2006-06-13 11:05:22 · 12 answers · asked by fuentes2513@yahoo.com 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Judeo-Christian tradition has always held that single people be celibate. This has been taught by Judaism and Christianity from before the Scriptures were written down.
The question should be: Why can't religious sisters marry?
This idea came from the Jews, John the Baptist, Jesus, and the Apostle Paul.
The Jews. The Talmud argues that a person whose “soul is bound up with the Torah and is constantly occupied with it” may remain celibate (Maimonides, Laws of Marriage 15.3). This argument could certainly have been based on the biblical example of Jeremiah, a celibate prophet who was ordered by Yahweh not to marry (Jeremiah 16:1-4). Moreover, the Essenes was a group that was active in Jesus’ time that practiced celibacy and thought by most scholars to be the authors of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
John the Baptist and Jesus are both believed to have been celibate for their entire lives. Some scholars believe that either or both Jesus and John the Baptist were influenced in their celibacy by the example of the Essenes.
The Apostle Paul is explicit about his celibacy (see 1 Cor. 7). There is also evidence in the gospel of Matthew for the practice of celibacy among at least some early Christians, in the famous passage about becoming “eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 19:12).
A religious sister pledges her life to Christ and service to others. She take vows of chastity, poverty and obedience.
The term "nun" is usually reserved for religious sisters who live in a cloistered convent, away from the world.
With love in Christ.
2006-06-13 17:12:59 · answer #1 · answered by imacatholic2 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They voluntarily take a vow of celibacy for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven. The Church does not force anyone to become a nun or a priest. But those who are called by God and who respond to that call are expected to keep their vows that they make to God.
No one has a right to become a nun or a priest, it is strictly only for those who are called by God.
Although most people are called to marriage, some are called to the religious life of celibacy for the sake of serving God and His Church.
Nuns are married to Jesus.
Priests are married to the Church.
2006-06-14 00:20:54 · answer #2 · answered by Life 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nuns and priests, like all Catholics, may not have sex because they are not married. I think it's not being married that you are asking about.
They follow the example of Jesus who was not married (neither was Saint Paul). And they give themselves entirely to Christ and the Church.
Yes, the Bible says be "fruitful and multiply" but that does not mean people should not be single. Jesus was unmarried, Saint Paul was not married, the prophet Jeremiah was not married and many others.
2006-06-13 18:14:10 · answer #3 · answered by jakejr6 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nuns and male members of religious orders take vows of chastity. There is the idea that nuns are "married" to the Church, in keeping with the Bible that does make statements about sex outside of marriage.
Priests on the other hand are not married to the church. They are the "persona christi" during the celebration of mass and are in the brotherhood of Christ. They take vows of chastity if they are in religious orders, and promise chastity if they are diocesan. There is no scriptural requirement - other than stated above - for their being chaste; in the Latin Rite Catholic Church it is purely dogmatic.
2006-06-13 18:16:35 · answer #4 · answered by kpshrink 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nuns, priests and people who are affiliated with a religious order generally take vows of celibacy, poverty and obedience.
2006-06-13 18:09:39 · answer #5 · answered by Bonniebear 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nuns take a vow of chastity, just as Priests do...it signifies that their relationship is with God.
2006-06-13 18:08:30 · answer #6 · answered by loubean 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
From what I understand, Catholic preists and Nuns are supposed to be married to their love for Jesus Christ, therefore they are supposed to abandon the physical pleasures of this world in order to focus their love for Jesus and educate others about the love for God.
2006-06-13 18:09:32 · answer #7 · answered by sally mae 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Becuase some prefer to have sex in secrecy. If there is not rule like they wouldn't get a kick out of their kinky acts.
2006-06-13 18:09:23 · answer #8 · answered by Junk Head 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the bible does say that it is better for some people not to have sex or be married, and that if you can do it then it would probably be best, but that not everyone can do it or is expected to
2006-06-13 18:12:27 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
because they dont follow the bible they follow doctrine, the bible doesn't say not to have sex, it says be fruitful and become many
2006-06-13 18:07:54 · answer #10 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋