1 Corinthians 6:18-20

I don’t want to offend or come off as preachy, but I do want to share with you another Scripture passage I keep in mind as I continue to work on my recovery.

“Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you” has been interpreted by many scholars and preachers in a variety of ways, but starting at a young age I tended to sexualize these verses. Growing up in an abusive environment, I very often turned to masturbation to make myself feel better, but, ironically, I knew I was also committing a sin so I was caught in a “catch-22.” I wanted to masturbate so I could escape the constant pain and anxiety I felt as a child, but I always felt afterwards that I was going to Hell since to masturbate was to violate or make impure God’s temple.

I don’t feel as strongly about the sinfulness of masturbation these days, but I still recognize that when I do PM, I am not using the gift of my sexuality in the way God asked me to use it. Treating my body as a “temple of the Holy Spirit” within me now means that those energies I expend jacking off are energies better expended on a partner, be it my wife if we stay married or someone else if our marriage does come to an end. And if said partner is not available, that those same energies can be expended through meditation, prayer, exercise, or some other enjoyable activity.

Peace and good to you all.

 

Personally, I’ve never liked people who believe it’s their place to give a sermon to those who are struggling, no matter what the issue. That’s why at the beginning of my thread, I had mentioned that I didn't want to come off as preachy.

I’ve been in many situations over the years where people have preached at me because I am a recovering sex and porn addict, I suffer from depression, I talk openly about my wounds from growing up in an abusive household, and I am selectively open about being bisexual. These people probably think that they are doing some good, but too often their words are so negative, as though they believe that if I had greater faith I could “get over” these issues. What they don’t realize is that I do have faith, that I do pray and meditate and go to Mass every Sunday and receive the sacraments on a regular basis, that I am working on turning everything over to my Higher Power and trusting more and more in his healing presence. And what they also don’t realize is that sometimes all I want is someone to say something nice to me or to give me a hug or to listen to me unloading. Being a friend is much more important than being a preacher. I hope and pray that more people recognize that and put the Bible they are thumping down and use that empty hand to hold the hand of someone else who is hurting.