Catholics: please define a "VIRGIN".?

Question

In the eyes of the church, is a person still a virgin if he/she has given or receive oral sex, but never had actual sex?

Or how about passionately kissing someone on a bed?

"Touching"?

To what extent are they considered as a virgin?

I'm asking this question because you can do SO much to someone on an intimate physical level without ever having sex.

I'd like to know when the line is crossed.

Also would it be a sin to think about foreplay, without masturabating?

Answer 1

Your not a virgin if you have anykind of sex (oral, whatever).

You can have sinful thoughts as long as you dont act on them.

Answer 2

The state of bodily integrity in either sex. This integrity may be physical or moral, and either factual or intentional. Physical virginity is sometimes defined as the absence of any sinfully experienced lustful sensation. But, strictly speaking, a person is physically a virgin unless he or she has had sexual intercourse with a person of the opposite sex. Moral virginity means the absence of any willful consent to venereal pleasure; again, strictly speaking, with a person of the opposite sex. Virginity is factual when, de facto, a person has not in the past sought or indulged in sexual pleasure; it is intentional when a person intends never to experience such pleasure, according to the previous distinctions made.

Answer 3

Hey there.
I'm not Catholic, but I am Christian...
I try and think of it like this.
One of the reasons why you're not supposed to do those things is because you should be faithful and pure for your spouse. You're only soppossed to do those things with one person and one person only. Why should you do any of this with someone you aren't gonna be with? Isn't it meaningless and decieving. Once you're married, its a covanet, a promise, you do things with them as part of that. Its a gift, not a game, just for fun when you feel like it...
which brings up the question....
is kissing even okay?
i guess it depends on your own heart.
what are your own convictions?
don't remain a virgin for the church, do it for your relationship with God, to glorify Him!

Ohh ohh.
and don't mistake virginity and purity for inexperience, if ya know what i mean?

Answer 4

It's actually self defeating when you think in terms of what sins moral or otherwise is OK because God is not keeping score what God really wants us to do is think in terms of what promotes harmony, health, a good reputation love etc. If we think in this way you'd be surprise how much regret and hurt you would be spared down the line. God is on your side He's not trying to make life difficult for us He is trying to make us suitable to the task of this difficult life.

Answer 5

someone once said to me that this 'line' of all sin (not just sexual sin) is like the edge of a cliff. everyone is always trying to push the line over a bit but you cant. instead of thinking 'how close can i get to the line,' as Christians we should think about how far we can stay AWAY from sin, not just how close we can get, or how much we can push it, because if its like a cliff and you get too close, you fall off and you end up sinning.

how far you go in relationships is a personal decision, but when you do things, if you're a Christian, you should think 'am i honouring and bringing glory to God when i do this?'

Answer 6

thomas aquinas teaches that any kind of pleasure taken in sexual contact or ideas is sinful. (a married couple having sex together is sinful if they enjoy it).

'virginitas' has several possible definitions (try the catholic encyclopedia) depending on what is being talked about and why. but sex is wrong (or rather enjoying it is): period.

(thomas aquinas once attacked a young woman with a burning stick, scarring her permanently. that sort of thing is ok).

Answer 7

The Catholic church would object to all of the actions you mentioned above.

From what I remember of the haze of my 13 years in Catholic school. Sex, masturbating, fondling / Heavy petting, blow jobs and the like are unacceptable and would lose ones virginity status.

While I do not subscribe to all of that, they do...

Answer 8

Anything that causes sexual pleasure is sexual in nature. All sex outside of marriage is fornication and forbidden.

The level of the sin -- whether mortal or venial -- isn't as important as the fact that these activities ruin one's attitude about sex, making it commonplace and coarse and shameful instead of holy and sacred and celebrated. As Jesus said, even THINKING lustfully does the same thing to your soul as acting lustfully.

Answer 9

How about 10 "VIRGIN" 5 of them was foolish.
and Mt 18:8-9
If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire.
9And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.

Eph 4:22-24
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;
23to be made new in the attitude of your minds;
24and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

I hope i gave some help.

Answer 10

Would it be a sin if two people did all that while they were married to someone else?

I think it's about carnal knowlege of another person. If you have it, then neither of you are a virgin.