Why do some clergy of various religions require a vow of abstinence if god intended man and woman to mate?

Question

For give me, I meant celibacy.

Answer 1

it's because by priests marrying and having kids, the church's wealth was being distributed to support them and the church wanted that money, so, they made a new rule.

Answer 2

First off, it is a vow of CELIBACY - not abstinence. Also, God did not intent for man and woman to "mate," he wanted them to not be alone. And so he created woman to provide a "mate" - a partner, a sharer, for man. And they were to go forth and MULTIPLY. Matrimony (marriage) is for the procreation of children - Catholics marry for the sole purpose of having children in the strictest sense of marriage and "mating."

Also, there are those who are chosen by God for three spiritual lives. Those of the religious - priests, nuns, brothers, etc. They have the strictest "vows" often of poverty, chastity (purity), and fidelity (faithfulness). No less important is the God-chosen spiritual lives of husbands and wives (and ONLY that - no other relationship combinations) who procreate. And the third is the single life - no less important than the other two but with the same God-chosen spiritual lives as any other human.

I was born into a Roman Catholic practicing family. From the time I was old enough to know right from wrong (arbitrarily at age 7, after baptism into the Catholic Church as an infant), I was taught from the Baltimore Cathchism about all the tenets of the Catholic Church. Then as about a 10- or 11-year old (and yes, that has varied from diocese to diocese at what age this is done) I received the gift of the Holy Spirit who will guide and protect me. I have received six of the seven sacrements of the Catholic Church - baptism, holy communion, penance (confession or now called reconciliation), confirmation, matrimony, and sacrement of the sick. Of course, since I am a woman and they haven't changed the rules, I cannot receive holy orders (the sacrement of becoming a priest).

I digress.

Celibacy is/was designed to provide priests/religious (which is the preferred term for woman) to not be burdened with worldly pleasures of a sexual nature, but to devote that part of their lives to the service of God.

Answer 3

Those who remain celibate do so out of a desire to be unhindered in serving their God and their religion. For example, the Catholic Church requires their priests to remain celibate, even though it teaches that marriage is a good and blessed gift from God. But the priest remains celibate rather than marrying in order that he would not be tied down by the concerns of a wife and family. In their case, they are recognising the wisdom in the Bible, from 1 Corinthians 7.

Other religions that advocate celibacy probably do so for similar reasons, though it may be that some religions actually view marriage in a lesser light than what you have described. Groups like the Shakers forbade it outright.

Answer 4

The Clergy is "married" to the church, and they give their full devotion to god, something that can't be done when you have to a wife or husband and kids to attended to, also like in the catholic religion it's believe that Jesus was never married, therefore the clergy follows this example and doesn't marry either. If you read the bible it's state in Paul another reason why catholic clergy doesn't marry.

Answer 5

I think it has to do with a debate Jesus had with Pharisees. The direct biblical reference is Matthew 19:12 -

"Some are incapable of marriage because they were born so; some, because they were made so by others; some, because they have renounced marriage for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Whoever can accept this ought to accept it."

"Incapable of marriage: literally, "eunuchs." Three classes are mentioned, eunuchs from birth, eunuchs by castration, and those who have voluntarily renounced marriage (literally, "have made themselves eunuchs") for the sake of the kingdom, i.e., to devote themselves entirely to its service. Some scholars take the last class to be those who have been divorced by their spouses and have refused to enter another marriage. But it is more likely that it is rather those who have chosen never to marry, since that suits better the optional nature of the decision: whoever can . . . ought to accept it."

Paul, a revered figure, said celibacy was best. He was also an incredible misogynist (I think he probably had really tiny equipment). His writings are considered very important by most denominations of Christianity.

Some Buddhist monks are also celibate. I think this is because sexual passion and the pursuit of intercourse upsets the natural balance of the body.

Answer 6

To live a good, pure life, these religious cannot indulge in pleasures of the flesh such as sex. Also, God intended married men and women to mate. That's why adultery is a sin. Of course, priests and nuns are forbidden from marrying because they are, in a figurative sense, "married to the Church." This means they must lead a good life of devotion to their faith.

Answer 7

There is nothing that will distract a man more than an attractive women.
It is felt in some circles that chastity will allow the man to be pure in thought and body.
My thought is a little more simplistic.
A man that has a good women at home that is satisfying his needs, AS HE SATISFIES HERS, will not stray and still be able to serve God.

Answer 8

Because they have added to God's word as was predicted in 1 Timothy 4:1-3.

When Paul said it was better for some not to marry, the church was in the midst of some serious persecution--your family would be killed right in front of you to make you renounce Christ. In that circumstance it might be better to have no family so as to avoid that type of pressure. Should that kind of persecution arise again, it may again become better not to marry, but in no way is that an encouragement for us today to require anyone who is eligible to be married to remain unmarried.

Answer 9

I had this conversation with my in-laws the other night...and the reason is that there is a delicate balance between you're family and your work... when you work for the church, it's like your work is never done and thus you neglect your family (not always but it is easily done), believe Paul mentions it somewhere. My husband and I went through it for a little while and he also works a full time job. I believe Paul says something like it is better to work for Lord Single than to work for him Married.

Answer 10

Church history.

People were using priestly positions to obtain property rights to pass onto their children during the time when the church basically owned everything. The church wanted to put a stop to it, so they invented the celibacy vows.

Answer 11

God didn't intend all men and women to marry and have children. Some people he has given the gift of marriage, for others, he has given the gifts that allow them to not need to marry, and to go out and to perform other works for him.