Onanism

Onanism is also known as coitus interruptus or withdrawal . This term is based on the name Onan, a Bible character who was told to fulfill his duty by entering into a levirate marriage (hyperlink) with Tamar, his brother’s widow. However, he used withdrawal when he had sex with her. In Genesis 38 :9, it said “And Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; so it came about that when he went in to his brother’s wife, he wasted his seed on the ground, in order not to give offspring to his brother”. Onan was then killed by God since he did not obey by refusing to perform his familial duties. Onanism also means masturbation; an act which similarly “wastes or spills seed."