THE GOVERNING BODY MAKING THE DIVINE GIFT OF SEX FILTHY (I) MASTURBATION

THE APOSTLE PAUL INDIRECTLY SHOWS THAT HE ACCEPTS MASTURBATION

The writings of Paul suggest that he may have been married. In any case, he understood the human sexual drive and, in this regard, offered advice to the members of the Corinthian congregation.

He describes a situation where masturbation may be implied without condemning it. In view of all the vices he condemns in his letters, when he describes a situation where masturbation is implied without condemning it, this means that he indirectly accepts masturbation. I will now analyze his words in 1 Corinthians chapter 7.

Instead of accepting that the sexual drive of humans is a beautiful gift from God, the writings of the Governing Body portray a part of this sexual drive as something filthy. And they place a heavy load of guilt on the shoulders of young men and women. The members of the Governing Body do not understand the strong sexual drive that God has given humans, but the apostle Paul did understand it, as we see in 1 Corinthians 7:1-7:

 ¹ Now concerning the things about which YOU wrote, it is well for a man not to touch a woman; ² yet, because of prevalence of fornication (porneia), let each man have his own wife and each woman have her own husband. ³ Let the husband render to [his] wife her due; but let the wife also do likewise to [her] husband.⁴ The wife does not exercise authority over her own body, but her husband does; likewise, also, the husband does not exercise authority over his own body, but his wife does. ⁵ Do not be depriving each other [of it], except by mutual consent for an appointed time, that YOU may devote time to prayer and may come together again, that Satan may not keep tempting YOU for YOUR lack of self-regulation. ⁶ However, I say this by way of concession, not in the way of a command. ⁷ But I wish all men were as I myself am. Nevertheless, each one has his own gift from God, one in this way, another in that way. ⁸ Now I say to the unmarried persons and the widows, it is well for them that they remain even as I am. ⁹ But if they do not have self-control, let them marry, for it is better to marry than to be inflamed [with passion]. (My translation: “to experience intense sexual desire (pyroomai).”

The first important word to note is pyroomai in verse 9. The meaning of this Greek word is “to experience intense sexual desire.” (Louw and Nida) By using this word, Paul shows that Christians may have a very strong sexual drive, and how this strong sexual drive must be dealt with is the main point in these seven verses.

In 7:32-35, Paul shows that being unmarried gives more opportunities to serve God than being married. And in 7:1, he shows that it is well for a man not to have a wife. But in verse 2, he shows that because of the strong sexual drive, it is good to marry. In verses 3-5, the strong sexual drive again sets the stage.

I will now take a closer look at verse 5, where Paul uses the word akrasia. The meaning of akrasia is “fail to exercise self-control.” (Louw and Nida) Paul realizes that the sexual drive is strong, and therefore, he tells married couples not to deprive each other of sexual relations. If they do that, one or both may be tempted to perform porneia (“illicit sexual relations”). To avoid porneia is one reason why people should marry, according to verse 2.

Then Paul turns his attention to unmarried Christians. He has already stated that it is better not to marry. But in the case of deciding whether to marry or not, the strong sexual drive must be taken into consideration. Verse 9 is particularly important in our context, and I translate this verse in the following way:

But if they are unable to continue restraining themselves (egkrateuomai), they should marry. It is better to marry than to experience intense sexual desire (pyroomai).

The words egkrateuomai has the meaning “to exercise complete control over one’s desires and actions,” and pyroomai has the meaning “to experience intense sexual desire.” (Louw and Nida)

Paul mentions in verse 9 that “some experience intense sexual desire (pyroomai),” and the result of this is that they are “unable to restrain themselves (krateuomai).” If this is the case with a Christian, he or she should marry, according to Paul. But what does it mean “to be unable to restrain themselves” because they “experience intense sexual desire”?

This must refer an action a Christian does because he is unable “to continue restraining himself.” It cannot refer to porneia because avoiding porneia is one reason why a Christian who is “unable to continue restraining himself” should marry. The only other action that the words “being unable to continue restraining themselves” because of  “intense sexual desire” is masturbation.

The words “being unable to continue restraining themselves” because of  “intense sexual desire” is an indirect way of speaking about masturbation.

It is difficult to avoid the conclusion that what Paul is saying is that, “if you experience intense sexual desire and you are masturbating because you are unable to restrain yourself, you should look for a partner and marry.

It is important to note that Paul realizes that many Christians “experience intense sexual desire” and because of this they may “unable to restrain themselves.” But he does not condemn this situation because he realizes that this is the way we are created.

In 1 Corinthians 6:9, 10, Paul condemns different actions that are wicked. This includes the sexual actions pornos (“those who practice illicit sexual intercourse”), moikhos (“those who practice adultery”), malakos (“those who are the passive partner in homosexual intercourse”), arsenokoitēs (those who are male partners in homosexual intercourse”). In Classical Greek, there are three words for masturbation: (kheirourgon, literally “handwork”), defomai (literally: to soften, knead”), and anaphlaō. But Paul does not include any of these words among the wicked actions that God cendemns.

Because Paul mentions Christians with “intense sexual desire” who are “unable to restrain themselves,” and the only reference to this is masturbation, and he does not condemn it, the conclusion is that Paul indirectly accepts that masturbation can be a relief for “intense sexual desire.”

PASSAGES THAT HAVE WRONGLY BEEN APPLIED TO MASTURBATION

I start with the following quotation from The Watchtower of June 1, 1983, page 27:

Well, then, do the Christian Greek Scriptures say anything about masturbation? No, they do not discuss the subject. Not even wet dreams are mentioned. But does that mean that the Christian Greek Scriptures give no direction in forming a proper attitude toward masturbation? No, it does not.

The claim in this quotation is that even though masturbation is not mentioned in The Christian Greek Scriptures, the members of the Governing Body can find expressions in different scriptures regarding how masturbation should be viewed. This is dead wrong! The first article in The Watchtower about masturbation occurred in the issue of September 15, 1959. In this article, I count 12 scriptures that are discussed to show that masturbation is wrong. These scriptures have also been used in the four following articles on masturbation.

The application of these scriptures to masturbation is the same as abusing The Holy Scriptures. I will show this by analyzing each scripture.

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Matthew 5:28, 29

I quote the discussion of Matthew 5:28, 29 from The Watchtower of September 15, 1959, page 541 (above) and The Watchtower of June 1, 1983, page 27 (below):

Note also Jesus’ words at Matthew 5:27, 28: “You heard that it was said, ‘You must not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone that keeps on looking at a woman so as to have a passion for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Since self-abuse is almost invariably associated with such kind of thoughts, how strongly Jesus’ words condemn it!

Jesus taught: “Everyone that keeps on looking at a woman so as to have a passion for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:28) A masturbator often has such kinds of passionate thoughts, fantasizing about having sexual relations. Such a person is certainly not living in accordance with Christ’s teaching. There can be no question that these who feed their sexual appetite by masturbating are violating God’s instructions to DEADEN their sexual appetite.

This is a textbook example of the abuse of the Holy Scriptures and how scriptures are taken out of context.  The important word here is moikheia with the meaning “adultery” (sexual intercourse between a married person and one to whom he or she is not married). A married man has sexual relations with his wife, and his sexual drive is satisfied by this. So, if he keeps looking at a woman to have passion for her, this is against the law of God; he takes the first step on the road that may lead to adultery.

God has created us in a way that when young people mature, they get a strong sexual drive, so strong that only hunger, thirst, and the need for oxygen are stronger drives. The Governing Body must like it or not, but the truth is that God has given young people the drive to look at a woman to have passion for her, to desire to have sexual intercourse with her. This is not wrong because it is god-given! What is wrong is to translate this sexual drive into sexual relations out of wedlock.

When the writer of the article in The Watchtower uses the situation of a married man, to whom it is wrong to have passion for a woman other than his wife, as proof that it is wrong for a young man to desire to have sexual intercourse with a woman, which is god-given, the writer is cheating his readers. These are two completely different situations.

I am not speaking of situations where a young man is drooling over women, looking in all directions to find women with whom he can have sexual relations. But I am speaking of the God-given sexual drive to find a spouse to love and to have sexual relations with. The Christian view of this situation is that each one should realize that this beautiful God-given sexual drive exists, and not “deaden their sexual appetite” in this respect, which is impossible. But each one should regulate his sexual drive and put his desire for sexual intercourse on hold until he finds a spouse, so he or she does not violate God’s law by having sexual intercourse outside wedlock.

I will again stress that the sexual drive is one of the strongest forces in our body. So, if a person in a waiting position relieves himself by masturbating, he has not violated God’s law, and he should not have a guilty conscience. He has simply succumbed to the strong pressure in his body.

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I will now quote from the paragraph in The Watchtower of September 1, 1959, page 542, where 11 passages are used to show that masturbation is wrong. After that, I will discuss each scripture in turn:

We should therefore not be surprised to find that God’s Word condemns self-abuse and that Scriptural principles rule it out, even though it is not specifically named anywhere in the Bible. Note the many references: It certainly is included in the “uncleanness” mentioned at 2 Corinthians 12:21 and Galatians 5:19; in the “uncleanness, sexual appetite,” referred to at Colossians 3:5; in “the desires incidental to youth,” from which Paul counseled Timothy to flee, as well as in the “covetous sexual appetite such as also those nations have which do not know God.” (2 Tim. 2:22; 1 Thess. 4:5) Self-abuse is further included in Peter’s references to “loose conduct, lusts,” “the corruption that is in the world through lust,” and “the desires of the flesh.” (1 Pet. 4:3; 2 Pet. 1:4; 2:18) The disciple James warns us against self-abuse under the term “sensual pleasure,” even as does the apostle John when he speaks of “the desire of the flesh,” which is a part of this old wicked world so soon to end because of its wickedness. Paul’s words, “Having come to be past all moral sense, they give themselves over to loose conduct to work uncleanness of every kind with greediness,” certainly include self-abuse, for it is an uncleanness that is greedy.—Jas. 4:1; 1 John 2:16;Eph. 4:19.

The reasoning here is completely unsound and invalid. The philosophy of science uses syllogisms to illustrate the difference between valid and invalid conclusions. To illustrate the fallacy in the arguments in the quotation, I use two syllogisms, the first one being valid and the second being invalid:

A valid syllogism:

All lions have four legs.

Missy is a lion.

Missy has four legs.

An invalid syllogism

All lions have four legs.

The dog Roxy has four legs.

The dog Roxy is a lion.

The reason why the second syllogism is invalid is that a great number of animals have four legs. So, having four legs does not identify an animal as a lion. The reason why all the arguments in the quotation above from the Watchtower are invalid is that each word, which the author says includes masturbation, includes a number of unspecified things, and there is no contextual reason to conclude masturbation in any of these.

For example, one quotation says that masturbation is included in the word “uncleanness” in 2 Corinthians 12:21. But a great number of things are included in this term. And whether masturbation is included in this word is an open question.

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The Watchtower of September 1, 1959, page 542 says:

It [masturbation] certainly is included in the “uncleanness” mentioned at 2 Corinthians 12:21 and Galatians 5:19

2 Corinthians 12:21

²¹ Perhaps, when I come again, my God might humiliate me among YOU, and I might mourn over many of those who formerly sinned but have not repented over their uncleanness (akatharsia) and fornication and loose conduct that they have practiced.

Galatians 5:19

¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are manifest, and they are fornication, uncleanness (akatharsia), loose conduct.

The fallacy of this argument is that there are a great number of actions that can be subsumed under the term “uncleanness.” It is impossible to know if Paul had masturbation in mind when he wrote 2 Corinthians 12:21 or Galatians 5:19.

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The Watchtower of September 1, 1959, page 542 says:

It [masturbation] certainly is included in…in the “uncleanness, sexual appetite” referred to at Colossians 3:5.

Colossians 3:5

⁵ Deaden, therefore, YOUR body members that are upon the earth as respects fornication, uncleanness (akatharsia), sexual appetite, (pathos) hurtful desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

The fallacy of this argument is the same as in the previous example. There are a great number of actions that can be subsumed under the term “uncleanness.” Moreover, I classify the expression “sexual appetite” in NWT84 as a tendentious translation that is not found in any other Bible translation. Here, the translators have colored the text with their personal view of sex and sexual relations. I quote the verses in context and make a detailed analysis.

Colossians 3:1-8

¹ If, however, YOU were raised up with the Christ, go on seeking the things above, where the Christ is seated at the right hand of God. ² Keep YOUR minds fixed on the things above, not on the things upon the earth. ³ For YOU died, and YOUR life has been hidden with the Christ in union with God. ⁴ When the Christ, our life, is made manifest, then YOU also will be made manifest with him in glory.

⁵ Deaden, therefore, YOUR body members that are upon the earth as respects fornication, uncleanness, sexual appetite, hurtful desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. ⁶ On account of those things the wrath of God is coming. ⁷ In those very things YOU, too, once walked when YOU used to live in them. ⁸ But now really put them all away from YOU, wrath, anger, badness, abusive speech, and obscene talk out of YOUR mouth.

The important words are “sexual appetite” in verse 5. The Greek word pathos has the meaning “suffering; affection, passion, especially sexual.” (Mounce) In my view, the rendering “sexual appetite” in NWT84 is tendentious because pathos can have several different meanings. It is true, as Mounce shows, that when pathos refers to passion, and in many cases, it refers to sexual passion. However, the NWT principle is to use a word’s basic or general meaning in translation and to allow readers to identify its references from context. Here, this principle is not followed, but the translators have employed a restricted and rare interpretation of the term. I have consulted 35 translations, and most render pathos as “lust” or “passion.” The words “sexual appetite” are not found in any of these translations.

The context supports the general meaning of “lust” or “passion”. Verses 1-3 show that Paul writes to adults with the heavenly hope, who in a symbolic way have been “raised up with the Christ.” Therefore, they should not keep their minds fixed on the things upon the earth (verse 2), but they should deaden their body members (verse 5). Then, Paul mentions five general bad things, including pathos, and one specific thing, namely porneia (“illicit sexual intercourse”) (verse 5), and five more general bad things are mentioned as well (verse 8).

Applying these words, that are addressed to anointed Christians with the hope of reigning with Jesus, to youngsters who have matured sexually and who experience “intense sexual desire,” is a way of abusing the Scriptures. Moreover, the renderings of pathos as “passion” or “lust” do not naturally collocate with masturbation, because the words “passion” and “lust” can refer to a great number of things. However, the words “sexual appetite” could collocate with masturbation, but it need not do so. So, it seems that the translators have chosen the tendentious rendering “sexual appetite” because of their personal view that masturbation and other sexual practices are wrong.

The conclusion is that neither the word akatharsia (uncleanness) nor the word pathos (“lust, passion”) in Colossians 3:5, translated as “sexual appetite,” can be used to throw light on God’s view of masturbation.

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The Watchtower of September 1, 1959, page 542 says:

It [masturbation] certainly is included in…in in “the desires (epithymia) incidental to youth (neōterikos),” from which Paul counseled Timothy to flee…2 Timothy 2:22.

2 Timothy 2:22

The Greek word epithymia has the meaning, “to greatly desire to do or have something,” and neōterikos has the meaning, “juvenile, natural to youth, youthful.” (Mounce). It is impossible to know exactly what Paul meant by using the expression “the desires incidental to youth.”

Different commentators have suggested different solutions. One comment that, in my view, is logical, is the one of Walter Lock. He argues that 2 Timothy 2:22 is a combination of 1 Timothy 4:12 and 6:11. Then he writes that these “desires incidental to youth”:

will include impulses of impatience, love of disputation, self-assertion as well as self-indulgence, everything inconsistent with the virtues that follow.[1]

This is logical because the words after “desires incidental to youth” represent the contrast to this concept. This is seen by the following words “but pursue” (diōkō de).  This suggests that “desires incidental to youth” represent thewords in the quotation, which are a contrast to what follows. There is absolutely nothing in the context that would include masturbation in “desires incidental to youth.”

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The Watchtower of September 1, 1959, page 542 says:

It [masturbation] certainly is included in… the “covetous sexual appetite such as also those nations have which do not know God.” (1 Thess. 4:5)

1 Thessalonians 4:5

In order to see the verse in context, I quote 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8:

³ For this is what God wills, the sanctifying of YOU, that YOU abstain from fornication (porneia); ⁴  that each one of YOU should know how to get possession of his own vessel in sanctification and honor, ⁵ not in covetous (epithymia)  sexual appetite (pathos) (NIV: “passionate lust”) such as also those nations have which do not know God; ⁶  that no one go to the point of harming and encroach upon the rights of his brother in this matter, because Jehovah is one who exacts punishment for all these things, just as we told YOU beforehand and also gave YOU a thorough witness. ⁷ For God called us, not with allowance for uncleanness, but in connection with sanctification. ⁸ So, then, the man that shows disregard is disregarding, not man, but  God, who puts his holy spirit in YOU.

I have shown above that pathos has the meaning “passion” or “lust,” and that the rendering “sexual appetite” is a tendentious rendering and is found in no other Bible translation.

The first two verses resemble the verses in 1 Corinthians 7:1-2. The important point is that the Thessalonians must abstain from porneia (“illicit sexual intercourse”). The background is that each Christian has a sexual drive, and to avoid porneia, one should know how to get possession of a wife (his own vessel).

After Paul has urged the Thessalonians to get the possession of a wife in order to abstain from fornication, he draws up a contrast:

 ⁵ not in covetous (epithymia) sexual appetite (pathos) (NIV: “passionate lust”), such as also those nations have which do not know God.

These words are supposed to show that masturbation is wrong. But they speak about illicit sexual intercourse (porneia) and not about masturbation. The book Peace and Security — How Can You Find It?, page 144, has the following commentary on this text:

⁸ When urging Christians to “abstain from fornication,” the apostle Paul gave strong reasons, saying: “That no one go to the point of harming and encroach upon the rights of his brother in this matter, because Jehovah is one who exacts punishment for all these things . . . For God called us, not with allowance for uncleanness . . . So, then, the man that shows disregard is disregarding, not man, but God.”​—1 Thessalonians 4:3-8.

⁹ One committing fornication does indeed ‘harm and encroach upon the rights of others.’ This is true, for example, of couples who live together without benefit of legal marriage. Why do they do it? Frequently it is so that they can abandon the union whenever they please. They do not give their partner the security that responsible marriage ought to bring. But if both persons enter the relationship willingly, are they still ‘harming and encroaching on the rights of others’? Yes, definitely so.

¹⁰ There are many effects of the actions of fornicators that do ‘encroach on the rights of others.’ For one thing, anyone participating in fornication shares in damaging the other person’s conscience as well as any clean standing that one may have had with God. The fornicator destroys the other person’s opportunity to enter marriage with a clean start.

These are excellent comments in which I concur. We note that “passionate lust (epithymia pathos)” is what “those nations have.” The people of the nations who do not follow Jehovah’s moral principles have sexual relations with women before marriage. Paul shows that if Christians follow this, they “are harming and encroaching upon the rights” of a Christian brother or sister to enter marriage as a clean person without having had sexual relations before marriage.

The focus here is on porneia (“sexual intercourse outside marriage”) and not on masturbation. Applying this scripture to masturbation is to mislead the readers.

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The Watchtower of September 1, 1959, page 542 says:

It [masturbation] certainly is included in… the “the desires of the flesh.” (1 Pet. 4:3; 2 Pet. 1:4; 2:18)

1 Peter 4:3

³ For the time that has passed by is sufficient for YOU to have worked out the will of the nations when YOU proceeded in deeds of loose conduct, lusts (epithymia), excesses with wine, revelries, drinking matches, and illegal idolatries.

2 Peter 1:4

⁴ Through these things he has freely given us the precious and very grand promises, that through these YOU may become sharers in divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world through lust (epithymia).

2 Peter 2:18

¹⁸ For they utter swelling expressions of no profit, and by the desires (epithymia) of the flesh (sarx) and by loose habits they entice those who are just escaping from people who conduct themselves in error.

The word epithymia, which occurs in all three scriptures, has the meaning “to greatly desire to do or have something.” (Mounce) This desire can be right or wrong. But in 2 Peter 2:18, epithymia is qualified by the word “flesh.” Paul shows the importance of the word “flesh” in Romans 7:15-19:

¹⁵ For what I am working out I do not know. For what I wish, this I do not practice; but what I hate is what I do. ¹⁶ However, if what I do not wish is what I do, I agree that the Law is fine. ¹⁷ But now the one working it out is no longer I, but sin that resides in me. ¹⁸ For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, there dwells nothing good; for ability to wish is present with me, but ability to work out what is fine is not [present]. ¹⁹ For the good that I wish I do not do, but the bad that I do not wish is what I practice.

Paul shows that he and all other humans have inherited sin from Adam, and this inherited sin resides in the flesh of every human. Thus, “the desires of the flesh” are all the wrong desires that imperfect humans have because of their inherited sin. In 2 Peter 2:18, the Greek word epithymia (“desire, lust”) is qualified by “flesh.” This shows that when epithymia occurs alone, it also has the meaning “all the wrong desires that imperfect humans have because of their inherited sin.”

It is very wrong that the leaders of Jehovah’s Witnesses use passages with epithymia to show that masturbation is wrong. God has given humans a strong sexual drive, which includes that young men desire to have sex with a woman. This is not a wrong desire because it is god-given, and therefore it is not included in epithymia, which refers to wrong desires. What is wrong is to apply the strong sexual desire against the will of God by having illicit sexual intercourse.

It is the intense sexual desire that causes people to masturbate when they cannot satisfy this sexual drive within marriage. This strong sexual drive, with the desire to have sexual relations with a woman, is given by God and is not wrong. Whether masturbation, which is caused by this strong sexual drive, when a person does not have a wife, is right or wrong, the Bible does not tell. This means that we must apply the wise advice given in The Watchtower of September 15, 1951, to masturbation instead of work: Regarding masturbation, the Society has no specific recommendation to make. The Society’s silence on this matter is not to be viewed as giving consent, nor is it to be viewed as a condemnation we do not wish to openly express. It means that we think it is the individual’s responsibility to choose, not ours.

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The Watchtower of September 1, 1959, page 542 says:

It [masturbation] certainly include self-abuse, for it is an uncleanness that is greedy.— Jas. 4:1; 1 John 2:16;Eph. 4:19.

James 4:1

¹ From what source are there wars and from what source are there fights among YOU? Are they not from this source, namely, from YOUR cravings for sensual pleasure (hēdonē) that carry on a conflict in YOUR members?

1 John 2:16

¹⁶ because everything in the world—the desire (epithymia) of the flesh (sarx) and the desire of the eyes and the showy display of one’s means of life—does not originate with the Father, but originates with the world.

Ephesians 4:17-19

¹⁷ This, therefore, I say and bear witness to in [the] Lord, that YOU no longer go on walking just as the nations also walk in the unprofitableness of their minds, ¹⁸ while they are in darkness mentally, and alienated from the life that belongs to God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the insensibility of their hearts. ¹⁹ Having come to be past all moral sense, they gave themselves over to loose conduct to work uncleanness (akatharsia) of every sort with greediness (pleonexia).

The word translated as “sensual pleasure” in James 4:1 has the meaning “pleasure, gratification; esp. sensual pleasure.”  (Mounce) The concept “sensual pleasure” can include a great number of things. In 2 Peter 2:13, hēdonē is translated with “luxurious living,” which for many represent “sensual pleasure.” There is no linguistic or contextual reason why “sensual pleasure” (hēdonē) should include masturbation.

The expression “the desire of the flesh” in 1 John 2:16 has been discussed above. It was shown that we have no reason to believe that masturbation is included in this expression.

The Watchtower says that masturbation is “uncleanness that is greedy.” Paul does not speak about Christians in Ephesians 4:17-19, but of the actions of the nations. This alone shows that this scripture cannot be applied to Christians. Moreover, the Greek word pleonexia is wrongly translated as “greediness.”[2] This scripture cannot in any way be applied to masturbation.

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It is a fact that humans are given the beautiful gift of a strong sexual drive. This is one reason why people want to have children. The sexual drive is particularly strong among young men, and Paul uses the words “intense sexual desire” in 1 Corinthians 7:9.

This intense sexual desire naturally causes young men to want to have sexual relations with a woman. When the members of the Governing Body strongly condemn this desire, they are speaking against God because this desire is god-given. It is not the desire itself that is wrong, but translating this desire into actions of illicit sexual intercourse is a violation of God’s laws.

The consequence of the writings of the members of the Governing Body is that they stamp the strong sexual drive as wrong, as well as the desire to have sexual relations with another person that is caused by the strong sexual drive. This is against nature, this is against the way God has created his earthly sons and daughters.

When boys and young men are not able to satisfy their sexual desire with sexual intercourse, the statistics show that 95% of them are masturbating, and there is no reason why the numbers are different among Jehovah’s Witnesses. I will one more time see this situation through the eyes of the apostle Paul by quoting 1 Corinthians 7:9 (my translation):

But if they are unable to continue restraining themselves (egkrateuomai), they should marry. It is better to marry than to experience intense sexual desire (pyroomai).

Paul’s words relate directly to those who are masturbating, to those who are not able to “restraining themselves.” He does not condemn them for not being able to restrain themselves. But he realizes that this is connected with the “intense sexual desire.” In this situation, his advice to each person is to look for a spouse to love and marry.

[1]. Walter Lock, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Pastoral Epistles. The International Critical Commentary (1973), page 101.

[2]. See my article: «The 11 disfellowshipping offenses 1: Not ‘greed’ but ‘exploitation’ (pleonexia)” (https://mybelovedreligion.no/2024/11/19/the-11-disfellowshipping-offenses-1-not-greed-but-exploitation/).

PLACING A HUGE LOAD OF GUILT ON THE SHOULDERS OF BOYS AND YOUNG MEN

The heading speaks about boys and young men because these groups have a high rate of masturbation. But the discussion in this section and in the whole article relates to all persons who masturbate because of their intense sexual desire.

One of the most glaring errors of the members of the Governing Body is the derogatory words they use to describe masturbation, namely “self-abuse.” An AI-search resulted in the following historical description:

“Self-abuse” is a historical euphemism for masturbation that gained prominence during the 18th and 19th centuries, characterizing the act not just as a sin, but as a dangerous medical and social pathology. The term originated as part of a moral campaign to frame masturbation—or “self-pollution”—as a cause of insanity, physical decay, and, in extreme views, death.

The Watchtower Society still uses “self-abuse” as a term for masturbation in the year 2026, as we see in Insight on the Scriptures volume II, page 555. Synonyms of “self-abuse” are:

a corrupt practice or custom

improper or excessive use or treatment

language that condemns or vilifies usually unjustly, intemperately, and angrily

physical maltreatment

A deceitful act [1] 

There is no doubt that “self-abuse” is a strong derogatory term.

And even more important is that no scientific study has identified any physical or mental harm from masturbating. What is causing real harm is the writings of the members of the Governing Body regarding masturbation.

The writings of the Governing Body regarding masturbation can be classified as mental abuse, religious abuse, or youngster-abuse.

From the age of about 11 years, boys and girls start to mature sexually, and particularly many boys get a strong sexual drive. Because of this, particularly boys in families of Jehovah’s Witnesses start masturbating, and because of this, they are subject to strong pressure. They know how clearly the literature of Jehovah’s Witnesses condemns masturbation, and they feel ashamed. They feel that they are sinning against Jehovah and that they do not have his approval. They have tried many times to stop masturbating, but they always fall back and start again.

They are so ashamed of their habit that they do not disclose their problems to their parents or to the elders. Because of the unbalanced and inappropriate demands from members of the Governing Body, they carry a heavy burden of guilt and feel that they have failed and are not worth anything. This is really psychological terror.

During the many years I have served as an elder in different congregations, only a few youngsters have told me about their masturbation problems. I am able to provide the description above because I have spoken with many adult members of congregations who grew up in Jehovah’s Witness families. They have told me of the extreme pressure they have felt from masturbating, and of being alone with their huge load of guilt, with no one to speak to and no one to give help.

What persons, whose intense sexual desire causes them to masturbate, particularly, can learn from this article is that they should feel no guilt. The Christian Greek Scriptures do not discuss masturbation dirrectly. But Paul mentions it indirectly, indicating that he accepts that Christians do so without condemning it.

If you still feel some guilt because of the strong condemnation of the members of the Governing Body, you can have comfort in the words of Paul in Romans 7:14- 23:

¹⁴ For we know that the Law is spiritual; but I am fleshly, sold under sin. ¹⁵ For what I am working out I do not know. For what I wish, this I do not practice; but what I hate is what I do. ¹⁶ However, if what I do not wish is what I do, I agree that the Law is fine. ¹⁷ But now the one working it out is no longer I, but sin that resides in me. ¹⁸ For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, there dwells nothing good; for ability to wish+ is present with me, but ability to work out what is fine is not [present]. ¹⁹ For the good that I wish I do not do, but the bad that I do not wish is what I practice. ²⁰ If, now, what I do not wish is what I do, the one working it out is no longer I, but the sin dwelling in me. ²¹ I find, then, this law in my case: that when I wish to do what is right, what is bad is present with me. ²² I really delight in the law of God according to the man I am within, ²³ but I behold in my members another law warring against the law of my mind and leading me captive to sin’s law that is in my members.

After reading these words, remind yourself that you love Jehovah and that you want to do his will. And remember that you, if you, because of strong sexual desire, succumb to masturbation, are not violating his laws.  And even if you, as an imperfect human, sin in the way Paul describes, the ransom sacrifice will cover your sins, and Jehovah will always treat you as one of his beloved sons and daughters.

CONCLUSION

It is their intense sexual desire that causes people to masturbate when they cannot satisfy this sexual drive within marriage. This strong sexual drive, with the desire to have sexual relations with a woman, is given by God and is not wrong. Whether masturbation, which is caused by this intense sexual desire, when a person does not have a wife, is right or wrong, the Bible does not tell. This means that we must apply to masturbation the fine advice given in The Watchtower of September 15, 1951 to work: Regarding masturbation, the Society has no specific recommendation to make. The Society’s silence on this matter is not to be viewed as giving consent, nor is it to be viewed as a condemnation we do not wish to openly express. It means that we think it is the individual’s responsibility to choose, not ours.

[1]. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abuse.