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In "Doctor Strangelove", General Ripper explains to Lt. Mandrake that he first developed his theory of preserving his precious bodily fluids and became aware of the international Communist plot during a strenuous bout of physical love-making in which he felt sexual anxiety. He blames his male impotency and sexual inadequacy on the Russian conspiracy. From then on, he hoards his bodily fluids (his "life essence") and keeps them for himself [Ripper will not or cannot ejaculate during sex]:

"I-I first became aware of it, Mandrake, during the physical act of love...Yes, a profound sense of fatigue, a feeling of emptiness followed. Luckily I-I was able to interpret these feelings correctly. Loss of essence. I can assure you it has not recurred, Mandrake. Women, er, women sense my power, and they seek the life essence. I do not avoid women, Mandrake. But I do deny them my essence."

Re Dr Strangelove:

Interesting.

You will have to be our movie expert now that Bagster is gone.

Frankenstein: Igor, help me with the bags.
Igor: [Imitating Groucho Marx] Soitenly. You take the blonde, I’ll take the one in the toiben.

said, "I do not avoid women, Mandrake. But I do deny them my essence."

That is the general idea. As I understand it abstinence used to mean from the Assyrians to the time of Christianity. To not give up your essence. it didn't mean to not have sex. As Assyrian mysticism and the mother Goddess religions forced virgins to have sex. There was no option even for virgins royalty they had to have sex at least once before marriage.