When I was 8, I was interviewed for baptism. I was alone in the room. It was the first time I’d ever even heard of masturbation. Bishop asked me if I did it. I didn’t know so I asked him what it was. He went into detail on…. how to do it… then told me I’d go to hell if I did it.
I was afraid to even bathe myself.
When I was a deacon we had a lesson on it… again, they insisted on practically demonstrating it to us and then telling us how evil it was. We were all mortified. I couldn’t even look at my friends for weeks.
The guilt and shame has stuck with me for 25 years. I hope to God my kids never have to deal with that kind of embarrassment.