I keep hearing stories from ex-Mo's about how the bishops asked them if they masturbated and how often (I've never been asked that), but never from a woman.

If this were asked of a woman in the workplace by a guy, wouldn't that be sexual harassment? Couldn't she sue the whole company? Unbelievable what we let people get away with because they say they're of "God".

I once tried to start a conversation about masturbating with my bishop and he practically ran from the room!

He said, "I don't want to know anything about that!"

I think it's a matter left for private interpretation.....


Anagrammy

In mission interviews, yes. I think a couple times since then, but not often.

Bishops are much more likely to harass boys with this line of questioning but they sometimes inflict these questions on young girls as well. It depends on the individual bishop and what he thinks the HG wants.

What makes him feel all tingly "down there", under the desk.

Plenty of women have responded to these bishop interview threads that they were asked about masturbation. I was too, but here I'm a sample size of one.
And when they start this line of questioning at age 12, by the time they are grown it is just normal and something you send your own kids through too.
Good thing I was never a sheep.

I was asked at age 12 and age 14 if I masturbated.

Yup. Asked when I was 13. Didn't know what I had innocently discovered was wrong. Never asked again, but voluntarily confessed to five different bishops after that. Guilt pretty much ruined my adolescence and young adulthood.

I was asked from age 12 on up to when I believe THAT bishop was released.

I don't remember the next bishop asking that question. He was my high school teacher and he always treated me with respect.

The bishops were left in longer, so it was more than 5 years that it went on. And all the girls got asked--as my sisters were asked and my older sister talked to her friends in the ward and they also were asked.

I was asked if I necked and petted, too. The bishop knew I didn't date as I was his daughter's best friend.

If we wanted dance cards, we were asked these questions 4 times a year for dance cards and once a year for bishopric interviews. At the 6 month interview by a counselor in the bishopric, I don't remember being asked those questions.

My cousin was the bishop when my brother had to go to bishopric interviews. He just recently told me that he asked him "disgusting" questions. My son said, "yep, your cousin is a pervert."

I said, "You should see the guy who asked me these questions." An absolute CREEP.

I must add--that my brother had no idea that I was asked these types of questions. I don't know if he knew that anyone else was asked these things. I KNOW he wouldn't have discussed it with anyone else back then. (We are 56 and 45--so long time ago.) Most people who go inactive as my siblings have have no idea some of the stuff we have discovered when reading on this board.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 08/19/2013 09:45AM by cl2.

Never. Not once. But my husband said he had to lie his a*s off in EVERY single interview. Even after I confessed to messing around with boys I was never asked that question. Guess they figured I was just taken advantage of instead of the horny, teenage girl I actually was!

I'm not a female, but my wife told me she was NEVER asked about masturbation.

I always did. I even asked my mother when I was her bishop.

I didn't usually use the M word. I said something like "Do you live the law of chastity". When they said yes I would add "you fully understand what that means? That you have no sexual activity of any kind with another person (other than your spouse) or with yourself?"

Wow!!! Oh my.

My bishop asked if we masturbated--used the word. I didn't know what it meant--but I had a pretty good idea that it wasn't something good. Then after asking, he would pause and glare at me like I would change my mind. I also didn't know what necking and petting was--especially at age 12. I just knew it was something bad according to him. He'd then glare at me again. I was pretty sheltered, very naive--so I didn't know what masturbation really meant until I was about 25 and dating my gay boyfriend/husband and the bishop of our singles ward told me to check up on my boyfriend's masturbation habits as if we could break him of masturbating, he could overcome his homosexual feelings, too. That was 1983.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/19/2013 11:50AM by cl2.

Remember Cheryl, I was acting for the Lord.

I hope her answer was no.

I hope her response was a look of incredulity followed by something along the lines of "son, I brought you into this world, I can take you back out of it."

And now how awkward would it have been had mom said yes.

I wonder if GAs get recommend interviews from their local bishop and SP. Imagine asking that of a member of the 12.

I really appreciate your honesty in this.

Because it shows how nutty the whole thing is. You were doing your job. Your gross but astoundingly funny job.

No, at least not specifically.

I was asked at 13 and because I had been doing it for quite a while, I quit going to church. I knew if something that felt that good shouldn't be bad.

I went back to church after I turned 18 but only because I needed friends who weren't doing drugs and hadn't been in jail. I joined again because I wanted a man who had a good past. A man who wouldn't go to jail for drugs or raping or murder.

Of course I fell into that MO trap and married into the temple and followed blindly, wearing those stupid outfits and underwear. I never felt comfortable in those and over time I lost my confidence in almost everything!

Those stupid sex is bad quotes is such a joke! They ruin everything about yourself! Making you feel like you don't belong! Argh! I'm so glad my child is still too young to have been brainwashed!

I was never asked anything past "do you keep the law of chastity?"

But, my mom insisted she be there for ALL private interviews with the bishop. She was kind of a mama bear about teenage girls behind closed doors with old men.

And with my mom in the room, I would never dream of answering anything other than "yes" to that question!

Even if I knew my kids were masturbating I'd want them to answer yes. If being in the room helps so much the better.

+1 great mom

I was a young adult when I converted, had no idea there were any interviews for kids at the time.

I was only asked, during a temple recommend interviews: Do you live the law of chastity? Ans: yes.
Nothing further was said about it.

Lots of other ridiculous nonsense occurred however!

I was never asked that question specifically but, since I was pretty horny as a teenager, the bishop and I had quite a few "chats" about what was appropriate and was not. Never could figure out what was wrong with having premarital sex to learn about it and figure out if my potential mate was actually compatible with me in all ways.

I still haven't figured out how I made it out of high school a virgin.

See

http://archives.exmormon.org/Mormon-Bishop-Interview-with-Single-Adult-Female

for an account of a bishop asking women in his singles ward about masturbation.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/19/2013 01:29PM by copostmo.

It seems both boys and girls are asked.

http://www.dovesandserpents.org/wp/2013/08/this-must-stop-a-call-to-end-sexually-invasive-interviews-between-priesthood-leaders-and-minors-in-the-lds-church/

THIS NEEDS TO STOP!

I was asked repeatedly growing up and in my college ward

I never had anyone ask me that one.

I only heard it mentioned as something I couldn't do when I had my baptismal interview, but I didn't even know what the word meant.

I'm still sitting here stunned. How does one ask their mother that question? My mother would have slapped me for saying a dirty word.

So now I have to ask, did you also ask your father, wife, daughters?

Personally hell would have froze over before I would have said yes to that question. I'm trying to imagine my son doing that. We'd be laughing so hard I don't think we'd get through the interview. I would also tell him its none of his business.

I wasn't asked by the bishop, but by the stake president. Yeah, young teenager. Birmingham, Alabama, 1976.

I was horrified and indignant. He smirked. I wish I could have slapped that stupidly smug expression off his face, but I was too embarrassed. I don't remember his name, but if he's still around or if anyone knows who the stake president was during the winter/spring of that year, I'd like to have a little chat with the perv.