The Sons of Helaman - is this a sick joke?

[_Chap]

See this site:

http://www.sonsofhelaman.org/

Can it be for real?

But it looks serious, since you have to pay for it:

The current cost of the group is $40 for each 1:45 hour session.

This site may perhaps be an exception to Dr Johnson's rule: "A man is seldom so innocently occupied as when he is making money".

[_silentkid]

This quote from the linked website says it all for me:

By this time the young man has acquired a healthy fear of the power of Satan...

Using fear as a motivator in any therapy environment is counterproductive. What a sad, sad joke.

[_neworder]

Using fear as a motivator in any therapy environment is counterproductive. What a sad, sad joke.

I was thinking the same thing. If you read the testimonials from the kids, they use the world Satan many many times.

[_SatanWasSetUp]

A quick glance at the website suggests that the best way to stop masturbation is to carry a sword with you at all times.

[_silentkid]

A quick glance at the website suggests that the best way to stop masturbation is to carry a sword with you at all times.

seriously LOL.

[_skippy the dead]

I found this article, with this disturbing story:

Greg, a 17-year-old graduate of the program, said he struggles with chronic depression, and "I was humbled to the point where I decided that I would never be able to get rid of my addiction."

"I tried this one last thing, and if that didn't work, I would just end my life."

This poor kid was seriously going to kill himself over masturbation? That's effed up.

This seems to make more sense:

Malan asked not to be quoted directly, but cited a paper -- "Sexual Behavior-Modification Groups and the Need for Comprehensive Care for Compulsive Sexual Behavior" -- he presented at The Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality, Basic Lecture Series in San Francisco.

In the paper, Malan wrote that compulsive sexual behavior, the term preferred by clinical sexologists, is a complex issue with many possible causes.

Although an addiction approach that treats the situation through behavior modification might be good for treating people whose problems are mostly psychological, that approach can be damaging for others, Malan wrote.

For example, people with high hormone levels may find simple abstinence through willpower or therapy alone difficult and some may "become deeply depressed, develop internalized shame, lose healthy sexual functioning, and even become suicidal when only abstinence training is attempted to deal with their condition," he wrote.

Malan wrote that regulating compulsive sexual behavior is highly individual and using one approach for all causes could be psychologically damaging and require corrective treatment later.

Some people believe they have a sex addiction when they may have a values conflict, Malan said, and people should get a diagnosis from a professional certified in human sexuality health care.

[_cinepro]

There are similar groups in many Christian communities, with a full course of videos and workbooks to guide them through the process. This is a popular series:

Every Young Man's Battle (there's a good testimonial at 6:08)

They've broadened their scope to include Every Young Woman's Battle, Every Man's Battle, and Every Woman's Battle. So the whole family can fight their battles together.

[_Gazelam]

cinepro,

So the whole family can fight their battles together.

Im sensing an Oediple complex in there somewhere......

[_Ray A]

I didn't realise Satan was omnipresent. With all those boys to go around tempting to masturbate he must have his, er, hands full.

Of my favourite masturbation jokes:

Two construction workers were working the high beams. One was on the third floor, one on the first. The guy on the third floor needed a handsaw, but with all the construction noise, the other guy couldn't hear him. So the guy on the third floor decided to use hand signals. He pointed to his eye for "I," he pointed to his knee for "need," then moved his hands back and forth for "handsaw." The guy on the first floor dropped his pants and started masturbating. The guy on the third floor ran down to the first floor and said, "What the hell are you doing? All I wanted was a handsaw!" The guy on the first floor said, "I just wanted to tell you I was coming."

[_krose]

Thanks for posting this, Skippy:

Some people believe they have a sex addiction when they may have a values conflict, Malan said, and people should get a diagnosis from a professional certified in human sexuality health care.

That is seriously one of the best things I've read in a while, and it's something I've tried to say many times in different discussions (but not as well). I really don't like it when people throw around the term "addiction" with behaviors such as viewing erotica and masturbation. "Compulsive sexual behavior" is so much more accurate, and it's usually only a problem because of internal self-judgement conflicts.