For the Strength of Youth
Children in the Mormon church, my church, are instructed to live by the precepts taught in a pamphlet called “For the Strength of Youth.” Under the heading ‘Sexual Purity,’ the following is taught.
In God’s sight, sexual sins are extremely serious. The prophet Alma taught that sexual sins are more serious than any other sins except murder.
Here’s a question for you. Is masturbation a sexual sin? The vast majority of the membership would say yes. So…really? Masturbation is so heinous that it ranks right below murder?
Most reasonable adults would recognize this laughable and ludicrous. If not idiotic.
However, we are not talking about adults here. These teachings are targeted directly at our children. From the tender age of 12, all the way to 17. Six years of linking masturbation and murder in the same sentence. For many, these childhood teachings, reinforced by years of probing youth interviews, will cement in place open wounds of shame that will haunt them into adulthood.
Certainly, parents must see the crushing guilt that can come crashing down on our most vulnerable children. Not just shame. Guilt. Guilt of a heinous crime against God. Is it any wonder that some kids live with self-loathing all through their teen years? Can you see why some of our children ideate suicide? And some attempt it? And the tragic few who actually complete it?
Some of my fellow church members would claim that no kid would actually view masturbation as serious as being next to murder. Oh…how you misjudge the vulnerability of our children.
Other fellow Mormons would say no bishop would ever teach such a gross exaggeration to a child behind closed doors. Oh…how you underestimate our leaders’ commitment to the actual teachings coming out of Salt Lake City. ‘For the Strength of Youth’ is held up as the standard for interviewing our children.
Read and thoughtfully consider the dangerous nature of an interview recorded on the Petition.
Most recent interview with my son, Bishop equated masturbation second to murder. And my son had to apologize to his father for I don’t know what! Second to murder? Are you completely off your rocker? That was the last straw for me, I will not allow my children to go through that mental and emotional abuse.
My recommendation
- Never allow your child to go behind a closed door, all alone, with any man. As the parent, accompany your child to ALL youth interviews.
- Never allow sexual matters to be discussed in these interviews. There is too much danger for harm. The sexual development of your child is YOUR responsibility as the parent.
- Actively teach your child that masturbation and other sexual sins are NOT anywhere next to murder.
In the meantime, almost 7,000 strong are actively engaged in bringing this practice to a halt. We are committed to Protecting our Children.
Join us by adding your thundering voice to the PETITION.
Tocubit Is Invisible's Cubit 
Thanks Sam. I was reading today that Utah teen suicide is on pace to set another record this year. Health officials are baffled to why. I’d bet this guilt is a big part of it. And why do they do need to do this? That teaching should stop now!
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The Brethren are fully aware that members of their own Church are continuing to TAKE THEIR OWN LIVES as a direct result of officially sanctioned Gospel Doctrine taught from Mormon pulpits and printed in LDS lesson manuals and other publications.
Let me repeat this.
The leaders of the LDS Church go to bed every night . . . KNOWING that THEIR TEACHINGS have caused and are causing thousands upon thousands of vulnerable Church members (and not just children and teenagers) to feel intense and persistent pangs of guilt and shame and unworthiness and worthlessness and despair and hopelessness and failure and disgusting filthiness and self-loathing.
Depending on individual circumstances and disposition, the damage to a member’s self-image and sense of well-being can deteriorate to the point where some individuals feel so horrible about themselves that they conclude the only effective solution is to STOP LIVING.
Why?
For the crime of exploring their own personal human bodies and discovering that God (not Satan) created them with some amazing built-in biologic physiology that gives them private and personal access to sensations of intense pleasure and momentary ecstasy for a brief moment. The sensations feel absolutely wonderful, cost no money, and cause no harm to anyone anywhere . . . when experienced discretely in private.
No harm, that is, unless you had the misfortune of being b.i.c. (born in the curse) of being programmed to allow your moral compass to be dictated by Salt Lake Suits who are FINE OK with you killing yourself if you are a normal human being who dares to act like one.
Kudos upon Kudos to Sam Young for actually CARING about his fellow human beings enough to DO SOMETHING to protect innocent people from Destruction or even Death by Mormonism.
Human History is littered with the dead bodies of millions and millions of otherwise decent and innocent human beings who were murdered in the name of God.
Thank God that Mormonism is such an intelligence-insulting pile of outrageously ridiculous lying and deception to the extent that only a tiny percentage of humans on Planet Earth have been duped into actually PAYING The Brethren lots of hard-earned money for the privilege of feeling bad about existing.
If you have not already SIGNED SAM’S PETITION, please search your soul and then do the right thing.
The Brethren have demonstrated over and over that the mental health and emotional well-being of members of their own Church does not even APPEAR on their list of priorities. What they DO care about, however, is their Brand and Public Image.
If Sam’s Petition catches more attention from the News Media, it is entirely within the realm of possibility that The Brethren could be Publicly Shamed and Humiliated for their unconscionable behavior. If the Public Pressure rises high enough, The Brethren might cave eventually and issue a command to Priesthood Leaders to cease and desist with these harmful and damaging masturbation interrogations.
Being LDS feels bad enough already. Lightening the burden by erasing Masturbation from the #2 spot on The Brethren’s Heinous Crimes List will be a step in the right direction for those who are not yet ready to KEEP ON STEPPING in the right direction . . . take back control of their own lives . . . and never look back.
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Did another angel with a flaming sword speak to the prophet and say in a booming voice of Thou Shalt Nots that masturbation is right up there with the 10 commandments (and the mormon one of no drinking coffee or tea)? Shouldn’t this be cannonized and printed in the next scripture edition? It would be fascinating to learn the story and find out which angel appeared to which GA.
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Here is a recent and very lame topic dodging response about these interviews http://www.ldsliving.com/Church-Releases-Statement-Regarding-Bishop-Interviews-with-Youth-and-Children/s/87253
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