Matter Eater Man, how many times are you going to come back
and ask the same question, that's already been answered?

It is not "Clinton speak" to say that the Bible does not
specifically address masturbation or pornography, or less-
than-pornographic enticing images of women.

That is an absolute fact.
There is no such verse in the Bible.

The specific point where these images become sinful is not
specifically stated.

And my take is, if masturbation were a sin, or at the
lesser argument here, if looking at scantily clad or
semi-nude images of women were prohibited, the Bible
would specifically SAY these things were sinful.

In ancient times, they could have been jerking off to
suggestive statues of women, or painted pictures.

The Bible would have specifically addressed this, if it
were sinful.



Like I said ( and Pariah also said) the interpretation of
the Matthew verse...
(chapter 5:verses 27-28, "anyone who looks at a woman
lustfully, has already committed adultery with her in his
heart")
...is widely held to mean that if you look at a woman with
the intent and motive to seduce her, THAT is when it
becomes adultery in one's heart.

But simultaneously, yes, many believe that looking at a woman
with the slightest desire violates Jesus' standard in the
Matthew verse.

But the right Biblical course of action is open to interpretation.

While not specifically addressed in the Bible, many Christian churches and individuals hold to a stricter interpretation, and are critical of sexual content in movies, television and advertising, gyrating sexual images in music videos, and other popular culture, which constantly incite desire to sell their product.
That's certainly a valid interpretation, held by many.

Myself included.

I actually think the antics and lyrics of Britney Spears
are a lot more culturally damaging than a centerfold or semi-
nude pictures of a girl, like the ones in the WOMEN
section.
Because a centerfold is clearly a fantasy for men, and not
typical of how a woman stands or poses naturally in real
life, whereas Britney Spears and other celebrities project
an image as if it were reality, and fashionable "normal" behavior.
A role model.
And by presenting itself as real, cultivates a new
reality, that promotes as the new status quo such behaviors as group sex, promiscuity, bisexuality, and other cultural icons
that promote bondage and other degrading behavior as chic,
and a new standard for the mainstream, the cutting edge
of "cool".
Which deliberately promotes the idea that "everybody's doing it",
and peer pressure to do it.
A non-sexual example is the TV series Miami Vice. No one in
Miami dressed like that in the 80's, but a month or two after
the TV series began, everyone in Miami dressed like
Crockett and Tubbs. A clear example of life imitating art.

Before popular culture promoted it, virtually no one
was really doing it. But after popular culture sold the
idea to the public, everybody is doing it.

Pin-ups go back to the time of at least Rita Hayworth. And
probably further back, to the origins of photography in
the late 19th century.
Some obscure semi-nude photos projecting "lust" didn't
change the culture, despite decades of pin-ups.


What's happening through mainstream images and role models
is degrading the standard in our culture.

I mean, when I walk down a street, or around female clients or
co-workers during work, or at the mall, or the beach, or
the movie theatre, or in a restaurant, I see attractive
women and have sexual thoughts at least a hundred times a
day.
Is that in itself sinful?
That's as open to interpretation as sinful, as looking at a
centerfold, according to Matthew 5:27-28.

Again,

With my interpretation of actual scripture, I draw the
line at which "sin" occurs, with images that depict actual
sex, where fornication or prostitution (as I described
above) is actually occurring.
That is what it literally says.

But you got me to thinking...

In the larger picture, reading into the deeper
interpretation, the spirit of the scripture, and not
just the scriptural letter of it, the idea of scripture is
that we are all inherently sinful, and disobey
scripture (i.e., God's standard of behavior for all human
beings) countless ways, in both thought and action, every day.
It is a lesson in humility as Christians, that we are all
saved by grace, and no one has earned superior redemption,
all have fallen short of worthiness of salvation. That
salvation cannot be earned, it is a gift.

Quote:

Ephesians 2: verses 1-9 :

Made Alive in Christ

1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,
2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of
this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the
spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.
3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying
the cravings of our sinful nature[1] and following its
desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature
objects of wrath.
4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich
in mercy,
5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in
transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved.
6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him
in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,
7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the
incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness
to us in Christ Jesus.
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--
and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--
9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus
to do good works, which God prepared in advance
for us to do.



and


Quote:

Romans 3: verses 20-27 :

http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?passage=ROM+3&language=english&version=NIV


20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.

Righteousness Through Faith

21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.
22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference,
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished--
26 he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
27 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith.





In that reading, desire for a woman at the mall or the
beach is equally sinful with looking at semi-nude internet
photos or whacking it to a GLAMOUR magazine (yes,
Seinfeld reference )

It's a lesson in humility, that no one is perfect, that
only God is pure enough to judge, and that all are equally
sinful in the eyes of God, and only through faith in God
and following belief in Jesus as the promised Savior
prophecied in the Old Testament, do we receive purification
through faith in the afterlife.

I know what you want me to say, Matter Eater Man, is that
homosexuality is no more or less a grave offense than
looking at a woman with lust, or masturbating, or looking
at images of semi-naked women online, or fornication or
adultery.
I don't fully understand the difference, but fornication
and adultery are more severe crimes in the Bible( and again,
homosexuality is a form of adultery, as I've said
repeatedly throughout this topic. I'm not singling
out "the homos" for a greater condemnation, I've stated
both, hetero- and homo- adultery are condemned, and that's
what the Bible says about both).

And the Bible does make a distinction of greater severity
for these more serious offenses.
Widespread homosexuality is a sign of end-time prophecy coming to fulfillment.

All people are equally sinful in the eyes of God, but
certain acts are given greater condemnation. I don't
fully understand the details of how that plays out, but
that's what it says.