Masturbation is sexual self-pleasure that involves some form of physical stimulation of the genitals.
It usually involves fondling, caressing and stroking of the genitals, which may or may not result in orgasm.
There are two types: infant and adult masturbation. Almost everyone goes through masturbation. Children have the curiosity to explore parts of their body.
Since the nerve endings of our genitals are sensitive, a child experiences pleasant genital sensations or good feelings when touched. It is less intense than an orgasm but is seen as a form of orgasm.
Child masturbation is therefore normal for children, especially between ages three and six, and must be accepted. Self-respect is nurtured as a child accepts his body and sexual feelings.
It is the first step to the capacity for adult sexual enjoyment. Child masturbation, however, does not involve sin or guilt.
Adolescents also becoming aware of their sexuality may accidentally fall into masturbation. Some Ghanaians masturbate a lot; others occasionally.
For example, a student in one of our tertiary institutions said he masturbates twice daily and was struggling to stop it. He is not alone.
Masturbation is common and fast increasing in Ghana - young men and women, workers and married couples, even when they are married and have a good sex life.
The increasing rate of masturbation is global. For example, a study in the United States of America showed that more than half of American women aged 18-49, both single and with partners, masturbate at least once every two months.
Another study showed that 74 per cent of American men and 48 per cent of American women between the ages of 14-17 masturbate, while among older adults, 63 per cent of men and 35 per cent of women between the ages of 57 and 64 masturbate.
Why masturbation?
Masturbation is caused by innate weakness. The increasing corruption of morals promoted by commercialisation of vice, including profane songs and provocative dresses, arouses curiosity in young people to learn their sexual response and explore their sexuality.
Women who can bring themselves to orgasm by masturbation are more likely to have an orgasm with their partners. Men who masturbate for 10-15 minutes without ejaculation are less likely to have premature ejaculation.
Some people masturbate because they have high sexual drive while their partners have low sexual drive. Some use masturbation when their lovers are unavailable, sick, pregnant, disabled or lactating.
Some masturbate because they have repressed feelings caused by social barriers, feelings of isolation, dissatisfaction, inferiority complex, lack of affection and anxiety.
Effect of masturbation
Masturbation harms all areas of human life. Physically, masturbation weakens the immune system and predisposes you to constipation, disturbing the functions of the blood.
Weakened pelvic muscles and sexual organs may lead to erectile dysfunction, such as premature ejaculation.
Studies also show masturbation predisposes you to lower back pain and pain in the testes. Weakness in shoulders, legs and headache.
Mentally, masturbation harms the mind. It leads to depression, confusion, lack of motivation, distraction from work and studies and unsatisfying sex with a partner.
Some worry that masturbation conflicts with religious and cultural beliefs and experience a feeling of guilt.
For example, in a study in Sexual Medicine involving 430 men, 84 per cent of men reported feeling a sense of guilt.
Masturbation, therefore, harms your responsibilities in life and your relationship with your partner and others.
Spiritually, masturbation is a grave sin and an abuse of the body. This is because natural sexual urge is directed to a partner of the opposite sex and seeks satisfaction only in such a loving encounter.
Masturbation is an unnatural deviation of sexual cravings to one’s own sexual instinct and its complete satisfaction. It is an impurity which must not even be mentioned.
Pope Pius X11 declared unambiguously that masturbation is a grave sin. In his address on the right formation of a Christian Conscience among the youth, he wrote, ‘The divine commandment of purity of soul or body still holds without any lesser obligation for the youth today.
They are morally bound and with the help of grace can keep themselves pure. We reject therefore as erroneous the assertion of those who regard lapses as inevitable as though they were not grave faults.
Nobody hates his body but cares for it. Masturbation is an abuse of the body. It is lustful and idolatrous. If it is used to avoid marital sex, it becomes selfish.
One may develop a compulsive pattern of masturbation and carry it into marriage. For some, the habit may affect their ability to enjoy sexual intimacy with their partners without first masturbating.
It may also affect self-control, commitment and interest in marital sex, leaving a partner feeling unhappy or inadequate.
Such patterns can strain a marriage and may make it more difficult to develop a fulfilling sexual relationship.
Feelings of guilt and shame associated with the habit can also contribute to emotional and social difficulties, particularly when they become persistent or overwhelming.
Say no to masturbation
There is indeed no verse in the Bible that clearly states masturbation is a sin, but Scripture teaches us to guard the heart and honour the Lord with our body.
• ‘Guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it ( Proverbs 4: 23)
• ‘Do you not know your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own, for you have been purchased at a price. Therefore, glorify God in your body (1 Corinthians 6: 19-20).
Masturbation violates these scriptures.
Masturbation is wrong. Therefore, if you are masturbating, accept today that it is wrong because it is extremely dangerous, with serious physical, mental and spiritual consequences.
The temporary relief you can get from masturbation can’t compare with the deep and total emotional satisfaction you could lose for a lifetime. A temporary solution could be a lifetime problem.
Appreciate that sexual restraint is not harmful and that living a chaste life does not hinder personal development.
The good news is that the body has its own natural ways of releasing tension. In men, seminal fluid may be released through wet dreams, while menstruation is a natural process through which women shed the uterine lining and unfertilised egg.
For both men and women, vigorous exercise can also be an effective way to relieve physical and emotional tension.
Make every effort to stop masturbating, as it can negatively affect your personal life and marriage. Sexual sin, like any other sin, can be overcome.
Cultivate self-discipline and a life of prayer. A personal love for Jesus Christ and a sincere devotion to our Lord can help us live chaste lives.
