Apparently..from my limited understanding based merely on what I have heard of about the book...the man explains that to get into heaven you must be a good person and not be against god.

That reminded me of this quite.

Ahah! Another person who knows about Aurelius' Meditations. Always fancied the man as a tolerant one.

Is this a poll, or a discussion?

I don't think so. Reasons for...

1) There is no proof of an afterlife, much less one in which people are eternally (or temporarily) punished based on their actions in life.

I think that the OP was suggesting a presumption of there being a (g)God(s) for the intent purpose of this thread, so that he would know that if there is a God (or gods) he would go to hell for masturbating.

I guess it depends how seriously you take the biblical laws. It basically says not to even think about women in a lusty way, because you've already defiled her in your mind and that's apparenty as bad as doing it.

I for one thing can't actually imagine how to be a good person and be really against God.

Then you probably haven't read the bible. I'm generally a good person, but I now find the Abrahamic God to be incredibly twisted. I just read Judges 11:30-40. Preparing to face a strong opponent, a war leader, Jephthah, prayed and begged for God to bless them so they could destroy their enemies. He promised to make a burnt offering (see Lev 1:3-9) of the first thing that he saw come out of his house when he returned home. They won a lot, slaughtering many across more than 20 cities. He returned home. His daughter, his only child, ran out to greet him. He told her what he had promised. She requested 2 months to weap with her friends. She came back after 2 months and was sacrificed.

To sum up, an 'all-knowing all-powerful all-loving' being willingly accepted a human sacrifice in order to support war because the smell of blood pleases Him. wtf.

I think that the OP was suggesting a presumption of there being a (g)God(s) for the intent purpose of this thread, so that he would know that if there is a God (or gods) he would go to hell for masturbating.

Even if we were to accept the existence of a god(s) for the purpose of this thread, it would still be presumptuous to conclude this god(s) would have such an extreme punishment for doing something like this or even any punishment at all. Given we have no idea of what sort of god(s) we are dealing with.

To sum up, an 'all-knowing all-powerful all-loving' being willingly accepted a human sacrifice in order to support war because the smell of blood pleases Him. wtf.

From what I read from your link (I could've misconstrued it) that this Jepthah man was just praying to God, and promising a sacrifice if his plans succeeded. Nowhere did I read that God accepted or endorsed his act. Just because something is done in someones name it doesn't mean that the person agrees with it.

it would still be presumptuous to conclude this god(s) would have such an extreme punishment for doing something like this or even any punishment at all. Given we have no idea of what sort of god(s) we are dealing with.

I agree, but I was just reiterating what the OP said.

Nowhere did I read that God accepted or endorsed his act.

Considering this was back when God was actually talking to people, He could have pulled what he did to Abraham and tell him to stop. So yes God did accept the human sacrifice.

Considering this was back when God was actually talking to people, He could have pulled what he did to Abraham and tell him to stop. So yes God did accept the human sacrifice.

In addition, (for those who believe the bible was divinely compiled) He let it stay in the holy book as an example of faith in Him. Jep is also mentioned among David, Samson, and others who supposedly accomplished many great things through their faith in God (Heb 11:32-34). Abraham is mentioned shortly before this (Heb 11:17-18).

Forgot to link this part for the lazy:
Heb 11:32-34

this has got to be one of the most silly threads ive come across, no if you watch porn you will not go to hell. now you can sleep at night