Masturbation—How Serious Is It?
“I’m wondering if masturbation is wrong in the eyes of God. Will it affect my physical
and/or mental health in the future and if I ever get married?”—Fifteen-year-old Melissa.
THESE thoughts have plagued many youths. The reason? Masturbation is widespread.
Reportedly, some 97 percent of males and more than 90 percent of females have
masturbated by the age of 21. Furthermore, this practice has been blamed for all manner of
ills—from warts and red eyelids to epilepsy and mental illness.
Twentieth-century medical researchers no longer make such alarming claims. Indeed,
doctors today believe that no physical illness is caused by masturbation. Researchers
William Masters and Virginia Johnson add that “there is no established medical evidence
that masturbation, regardless of frequency, leads to mental illness.” Nevertheless, there are
other ill effects! And many Christian youths are rightly concerned about the practice.
“When I gave in to [masturbation], I’d feel as if I were failing Jehovah God,” wrote one
youth. “I got seriously depressed sometimes.”
Just what is masturbation? How serious is it, and why do so many youths find it to be a
habit that is hard to break?
Why Youths Are Vulnerable
Masturbation is deliberate self-stimulation to produce sexual arousal. During the bloom of
youth, sexual desires become strong. Powerful hormones are released that affect the
reproductive organs. A youth thus becomes aware that these organs are capable of
producing pleasurable sensations. And sometimes a youth may become sexually excited
without even thinking about sex.
For instance, the tensions produced by various worries, fears, or frustrations can affect a
boy’s sensitive nervous system and cause sexual arousal. A buildup of semen may in turn
cause him to awaken sexually excited. Or it may produce a nocturnal emission, usually
accompanied by an erotic dream. Similarly, some young girls may find themselves
stimulated unintentionally. Many have a heightened sexual desire just before or after their
menstrual period.
So if you have experienced such arousal, there is nothing wrong with you. This is a normal
response of a youthful body. Such sensations, even if very intense, are not the same as
masturbation, since they are largely involuntary. And as you grow older, the intensity of
these new sensations will subside.
Curiosity and the novelty of these new sensations, though, lead some youths deliberately to
manipulate, or play with, their sexual organs.
‘Mental Fuel’
The Bible describes a young man who meets a promiscuous woman. She kisses him and
says: “Do come, . . . let us enjoy each other with love expressions.” Then what happens?
“All of a sudden he is going after her, like a bull that comes even to the slaughter.”
(Proverbs 7:7-22) Obviously, this youth’s passions were aroused not simply because his
hormones were at work but because of what he saw and heard.
Similarly, one young man admits: ‘The root of my whole problem with masturbation boiled
down to what I put in my mind. I would watch TV programs that included immorality and
in some cases watch programs on cable TV that would show nudity. Such scenes are so
shocking that they stay with you. They would surface again in my mind, providing the
mental fuel needed to engage in masturbation.’
Yes, often it is what one reads, watches, or listens to, as well as what one talks about or
meditates on, that triggers masturbation. As one 25-year-old woman confessed: “I just
couldn’t seem to stop the habit. However, I used to read romance novels, and this
contributed to the problem.”
A “Tranquilizer”
This young woman’s experience reveals what is undoubtedly the greatest reason why the
habit can be so hard to break. She continues: “Usually I masturbated to release pressure,
tension, or anxiety. That fleeting pleasure was like the drink the alcoholic takes to calm his
nerves.”
Researchers Suzanne and Irving Sarnoff write: “For some people masturbation may
become a habit to which they turn for solace whenever they are rebuffed or feel
apprehensive about something. Others, however, may withdraw in this way only
occasionally, when they are under the most acute emotional stress.” Evidently, others
similarly resort to the habit when upset, depressed, lonely, or under much stress; it becomes
a “tranquilizer” to blot out their troubles.
What Does the Bible Say?
A youth asked: “Is masturbation an unforgivable sin?” Masturbation is not mentioned at all
in the Bible. The practice was common in the Greek-speaking world during Bible times,
and several Greek words were used to describe the practice. But not one of these words is
used in the Bible.
Since masturbation is not directly condemned in the Bible, does this mean it is harmless?
Absolutely not! Though it is not classed with such gross sins as fornication, masturbation is
surely an unclean habit. (Ephesians 4:19) The principles of God’s Word thus indicate that
you “benefit yourself” by strongly resisting this unclean habit.—Isaiah 48:17.
Arousing “Sexual Appetite”
“Deaden, therefore, your body members,” urges the Bible, “as respects . . . sexual appetite.”
(Colossians 3:5) “Sexual appetite” refers not to normal sexual feelings but to passion that is
out of control. Such “sexual appetite” can thus lead to one’s indulging in gross acts, as
described by Paul at Romans 1:26, 27.
But does not masturbation “deaden” these desires? No, on the contrary, as one youth
confessed: “When you masturbate, you dwell mentally on wrong desires, and all that does
is increase your appetite for them.” Often an immoral fantasy is used to increase the sexual
pleasure. (Matthew 5:27, 28) Therefore, given the right circumstances, one could easily fall
into immorality. This happened to one youth, who admits: “At one time, I felt that
masturbation could relieve frustration without my getting involved with a female. Yet I
developed an overpowering desire to do so.” He committed fornication. Not surprisingly, a
nationwide study revealed that the majority of adolescents who masturbated were also
committing fornication. They outnumbered those who were virgins by 50 percent!
Mentally and Emotionally Defiling
Masturbation also instills certain attitudes that are mentally corrupting. (Compare
2 Corinthians 11:3.) When masturbating, a person is immersed in his or her own bodily
sensations—totally self-centered. Sex becomes separated from love and is relegated to a
reflex that releases tension. But God intended that sexual desires be satisfied in sexual
relations—an expression of love between a man and his wife.—Proverbs 5:15-19.
A masturbator may also tend to view the opposite sex as mere sex objects—tools for sexual
satisfaction. Wrong attitudes taught by masturbation thus defile one’s “spirit,” or dominant
mental inclination. In some cases, the problems caused by masturbation persist even after
marriage! For good reason, God’s Word urges: “Beloved ones, let us cleanse ourselves of
every defilement of flesh and spirit.”—2 Corinthians 7:1.
A Balanced View of Guilt
Many youths, though generally successful in overcoming this bad habit, occasionally give
in to it. Fortunately, God is very merciful. “For you, O Jehovah, are good and ready to
forgive,” said the psalmist. (Psalm 86:5) When a Christian succumbs to masturbation, his
heart is often self-condemning. Yet, the Bible states that “God is greater than our hearts and
knows all things.” (1 John 3:20) God sees more than our sins. The greatness of his
knowledge enables him to hear with sympathy our earnest pleas for forgiveness. As one
young woman wrote: “I have felt guilty to an extent, but knowing what a loving God
Jehovah is and that he can read my heart and know all my efforts and intentions keeps me
from feeling too depressed when I fail on occasion.” If you fight the desire to masturbate, it
is not likely that you will commit the serious sin of fornication.
The September 1, 1959, issue of The Watchtower stated: “We [may] find ourselves
stumbling and falling many times over some bad habit that has bitten more deeply into our
former pattern of life than we had realized. . . . Do not despair. Do not conclude you have
committed the unforgivable sin. That is just how Satan would like you to reason. The fact
that you feel grieved and vexed with yourself is proof in itself that you have not gone too
far. Never weary of turning humbly and earnestly to God, seeking his forgiveness and
cleansing and help. Go to him as a child goes to his father when in trouble, no matter how
often on the same weakness, and Jehovah will graciously give you the help because of his
undeserved kindness and, if you are sincere, he will give you the realization of a cleansed
conscience.”
How can that “cleansed conscience” be attained?
Note;
God executed Onan for ‘wasting his semen on the earth.’ However, interrupted intercourse,
not masturbation, was involved. Furthermore, Onan was executed because he selfishly
failed to perform brother-in-law marriage in order to continue his deceased brother’s family
line. (Genesis 38:1-10) What of the “emission of semen” mentioned at Leviticus 15:16-18?
This apparently refers, not to masturbation, but to a nocturnal emission as well as to marital
sexual relations.
Questions for Discussion
□ What is masturbation, and what are some popular misconceptions regarding it?
□ Why do youths often feel very strong sexual desire? Do you think this is wrong?
□ What things can fuel the desire to masturbate?
□ Does masturbation do a youth any harm?
□ How serious a sin do you feel masturbation is? How does Jehovah view a youth who is
putting up a fight against it, though perhaps having problems overcoming it?
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The above information came from a book published by the Jehovah’s Witnesses. This book
is titled Questions Young People Ask—Answers That Work. If you are
interested in a copy of the book, it is free. You may request it from me, or, ask any
Jehovah’s Witness that you see for a copy.
Did you find the information in this paper to be helpful? You should think about that if you
did. My personal experience with the material that is printed by the Jehovah’s Witnesses is
that it is always clear, concise, to the point, and very helpful. And, it is always based on the
Bible. When you really want such advice, where else are you going to go?
Please note; if you have any interest in a FREE home Bible study, please contact me and I
can arrange it. And when I said free, understand, please, why it is free;
1 Corinthians 9:18 What, then, is my reward? That while declaring the good news I may
furnish the good news without cost, to the end that I may not abuse my authority in the
good news.
We, as Jehovah’s Witnesses, do actually make every attempt to live according to Bible
principles and this includes obeying what the Bible says. And what is said above about
furnishing the good news without cost is confirmed here in the Bible;
Matthew 10:7 As YOU go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of the heavens has drawn near.’
8 Cure sick people, raise up dead persons, make lepers clean, expel demons. YOU received
free, give free. 9 Do not procure gold or silver or copper for YOUR girdle purses, 10 or a
food pouch for the trip, or two undergarments, or sandals or a staff; for the worker deserves
his food.
