My husband I were born and grew up in a religious sect that believes sexual intercourse is permissible only for the purpose of procreation but that the masturbation of a man by a woman is a gift from God to lead both away from the temptation to fornicate. Sexual intercourse is therefore rare among we believers. Between the orthodox it is enacted only with the consent of an Elder and sometimes in his presence to ensure the propriety of the act. But we practice the rite of masturbation daily, sometimes more than once when the temptation is strongly upon us. Our Elders teach us that to masturbate someone in the toils of sinful desire and to relieve him of his suffering by shedding his seed is an act of charity. Married women are usually charged to de-seed only a husband. But unmarried younger women and initiated girls are encouraged to be of general assistance and are much solicited. Widows are tasked to de-seed the poor. It is accepted among us as a holy truth that to deny a sinner his release is itself a sin. When I feel the sexual temptation visit me, I tell my husband of my need for release. He is always sympathetic. We will go to our darkened room where he will undress and submit to the ministrations of my hand and afterwards give grateful thanks. Sometimes, it is he who is the victim of the devil's machinations and he will beg my mercy. Both of us obtain great comfort from the shedding of his seed according to our scripture and teaching. Like all girls, I became an initiate at the age of 14. My parents prepared me for the ceremony with explanations and prayer and on my birthday, they conducted me to the house of the Elder who acts as our family's guide. His wife and daughters were also present. The Elder was already an old man with an emaciated body as I could see when his wife and daughters disrobed him. But he had a large and vigorous member which all of us touched in turn as a mark of reverence and respect for the source of seed and of life. The Elder then stood before me naked, chanting from our scripture, while I manipulated his member until the moment of the shedding of his seed which was then used by his wife to anoint my face in baptism. I am sometimes asked, most often by men who may be of all ages, if our sect accepts new adherents and I have to say that we do not evangelise. It is necessary to be born into it in order to preserve its purity. I console them, however, that they are free to observe our practices in the profane world and I believe that many do. Amen.