Masturbation Interrogations--The differentiating experience

[_zeezrom]

Easier to manipulate the masses that way. State things in vague terms with a wink and a nod and you have plausible deniability, but maximum guilt-inducement ability. Hard to see how masturbation would NOT fall under the definition of "any kind of sexual activity" as bcspace implies.

This is what is sad to me.

Here was a church that I believed in, with such high hopes. I had LDS up on a pedestal, so to speak. I had elite access to a church governing body that was connected to God. This governing body claimed access to light and knowledge that surpasses all known to man. Ironically, they manipulated us with vagueness. They clouded our vision with uncertainty, all the while they were claiming the oposite: clarity. It is a tragedy.

[_ludwigm]

... I don't know why it's so important for some people to deny what regularly and consistently happens in the church. The level of denial is bizarre.

There should be an emergency exit: "We don't teach it"

[_logjamislds]

Just a general reply: my original statement had to do with the sins of Onan, (Gen. 38: 8-10.) Are we straining at a gnat and swallowing a camel? I still think his major sins are being ignored in light of his sexual "sin" of masturbation. In a nutshell, he refused to do his duty as required by the gospel law of the time, that is, marry his widowed sister in law so she could have children, be cared for by a husband, and raise seed up to his slain brother. He not only refused this, but did it in a gross and disgusting public way which was basically an "in-your-face" to God. It was an act of arrogance, pride and hubris in the extreme, for which God slew him; not for the act of masturbation in and of itself. If God slew people for masturbation, the race would have gone extinct long ago.

Put it this way: supposing you had to stand before God and be judged for one of two sets of "baggage". Set #1: Masturbation. Set #2: being uncharitable to your own family and brother, refusing a commandment that was set up to provide support and family for widows, and arrogantly and pridefully, in a gross and disgusting manner, shoving in God's face the commandments He had given you. Given that's the only choice (hypothetically here), I'd go with set #1.

by the way: as to being asked directly about masturbation in a temple recommend interview: I wonder if age has anything to do with it? I think I remember that when I was young; but I haven't been asked that specific question for at least 30 years, and I've had an active recommend all that time. (I'm 63.) It wasn't that big of a problem when I was young, because, basically, the girls were Neanderthals, and even though they tried to look hot in their saber tooth cat skin skirts, I was waiting for the cro-magnon girls to come on the scene. (Have I just dated myself?)

[_Quasimodo]

It wasn't that big of a problem when I was young, because, basically, the girls were Neanderthals, and even though they tried to look hot in their saber tooth cat skin skirts, I was waiting for the cro-magnon girls to come on the scene. (Have I just dated myself?)

That was a measured and intelligent post, logjam. Nice job! I do think you should be kinder to the poor Neanderthal gals, though. Even with the heavy brow ridges I'll bet they looked pretty good in those skins.

Someone must have found them attractive because it turns out that they are at least partially the ancestors of Europeans (latest DNA evidence). The next time you see one, you should at least give her a smile.

[_Fifth Columnist]

Is there a cause and effect hypothesis to be drawn from the relatively high correlation here between apostates (were asked by nearly every Bishop, SP, and/or MP about masturbation) and TBMs (who insist they were never once asked about masturbation by any Bishop, SP, and/or MP).

I guess I call b*** s*** on the TBMs who claim never to have been asked. Geez, BKP's obsession with young males masturbating was even memorialized in print, For Young Men Only. So I find it hard to believe that anyone could have grown up in the 70's and/or 80's and not been asked by even one of their bishops, SPs, and/or MPs.

I grew up in the 80s and early 90s (went on a mission in 93) and I was never asked about masturbation by anyone, not my Bishop, SP, or MP. I confessed doing it to my Bishop when I was 14, but reflecting on it now, I think he wished I hadn't. He never followed up with me or brought it up again.

I had a SP at BYU (John Tanner - recently an academic vice president, but called as an MP earlier this year) who asked me to re-confess all my sins to him before I could go on a mission so I told him I masturbated until I was 14, but had stopped (no lie). I thought it was kind of weird for him to ask that (what happened to God forgets your sins when you confess and forsake them?), but he didn't ask specifically about masturbation.

My MP never asked me about it or brought it up.

I should note that I am not TBM.

[_zeezrom]

...He not only refused this, but did it in a gross and disgusting public way which was basically an "in-your-face" to God. It was an act of arrogance, pride and hubris in the extreme, for which God slew him;

...arrogantly and pridefully, in a gross and disgusting manner, shoving in God's face the commandments He had given you.

Excuse me?

Maybe I'm not very familiar with the story, but I don't recall anything telling us he dropped the seed in a "gross and disgusting" manner. What are you talking about? What made the act gross and disgusting?

by the way: as to being asked directly about masturbation in a temple recommend interview: I wonder if age has anything to do with it? I think I remember that when I was young; but I haven't been asked that specific question for at least 30 years, and I've had an active recommend all that time. (I'm 63.) It wasn't that big of a problem when I was young, because, basically, the girls were Neanderthals, and even though they tried to look hot in their saber tooth cat skin skirts, I was waiting for the cro-magnon girls to come on the scene. (Have I just dated myself?)

What the hell are you saying? I honestly don't understand what you are trying to do. So, let me get this straight. You didn't masturbate when you were a teenager because the girls weren't attractive to you. Did you eventually find some better circles to associate with?

"I was a good boy because the girls around me were not enticing to me..."

Yep. Heard that before. It's another variation on the same theme. As long as the girls dress a certain way, the boys will behave. Oh brother.