Have you ever been convinced that you should become celibate for the rest of your life and run into trouble?
What are your experiences? What have you learned?
Do you know anyone who is celibate - meaning no sex with anyone nor alone in body, mind or word?
By celibate I mean no sex with anyone ever and no sex alone at any time 24/7 for the rest of your life?
What do your scriptures, holy books or religious beliefs say about this?
2006-09-02 07:29:59 · 26 answers · asked by devotionalservice 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Since I am divorced with no one on the scene and I don't believe in sex outside of marraige I am at least for now.
The Holy Spirit helps a lot. Being filled with all the fullness of the Spirit is a huge help. ALso. staying away from romantic stuff.
Romantic music, books and movies are a real stumbling block for me. So I stay away from them. Also having lots of good friends of both sexes that are married and of course never being alone with the opposite sex. Also, I am very cautious not to temp my friends husbands with intellectual closeness even though I love conversing with men more than women.
It is a sacrifice that Jesus will help with just like staying faithful in marriage.
2006-09-02 07:36:11 · answer #1 · answered by Makemeaspark 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Being celibate makes sense if you truly want to be devoted and committed to God. I have been celibate for 5 years. It ensures your interests are not divided (flesh or God). If you want to be clean you start from the inside out; start with your thoughts; your actions and words will follow. A couple of scriptures about celibacy are Luke 2:36 and 1 Corinthians 7:32-34.
I know many people that are celibate and even a few that are virgins in their late 20s, mid 30s and even one almost 60. These are not unattractive people either. They have had to suffer tremendously to remain faithful. Remember Jesus said that a seed must die before it can bear fruit (paraphrasing but thats John 12:24). remember in Galatians (start @ 5:17) we learn to follow the Holy Spirit and we will produce good fruit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control) but before we read about the good fruits we learn the Holy Spirit wants us to the exact opposite of what our flesh wants to do. This is in opposition with the world and yourself. This is a war and these forces are constantly fighting each other.
I go back to the seed that is supposed to die. You are the seed. You must die and not literally but die to people, places and things. 1 Corinthians 9:25 says to deny yourself many things so that you can win the race (paraphrasing again but that is why I am giving you the scriptures). The race is the one within you between your fleshly desires and your right desires as a new creature (born again) living for God.
Celibacy is good and really works if you're real with yourself and God. Doesn't matter what anyone else says, thinks or does. Doesn't even matter what you say. What you think, know and do is what matters. This is strictly between you and God.
2006-09-02 08:03:12 · answer #2 · answered by Cinnababy 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Nothing at all to do with spirituality. I just am. No opportunity, and when it did appear I darn well chose not to utilize it. I have to live with myself, and don't believe in playing around with married people. Or being intimate unless you can trust and are really in love. Its harder for the young, I realize. However being sexually free doesn't work for all of us. It does not make one happier in the long run, which is where we all have to live. As to sex alone that's up to the individual; I see nothing wrong with it. You're going to get many types of opinions here from "viva free love" to "I'm a nun." I'm not a nun but I leave sex to others these days. At a certain point in life many other things may take precedence. But my best to those who do love and enjoy, because its an integral part of life. May you live long and prosper. Remember it doesn't matter what the religious books say. People are people, and most of the human race does what comes naturally, book or no book. Augustine threw a big kibosh on the whole sex thing with his misogynistic attitude toward women. So for centuries those who took his BS seriously had their fun and then blamed the females. All the Holy Books need to be tossed, and people just need to strive to be honest and true with one another. The end.
2006-09-02 07:53:01 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. I don't know anyone like that and would never introduce such nonsense into my own life. Celibacy is a totally unnatural state for human beings, imposed by repressive religious beliefs that are so tangled into Western culture that the tentacles reach everywhere.
Look at all the problems with Catholic priests that have been exposed and, in my opinion, are caused by these men being emotionally stunted at a young age when forced into an unnatural state of celibacy. It is not fair that priests can't marry and have families, as other ministers/pastors are encouraged and really expected to. I think this would solve the problem of child-molesting priests.
Celibacy is for monks and the maladjusted. It has no place in natural human life.
2006-09-02 07:37:03 · answer #4 · answered by Nightlight 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Celibacy certainly is an option. Yes, I do know many celibates--who are celibate for a large number of reasons. Institutionalized celibacy (e.g. within the Roman Catholic Latin Rite, really began in the middle ages as a way to deal with issues of property & inheritance rights).
2006-09-02 07:33:01 · answer #5 · answered by kobacker59 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
You know dude what you have been missing?
the best god given thing in life that not only be treasured by humans but even animals.
Not only the rich but even the poor.
No matter what state you're in unless you godgiven have it.
even the grannies gave birth these days-bless the day a newborn to this world.
can't really be imagining if all are like you.
there goes the human race
Tell you what...
why not you just have your private part cut-off totally
this way, you can secure your practise without having a tendency or any desire at all about sex for the rest of your life?
What have you learned dude?
2006-09-02 07:53:17 · answer #6 · answered by St.Jon A 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I deeply admire anyone that chooses that way of life. As the apostle Paul believed, it is better for man to be completely consecrated to God and so to live a life devoted entirely to His calling to be a slave of Christ.
“I wish everyone could get along without marrying, just as I do. But we are not all the same. God gives some the gift of marriage, and to others he gives the gift of singleness. Now I say to those who aren't married and to widows – it's better to stay unmarried, just as I am.” (1 Corinthians 7:7-8)
2006-09-02 14:08:41 · answer #7 · answered by Tanya 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't have a religion.
I do want is what is good and healthy for my mind & my body.
I was celibate by choice for 2 years and it made be a much better person. It was not easy at first and it's not for everyone.
This is such a personal decision...it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks....maturity is making a decision like this regardless of what anybody else things.
2006-09-02 07:36:48 · answer #8 · answered by daljack -a girl 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I can't speak to the "rest of your life" thing, but I have been celibate for long stretches of time. Mostly after ending a long relationship. I do it kinda as a spiritual cleansing. Just to free myself of the emotional attachment to the other person, and to reconsider what I do and don't want in my life.
2006-09-02 07:37:50 · answer #9 · answered by Nuseed 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
No. I think sex is a good thing. Not how our pop culture and the media presents it but on a more spiritual level. It's a joy of life created God for us to enjoy in an honest and loving way.
And, then you can also have children. I think family life is a goal of most religions. While not everybody has to have kids, they are blessings from God.
2006-09-02 07:36:18 · answer #10 · answered by snape4good 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋