I can certainly see how this would distract someone..kind of like being in a class and someone in the room is snacking on potato chips... or even something like being here on psych central and you happen to come across a suicidal posting where you know someone is having a hard time but you are limited in what you can do at the moment to help this person.. you cant concentrate on what you need to do if someone else is harming their self right in front of you...

here we are in church when we should be listening to the sermon and be paying attention to our higher powers words and someone next to us or somewhere in the room is hurting their self....I would be distracted and not be able to do what I was supposed to be in church to do either.

you made a point of saying many have tried to stop you..Im wondering if somewhere inside you if this is the reason why you continue doing so in church..

most people I know who self injure do so in private not in a public church where everyone can see them doing it and there are people who will try and stop them..so maybe look at why you need to do so in front of your friend in church will lead you to what you need to do in order to stop doing it in church in front of your friend.