Why can't Protestants understand Celibacy?

Question

Celibacy is a gift from God. It is the biggest witnees to Christian faith. Celibates show us that there is an existense besides this earthly life. All Catholic Clergy and nuns are celibate because they give their lives to Jesus. How come Protestant view this negatively? How come all Protestant Pastors are married?
Celibacy is natural and a few are called to it. In a fallen world with lust it is seen as un-natural.

Martry: It is Natural. I meant a few are called to it in religious life like clergymen.

I'm not saying Marriage is bad. Marriage and Celibacy are both very good! Just that celibacy is natural. Sexual Acts belong in Marriage.

I'm not telling people to be celibate. Just showing that it is good, normal, and an option for people.

Answer 1

It is not so much misunderstanding as opposed to following the Bible.

"Now for those who are not married and for the widows I say this: It is good for them to stay unmarried as I am. But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry. It is better to marry than to burn with sexual desire."

Let's face it, if you have to seek sex with boys, I think the priests cannot control themselves.

Answer 2

I understand celibacy, and I'm protestant.

I wouldn't go so far as to say it's the Biggest witness to the Christian faith...but I understand it perfectly well. And yes, some have the gift of celibacy...

as for being compulsary for clergy to have it --- no.

Although, some do. And by the way, just for the record: Not all protestant clergy are married. I know of many who aren't.

I agree with your last statement though; "In a fallen world with lust it is seen as un-natural."

Celibacy can be totally natural - however, it's very uncommon because fleshy desires (lol - what a statement!) usually win over.
*GRIN* I think Celibacy is a gift of God...

Take Care, and God Bless.

Answer 3

I am of the Christian Faith but often accused of being Protestant. But I'm not. I do not understand how you do not know that celibacy is not unique to the Roman sect.

There are Christians, Protestant or not, practicing celibacy. It is just a private matter and not done for public notice.

If The RC priest wishes to remain celibate so be it... no big deal to those of the Christian Faith.

God has Proscribed many ways to worship him. If Celibacy is your way... God Bless

Answer 4

I can answer this; I am a Catholic who used to be Baptist. The Bible does explicitly refer to marriage, and the fact that it is good, since it was created by God. However, while it it fairly clear that Jesus, St. John the Baptist, et al. were celibate (or at least no mention otherwise is made), "forced" celibacy, as in the Catholic priesthood, is not explicitly taught. Since Protestants accept Sacred Scripture (albeit, an abridged canon), but reject Sacred Tradition, most see mandatory celibacy as a manmade custom, and therefore an unnecessary obstacle to salvation through faith alone.

BTW, to those who keep saying that the "paedophile" scandal was caused by celibacy:

Most of the victims were 13 or older, which makes them victims of homosexual predators, not paedophiles. Practicing homosexuals, which these perverted priests were, don't desire women, so allowing them to marry is about as useful as telling any "gay" man that he can marry a woman. Lastly, they chose to be priests, so they knew the requirements going into the deal. If they couldn't live with celibacy (as is alleged), they should have been laicized instead of becoming Sodomites. My two cents...

Answer 5

I'm a Protestant, and I ask myself the same question. Why can't other Protestants understand celibacy? It's clearly taught in 1 Corinthians 7 and Matthew 19. Here's the way I define celibacy on my celibacy blog (http://gloriousgain.blogspot.com/ ): the free choice to permanently renounce marriage and all sexual intercourse, for the glorius gain of greater intimacy with Christ. I decided to become celibate (though not as a priest) last October, and I've never had greater joy in life or in my walk with God!

Answer 6

I would agree that celibacy if entered into as an act of personal dedication and love for Jesus is a powerful witness of faith and I commend anyone who does this out of choice. But it should be by personal choice not as a requirement, a pre-requisite for Priesthood. Personaly I admire the dedication of those that take this vow in response to Gods call to priesthood. But I wonder how many priests would choose celibacy if it were not a requirement of the catholic church.

The point here is that God calls people to serve as ordained priests or ministers, I do not believe He is not calling them to be celibate. No, I believe celibacy is the product of the man made legalism of the Roman Catholic church and a distortion of the following passages:

Mat 19:12
For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it. (KJV)

The literal meaning of this is castration but has been taken figuratively to mean celibacy, (see the NIV). Also:

1Co 7:27-28
Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife. But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you. (KJV)

During the times of persecution that existed then, a wife would have been considered a burden for those spreading the Gospel. Elswhere in the Bible there are clear references indicating that marriage should not be forbiden, see 1 Tim 4:1-5, Heb 13:4, 1 Cor 9:5.

Sex (within marriage) is the natural product of a loving relationship and a blessing from God. This is the gift, not celibacy. Abstaining from marriage and all it entails is not natural. It was God that said "Be fruitful and multiply" (Gen 1:28).

All this said done it is important that as Christians we do not allow these differences to cause further division in God's Church.

Answer 7

A gift from GOD?

I wonder what all of the children (and parents of children) on this web site who have been sexually molested by "Celibate" priests think about this "gift"?

Celibacy was instituted by the Catholic Church as a means of controlling the accumulation of wealth by the families of rich Bishops and cardinals during the middle ages. Ask your local parish priest how well celibacy is working for the Church right now. Since the onset of convictions for child molestation, priests have been leaving the Church in droves.

Answer 8

Celibacy is not a gift from God, it is a condition of the Church. Not all priests and nuns are celibate. I dated a nun once. She was not celibate. The reason for celibacy is because too many priests were having trouble dealing with a family and a congregation. I have friends who are ministers, and they too have that problem. The reason nuns were encouraged to be celibate was to make sure they were not considered "temple whores."

Answer 9

They do-some practice it. Its not that it is viewed in a negative light-those who practice it are admired. But is has become somewhat of a joke the way some priest have sex with young boys-and still claim that have not defiled themselves with women. Sex is sex, whether in the natural way or perverted. The Catholic church has covered this horrible sin and even perpetuated it by moving priest around instead of turning them over to police. That's the part that people have trouble with. Celibacy is to be admired not toyed with. No offense intended but the catholic has made a mockery of celibacy not protestants or anyone else..

Answer 10

You keep calling celibacy natural. This is a bizarre concept. We live on an Earth filled with people because it is natural for us to procreate. In nature all creatures from the smallest to the largest are driven with the intense and natural instinct to reproduce.

To repeatedly claim that being celibate is natural is about as stupid as claiming it is natural for humans to live in water instead of on land.

The sad reality is that your mind has been warped along with your natural sexuality. Repressing nature because of religious beliefs is just plain stupid. If God only wanted sex to be pleasurable in a committed marriage He would have made sex that way.

Answer 11

Because celibacy is not the natural state of all living things.

And because being celibate in no way makes you a better person.