should girls who decide to engage in masturbation know about?

The first rule is comfort. The environment for the act of self-pleasure should be pleasant, relaxing and calm.

It’s better to start with other, no less sensitive parts of your body. You can caress your face, lips, breasts and nipples, stomach and thighs - all erogenous zones. The strength and intensity of caresses depends only on the woman herself. Like men, girls can use any lubricant, but they can be applied not only to the genitals, but also to other parts of the body.

Having felt sufficient arousal, you can begin to stimulate the clitoris and labia, caress the entrance to the vagina.

Next, insert your fingers into the vagina and make movements with them that imitate the movement of the penis. You can continue to caress your chest, thighs and face with your other hand. Don't forget about the clitoris. Its stimulation is as important as caressing the head of the penis. The stimulation technique in this case is simple: you can grab the clitoris with two fingers and gently squeeze it, pulling it to the sides.

While not forgetting to stroke the clitoris or other parts of the body, you can insert fingers or other objects that resemble the male genital organ into the vagina. The intensity and nature of movements can be changed, bringing the moment of bliss closer.

Once orgasm is achieved: there is no need to rush and remove your fingers from the vagina. You can start caressing the clitoris again or moving your hand, thereby prolonging the orgasm and making it brighter and more intense.

It is important to follow some rules of masturbation. You can only caress the body, and especially the clitoris and vagina, with warm hands. Even if sexual play involves the use of cold (caresses with ice), touching such a sensitive part of the body as the clitoris is strictly prohibited.

You need to caress the genitals with well-moisturized hands - this will compensate for the lack of your own lubrication, reduce friction and give a more pleasant sensation.

How to overcome handjob

Advice from priest, Archpriest Andrei Tkachev:

clear the memory of voluptuous memories and fantasies
protect your eyes and ears from stimulating sights and sounds
do not judge anyone (because God allows those who judge to fall into shameful passions, so that they do not become proud: if you love to judge others, you will do disgusting things in order to humble yourself to see your sinfulness)
don't despair
you need to be tired in the evening to fall into a dreamless sleep
stay away from pornography and pornographic words (images and words, jokes below the belt)
be patient, because Although the enemy is strong, we will defeat
workout

Recommendations of the Monk Abba Dorotheos for those overwhelmed by fornication:

Checklist with links to explanatory articles:

How to get rid of handjob once and for all

The first step is to be absolutely sure of your desire to overcome masturbation. You should turn to yourself and try to understand the reason for bad desires and actions.

You need to go to church and confess, telling it like it is. The priest will help you and give advice. Do not stop praying daily, especially when the sinful desire is strong. If giving up malakia is very difficult, then to help yourself, you can start visiting church more often and surrounding yourself with icons at home.

To get rid of a sinful habit and thoughts about it, you should pray to the Most Holy Theotokos, who is a symbol of purity and chastity. The main thing is not to stop believing in cleansing and sincerely wishing for it.

Church punishments

Today in the Church Charter there is no provision for penance for the sin of fornication. However, the person who performed this action must cleanse the sin.

There is a specific process for this:

Repent before the Lord and before your confessor.
Perform 100 prostrations within 40 days.
Fast.
Confess.
Take communion.

Afterwards, it is important to get rid of everything that may cause temptation: throw away magazines and books, block websites, turn off TV channels. Avoid ambiguous glances or touches. You need to confess weekly to a priest. This will help not only keep yourself under control, but also be aware of what is happening.

Advice from an Orthodox priest

Priests advise starting the fight against this sin with prayer and fasting. Studying the Word of God, spending time in communication with the Creator - this is the best way to get rid of sinful thoughts. The Lord cleanses us and sanctifies us, so first of all we need to go to Him.

In moments of temptation, you should always begin to pray, consecrate yourself with the sign of the cross and bow. You can call your confessor and confess your lustful thoughts. Regularly attend church and confession, take communion.

Important! The Lord gives strength to overcome sin; you just need to turn to Him for help.

Video about the sin of masturbation. Answer from priest Maxim Kaskun

Sin or sin

Masturbation is a sin that pushes a person to thoughts of debauchery and lust. Few take it seriously, but its consequences are great.

This is a negative impact on the spirituality of an Orthodox believer, corrupting him from the inside. It encourages people to commit more serious crimes, both against themselves and their surroundings.

For women and men, committing malakia is contrary to the Creator’s plan - people, having entered into marriage, must be fruitful and fill the earth with the human race. If an Orthodox Christian is not married, he must maintain spiritual purity.

Sin also consists in wasting time and energy that an Orthodox Christian could direct to more godly deeds.

And all this is a pointer to the weakness of the spirit and faith of a Christian. That’s why it’s so important not only to fight temptation, but also to strengthen your own faith.

Male and teenage masturbation

Methods of masturbation differ between both sexes. It is believed that men or teenage boys like to masturbate more. Where to start a self-satisfaction session? Before you start caressing the organ, you need to make sure that no one will disturb you during this activity.

This applies not only to the sudden return of relatives from the dacha or the rapid entry of younger brothers and sisters into the room, but also to phone calls or other methods of communication. If masturbation is interrupted at the most crucial moment, and it is not possible to achieve orgasm, serious problems may arise.

First of all, the penis will hurt very much and the scrotum will ache. And unfinished sexual intercourse will lead to hormonal imbalance. In the case of a single event, the situation is not very dangerous to health, but if it is repeated, problems with men’s health may arise in the future.

What can you use to warm up your fantasy before masturbation? Many guys prefer to masturbate while watching porn films or videos with erotic content. Stories and stories on a secret topic are great for bringing the penis into a state of alert, but such methods of arousal require a well-developed imagination.

Such methods of stimulation are convenient because the game follows a script, which is invented on the spot, and not drawn by an outsider, like a film or story.

The plot can be changed, extended or shortened, depending on the mood and state of excitement. Many men are turned on by phone or video chat. You can communicate with your beloved girl or a stranger, the main thing is that her words and intonations help bring the sexual organ into a state of stable erection.

There are no strict rules and restrictions on how to masturbate and jerk off. Movement, intensity, pressing force - all this is independently regulated. The main thing is that this process brings pleasure and satisfaction, and not pain and discomfort.

However, there are methods and techniques that can be used during masturbation; it becomes possible to get a more vivid orgasm, as well as increase its duration.

Methods for men

Nature made sure that masturbation and sex were pleasant for a person. When women and men are excited, a lubricant begins to be produced, which softens friction and ensures gliding.

If the excitement is not yet very strong, and there is not enough lubrication on the head, it can be moistened artificially. Your own saliva is suitable for this. You can also moisturize the penis with special gel lubricants sold in the store. Such products will not only help facilitate sliding, but will also additionally excite, warm or cool the penis, which will give masturbation a new sensation.

You can masturbate without lubricant, but the sensations from such masturbation will be less comfortable. And sometimes with this method of masturbation you can get microtrauma to the penis.

The technique of masturbation is simple. The penis is grabbed into a fist (all five fingers can be used, but only a few can be used). Next, you need to move the skin of the penis so that the head of the penis is exposed, and later it is covered again by the foreskin. The degree of opening and the frequency of the rhythm can be increased or decreased.

The next method is a tight ring. With the thumb and forefinger, the penis is enclosed in a dense, tight ring, which moves the foreskin.

The next method is to caress the head of the penis. It opens, lubricant is applied to it, and stimulation takes place only here. It will take longer to caress the head than to stimulate the entire penis, but the sensations obtained through masturbation this way will be more vivid.

The technique of movement consists of rubbing the head with the palm or fingers, on which there is a sufficient amount of lubricant.

Another interesting technique is to clasp the head with your palm from above. In this case, a complete imitation of sexual intercourse occurs. By fixing the penis in your fist, you can immobilize your hand or move it. Stimulation of the penis with a stream of water can bring quite vivid and unusual sensations.

Having chosen the optimal pressure and temperature, it is directed to the open head. This type of masturbation will take a lot of time, but the sensations will be incredible.

An experiment will help you choose the optimal method of masturbation. Only by testing all the techniques on himself will a man be able to understand which method of masturbation is more pleasant and interesting to him.

During the first acts of masturbation, you usually want to achieve orgasm faster, but over time, a man learns to “stretch out the pleasure,” learning to control his sensations and reactions.

Shameful fall

After each “fall” you experience burning shame, despondency, a feeling of falling away from God, a feeling of guilt, you feel that you betrayed “your first love” for the sake of shameful animal pleasure. The thoughts that haunt me are: you can’t even look at the icons! And it’s a shame to pray! And in the temple stand next to the pure and chaste! And you will not have any love or a husband, because husbands are given only to the right girls who live blamelessly!

It is clear that these are thoughts from the evil one, who first tempts you with the sweetness of sin, and then tries to plunge you into despondency. It’s scary to go to confession with this - firstly, it’s shameful, unbearably embarrassing to admit that you have a body, and the body has instincts, desires, needs and hormones, secondly - let the priest only be a witness who has heard this many times, he was and remains a man. Sometimes you even avoid going to confession with your spiritual father/confessor because you don’t want to appear in an unsightly form in front of a person you respect and love. Not very Christian thoughts, but very human thoughts, where to go. It’s good if during confession you come across a kind, understanding and tactful priest - he won’t ask for details, will support you and find the right words, or even just remain silent. And if not? Not everyone will find the strength to stop a priest who is rude, humiliating, or sadistically asking for the smallest details. Of course, over the years of church life, some “skin” grows and the likelihood of injury becomes less, but it never completely disappears.

How to repent of the sin of masturbation

In confession, it is better to call masturbation sinful or prodigal touches. The main thing is to speak honestly, openly and not be shy.

Although it is difficult to speak without embarrassment, the more truthfully and without deceit you tell about everything, the purer your soul will become, and the easier it will be to cleanse yourself.

You can write on a piece of paper if you are completely ashamed to admit your actions, and give the piece of paper to the priest.

Church ministers who constantly accept confession listen to everything they can during their lives, and they try to make it easier for a person to confess if they see that he is honest and open to conversation.

Is self-desecration at night considered malakia?

We found out what malakia is according to the Bible. This is a grave sin for which two ancient cities (Garden and Gomorrah) were struck. What to do if such a sin happened in a dream? How will you have to answer for it?

At confession it is necessary to repent, but the person did not commit the sin intentionally. That is, here is the so-called “triumph of the flesh.” Physical desires took over the sleeping mind.

Handjob problems

No matter how sad it may sound, in our evil and sinful world, sex, debauchery, porn, alcohol, etc. are promoted every day. A person does nothing on his own, he always chooses either a Guardian Angel, who is persistent with him, or a demon. People, after watching porn videos on the Internet, begin to engage in handjobs and their fantasy begins to play.

Pornography itself destroys the human nervous system, distorts every cell of the brain, and the girl becomes in the eyes of the masturbator as a way to satisfy her needs. Every day, the desire to engage in masturbation will only intensify, you probably noticed how you engaged in masturbation 2-3 times a week, then every day, then 2 times a day, then 3, while looking for video clips more and more perverted and depraved.

Lies of the modern world

As many masturbators and masturbators say in their defense, they say that masturbation is useful, doctors advise that sperm should be produced, it is necessary, etc. I’ll say right away that all this is bullshit, doctors, like demons, want you to continue masturbating, while ending up in hell after death. They hook up young boys and girls, putting pressure on sexual weaknesses and tastes.

Try to abstain from masturbation for a month, you will feel how you will begin to live a normal full life again without masturbation, because small children do not do this nasty thing, they don’t need it, because they don’t know about it, that you can masturbate, and not play with toys and do good.

Advice. Go to confession in church!

The masturbator constantly has pain in their genitals, prostatitis appears, insomnia, headaches, hatred, laziness and, worst of all, the masturbator will always defend himself, so that one more good time... well, you understand. In addition to the fact that this is a sin, there is also destruction of one’s body. Demons want you to masturbate and watch more porn, destroying your right to choose. Watch videos on the Internet of people who abstained from masturbation for a month, they will tell you what it’s like to feel like a free person.

Handjob is very similar to drugs, only unlike drugs, you don’t need to buy anything, because there are always hands. For example, heroin addicts begin to experience severe heroin withdrawal, they are ready to do anything for a dose of heroin, and an onanist will passionately want more, try to masturbate, well, it’s not a sin, probably 99% masturbate, doctors conducted statistics.

Okay, how did they carry it out? Did you go to everyone's house and see what he or she was doing? All this is a lie, and this is why it was created, to deny you from God and hook you on this sin again and again.

Before every desire, think, is it worth it? After all, hell is real and that is where sinners who have not repented of their sins end up. Look at clinical death on YouTube, for example, everything will become clear.

The path from Pharisees to tax collectors

Late in the evening that day, when my body was almost falling asleep on its bed after a hard day, I had a desire to pray for Maxim (this doesn’t happen often, I don’t diligently pray for all my clients). Remembering the experience of consultation with its surprises, I decided to trust this desire and still get up, although all my

intentions were already directed towards sleep. The prayer was dedicated to gratitude to God for this amazing meeting, as well as requests that He enter into Maxim’s situation, into his life, give him the opportunity to hear His opinion on the issues tormenting him, and give the client the opportunity to see himself and his situation through the eyes of God. Thoughts about God’s love for this young man came to mind - seemingly banal, but somehow sounding vividly in a special way in the context of the specific situation of the specific person for whom the prayer was...

And at some point, in the process of prayerful reflection and questioning about Maxim, the Gospel was revealed - Luke 18:13

- “The publican, standing in the distance, did not even dare to raise his eyes to heaven; but, striking himself on the chest, he said: God! be merciful to me, a sinner! Yeah, about the publican and the Pharisee, the tired psychologist thought that night, but how much we talked, in fact, about the pharisaism in the client’s life, which is especially manifested in the demands placed on oneself and partly in the ideal image of oneself. Pride when one manages to win, self-reliance, war and stress, the requirement to be strong, managerial, in control, in compliance with norms and rules - I so wanted to contrast all this with calm humility, without hysteria, with an adequate view of oneself in the face of Love, and not in the face of neurotic subpersonalities that can only blame and condemn. And whose voices, by the way, people often mistake for the voice of conscience. Although even Saint Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain writes: “those who consider as a virtue the excessive sadness that occurs after committing a sin, not realizing that this comes from pride and conceit, based on the fact that they rely too much on themselves and on your strength. Seeing now from the experience of their fall that there is no strength in them, they are amazed, as if encountering something unexpected, they are restless and faint-hearted, for they see that same idol fallen and stretched out on the earth, that is, themselves, on which they placed all their aspirations and hopes. But this does not happen to the humble, who trusts in the One God, not expecting anything good from himself.”

I can't remain silent!

I wrote a letter to Maxim with a proposal to reflect on the parable of the publican and the Pharisee (Luke, chapter 18), where the publican realizes his weakness and humbles himself, and the Pharisee is proud of his correctness. And the Pharisee is a thousand times well done, he does not have such sins as the tax collector, but it is said that “this one went into his house justified more than that one,” and in one of the translations: “this one went into his house justified, and not that one.” "(Luke 18:14). The letter also included a reminder that “God loves you regardless

depends on whether you do something or not.” And I also gave a story about one saint who was very sad about her sins and believed that she was unworthy to go to receive communion, but God answered her that He was not so upset by her sins as by the fact that she did not want to be with Him. I suggested that maybe we should shift our focus from fighting to moving toward humility and allowing God to love us, and I also suggested we pray together.

Harlot washes Christ's feet

For the reader, I want to clarify that I am in no way preaching that everyone should engage in self-satisfaction. Moreover, in addition to the sinful aspect (which I do not deny - so as not to be misunderstood), especially if we are talking about addiction, this is also a psychologically ambiguous practice, potentially interfering with focusing on another - on a loved one, and also often leading to a feeling of spiritual emptiness. More details are the topic of a separate article, but there are many publications on this topic (in particular, the work of Zenkovsky).

There is a lot of evidence about what serious changes occur in spiritual life when a person begins to give thanks. According to the words of the apostle, “give thanks in everything” (1 Thessalonians 5:18), “for this is the will of God for you.” The position of thanksgiving takes us to a different level of relationship with God compared, for example, with the position of “give.”

Gratitude for God-given sexuality is not a reason to engage in masturbation, but a way to reach a new level of relationship with God and with one’s sexuality, including perhaps directing this energy in a productive, for example, creative direction. Archpriest Vasily Zenkovsky wonderfully described that accepting sexuality gives access to transforming it from “sexual” into “sexual energy,” a resource of full-fledged masculinity.

Forms of masturbation

Experts distinguish the following forms of masturbation:

reflexive, unconscious - inherent in people who have inflammatory processes of the foreskin in men and internal genital organs in women. It happens due to poor hygiene, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, and endocrine system. In children it manifests itself due to simple curiosity;
some have to deliberately masturbate in order to satisfy sexual desires before marriage or during marriage, but during a long separation;
psychopathological masturbation – requires special treatment. Takes the form of mental illness. It is impossible for a person to cope with it on his own.

Just because it's wrong for you doesn't mean it's wrong for me.

Some might argue that just because masturbation goes against my conscience, that doesn't mean it's wrong for them too; they will say that their conscience is clear. I realize that, especially in the church environment, our conscience is often shaped more by our environment and the habits of the group to which we belong, and that our moral standards often have more in common with human tradition than with the will of God. In saying this, let me refer to the words of the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 4:4, where he states that a clear conscience does not mean that a person is innocent, but only God judges his guilt or innocence. So, for those of you who are thinking, “Masturbation is not a sin in my unique situation, and I don’t feel any guilt at all,” that doesn’t mean you’re innocent.

How to fight this passion?

First of all, you should avoid temptations: control your gaze and thoughts, fantasies, words, feelings (especially touch); do not surround yourself with things that contribute to the arousal of lust; Spend more time in the company of other people rather than in solitude. “When we lie down on the bed,” warns St. John in his “Ladder,” “we must most of all be awake and sober, because then our mind alone, without the body, fights with demons; and if he is voluptuous or filled with voluptuous dreams, then he willingly becomes a traitor.” You should pay attention to being more moderate in food and not creating conditions of excessive comfort for yourself (especially in the bedroom).

It is necessary to realize that this is a sin before God, which destroys a person’s life before our eyes, and, without despairing of His mercy at the next fall, ask the Lord for help and make an effort to overcome, knowing for sure that this is real, and other people, with God’s help with help, we were able to succeed. You must decide to live according to the Spirit and not “fulfill the desires of the flesh” (Gal. 5:16), making it your goal to strive to become like God by denying yourself (Mark 8:34). When temptation is strong, physical activity, such as vigorous physical labor or sports, can be very helpful. In general, active service to other people switches our mind and is a good way to get rid of this passion.

Do not be afraid to confess this sin; it is almost impossible to surprise a priest with any vice. Confession is a powerful means of combating all types of fornication and evidence of active repentance for them.

Before we begin to explore the topic further

I think we Christians have a big problem when we discuss issues like this. It's very easy to turn this question into a black and white issue. The easiest way is always to state directly: “everyone who masturbates is a sin, period!” I notice that we as Christians like to rush to judgment on any topic without stopping at all to first show compassion and understanding to the person and the challenges they face that contribute to why they are involved in the first place in doubtful matters - even if our judgment is correct. Is judgment the main goal for us Christians? I do not believe in that!

Wasn't this one of the most important things that separated Jesus from the Pharisees? Legal experts at the time were convinced that authorities were critical and that punishment was the only option (think of the woman caught in adultery). The idea that power should be based on mercy and that its purpose should be to help people escape from trouble, to free them from guilt, never occurred to them. They knew this thrill of exerting power to condemn; Jesus was familiar with another thrill - to exercise power to forgive and heal. 46 years of association with the church have taught me that for all of us at times, like the Pharisees, cold and hard judgment is a much easier dish to prepare than mercy, understanding and compassion, even when the person before us is guilty.

Here are two real life examples. With all that said, how would you feel about the following two situations?

The first situation: a man who was married for many years, but then his wife died. For this man, masturbation was not a means to satisfy his carnal sexual urges, but a way to reconnect with his lost lover, remembering the special bond of love that once united them.

Second situation: a man with homosexual desires, married. Although he loves his wife with all his heart, due to his sexual orientation he is incapable of having a sexual relationship with her, so he uses masturbation as a way to fantasize about his wife to "relearn" to give himself the opportunity to "reprogram" his thinking patterns. so that his attraction is directed towards his wife and not towards other men.

Both of these men I spoke with prove that for them, in their particular circumstances, masturbation is not a sin.

Are these men “in sin?” As noted above, some will answer "of course yes!" and some will say it is a "gray" area, but these 2 men will tell you that their consciences are clear and that for them it is not a sinful act. Whether you consider it a sin or not, I would suggest that we all need to show a lot of compassion and empathy to those in similar circumstances. As James warns us in his letter (2:13): “judgment without mercy is to him who has shown no mercy; mercy exalts itself over judgment!

We focus too easily on what sin is and not enough on the grace of God that covers us when we or others sin. It is much easier to judge and condemn others and even ourselves, feeling the pangs of guilt that so often accompany a sinful act, but it is much more difficult to accept the mercy and mercy of God and understand that “his grace is sufficient” (2 Corinthians 12:9) when we We work through the challenges facing us in life.

Prayer from desecration

Prayers against desecration are used by men if there is an affair outside of marriage or an accidental temptation at night. As a result, many are interested in the question of how to pray correctly. Desecration in the Orthodox faith is considered an exclusively male sin. The prayer against desecration is read with the blessing of one’s own confessor. But it should be remembered that sometimes purely physiological reasons can contribute to the leakage, and in this case it is not a sin. As a rule, purposeful actions of a man lead to desecration. This could be watching porn films, drinking alcohol and other addictions.

Prayer against defilement is given so that a person can be cleansed of the sin committed in a timely manner and it will not affect his future life. It is very important to realize your mistakes and sincerely repent.

Prayer against the desecration of Basil the Great

The most famous prayer against desecration is the appeal to the Lord, composed by St. Basil the Great. It was written in the 4th century and has since delivered many men from the depths of hell. Prayer saves in especially difficult cases; it allows you to restore spiritual and physical purity.

If you contact your confessor, he will most likely recommend reading this prayer in combination with well-known prayers, such as the prayer of adoration of the Heavenly King and the Fiftieth Psalm. Moreover, these texts should be read exactly as they are written in the Gospel. After each prayer, it is imperative to say the phrase “Lord have mercy!” forty times.

In this combination, it will be possible to completely cleanse yourself spiritually and atone for the sin committed. This is due to the fact that the proposed set of prayer texts is capable of snatching any lost soul from the devil’s embrace.

The prayer of Basil the Great against desecration plays a huge role in the Orthodox faith as a whole. In prayer, believers turn to the famous saint who lived in the 4th century. He was a famous theologian and served as Archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia. This place is now located in Turkey.

Basil the Great, together with Gregory the Theologian and Gregory of Nyssa, were the ones who completed the processing of the teaching of the Holy Trinity. Research scientists attribute to this saint the invention of the iconostasis, as well as the composition of the famous liturgy. It was Basil the Great who created the morning rule obligatory for every Christian.

The text of the prayer against the desecration of Basil the Great in Russian is as follows:

Prayer against desecration by masturbation

In the Orthodox faith, masculinity also has another name - malakia. This is a type of sinful fornication that leads to the acquisition of pleasant sensations. At its core, masturbation is a waste of vital natural energy, which can be used by a believer for other, good purposes. That is why God requires a Christian to learn to manage his feelings and desires.

The church considers masturbation to be a punishable sin that must be prayed for. The clergy believe that such addiction can push a person to other sins. This means that by begging the Lord for the sin of fornication, you can learn forgiveness for other sins committed. Malakia is considered to be the product of evil spirits, and, therefore, has a negative impact on human spirituality. Masturbation is unnatural in nature, since God-blessed fusion with the opposite sex does not occur. The Christian Church only allows relationships among couples who have legalized their relationship before God.

The prayer for masturbation sounds like this:

Prayer against night desecration in a dream

Man is a very complex biological organism. Therefore, most of the processes occurring inside are very difficult to control. This is why situations arise for men when defilement occurs. The most common sin of the flesh is nocturnal ejaculation caused by a dream of an erotic nature.

In order to cleanse yourself of defilement and gain strength to fight new temptations, you should use special prayers.

If this does not happen often, then you can sincerely pray once, using the following text:

Why you need to read prayers against desecration of soul and body

Prayers against defilement should become a daily mandatory rule for any man. They will allow you to keep your soul pure, avoid devilish temptations and maintain sincere faith. Prayer, which comes from the depths of the heart, can calm a person’s pride and arrogance, which is associated with overestimating one’s natural mental abilities. It is these traits that lead to a tendency to fall into sin. Both qualities often lead to the fact that a person strives to go beyond the boundaries of predetermined human and religious norms. In this case, he easily succumbs to devilish temptations. Not realizing the danger, a person indulges in adultery in his thoughts, which leads to outpourings that defile the soul. Prayer against defilement makes a person think about the essence of his being and realize the greatness of the Higher Powers that rule the world. But at the same time, it is very important to sincerely believe in the power of the prayer appeal used.

What negative consequences does masturbation have?

Masturbation has a negative impact on a person’s physical and mental health. On the physical side, weakness, weakness, and exhaustion appear. The person becomes irritable, quick-tempered, prone to alienation from others and self-centered, secretive and suspicious. Mentally, memory becomes dulled, there is limited intelligence and, in general, mental retardation. A feeling of guilt appears and self-esteem drops; this habit turns into a real passion, which has a destructive effect on various aspects of life.

Not only a sin, but also harm

The famous psychiatrist Professor P. Kovalevsky once noted that sexual excesses very seriously affect both the physical condition of the “fan” of such acts and the central nervous system. Exhaustion, weakness, weakness - these are the “physical” signs. The character also changes.

Female masturbation is also a sin.

A person becomes hot-tempered, alienated, suspicious, irritable, secretive, he has a tendency towards solitude, various phobias develop, in particular, the victim of lust is afraid that others will find out about his vice.

In those subject to the sin of masturbation, the intellect also decreases over time: memory becomes dull, intelligence slows down, and signs of mental retardation appear. In search of self-satisfaction, a person lives in prodigal fantasies, replacing real life with them. They often result in disgust for the opposite sex.

Thirsting for immediate gratification of carnal desire, a person can become like animals who cannot control their instincts . There have even been, as doctors note, cases of insanity based on abuse of masturbation and masturbation. Most often this happens to young men.

Istimna in Islam

Do you think that masturbation is a sin? Yes No

Istimna is the masturbation of men and women in Islamic law. Almost all theologians consider it unlawful according to the scriptures. Imam Shafi'i and those who shared this point of view insisted that masturbation is forbidden by God and the Koran. Allama Alusi also talks about this in the verse: “And there are different opinions on the issue of masturbation. Most of the ulama are in favor of banning it. Masturbation is included in the verse: “Whoever desires more than this is criminal.”

Also, a negative attitude towards masturbation is described in collections of hadiths. According to the Prophet Muhammad himself, those who fucked themselves with their own hands will be cursed; Allah will punish everyone who caressed their private parts with their hands. At the same time, according to the theologians of the Hanafi madhhab, masturbation was permitted in 3 cases - to a single person who is afraid of adultery or in order to relieve his sexual tension.

Why is masturbation considered a sin?

Masturbation falls under the definition of sexual immorality, which Holy Scripture recommends not even mentioning. This is the result of lustful aspirations . To determine for yourself whether it is a sin, clergy advise asking several questions:

Would you be happy to tell other people about your actions?
are they able to ask for God’s blessing on their actions, as they say, for the glory of God?
are they pleasing to God?

If, when answering the first question, even at the thought that someone else will find out about your passions, you feel ashamed, then it is your own conscience speaking and, therefore, such actions are sinful.

In the second case, it seems, it is hardly possible to be proud of such “deeds” before God, much less to glorify the Lord with them.

In his First Letter to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul notes: “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God.” Can there be any doubt that unnatural acts please God? If the germ of such doubt has already sprouted, then it is not worth committing it at all.

Self-satisfaction “fixates” the mind on carnal desires, leading it on the lead of lust, leading to sexual excesses.

Understanding the terms

The medical terms masturbate and masturbate have not taken root in youth slang at all. If we consider physiology, then such sexual release is no different from ordinary physical contact.

However, during standard intercourse, irritation of the genitals occurs with the same intimate organs of the partner, and during masturbation, the role of the penis or vagina is performed by hands or other objects of sexual play.

Those who like to jerk off can masturbate for quite a long time and often. Moreover, masturbation gives you control over your erection and ejaculation.

With masturbation, it is easier to control the oncoming orgasm, delay it or bring it closer. In this way, you can achieve stronger and more vivid sensations, which occur quite rarely during normal vaginal contact. Masturbation helps to prolong the sexual act itself, because the moment of ejaculation is controlled by the masturbator independently.

How can an adult Christian help a teenager who is practicing masturbation?

First of all, when it comes to the relationship between parents and children, the most important thing here is trust. When communicating with parents, the norm for a child should be the principle of openness, which presupposes a correct and calm discussion of absolutely any topic/issue of interest without the danger of hearing condemnation addressed to them. It is very important.

If there is a conversation about the problem of handjob, the teenager needs to be listened to calmly without any indignation, assuring that the conversation will remain between you. Remember yourself at his age and show sympathy. Support and remind him of your love for him. You need to gently and carefully tell him how to cope with the problem, reminding him of his trust in the Lord, with whom everything can be changed (cf. Phil. 4:13).

In some cases, if we are talking about sexual problems, you may need the help of a specialist, since not solving them right away can seriously damage the family life of a young man.

St. John Climacus:

“Just as food harmful to the body produces illness in us over a period of time, or a day later, so very often the causes that defile the soul act. I saw those enjoying and not suddenly struggling; I saw that some eat and stay with women, and at that time do not have any evil thoughts; but when they were deceived by arrogance and dreamed that they had peace and affirmation, they suddenly suffered destruction in their cell. And what kind of destruction it is, physical and mental, to which a person can be exposed alone, is known to those who were in this temptation, and those who were not tempted do not need to know. At this time, they serve us with great power: thin clothing, ashes, standing all-night vigil, hunger, thirst, burning the tongue, and not being cooled by many drops, staying at the tombs, and above all, humility of heart, and, if possible, a spiritual father, or a zealous brother , quick to help and old in mind: for I consider it a miracle that anyone could by himself save his ship from this abyss... The serpent of voluptuousness is diverse; He inspires those who have not tasted the sweetness of sin to taste it only once and stop; and those who have tasted the insidious one are prompted by the memory to commit sin again. Many of the first, because they do not know this evil, are free from struggle; and of the latter, many, as having experienced this abomination, endure cold and abuse” (Ladder, chapter 15).

St. Theophan the Recluse: “[Fornication] deprives you of the Kingdom. Therefore, there is a mortal sin. Prodigal passion is here in full force - and it is satisfied. Think about this. And put an end to this matter. It dries up and causes premature death. For others, it relaxes their abilities, suppresses sanity and energy, and sometimes causes insanity. Take care of yourself! (Letters. Issue 9, 814).

Archimandrite Lazar (Abashidze): “Although among the prodigal sins, the sin of masturbation seems the most “harmless”, it is the most difficult to heal, since, having become accustomed to it, one can always easily sin - especially at night, lying in bed, sometimes being prompted by a passion to touch your body, you can easily fall. Here you must always be careful in advance - cut off thoughts of sin in time, go to bed in underwear covering most of the body, under no circumstances be completely naked, do not allow yourself to touch your body, be careful in the bathhouse, trying not to look at your body. naked body, do not look in the mirror. It is necessary to say short prayers to yourself more often, sometimes in a whisper, to ask the Lord for help against this sin, to call on the name of your saint (whose name you bear)” (Sin and repentance of recent times).

Sin among women and teenagers

There are different types of handjobs. For some reason, people generally believe that only representatives of the stronger sex engage in it. But in fact, it also occurs among women and even among teenagers. The clergy also condemn them and accept such acts as sins. To some extent, malakia can be considered a need, but this is only in the case when control over thoughts and body is lost. In all other situations, you must definitely control yourself and not allow your soul to sin.

BLONDE (be sure to read to the end!) Father Vitaly had been honking desperately for about 10 minutes. He urgently needed to leave for a deanery meeting, and some huge black jeep had securely “locked” his car in the parking lot near the house. “What kind of people are they?!” - mentally possible... Read more THE MOST TACTLESS QUESTION THAT WOMEN ARE ASKED Writer Nadira Angel posted a piercing post on her blog about the most tactless question that women are asked. Just imagine, a woman, over 30 years old, no children. People around me ask: “How come, there’s still no... Read more “AND IN GENERAL, I’M LATE FOR CONFESSION...” the most Christian story I went to a monastery for all-night vigil and confession. I arrived at the beginning, but was very hungry. And there, not far from the entrance, is a monastery stall with pastries, tea, coffee and all sorts of other goodies. She took a turn, and when she ... Read more THE BEST PRIEST These people, especially those who love, like any social security, to count the money in someone else's pocket without looking in the mirror, ask me about the Patriarch's watch, and about the life of the choir, drawing out philosophically meaningfully, that “if only yes... Read more

When a person begins to understand why masturbation is considered a sin, he wants to visit the temple and repent of what he has done. But in order to undergo the Sacrament, you need to properly prepare for it and consciously accept sin.