BODY FLUIDS & THE GENITALS
DISCHARGES
EMISSIONS OF SEMEN
(SEX, MASTURBATION AND WET DREAMS)
&
MENSTRUATION
These topics are all discussed together in Chapter 15 of Leviticus which deals with discharges and body fluids coming from the genitals
They do not become an issue until after puberty and so it is good to have some understanding of what happens at puberty (see Puberty)
See Also
AN EMISSION OF SEMEN : EJACULATION
Semen is a white fluid produced mainly by the prostate gland but also contains sperm produced by the testes.
An emission of semen occurs if the male sexual apparatus is sufficiently stimulated to produce orgasm.
This can occur in the context of sex, masturbation or sleep (wet dreams).
Males do not produce semen until after puberty
The stimulation of ones own genitals for sexual gratification - often culminating with orgasm (which involves ejaculation in males).
Should boys be circumcised to prevent masturbation? See circumcision.
Wet dreams are a universal phenomena in all males after puberty if they are not sexually active and do not masturbate. If ejaculation by other means does not occur sufficiently regularly, ejaculation will occur during sleep often in association with a dream which may or may not have erotic content.
Menstruation is also universal phenomena in normal healthy women after puberty. It is usually the final step in pubertal development in girls. (In other words, it tends to start after the breast has developed and the growth spurt has occurred.) If a girl is not menstruating, it does not mean she is not fertile (producing eggs / ovulating). Menstruation occurs cyclically in women (usually every 21-35 days) but it is often irregular when it first starts (menarche / puberty). Menstruation tends to occur 14 days after ovulation if the egg produced by the women's ovaries is not fertilized by sexual activity. Menstruation is caused by a drop in hormone levels resulting in the lining of the uterus shedding off.
Menstruation usually stops when the ovaries run out of eggs. This usually occurs between the ages of 45 and 55 but can occur earlier. It is referred to as 'the change of life' or 'the menopause'. The low estrogen levels after the menopause result in thinning of the skin, shrinkage of the breast, the bones becoming brittle, hot flushes, mood changes, a dry vagina, reduced libido and more.
Not all fluids that come from the genitals are semen or menstrual fluid.
The obvious example is urine.
The body also makes mucous, particularly in response to sexual arousal which serves an important role in sexual intercourse.
Other types of discharge usually indicate the presence of disease. Some types discharge often occur in response to infection. Some infections are acquired from sexual contact with a person who is carrying the germ but many infections are not related to sex at all.
When the Bible talks about discharge, it is not referring to urination or normal menstruation or ejaculation of semen.
What does the Bible say about ejaculation, menstruation and other discharges from the genitals?
A DISCHARGE IS DIFFERENT TO AN EMISSION OF SEMEN
Leviticus 15:32-33 These are the regulations for a man with a discharge, for anyone made unclean by an emission of semen, for a woman in her monthly period, for a man or a woman with a discharge, and for a man who lies with a woman who is ceremonially unclean.
A DISCHARGE IS TREATED DIFFERENTLY TO AN EMISSION OF SEMEN
Leviticus 15:1-15 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'When any man has a bodily discharge, the discharge is unclean. Whether it continues flowing from his body or is blocked, it will make him unclean. This is how his discharge will bring about uncleanness: "'Any bed the man with a discharge lies on will be unclean, and anything he sits on will be unclean. Anyone who touches his bed must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean till evening. Whoever sits on anything that the man with a discharge sat on must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean till evening. "'Whoever touches the man who has a discharge must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean till evening. "'If the man with the discharge spits on someone who is clean, that person must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean till evening. "'Everything the man sits on when riding will be unclean, and whoever touches any of the things that were under him will be unclean till evening; whoever picks up those things must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean till evening. "'Anyone the man with a discharge touches without rinsing his hands with water must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean till evening. "'A clay pot that the man touches must be broken, and any wooden article is to be rinsed with water. "'When a man is cleansed from his discharge, he is to count off seven days for his ceremonial cleansing; he must wash his clothes and bathe himself with fresh water, and he will be clean. On the eighth day he must take two doves or two young pigeons and come before the LORD to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and give them to the priest. The priest is to sacrifice them, the one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. In this way he will make atonement before the LORD for the man because of his discharge.
EMISSIONS OF SEMEN
Leviticus 15:16-18 "'When a man has an emission of semen, he must bathe his whole body with water, and he will be unclean till evening. Any clothing or leather that has semen on it must be washed with water, and it will be unclean till evening. When a man lies with a woman and there is an emission of semen, both must bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening.
Leviticus 22:4 "'If a descendant of Aaron has an infectious skin disease or a bodily discharge, he may not eat the sacred offerings until he is cleansed. He will also be unclean if he touches something defiled by a corpse or by anyone who has an emission of semen,
An emission of semen which is not related to sex (verse 16) clearly refers to either wet dreams or masturbation.
An emission of semen should be followed by a bath regardless of how it came about. The Bible says that if you come into contact with somebody's body fluids then you should regard yourself as unclean and seek cleansing.
Emissions of semen, whether they are the result of sex, masturbation or wet dreams are treated the same way as long as they do not break any of God's Laws.
WET DREAMS (NOCTURNAL EMISSIONS)
Deuteronomy 23:9-11 When you are encamped against your enemies, keep away from everything impure. If one of your men is unclean because of a nocturnal emission, he is to go outside the camp and stay there. But as evening approaches he is to wash himself, and at sunset he may return to the camp.
EJACULATION DURING SEX WITH A WOMEN (EVEN WITHIN MARRIAGE) ALSO MAKES THEM UNCLEAN UNTIL EVENING - BOTH SHOULD BATHE IN WATER
Leviticus 15:18 When a man lies with a woman and there is an emission of semen, both must bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening.
Having an emission of semen as a result of a wet dream or masturbation is no worse than a women having a period AND it makes you unclean in the same way that marital sex does.
Masturbation is not often spoken about in society. It is not regarded as "cool" by people who boast about their sexual exploits. The Bible does not list it as a Sin.
The Bible deals with topics like rape homosexuality, incest and even sex with animals. If masturbations was wrong, God would tell us. (For example, the Bible would say "Thou must not stimulate thy own genitals to produce an orgasm" but it doesn't).
Masturbation may have a place in the treatment of sexual problems such as inability to enjoy sex after being abused or for premature ejaculation associated with performance anxiety or infrequent intercourse.
Mutual masturbation is part of foreplay. The Bible does not condemn this.
Read the Song of Solomon which exemplifies what is considered normal healthy sexual relations between a man and his wife.
Semen, like any body fluid, can harbor disease and is potentially infectious. It is no wonder the Bible says that if you come into contact with it, you must bathe with water and regard yourself as unclean.
A WOMEN WITH HER MONTHLY PERIOD IS ALSO CEREMONIALLY UNCLEAN
Leviticus 15:19-31
"'When a woman has her regular flow of blood, the impurity of her monthly period will last seven days, and anyone who touches her will be unclean till evening. "'Anything she lies on during her period will be unclean, and anything she sits on will be unclean. Whoever touches her bed must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean till evening. Whoever touches anything she sits on must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean till evening. Whether it is the bed or anything she was sitting on, when anyone touches it, he will be unclean till evening. "'If a man lies with her and her monthly flow touches him, he will be unclean for seven days; any bed he lies on will be unclean. "'When a woman has a discharge of blood for many days at a time other than her monthly period or has a discharge that continues beyond her period, she will be unclean as long as she has the discharge, just as in the days of her period. Any bed she lies on while her discharge continues will be unclean, as is her bed during her monthly period, and anything she sits on will be unclean, as during her period. Whoever touches them will be unclean; he must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean till evening. "'When she is cleansed from her discharge, she must count off seven days, and after that she will be ceremonially clean. On the eighth day she must take two doves or two young pigeons and bring them to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. The priest is to sacrifice one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. In this way he will make atonement for her before the LORD for the uncleanness of her discharge. "'You must keep the Israelites separate from things that make them unclean, so they will not die in their uncleanness for defiling my dwelling place, which is among them.'"
Leviticus 18:19
"'Do not approach a woman to have sexual relations during the uncleanness of her monthly period.
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Excrements (feces and urine) Deuteronomy 23:11-13 Designate a place outside the camp where you can go to relieve yourself. As part of your equipment have something to dig with, and when you relieve yourself, dig a hole and cover up your excrement. For the LORD your God moves about in your camp to protect you and to deliver your enemies to you. Your camp must be holy, so that he will not see among you anything indecent and turn away from you.
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BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON PUBERTY
Puberty starts when the body starts to produce sex hormones (estrogen and testosterone) in response to signals from the brain (pituitary hormones that regulate the ovaries and testicles).
Girls begin puberty and have their growth spurt one to two years before boys.
Not all girls and boys go through puberty at the same age; there is quite a range which is considered normal. Some develop early and some develop late. Early developers have different challenges to late developers.
The average age of onset of puberty in girls is 11 years but ranges from 8-13 years. In boys, the average age of onset of puberty is 11.5 years but ranges from 9.5-13.5 years.
The first sign of puberty in girls is breast development followed by the growth spurt, pubic hair development and finally menstruation. When the ovaries become active, they begin to ovulate (release eggs into the 'tubes' of the uterus). This is associated with the production of estrogen which is responsible for the changes occurring in the girls body. It also means that the girl can become pregnant if she has sex. If an egg is not fertilized during sexual activity, the hormones produced by the ovaries drop (about 14 days after ovulation) resulting in the uterus shedding it's lining and menstruation occurs. The onset of menstruation can be very frightening for a girl who has not been warned about it beforehand. Coping with the changes that are going on in the body can be very stressful. Body image is very important to most girls and critical to their confidence.
The onset of puberty in boys is caused by the production of testosterone by the testes. Testosterone causes the growth spurt, makes the penis enlarge, stimulates hair development and deepens the voice. The testes also start to produce sperm which means he is now 'potent' and able to get a girl pregnant. Wet dreams start to occur. Erections occur spontaneously during sleep and often with minimal stimulation (such as the vibration of a bus or car and non erotic thoughts). Eventually, this hypersensitivity settles and erections tend to occur only with erotic stimulation. If boys do not become sexually active or masturbate, wet dreams will continue to occur. Many boys - having erections at inappropriate times - think something is wrong with them. (Am I gay or am I some sort of sex maniac). It can be very embarrassing. Some boys are better informed about what is happening to them than others. Consequently, some cruise through puberty while others crash and have lots of hang ups.
Adolescence is a very stressful time.
