the bible teaches masturbation is a sin

all I have to do is prove there is a passage or action relevant to masturbation (i.e, a type of sin) and that the Bible does indeed claim that action to be sin. con must refute all arguments or concede the debate. I would like to ask that only the King James be used so that we have a standard of comparison. I assume we are speaking of solo, self masturbation in this debate. But what is masturbation really? I submit that masturbation is the imagining of carnal situations and sexually pleasuring oneself. It is inclusive both of fantasizing and the physical act. I can prove that both actions are sinful and therefore, the act of masturbating is sin. My first bit of evidence is Ephesians, Chapter 4: 17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, 18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: 19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20 But ye have not so learned Christ; 21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Some words I would like to pull out of this text and define: Conversation, lasciviousness, lust, and vanity. I would also like to define imagination now for future reference. I will be using Webster"s 1st Edition 1828 Dictionary per 1828.mschaffer.com CONVERSATION, n. 1. General course of manners; behavior; deportment; especially as it respects morals. Let your conversation be as becometh the gospel. Philippians 1. Be ye holy in all manner of conversation. 1 Peter 1. 2. A keeping company; familiar intercourse; intimate fellowship or association; commerce in social life. Knowledge of men and manners is best acquired by conversation with the best company. 3. Intimate and familiar acquaintance; as a conversation with books, or other object. 4. Familiar discourse; general intercourse of sentiments; chat; unrestrained talk; opposed to a formal conference. LASCIVIOUSNESS, n. 1. Looseness; irregular indulgence of animal desires; wantonness; lustfulness. 2. Tendency to excite lust, and promote irregular indulgences. LUST, n. 1. Longing desire; eagerness to possess or enjoy; as the lust of gain. 2. Concupiscence; carnal appetite; unlawful desire of carnal pleasure. Romans 1. 2Peter 2. 3. Evil propensity; depraved affections and desires. James 1. Ps. 81. 4. Vigor; active power. [Not used.] IMAGINA'TION, n. [L. imaginatio.] The power or faculty of the mind by which it conceives and forms ideas of things communicated to it by the organs of sense. 1. Conception; image in the mind; idea. 2. Contrivance; scheme formed in the mind; device. 3. Conceit; an unsolid or fanciful opinion. 4. First motion or purpose of the mind. Gen.6. VAN'ITY, n. [L. vanitas, from vanus, vain.] 1. Emptiness; want of substance to satisfy desire; uncertainty; inanity. 2. Fruitless desire or endeavor. 3. Trifling labor that produces no good. 4. Emptiness; untruth 5. Empty pleasure; vain pursuit; idle show; unsubstantial enjoyment. 6. Ostentation; arrogance. 7. Inflation of mind upon slight grounds; empty pride, inspired by an overweening conceit of one's personal attainments or decorations. Fops cannot be cured of their vanity. Ephesians 4 speaks of not walking as other Gentiles in the vanity of their mind, vanity meaning emptiness, fruitlessness, pointlessness. II Corinthians 10:5 states we are to cast down imaginations. I admit the context implies not being puffed up in arrogance, but if you continue the verse, you find a very interesting commandment: Bringing every thought into obedience. Obedience to what? Christ. I Corinthians 6: 19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. This passage is speaking to Christians, specifically, but it still shows the expectation of God, to glorify him in body and spirit, your spirit being your mind. This sentiment is echoed in Ecclesiastes 12:13 where it claims the whole duty of man is to serve God and keep his commandments. James 4: 17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. So the vain thoughts leading to or involved in masturbation are clearly sin. What about the act itself? As I said, masturbation is also the action, the physical pleasuring of self. As defined, lasciviousness would easily encompass the act of masturbation. It is an indulgence of animal desires, a primal need for sexual release. Lasciviousness is called out in many places as a sin. Some references are: Mark 7:22 II Corinthians 12:21 Galatians 5:19 Ephesians 4:19 I Peter 4:3 And others. Therefore, there are many, many areas in the Bible that state in no uncertain terms that it is indeed a sin, an indulgence of the flesh and a vanity of mind. The Bible calls for us to make NO provision for the flesh (Romans 13:14) and to bring our every thought into obedience to Christ (II Corinthians 10:5). How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein? I await any refutations of my arguments.