Post published by Stardweller1

This may be an unpopular opinion. My bishop recently told me that MO is not really THAT bad as long as porn is not used. He also mentioned that it can interfere with relationships and sex, so he suggested to avoid it if possible. But it won’t disqualify you from heaven. Thoughts?

Mindy, I think you're gonna have to pray and ask Heavenly Father about that one. I would give you my opinion but I'm only human so my opinion could be far from the truth.

Yeah I have no idea what’s the correct doctrine here! Anyway, good job not giving in to porn!!!

My personal experience is that masturbation tends to lead to me turning more inward, leading to reduced confidence and feelings of depression. However, it's difficult to know whether those consequences come from the guilt and self loathing I feel as a result of being told it's wrong or just natural consequences of sin.

Yeah...my views on M have changed quite a bit since I was a teenager. The facts are that almost 100% of men and 40% of women do it. Is it sinful...yes. But so is lying. And a lot of people do that too. I think it is wresting the scriptures to put M on anywhere near the same level as fornication while a missionary (which is like unto murder). But if someone would have told me M wasn't too bad, I probably would have talked to my bishop 24 years ago and not been so isolated/self critical/hopeless/hypocritical/and lacking in spiritual self-confidence.

Well, I'm not expecting to be disqualified from heaven for this, even if I die before I overcome it, because I think that the Atonement cleanses those who try. And I agree that porn is ultimately worse. And I don't think that O is bad at all; I'm pretty sure married couples experience it with each other, and we know that sex between husband and wife is no sin.

That said, I do think M is a sin, for a few reasons. The most important reason is because it's an attempt to arouse in oneself the kinds of emotions and feelings that should only be experienced between husband and wife, and not outside marriage (which I take to include by yourself). Again though, I agree that porn is worse.

is it bad that i M while thinking about my wife?