According to Mrs. White, self-abuse was the cause of a wide range of dangerous diseases and afflictions:

"Children who practice self-indulgence (masturbation) previous to puberty, or the period of merging into manhood or womanhood, must pay the penalty of nature's violated laws at that critical period. Many sink into an early grave , while others have sufficient force of constitution to pass this ordeal. If the practice is continued from the age of fifteen and upward, nature will protest against the abuse she has suffered, and continues to suffer, and will make them pay the penalty for the transgression of her laws, especially from the ages of thirty to forty-five, by numerous pains in the system, and various diseases, such as affection of the liver and lungs, neuralgia, rheumatism, affection of the spine, diseased kidneys, and cancerous humors . Some of nature's fine machinery gives way, leaving a heavier task for the remaining to perform, which disorders nature's fine arrangement, and there is often a sudden breaking down of the constitution; and death is the result ." (Solemn Appeal, 1870, p.63).

"They do not realize the exceeding sinfulness of this degrading sin, which is enervating the system and destroying their brain nerve power ." (Testimonies, Vol. 2, p.347).

"He had practiced self-abuse until he was a mere wreck of humanity . This vice was shown me as an abomination in the sight of God . The results of self-abuse in them is seen in various diseases, such as catarrh, dropsy, headache, loss of memory and sight, great weakness in the back and loins, affections of the spine, the head often decays inwardly. Cancerous humor, which would lay dormant in the system their life-time, is inflamed, and commences its eating, destructive work. The mind is often utterly ruined, and insanity takes place ." (Appeal to Mothers, 1864, pp.25, 27).

Mrs. White believed that the following ailments or diseases were caused by masturbation: brain weakened; cancerous tumors; catarrh; dropsy; eye-sight weakened; headache; head decay; insanity; kidney disease; liver disease; lung disease; memory loss; nervous system damage; neuralgia; pains in the system; premature death; rheumatism; spinal weakness and spinal problems.

Analysis

Above statements proven false by science:

Medical research during the 20th century has completely disproven the old myths that masturbation leads to insanity, stunts your growth, causes blindness, etc. Research done by Masters and Johnson and other scientists showed no adverse short-term or long-term effects from masturbation. Researchers found that on average, those who masturbated had no higher incidence of disease, eye-sight problems, or insanity than the general population. There was also no difference in life expectancy. Even among Seventh-day Adventist physicians, there is now a near universal belief that masturbation does not cause the above illnesses.

"From a 20th-century medical perspective, I can assure you that this activity in no way affects mental or physical health." (Dr. Peter Gott, nationally syndicated medical columnist, August 12, 1997).

Mrs. White repeats the myths of the 1800's

For a good while, 1700-1900, Western medical wisdom viewed masturbation as draining vital energies and somehow related to mental illness. During the 20th century medical and scientific research proved the myths of the health ills of masturbation to be complete fiction.

QUESTION : If Mrs. White's testimonies about self-abuse were wrong, which of her other testimonies are also wrong and how can we tell the difference?

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