Question: Why does The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints consider the practice of masturbation sinful?


Question: Why does The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints consider the practice of masturbation sinful?

Introduction to Question

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints views the practice of masturbation to be generally sinful. The youth pamphlet For the Strength of Youth (2011), for instance, has said to "not arouse [sexual] emotions in your own body."[1] The rulebook for the Church's missionaries (published in 2019) says to "avoid any thought or action that would separate you from the Spirit of God. This includes but is not limited to adultery; fornication; same-sex activity; oral sex; arousing sexual feelings; inappropriate touching; sending or receiving messages, images, or videos that are immoral or sexual in nature; masturbation; and viewing or using pornography (see 7.5.3). See For the Strength of Youth (2011), 'Repentance,' 28–29, for additional information." Church leaders have been clear for much time that the practice should not be regarded nearly as bad as other sexual practices, but that it is generally bad enough to require sincere repentance.[2] The Church's current handbook for leaders (published in 2020) lists abstention from masturbation as among the standards of conduct placed on Church members. It states that engaging in masturbation does not require formal church discipline.

Many have wondered why the Church takes this stance. The modern scientific community views the practice as normal in humans ranging from infants to young adults to married couples. Many benefits are associated with masturbation such as improved sleep, a better immune system, a better cardiovascular system, reduced stress, and reduced sexual tension—especially when a partner is not available for sexual relations. Many clinical professionals recommend masturbating to mitigate tension in relationships where one partner has a higher libido than the other and doesn’t want to demand intercourse of the lower libido partner (or the lower libido partner doesn’t want to accept demands). Two studies have associated masturbation with reduced risk of prostate cancer.

This article will explore why the Church might take the stance that it does on masturbation even given the potential benefits of it.

Response to Question

Sexual Desire is a Fundamentally Good Thing

Before we proceed with the rest of our response, it should be first noted and emphasized that our sexual desires are fundamentally good things, given to us by God to be used to strengthen emotional and spiritual bonds with our spouses and to bring children into this world. As For the Strength of Youth says, "[p]hysical intimacy between husband and wife is beautiful and sacred. It is ordained of God for the creation of children and for the expression of love between husband and wife."[3] Thus, sexual desire in and of itself should not be considered bad. It indeed should be celebrated. Since sexual desire has a particular use though, a proper use, it then follows that it should be exercised or put to use for that purpose and that boundaries should be in place to guide us towards fulfilling that purpose. It is not a sin to have a sexual desire. It is sinful to dwell on that desire or to fantasize about exercising that desire in illicit ways as defined by God.

The Act is (Generally) Bad, the Person is Not

Another thing to be emphasized is that the person that engages in masturbation is not a bad person. The act is bad. We are not "good people" and "bad people." We are people that do good things and bad things. It is true that Jesus says that a good tree cannot produce bad fruit and neither a bad tree, good fruit.[4] But, for Jesus, it is not "who you are" that will determine what you do; it is what you do that will determine who you are. What you do creates proclivities and habits that become part of you. Undoing those and becoming a different creature requires deliberate self-restraint and change. This change can happen for everyone and Jesus invites us to make that change if those habits are not in line with God's will as outlined in scripture.

Jesus' view of identity is similar to the Parable of the Two Wolves as told here:

The Sexually Relational Telos of Men and Women

The great Greek philosopher Aristotle considered all things to have a telos or purpose for which they were created/designed. He believed that human beings flourished when they adhered to their telos.

The theology of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a similar view of human sexuality. Scripture teaches that men and women are designed to be united with each other sexually after marriage.[5] Sexuality is thus a relational (rather than isolated) act between married men and women for Latter-day Saints. Any sexual act that takes men and women away from that (or at least has a high probability of taking them away from it) is going to be viewed as immoral by the Church.

How Masturbation Might Take Away from Marriage

An addiction is a compulsive behavior that interferes with other objectives you wish to accomplish in life. So, if you masturbate enough that you lose your job because of it or your grades suffer because you're losing too much time with it, it is likely that you have an addiction.

While masturbation does appear by most metrics to be harmless when done in moderation, it does have the greater than average potential to become addictive.[6] When turning addictive, masturbation can quickly become a deterrent from having normal sexual relations with a spouse. It can become more pleasurable to the person engaging in it over other relationships. Taking away sexual relations from a spouse can cause deep dissatisfaction and distrust in the relationship—thus potentially leading to the breakup of families.

Masturbation and View of Others

Masturbation most often affects the way that you look at others similar to how pornography does—even if only temporarily. When masturbating, one makes use of others or the image of them as the object of their own self-gratification. With repeated masturbation and over time, this can come to make it so that you regularly see others as potential objects of your own pleasure. Using others as a mere means to an end and treating them as an object is contrary to the Lord's command to love our neighbor as ourselves.[7]

The Scriptural Case Against Masturbation

The scriptures are the law to govern the behavior and beliefs of the whole Church.[8] They contain a constellation of words that describe illicit sexual activity. Among those that are perhaps most relevant to this conversation (including their derivatives) are "adultery," "carnal," "chaste," "fornication," "lasciviousness," "lewdness," and "lust." A scriptural concordance of these words and their derivatives have been placed in the appendix to this article. Masturbation may likely fall under the definition of any one of these words. If it does, then masturbation is condemned in scripture and we are bound to follow those injunctions to abstain from that behavior.

As an example, "fornication" is defined as any sexual activity outside of marriage. If masturbation falls under the definition of sexual activity (which, by most standards, it does), then masturbation is condemned scripturally for those that are not married.

“Adultery” is defined as sexual activity when one is married with someone who is not your spouse. When a person masturbates to the thought of someone else while in marriage, could this be adultery?

"Lasciviousness" is defined as “sexual behavior or conduct that is considered crude and offensive, or contrary to local moral or other standards of appropriate behavior.” If masturbation falls under this category, then it is condemned scripturally.

Other scriptures that support abstention from masturbation include being able to bridle your body and passions as taught by Alma and the author of James,[9] fulfilling your telos (as described above), being a peculiar people so as to encourage missionary work,[10] to keep unspotted from the world,[11] practicing meekness/lowliness of heart/humility/easiness to be entreated before the prophets who have implored us to abstain,[12] following the commandment to receive all the words and commandments of the prophet as if from the mouth of God in all patience and faith,[13] being anxiously engaged in a good cause without God compelling you to do something by explicit revelation,[14] and loving your neighbor as yourself (as described above).[15]

Masturbation and Escalation

The highs that one gets from masturbation and the potentially ensuing addiction that might follow from it can result in escalation of that sexual behavior to include viewing pornography, attending strip clubs, requesting various forms of local prostitution, and even forced sexual advances on the unwilling.

Deriving the Benefits of Masturbation Elsewhere

But what about the many benefits of masturbation? Shouldn’t one care about the risk of prostate cancer at least? The problem is that the benefits of masturbation can be derived elsewhere and there is no net negative to abstaining from masturbation. Indeed, masturbation is not the first thing that is typically recommended by professionals when wanting to derive most of these benefits. We can take the potential benefits one by one and see what is recommended to reap them that doesn't include masturbation.

  1. Improved sleep: The Mayo Clinic suggests six things to improve one’s sleep. These include sticking to a set sleep schedule, pay attention to what you eat and drink, creating a restful environment, limit daytime naps, including physical activity in our daytime routine, and managing our worries.[16]
  2. Improved cardiovascular system: UC Irvine Health recommends that one exercise, quit smoking, lose weight, eat heart-healthy foods such as guacamole and vegetables, have some chocolate in moderation, not overeat, and manage stress in order to have a healthy heart.[17]
  3. Improved immune system: Harvard Health recommends that one not smoke, eat a diet high in fruits and vegetables, exercise regularly, maintain a healthy weight, get adequate sleep, wash hands frequently, minimize stress, and keep with current vaccines in order to maintain and improve one’s immune system.[18]
  4. Reduced risk of prostate cancer: The Mayo Clinic recommends that one keep a healthy diet (such as doing a low-fat diet, increasing the amount of fruits and vegetables you eat each day, and reducing the amount of dairy products you eat each day), maintain a healthy weight, and exercise most days of the week to reduce risk of prostate cancer.[19]
  5. Differing Libidos: This is a question best left between the couple and God through prayer (and maybe the local bishop or stake president). However, if one is struggling with hypersexuality and truly trying to lower their libido, Janet Brito and Daniel Yetman recommend focusing on your diet, getting medication, focusing on relationships, and stopping illicit drug use.[20]

Is there something within us that biologically determines us to masturbate?

Some people construct an identity around the practice of masturbation. People say that “we’re sexual beings” (which is mostly true) and “masturbation is a part of our natural development.” What these people often mean is that “engaging in masturbation is a behavior that is biologically determined and thus prohibiting it goes against who and what we are. It serves as a net detriment to our well-being.” We often construct these identities to justify bad behavior and protest against certain standards that go against these identities. Thus, the imposition of a prohibition on masturbation starts to feel like an assault to our personhood. This is one reason that General Authorities of the Church so often stress that our fundamental identity is that of children of God: if we construct identities around sinful behaviors, we will quickly embroil ourselves in habits that are contrary to the will of God and his nature and feel that any call to repentance is a personal affront to us. We can thus squeeze ourselves out of faith and find ourselves in rebellion to the Lord's anointed.

The reality is that we are not merely “sexual” beings. We are marital beings. We are built with the purpose of being joined maritally and, after marriage, sexually as man and woman; husband and wife. Sex is a relational act for Latter-day Saints as discussed above. We were designed for a general form of sexual activity and we should create our norms to help us engage in that relational, tender sexuality encouraged by scripture.

There actually is one biologically determined function that both men and women experience that serves the purpose people might think masturbation serves: nocturnal emission. We most often don’t need masturbation to pull double duty.

Other Questions About Masturbation

There are other questions and concerns about the Church’s general prohibition of masturbation that arise given differing practical or health considerations. For instance, some women experience a condition known as "vaginismus" where the vaginal walls and/or opening tightens up to the point where they cannot experience penetration or where sex is painful. Some couples wish to engage in masturbation (whether mutual or individual) to the thought of their spouse to have a sexual relationship with them. This question may be best answered by being in good dialogue with God through prayer.

Basically all the potential nuances/exceptions to the general prohibition come when creating goodness between a loving man and woman in marriage and when done for a specific health reason as prescribed by a qualified, reputable medical professional.

Conclusion

While masturbation may not be an avenue of sexual exploration that will be wholly endorsed by the Church, it is still encouraged that parents have open discussions with their children about the beautiful, sacred nature of human sexuality, that everyone read out of the best of books about how to have more fulfilling sexual relationships with their partner (future or current), and that, generally, we make sexuality a topic of open discussion among those that we trust most. We spend much time in the Church talking about illicit sexual behavior that we often neglect defining and discussing what healthy sexuality is and how we can exercise it. Hopefully this can change. Sexuality is a topic that everyone should become an expert of at the right time so that we can all better understand how to reach and live in accordance with our divine destiny and identity.[21]

It is the author's hope that this article will serve as a point of hope for those that would like to discontinue masturbation and remain in line with the Church, as a point of clarity on the Church's stance of masturbation for those that are confused about it, and as a source of great insight to those that are generally looking to understand the utterly sacred and beautiful nature of human sexuality.

Appendix 1: Concordance of Words in Scripture Referring to Illicit Sexual Conduct that May be Relevant to One's Considerations About Masturbation

Adulterer

  • Leviticus 20:10
  • Job 24:15
  • Isaiah 57:3

Adulterers

  • Psalm 50:18
  • Jeremiah 9:2
  • Jeremiah 23:10
  • Hosea 7:4
  • Malachi 3:5
  • Luke 18:11
  • 1 Corinthians 6:9
  • Hebrews 13:4
  • James 4:4
  • 3 Nephi 24:5
  • Doctrine and Covenants 63:14
  • Doctrine and Covenants 76:103

Adulteress

  • Leviticus 20:10
  • Proverbs 6:26
  • Hosea 3:1
  • Romans 7:3

Adulteresses

  • Ezekiel 23:43
  • Hosea 2:2
  • Matthew 15:19
  • Mark 7:21
  • Doctrine and Covenants 63:14

Adulteries

  • Jeremiah 12:27
  • Ezekiel 23:43
  • Hosea 2:2
  • Matthew 15:19
  • Mark 7:21

Adultery

  • Exodus 20:14
  • Leviticus 20:10
  • Leviticus 20:10
  • Deuteronomy 5:18
  • Proverbs 6:32
  • Jeremiah 3:8
  • Jeremiah 3:9
  • Jeremiah 5:7
  • Jeremiah 7:9
  • Jeremiah 23:14
  • Jeremiah 29:23
  • Ezekiel 16:32
  • Ezekiel 23:37
  • Ezekiel 23:37
  • Hosea 4:2
  • Hosea 4:13
  • Hosea 4:14
  • Matthew 5:27
  • Matthew 5:28
  • Matthew 5:32
  • Matthew 19:9
  • Matthew 19:9
  • Matthew 19:18
  • Mark 10:11
  • Mark 10:12
  • Mark 10:19
  • Luke 16:18
  • Luke 16:18
  • Luke 18:20
  • John 8:3
  • John 8:4
  • Romans 2:22
  • Romans 2:22
  • Romans 13:9
  • Galatians 5:19
  • James 2:11
  • James 2:11
  • 2 Peter 2:14
  • Revelation 2:22
  • Mosiah 2:13
  • Mosiah 13:22
  • Alma 16:18
  • Alma 23:3
  • Alma 30:10
  • Helaman 4:12
  • Helaman 7:5
  • 3 Nephi 12:27
  • 3 Nephi 12:28
  • 3 Nephi 12:32
  • 3 Nephi 12:32
  • Doctrine and Covenants 42:24
  • Doctrine and Covenants 42:24
  • Doctrine and Covenants 42:25
  • Doctrine and Covenants 42:75
  • Doctrine and Covenants 42:80
  • Doctrine and Covenants 59:6
  • Doctrine and Covenants 63:16
  • Doctrine and Covenants 66:10
  • Doctrine and Covenants 132:41
  • Doctrine and Covenants 132:41
  • Doctrine and Covenants 132:42
  • Doctrine and Covenants 132:43
  • Doctrine and Covenants 132:44
  • Doctrine and Covenants 132:44
  • Doctrine and Covenants 132:61
  • Doctrine and Covenants 132:61
  • Doctrine and Covenants 132:62
  • Doctrine and Covenants 132:63

Adulterous

  • Proverbs 30:20
  • Matthew 12:39
  • Matthew 16:4
  • Mark 7:21

Carnal

  • Romans 7:14
  • Romans 8:7
  • Romans 15:27
  • 1 Corinthians 3:1
  • 1 Corinthians 3:3
  • 1 Corinthians 3:3
  • 1 Corinthians 3:4
  • 1 Corinthians 9:11
  • 2 Corinthians 10:4
  • Hebrews 7:16
  • Hebrews 9:10
  • 2 Nephi 28:21
  • Mosiah 4:2
  • Mosiah 16:3
  • Mosiah 16:3
  • Mosiah 16:5
  • Mosiah 16:12
  • Mosiah 26:4
  • Mosiah 27:25
  • Alma 22:13
  • Alma 30:53
  • Alma 36:4
  • Alma 41:11
  • Alma 41:13
  • Alma 41:13
  • Alma 42:10
  • Doctrine and Covenants 3:4
  • Doctrine and Covenants 29:35
  • Doctrine and Covenants 67:10
  • Doctrine and Covenants 67:12
  • Doctrine and Covenants 84:27
  • Moses 5:13
  • Moses 6:49

Carnally

  • Leviticus 18:20
  • Leviticus 19:20
  • Numbers 5:13
  • Romans 8:6

Carnally-Minded

  • 2 Nephi 9:39

Chaste

  • 2 Corinthians 11:2
  • Philippians 4:4
  • Titus 2:5
  • 1 Peter 3:2
  • Jacob 2:7
  • Articles of Faith 1:13

Chastity

  • Jacob 2:28
  • Moroni 9:9

Fornication

  • Ezekiel 16:26
  • Ezekiel 16:29
  • Isaiah 23:17
  • 2 Chronicles 21:11
  • Matthew 5:32
  • Matthew 15:19
  • Matthew 19:9
  • Mark 7:21
  • John 8:41
  • Acts 15:20
  • Acts 15:29
  • Acts 21:25
  • Romans 1:29
  • 1 Corinthians 5:1
  • 1 Corinthians 5:1
  • 1 Corinthians 6:13
  • 1 Corinthians 6:18
  • 1 Corinthians 7:2
  • 1 Corinthians 10:8
  • 2 Corinthians 12:21
  • Galatians 5:19
  • Ephesians 5:3
  • Colossians 3:5
  • 1 Thessalonians 4:3
  • Jude 1:7
  • Revelation 2:14
  • Revelation 2:20
  • Revelation 2:21
  • Revelation 9:21
  • Revelation 14:8
  • Revelation 19:2
  • Jacob 3:12
  • 3 Nephi 12:32
  • Helaman 8:26
  • Doctrine and Covenants 35:11
  • Doctrine and Covenants 42:74
  • Doctrine and Covenants 88:94
  • Doctrine and Covenants 88:105

Fornications

  • Ezekiel 16:15

Lasciviousness

  • Mark 7:22
  • 2 Corinthians 12:21
  • Galatians 5:19
  • Ephesians 4:19
  • 1 Peter 4:3
  • Jude 1:4
  • Jacob 3:12
  • Alma 16:18
  • Alma 45:12
  • Alma 47:36
  • 4 Nephi 1:16

Lewd

  • Ezekiel 16:27
  • Ezekiel 23:44
  • Acts 17:5

Lewdly

  • Ezekiel 22:11

Lewdness

  • Judges 20:6
  • Jeremiah 11:15
  • Jeremiah 13:27
  • Ezekiel 16:43
  • Ezekiel 16:58
  • Ezekiel 22:9
  • Ezekiel 23:21
  • Ezekiel 23:27
  • Ezekiel 23:29
  • Ezekiel 23:35
  • Ezekiel 23:48
  • Ezekiel 23:48
  • Ezekiel 23:49
  • Ezekiel 24:13
  • Hosea 2:10
  • Hosea 6:9
  • Acts 18:14

Lust

  • Exodus 15:9
  • Psalms 78:18
  • Psalms 78:30
  • Psalms 81:12
  • Proverbs 6:25
  • Matthew 5:28
  • Romans 1:27
  • Romans 7:7
  • 1 Corinthians 10:6
  • Galatians 5:16
  • 1 Thessalonians 4:5
  • James 1:14
  • James 1:15
  • James 4:2
  • 2 Peter 1:4
  • 2 Peter 2:10
  • 1 John 2:16
  • 1 John 2:17
  • 1 Nephi 3:25
  • 3 Nephi 12:28
  • Doctrine and Covenants 42:23
  • Doctrine and Covenants 63:16

Lusted

  • Numbers 11:34
  • Psalms 106:14
  • 1 Corinthians 10:6
  • Revelations 18:14

Lusteth

  • Deuteronomy 12:15
  • Deuteronomy 14:26
  • Galatians 5:17
  • James 4:5

Lustful

  • Doctrine and Covenants 88:121
  • Doctrine and Covenants 101:6

Lusting

  • Numbers 11:4

Lusts

  • Mark 4:19
  • John 8:44
  • Romans 1:24
  • Romans 6:12
  • Romans 13:14
  • Galatians 5:24
  • Ephesians 2:3
  • Ephesians 4:22
  • 1 Timothy 6:9
  • 2 Timothy 2:22
  • 2 Timothy 3:6
  • 2 Timothy 4:3
  • Titus 2:12
  • Titus 3:3
  • James 4:1
  • James 4:3
  • 1 Peter 1:14
  • 1 Peter 2:11
  • 1 Peter 4:2
  • 1 Peter 4:3
  • 2 Peter 2:18
  • 2 Peter 3:3
  • Jude 1:16
  • Jude 1:18
  • 1 Nephi 22:23
  • Alma 39:9
  • Mormon 9:28
  • Doctrine and Covenants 46:9

Lusty

  • Judges 3:29


Notes

  1. For the Strength of Youth (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2011), 36.
  2. See, for instance, Spencer W. Kimball, The Miracle of Forgiveness (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1969), 77–78. President Kimball makes comments about homosexuality as he perceived they relate to masturbation here. For info on this, see our wiki article on this here.
  3. Ibid., 35. This same attitude about sexuality is reflected in the 1990 and 2001 editions of the pamphlet.
  4. Matthew 7:15-20
  5. Genesis 2:21-24; Matthew 19:3-9; Doctrine and Covenants 49:15-17; Moses 3:21-24; Abraham 5:14-18.
  6. Matt Glowiak and Trishanna Sookdeo, “Masturbation Addiction: Signs, Symptoms, and Treatments,” Choosing Therapy, July 14, 2021, https://www.choosingtherapy.com/masturbation-addiction/.
  7. Matthew 22:34-40
  8. Doctrine and Covenants 42:12-13, 56-60
  9. James 3:2; Alma 38:12
  10. Deuteronomy 14:2; 26:18; Psalms 135:4; Titus 2:14; 1 Peter 2:9
  11. James 1:27; Doctrine and Covenants 59:9
  12. Moroni 7:44
  13. Doctrine and Covenants 21:4–5
  14. Doctrine and Covenants 58:27–29
  15. Matthew 22:34-40
  16. Mayo Clinic Staff, “6 steps to better sleep,” Mayo Clinic, April 17, 2020, https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/sleep/art-20048379.
  17. Heather Shannon, “7 powerful ways you can strengthen your heart,” UCI Health, February 9, 2017, https://www.ucihealth.org/blog/2017/02/how-to-strengthen-heart.
  18. ”How to boost your immune system,” Harvard Health Publishing, February 15, 2021, https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/how-to-boost-your-immune-system.
  19. Mayo Clinic Staff, “Prostate cancer prevention: Ways to reduce your risk,” Mayo Clinic, September 24, 2020, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/prostate-cancer/in-depth/prostate-cancer-prevention/art-20045641.
  20. Daniel Yetman, "How to Decrease Libido," Healthline, October 28, 2020, https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-decrease-libido.
  21. Doctrine and Covenants 132:19-20