Did the bishop ever ask you if you masturbate

[_mentalgymnast]

My dad was asked. He is still TBM.

My husband was asked. He is still TBM.

I would wager they aren't the only TBM's who were asked. Oh, and my bishop told me he asks. so....

Shoot! Forgot to add. My visiting teachers have brought up masturbation in the course of conversation at my home. We also had our bishop send an email to the entire ward about the 5th grade health ed because their was brief mention of masturbation being normal and that everyone should be aware in case they wanted to yank their child from the class since it went against gospel beliefs.

I must have grown up in an apostate area of the church. <g> Could be that our ward leadership was happy to get the youth out to church, period, end of story.

I grew up in an area that had the distinction of being one of the top ten towns in America for drug abuse one particular year according to TIME magazine. Friends drinking behind the church before football games being played across the street at the high school and coming to church stoned at times.

Good times in my neighborhood. I had two friends that didn't make it out of their teens alive. So no, I just don't remember hearing anything that I can remember about ward leadership getting up in arms over masturbation in the ward I grew up in from age eight up through nineteen. It may have been off the radar in preference to what may have been considered to be matters of greater weight.

Regards,
MG

[_just me]

My dad was asked. He is still TBM.

My husband was asked. He is still TBM.

I would wager they aren't the only TBM's who were asked. Oh, and my bishop told me he asks. so....

Shoot! Forgot to add. My visiting teachers have brought up masturbation in the course of conversation at my home. We also had our bishop send an email to the entire ward about the 5th grade health ed because their was brief mention of masturbation being normal and that everyone should be aware in case they wanted to yank their child from the class since it went against gospel beliefs.

I must have grown up in an apostate area of the church. <g> Could be that our ward leadership was happy to get the youth out to church, period, end of story.

I grew up in an area that had the distinction of being one of the top ten towns in America for drug abuse one particular year according to TIME magazine. Friends drinking behind the church before football games being played across the street at the high school and coming to church stoned at times.

Good times in my neighborhood. I had two friends that didn't make it out of their teens alive. So no, I just don't remember hearing anything that I can remember about ward leadership getting up in arms over masturbation in the ward I grew up in from age eight up through nineteen. It may have been off the radar in preference to what may have been considered to be matters of greater weight.

Regards,
MG

See, here's the thing. Your experience doesn't negate mine and mine does not negate yours. That is the point. You posted a very judgey post up the pike here that was very much acting like we all had some kind of abnormal LDS experience or that we're all lying. It would be nice if you could just acknowledge that we had different experiences without trying to negate those that don't match yours.

Plenty of TBM's have been asked if they M and still remain believing members of the church. Plenty of people who were never asked if they M end up leaving the church. And everything in between.

Oh, and my dad...he is about your age and was asked in his most recent interview.

Wouldn't it be great if all bishops and stake presidents would stop asking this question?

[_Morley]

MG. First you post this:

I grew up in the church. Many interviews. Went on a mission. Married in the temple. Interviews since then for callings, etc.

Never was asked. Not even remotely, except when asked if I obeyed the law of chastity. I have four brothers, and I'm not aware of this subject being brought up in any of their interviews along the way. Not to say that it didn't.

I do find it disconcerting to hear that those on this forum who were repeatedly asked about masturbation during interviews are also those that, in many cases, are disaffected from the church. Not sure that I see a connection at all, but it's interesting.

I only read through the first couple of pages on this thread, so I may be leaving something out or simply repeating something that has already been said by others. Also, I have to agree with Mattie, there does seem to be an ongoing fixation or interest with masturbation in this forum and also the church's purported fixation on the practice and the frequency in which it is supposedly brought up during regular interviews.

The only place that I've EVER even heard it brought up at all is in online venues such as this.

I suppose maybe I've lived a relatively charmed life in the church.

Regards,
MG

Shortly after, you post this:

I must have grown up in an apostate area of the church. <g> Could be that our ward leadership was happy to get the youth out to church, period, end of story.

I grew up in an area that had the distinction of being one of the top ten towns in America for drug abuse one particular year according to TIME magazine. Friends drinking behind the church before football games being played across the street at the high school and coming to church stoned at times.

Good times in my neighborhood. I had two friends that didn't make it out of their teens alive. So no, I just don't remember hearing anything that I can remember about ward leadership getting up in arms over masturbation in the ward I grew up in from age eight up through nineteen. It may have been off the radar in preference to what may have been considered to be matters of greater weight.

Regards,
MG

They are two entirely different perspectives on the same topic and the same time in your life. You kinda left some details out of the first narrative. This is disingenuous, at best.

[_mentalgymnast]

MG. First you post this:

I grew up in the church. Many interviews. Went on a mission. Married in the temple. Interviews since then for callings, etc.

Never was asked. Not even remotely, except when asked if I obeyed the law of chastity. I have four brothers, and I'm not aware of this subject being brought up in any of their interviews along the way. Not to say that it didn't.

I do find it disconcerting to hear that those on this forum who were repeatedly asked about masturbation during interviews are also those that, in many cases, are disaffected from the church. Not sure that I see a connection at all, but it's interesting.

I only read through the first couple of pages on this thread, so I may be leaving something out or simply repeating something that has already been said by others. Also, I have to agree with Mattie, there does seem to be an ongoing fixation or interest with masturbation in this forum and also the church's purported fixation on the practice and the frequency in which it is supposedly brought up during regular interviews.

The only place that I've EVER even heard it brought up at all is in online venues such as this.

I suppose maybe I've lived a relatively charmed life in the church.

Regards,
MG

Shortly after, you post this:

I must have grown up in an apostate area of the church. <g> Could be that our ward leadership was happy to get the youth out to church, period, end of story.

I grew up in an area that had the distinction of being one of the top ten towns in America for drug abuse one particular year according to TIME magazine. Friends drinking behind the church before football games being played across the street at the high school and coming to church stoned at times.

Good times in my neighborhood. I had two friends that didn't make it out of their teens alive. So no, I just don't remember hearing anything that I can remember about ward leadership getting up in arms over masturbation in the ward I grew up in from age eight up through nineteen. It may have been off the radar in preference to what may have been considered to be matters of greater weight.

Regards,
MG

They are two entirely different perspectives on the same topic and the same time in your life. You kinda left some details out of the first narrative. This is disingenuous, at best.

There is no contradiction. By charmed in the first entry, I'm referring to a lack of troublesome issues/pressures that I experienced (especially in the area of moral police enforcement through church leaders...which is what we're talking about) growing up that were stressful or pushed on me in any way by church leaders, advisors, seminary teachers, etc. I simply had a fairly mellow growing up period with those adults that ran the ward and had influence.

Not to say that the area itself was charmed/pure. It was a rough place.

Notice that I said "charmed life in the church". Outside of church, like at school, it wasn't so much charmed.

Regards,
MG

[_Tator]

I must have grown up in an apostate area of the church. <g> Could be that our ward leadership was happy to get the youth out to church, period, end of story.

I grew up in an area that had the distinction of being one of the top ten towns in America for drug abuse one particular year according to TIME magazine. Friends drinking behind the church before football games being played across the street at the high school and coming to church stoned at times.

Good times in my neighborhood. I had two friends that didn't make it out of their teens alive. So no, I just don't remember hearing anything that I can remember about ward leadership getting up in arms over masturbation in the ward I grew up in from age eight up through nineteen. It may have been off the radar in preference to what may have been considered to be matters of greater weight.

Regards,
MG

So the youth were too doped up and/or drunk to masturbate.

What a shame!

[_Tator]

MG. First you post this:

I grew up in the church. Many interviews. Went on a mission. Married in the temple. Interviews since then for callings, etc.

Never was asked. Not even remotely, except when asked if I obeyed the law of chastity. I have four brothers, and I'm not aware of this subject being brought up in any of their interviews along the way. Not to say that it didn't.

I do find it disconcerting to hear that those on this forum who were repeatedly asked about masturbation during interviews are also those that, in many cases, are disaffected from the church. Not sure that I see a connection at all, but it's interesting.

I only read through the first couple of pages on this thread, so I may be leaving something out or simply repeating something that has already been said by others. Also, I have to agree with Mattie, there does seem to be an ongoing fixation or interest with masturbation in this forum and also the church's purported fixation on the practice and the frequency in which it is supposedly brought up during regular interviews.

The only place that I've EVER even heard it brought up at all is in online venues such as this.

I suppose maybe I've lived a relatively charmed life in the church.

Regards,
MG

Shortly after, you post this:

I must have grown up in an apostate area of the church. <g> Could be that our ward leadership was happy to get the youth out to church, period, end of story.

I grew up in an area that had the distinction of being one of the top ten towns in America for drug abuse one particular year according to TIME magazine. Friends drinking behind the church before football games being played across the street at the high school and coming to church stoned at times.

Good times in my neighborhood. I had two friends that didn't make it out of their teens alive. So no, I just don't remember hearing anything that I can remember about ward leadership getting up in arms over masturbation in the ward I grew up in from age eight up through nineteen. It may have been off the radar in preference to what may have been considered to be matters of greater weight.

Regards,
MG

They are two entirely different perspectives on the same topic and the same time in your life. You kinda left some details out of the first narrative. This is disingenuous, at best.

Morley, it's called Mormon mentalgymnastics, it takes practice.

[_sock puppet]

Offline, it has been reported to me that in September 1975, the LDS Church had a special Church-wide priesthood meeting for the Aaronic priesthood (ages 12-18, generally), and their fathers were invited too. These were conducted at Stake Centers by the SP, each Aaronic priesthood holder was provided the Little Factory pamphlet (For Young Men Only) and the hour long meetings included talks by the Stake Presidency, one or two young men (usually prepping to go on a mission or having received their call and awaiting the report date). The SP was supposed to read an FP statement about masturbation and how it could lead to pre-marital sex, unwanted babies and homosexuality.

My friend that told me about this is now a SP who occasionally lurks here, and contacted me after reading over this thread. He said it was one of the most embarrassing, uncomfortable moments of his life.

[_Ceeboo]

While masturbation is not a topic that comes up between members often,

Perhaps, they are doing it wrong? (Technique?)


Peace,
Ceeboo

[_Buffalo]

The SP was supposed to read an FP statement about masturbation and how it could lead to pre-marital sex, unwanted babies and homosexuality.

If anything, abstinence from masturbation would lead to pre-marital sex.

[_mentalgymnast]

Morley, it's called Mormon mentalgymnastics, it takes practice.

I don't see any mental gymnastics taking place in my comments on this thread. Just stating the facts.

Regards,
MG