Sexual psyche stunted by the JW legacy?

by Gregor 9 Replies latest jw friends

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  Gregor

  When you are in the org. the real 'meat' (no pun intended) of the org. is rules and regs on masturbation, premarital sex, extra marital sex, sex practices among married people, pornography, sex sex and more sex.

  It is pretty obvous, from the number of posts here by XJWs, that sex of any and all flavors is still a dominant concern. I read a lot of comments here with an 'in your face' (again, no pun...etc.) tone by people declaring their sexual emancipation while at the same time wanting to be reassured by the comments of others that they are not degenerates. It seems that for many becoming an atheist is pretty straightforward but accepting masturbation, for example, is a lifelong defensive position. Is it not odd that a group of adults post page after page proclaiming that they like sex and that it feels good?

  Does being a JW stunt some people forever in coming to a point of maturity and acceptance in their sexual lives?
• 

  mrsjones5

  Isn't sex a concern for most people on this planet? I'm pretty sure we aren't the only group having such discussion. I think it's a good and healthy thing, talking about sex is not juvenile by a long shot. Josie
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  LtCmd.Lore

  Is it not odd that a group of adults post page after page proclaiming that they like sex and that it feels good?

  Odd? As in: "Beyond or deviating from the usual or expected."

  No.

  http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=sex+forum (Results 1 - 10 of about 8,880,000)
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  MMae

  I don't remember exactly when I finally let go of all guilt re: masterbation. Maybe it was after my marriage to my non-JW husband who, oh my word, didn't feel a need to research a bound volume about exactly which sexual expressions had God's stamp of approval.
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  WTWizard

  The fact that the Filthful and Disgraceful Slavebugger ignores is, without sex, none of us would even be here. Suppose Ted Jaracz's parents had followed his advice before his conception. Suppose his parents would have forgone that sex for an extra day of field circus. Then Ted Jaracz would not have been born (and this world would be that much better a place).

  Sex happens to be one of the basic drives, not just for humans but all species on the planet. (And, for that matter, any planet where life exists). Without it, the species would die out. That is why it occupies such a dominant role in people's lives. And, when we start tampering with it and repressing it (whether society itself or some religious cult), we pervert it. You see homosexuality running rampant when sexuality is stifled, because normal straight sex is cut off. We all know about the pedophiles that run amok in the Watchtower Society. And, we know about the judicial hearings where unnecessary details are demanded about sex sins. That is the sort of thing you get when you stifle the proper outlet for sex.

  And that includes oral sex. Personally, I do not find anything wrong with oral sex. I also do not find anything wrong with homosexuality, when practiced by two consenting people and is not the result of sexual repression (if it is sexual repression, then the repression is what I find repugnant). Or bestiality. As long as I am not being forced into it, it does not affect me one bit. The fact is that some of these acts are natural at some point in life (like boys having crushes on other boys), and when repressed (or the natural outlet is repressed) can persist.

  What I do find repugnant is when someone has to know all the details of people's sex lives and judges people based on them. Raymond Franz had a big share in loosening the oral sex ban in 1978; Ted Jaracz had a big share in reinstating such ban (now, instead of under "porneia", it's under "uncleanness"). I personally favor the "Don't ask, don't tell" approach. That way, people can practice it without being censored for it (I personally think oral sex is just as natural as the standard sex, and should not be interfered with by external authorities whether state law or Jaracz law). If you see fit to do it, so be it. If not, then we are not supposed to judge others based on it.
• 

  Fadeout

  What is this "sex" you speak of?
• 

  The Graduate

  More of a biological damage.
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  kurtbethel

  I have obtained a book called Questions Young People Ask, published in 1989.
  
  There are many topics that could be issues to someone who is a preteen or teen, or even older. I have not read it very much, although one thing caught my eye.
  
  There is a chapter on masturbation. This was interesting to me because I have practiced that activity. Practice? Well maybe I am good at it. Anyway, when I was about 14 I came into possession of a church tract (not WT) about the subject, and it was lean on Biblical references so an argument was made that since everyone has both male and female hormones that masturbation involves the male part of oneself seducing the female part, or vice versa. Looking back about 30 years I can see it was a hollow reach to induce guilt in people who might be engaged in a relatively harmless natural activity.
  
  Now, as to this WT book, it starts out with the chapter title: Masturbation - How Serious Is It?
  
  So it starts out with the premise that it is serious and the only question is how much it is serious. It starts out citing medical fallacies and myths about the practice, then half heartedly (not honest-hearted) dismisses the most absurd of these. Then it goes on to be critical of the practice and portays every participant in a negative light in that they have a problem because of it.
  
  At one point we get a sub heading: What Does the Bible Say? The answer? Nothing. This is no restraint for the inspired writer as they go on to denounce the practice as unclean, mentally and emotionally defiling and a sign of spiritual weakness. From a matter in which the Bible is silent, the writer proceeds to build a guilt inducing mindset about the practice and to dispense advice on several methods to fight the urge to masturbate.
  
  I can not say I was amazed, as I understand that Catholics and Mormons also have crafted a similar method to manipulate and control their young followers with shame and guilt for engaging in a normal developmental process of sexual growth. People who write this garbage are child abusers. If there were not such a strong constitutional protection of religion, these people could easily be called to account legally for damaging children every bit as much as drug dealers and pedophiles.
  
  I do not know of any so called new light from the tower so I must suppose that this is current policy and doctrine. Any organization that produces this sewage is an abomination and works evil. It is easy to see why someone brought up with this doctrine would be sexually and emotionally stunted. There is a very real possibility that it would cause one to have a lifetime of failure in dating and marriage relationships.
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  Junction-Guy

  YES YES YES !!!!
  
  
  I also agree with WTWizard on some of his points, especially the homosexuality aspect and how that repressing my hetero orientation nearly made me gay.
  
  This cult has done alot of head damage to those raised in it.
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  cognac

  Gregor -

  I do see what you mean... I know some people who grew up as JWs including myself who felt that it was sooooooo wrong that it is very difficult to ever get out of that mind frame... It is very difficult to open up and explore new things when you felt your whole life that it was wrong... Even if 1 person does want to try, I know a lot of people where the other one just can't...

  It is a very sad thing and I see a lot of people very, very frustrated over it...