Something Catholic Priests have been dealing with for centuries.  Some better than others...

I'm married so not really qualified to answer your query but I'm curious as to why you put an emphasis in your question to sex with the opposite gender... it would be my assumption that ones human desire for sex would apply to same gender and/or opposite gender relationships.

 he's just making sure we know, for the record so to speak.

I would say the solution is at hand ......................

You masturbate, just like everyone else on the planet does, including those who lie and say they don't.

Or, you could put it the way Woody Allen does -

The trouble with my sex life is that there is only one consenting adult.

Masturbate. Despite how a handful of people wish to interpret the story of Onan, it is morally acceptable to GOD and to most Christians. I would be surprised if many other world religions had a problem with it but I'm guessing on that point.

 meet the Palm twins.  

Indeed. Many people seem to miss the point that Onan's sin was not in the spilling of his semen, but rather in refusing to impregnate his sister-in-law.

As I am exploring the idea that I am asexual, I don't have much ground to stand on in response to this topic.  I merely wanted to address Witch's statement that everyone masturbates.

I don't understand how you can know with such confidence what "everyone else on the planet" does or does not do.  Then, by adding the bit about lying, you close it off to conversation.

I do not masturbate -- but I'm sure you don't believe me.

There is a huge volume of knowledge on the subject derived from many scientific studies that show that from 94-99% of humans masturbate, with the acknowledgement that the margin of error should generally point in the direction of higher percentages based on people unwilling to admit.

So for all intents and purposes, everyone masturbates. The exceptions would be those unable, due to physical or pshychological injury or disability.

In other words, if you can... you do. The vast majority of people who say they don't, are lying, perhaps even to themselves. Whether you, personally are lying when you say to me you don't, is not my affair. But if you're asking, well I'd believe you just as much if you said you don't eat.

If you really think it's necessary, I can point you to some scientific studies on the subject.

P.S.: IF you really want to be taken seriously when you make post.... you might consider a change of your forum handle... Just a suggestion ;-)

I am not going to say masturbate, because I am not going to say there is some need, or requirement,  for celibacy.

I do not believe the only sex is inside marriage or that it has to be inside a "relationship". That is both my religious belief and my attitude toward sexual desire and physical health, etc...

Giving up activity because of a choice often does not result in frustration, feeling forced to give up activity often does.

If someone wants to give up sex, that is fine. It is also fine if they do not. Forced celibacy, coerced celibacy or involuntary celibacy seldom works. Prisoners, priests, those cloistered... masturbating with a frenzy is not celibacy. It is solitary sex and a frustration release.

Some celibacy is good and some celibacy is bad.

If it empowers, emboldens, protects, sustains, comforts and liberates, it is good.

If it crushes, embitters, humiliates, torments, punishes and represses, it is not.

So, Satyagraha, why do you want to be block or divert desire? Why do you want to be celibate? Or why do you believe you should be or must be?

Thanks, Witch.  I honestly appreciate your response.  I wonder if there are people who answer in the affirmative to such a study because they see themselves as weird/flawed/unnatural for not masturbating.  I think that the margin of error must go both ways.

lol - I know.  I decided that I wanted it to be known that I was a "sockpuppet" of sorts.  I'm a WC poster who is nervous to discuss issues of my sexuality, so I created another profile under which I could have such conversations.  I made it clear on ima fake's profile page as well since I don't want to fool anyone.

Some asexuals masturbate as solitary release and others do not at all.

The same as some who are/were sexual who lose their sex drive,  they often do not masturbate either.

The same as there are many others who do not masturbate. I know that often those with gender dysphoria do not masturbate.

In my former life as a "hands off butch" or "stone butch" or one of many other names....that included masturbation... I was that way for the first 30-some years of my life.

If anyone had asked, I surely would have said I was sexually active or masturbated because the world thinks sexuality works in specific ways, deviation outside the norm is seen as a deviant and who wants to be seen as a deviant?

Wide paintbrushes are for barns not for people's portraits.

Nice to see you again, ima fake. 

Don't have much to add here.  I agree with SG that what fully- informed, consenting adults choose to together isn't wrong as long as it's honest.  If someone's going to get hurt, or would be hurt if they knew the truth about the situation, then it's harmful IMO.

It changes everything.

I do not masturbate -- but I'm sure you don't believe me.

Buddy that would take a miracle although it's possible if you are gettin serviced ...  alllllll the time

You don't always have control of what happens involuntarily

What's next ? guys who never watch porn ?

I don't know what they're talking about up there with the asexualness. *shrugs* But to answer your question, yeah, it's simple. Masturbate. It's a lot safer than trying to have casual sex or something.

"what can one do to block or divert one's natural human desire for sex?"
Don't. You just said it was natural, so why would you try to block it?

"Is it necessary to ignore such urges?"
Nope. 

"What does the Bible say about this?"
The Bible was written thousands of years ago, so it's a bit out of date. In the Bible, it's okay to stone your child to death for disobedience. So don't worry about any interpretations of rules against masturbation.

Right on, Starboy.

RE: Asexuality (also known as nonsexuality^[1]) in its broadest sense, describes lack of sexual attraction,^[2][3] or interest in or desire for sex.^[4] Sometimes, it is considered a lack of a sexual orientation.^[5] One commonly cited study placed the incidence rate of asexuality at 1%.^[6] 

^{According to Wikipedia}

^{So maybe Iam Fake belongs to the 1%. Please be respectful. I am sure this isn't a fun-minority to be part of.}

oops. the last remark was not meant for you personally starboy.

No worries. : )

thanks mrs.anteater and ninjafaery.  I appreciate your support.

I had a post on this thread and the moderator removed it.

I am flabbergasted.

Interesting that Satyagraha used a photo of Gandhi as an avatar.  I had no idea the Mahatma was such a sexy guy. 

usually admins have a good reason for removing posts.  this is a sensitive topic.

or they have issues with the topic that personally affects them ....

Just be careful of which hand you use to do the pointing.

Why has no one mentioned prostitution?  Surely this is the obvious answer.  Although it is sort of in a legal grey zone right now, I think it will likely become perfectly legal in Canada in the not too distant future.

Given the photo of the OP, I think it might be interesting to add a bit of info about Ghandi on the subject of celibacy.  He was celibate (or so he says) and his ideas on sex were, to say the least, a little whacky.  I recommend that all of you do a bit of reading on the subject.  It can be pretty funny.  My favourite Ghandi-ism on sex is his idea that sleeping naked with his teenage nieces (which he did frequently) was a good "test" for celibacy.

"I know I was naked in bed with your 16 year old daughter, but it was just .... a TEST, yah that's it, a TEST!!!!"

Yaaaaaaa, right, lol. 

Personally,

I have found that the more I would masterbate, the more I would want to.

I find for me it seemed to just make matters worse for me, & the more I would refrain from masterbation, the easier it was to abstain.

For a while there I had very little interest in sex as I just didn't pleasure myself for the longest time, & it didn't bother me.

I guess like Paul says, everything is permissable, but not always for the better, or profitable, & sometimes can be a stumbling block if we become slaves to it.

Bolt

Regarding the "everybody masturbates" comment, there are lots of people who lack a sex drive for a variety of reasons, whether it's a temporary situation or a life long state of asexuality.  If it's temporary, then yes...I think it's safe to say that the vast majority of those people have masturbated at times.

If you have sexual needs that aren't being fulfilled for whatever reason, masturbation is clearly the answer, though.  It's safe, easy, convenient and effective.  :)

Personally....................... I'll try to let my wife take care of business here, and it depends how much i see pics of Kim kardashian!!!!!!!!

I will not lend a hand to this discussion.  I will not lend two hands to this discussion. What was the topic again?  In the words of Bachman Turner overdrive

Takin' care of business, every day

Takin' care of business every way

Takin' care of business, it's all mine

TAkin' care of business and workin' overtime.

Work out.

Again, what was the topic?  But, I don't understand.

That's okay one hand is usually all that you need .....................

Ummmmm.....yeah. In this thread, I think we should all just keep our hands to ourselves.

And there's always those "escorts" who skirt that legal grey areas. The problem is that legal grey area or not, it's definitely exploitive as practiced right now. Legalized, properly managed and regulated, I could see the exploitation issues being minimized but they would likely never go away. If you must be with a person instead of flying solo but don't want a committed relationship, a "friend with benefits" relationship would be the better option IMO.

Mendalla