I think you should look up 2 timothy 3 which I posted earlier to show my point biblicaly about pleasure. I'm sorry I should have stated selfish pleasure not all pleasure. I've made some earlier posts and didn't think I needed to restate all that information again I understand what you're saying about all pleasure not being sin, you are right but, The bible clearly says it's good to eat and be married but I don't find it's approval of masturbation in it's text anywhere. Read the bible text I quoted and let me know what it says to you.
Plus I can't help but point out the beginning of your MSG states "I don't believe the bible ever mentions" you totally validate my point, by acknowledging you don't know and then proceed to also state I havnt used scripture while admitting your own hypocrisy in the same manner. I hope you take this in the spirit it is intended, which is honest calm debate
Believe me, I don't get offended easily in debate =) I debate all the time, and I've had experience with those who quickly turn calm debate into heated debate. It's usually reasons that have nothing to do with debate, and allowing outside circumstances and experiences to influence your decisions in debate is horrible and should never be done =P
But anyway, back to the actual argument- Yes, I realize my hypocrisy. In fact, I even pointed out my own hypocrisy in the matter! =P But in this particular circumstance, I'm putting the pressure on you to tell me where the Bible says it's wrong. As far as what I stated the Bible never said, wasn't I correct? The Bible never says to deny yourself pleasure just because it's pleasurable.
As for the verses you pointed out to me-
1But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. 6They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, 7always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth. 8Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth—men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. 9But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.
This is what I gathered-
#1- In the last days, people will be terrible (look also to the reference in Luke 17:26 about the days of Noah)
#2- These people are selfish, loud, proud, rebels, all-around jerks, sinful, don't love, don't forgive, lie, are impulsive, violent, and despise doing the right thing. They are quick to betray you, don't think things through, think highly of themselves, and loves pleasures more than God. They also "have a form of godliness," meaning I guess they call themselves Christians and/or go to church.
#3- It says to just avoid these people.
#4- These people, with evil intentions, find the weak-minded and sway them into even deeper evil
#5- These people are always in the pursuit of knowledge, but actively oppose truth (may I say- atheists?)
#6- These people will not get far- their faults will be apparent to many
I think the main thing you're trying to hit at, seeing as it's the only mention of pleasure, is "lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God." The context indicates that these people are just self-indulgent, and will do evil regardless of what God thinks. They just exist to make themselves feel good, and don't care at all about God.
I don't see how masturbation fits this- YES, it feels good. It is a pleasure. However, there are few ways that masturbation can cause you to completely disregard God- unless, of course, God has stated that he disapproves. In that case, masturbation would be a direct rebellion against God. However, this isn't the case. God not ONCE mentions masturbation. I did some research, and there are two places in the Bible where the original translation says something like "standing on his feet," (or some phrase similar, I might have it wrong), which could either mean peeing or masturbating. In either case, it was not deemed wrong or sinful, and was referred to as a normal event happening.
Like I've said before, I don't have to find where God supports masturbation- I just have to find where he says, either explicitly or implicitly, where he is displeased by it. And as far as I've read and researched, he doesn't ~_o
I am also aware that that is not always the case. So let's look only at the objective aspect of the act. The spilling of semen is written about in the OT Leviticus 15:16 it says that the spilling of semen causes uncleaness And the body needs to be cleansed with water and remains unclean until evening. So releasing semen causes the body to be unclean. As Christian our bodies are the temple of God Himself. So this statement can be said; masturbation causes the temple of God to be unclean. I cannot say that faith with allow anyone to do such a thing and anything outside of faith is sin.