I am a Christian who loves to masturbate

Dear Pastor,

I am a new Christian for the past couple of months, and before I made that decision, my problem was that I loved to masturbate and have sex. Now that I am a Christian, I sometimes have the desire to masturbate, so I do so without thinking about anyone or anything. I do it like once or twice a week, but I want to know if I am lusting in any way or form and if it is right in God's eyes.

N.P

Dear N.P.,

You said that when you masturbate you are not thinking of having sex with anybody while doing so, so you are really saying that you are engaging in self pleasure. If, indeed, that's the case, then I can't say that you are lusting. To lust is to have a sinful desire towards another person. It is like fantasising and thinking what you would do with the other person and what that person would do with you. One can masturbate without thinking about having sex with a partner. I know that there are people who do not accept that, but it can be done, and many people do so every day. It is something that young, middle-aged and older people do secretly in the privacy of their own home. Some family counsellors condemn the practice; others do not. I would say to you, please do not condemn yourself if you masturbate. I am glad you are going to church. When you get married, the desire to masturbate will dissipate.

Pastor