Is celibacy still celebrated?

[osho]

Celibates are out there in most cultures with their high-pitched voices. Hinduism comes on the top list since celibacies are considered high virtues. But wherever and whenever I look at them I do it from a critical lens not through the lens of a devotee.
Let us forget that part since I do not want to hurt any religious people and that will be sacrilege. I am want to put this topic forward for a debate.
Is celibacy possible and do those in this sacred profession do not masturbate?
I want you to forgive me if my words are likely to hurt your particular faith. This is an independent discussion

[cafolini]

Independent. LOL

[cacian]

celibacy is not out of choice. Some people would rather be uncelibate then live by themselves like bachelors.
Why celebrate it when there is nothing to celebrate if for. What is the celebration about?

[YesNo]

I didn't think Hinduism particularly valued celibacy one way or the other. Isn't there a householder phase one is supposed to go through? I don't know much about Hinduism. The library has one self of books on the topic and about 10 times that on Buddhism.

Personally, I don't see any particular reason to value celibacy from a spiritual position, but then I don't really have any specific religious position to present.

[Ecurb]

Celibacy is still celebrated ; abstinence is not.

[WyattGwyon]

The Roman Catholic Church still celebrates it. The institution currently uses celibacy as it always has, as part of a multi-pronged strategy for controlling the "flock" through guilt. By furthering the view that sexual activity is dirty and offensive to god in any but one very specific circumstance (between two Catholics for the specific purpose of procreation if and only if these individuals have been joined in the sacrament of marriage), and then claiming that the clergy do not engage in this sinful behavior, they establish a holier-than-thou moral superiority. This helps to justify their claims that all human sin can be absolved only through confessing all infractions to them, the few, the pure, the morally superior. It is a con and a particularly vicious form of psychological rape; they want to get you by the balls, control you through your guilt and shame, and thus extract cash from you.

Of course they all masturbate, some have sex with each other or anything else that moves, and some molest children. Only the suckers among them who actually believe the official drivel and who aren't bright enough to be in on the scam take their vows of celibacy seriously.

[cacian]

Celibacy is still celebrated ; abstinence is not.

what is the difference? in essence shouldn't celibacy means abstinence?

The Roman Catholic Church still celebrates it. The institution currently uses celibacy as it always has, as part of a multi-pronged strategy for controlling the "flock" through guilt. By furthering the view that sexual activity is dirty and offensive to god in any but one very specific circumstance (between two Catholics for the specific purpose of procreation if and only if these individuals have been joined in the sacrament of marriage), and then claiming that the clergy do not engage in this sinful behavior, they establish a holier-than-thou moral superiority. This helps to justify their claims that all human sin can be absolved only through confessing all infractions to them, the few, the pure, the morally superior. It is a con and a particularly vicious form of psychological rape; they want to get you by the balls, control you through your guilt and shame, and thus extract cash from you.

Of course they all masturbate, some have sex with each other or anything else that moves, and some molest children. Only the suckers among them who actually believe the official drivel and who aren't bright enough to be in on the scam take their vows of celibacy seriously.

I have always wondered about the roman catholic practice of celibacy. How is one to practice preaching to god if there is no procreation ie sex. How is the population to grow?
In order for religion and god to be celebrated and preached to surely the logical step would be to have sex in order to procreate hence keeping up with the faith. Abstinence means no more people to go around to keep up with god.

[cafolini]

I have always wondered about the roman catholic practice of celibacy. How is one to practice preaching to god if there is no procreation ie sex. How is the population to grow?
In order for religion and god to be celebrated and preached to surely the logical step would be to have sex in order to procreate hence keeping up with the faith. Abstinence means no more people to go around to keep up with god.

It's a useless leftover. They are funny little fellows these Roman Catholics with their cheesy cardinalia. In the past, when they had to justify it, they often said that it was a prerequisite to be able to dedicate a lot more of their time to their people. LOL

[*Classic*Charm*]

I have always wondered about the roman catholic practice of celibacy. How is one to practice preaching to god if there is no procreation ie sex. How is the population to grow?
In order for religion and god to be celebrated and preached to surely the logical step would be to have sex in order to procreate hence keeping up with the faith. Abstinence means no more people to go around to keep up with god.

The Catholic church does not encourage a lifetime of celibacy. It teaches celibacy until marriage and sex for the purpose of pro-creation. The celibacy practiced by the clergy is based on the premise that they have chosen an intimate relationship with God, as opposed to one with another individual.

[Paulclem]

In Buddhism, becoming a Monk or a Nun requires celibacy as part of the vows taken at that time. It is ok for a monk or Nun to disrobe and return to an ordinary life if they wish. It is the practice in some countries for some young men - teenagers - to become novice monks for a year.They then return to their families.

The thinking behind it is that sex, relationships and everything that goes with it is a distraction to the practice of the path. If a person is serious about their practice and wants to focus, then they may choose to follow this route. There is no barrier to being a lay person practising as much as they can.

Monks and Nuns are respected for this commitment to a virtuous path.

[Shaman_Raman]

celibacy is not out of choice. Some people would rather be uncelibate then live by themselves like bachelors.
Why celebrate it when there is nothing to celebrate if for. What is the celebration about?

That's assuming the only reason people are celibate is because they can't get any, which I respectfully disagree with.

As far as celebrating it, there are different reasons people have. Some Christians commit to celibacy until marriage, so sex is something they can enjoy in the comfort of their union together. So the belief there is to only share it with the one true person you want to spend your life with.

As mentioned, other reasons for celibacy are for the sake of committing a devoted relationship to God only. Or as also mentioned for Buddhism, to stay unattached to the act of sex, which I get...it's much harder to have sex and give it up, than to never have it at all.

Of course, these are arguments made from a spiritual perspective. I'd refrain from trying to debunk it with logic.

[Bleeding Pawn]

Of course they all masturbate, some have sex with each other or anything else that moves, and some molest children. Only the suckers among them who actually believe the official drivel and who aren't bright enough to be in on the scam take their vows of celibacy seriously.

If by they you meant Priests and Nuns then you cannot be more correct because during the Medieval Europe when it was going through a dark phase, intellectually and spiritually,many of these religious figureheads were involved in such heinous acts. Later, when the nuns became pregnant and to cover up their guilt and crime of violating the teachings of the church, they (Nuns) started to claim that they were being visited and in turn captivated by seductive fallen angels called Incubiat night and on the other the hand, simultaneously, to give weight to the Nuns` alibi the Priests also professed that they were also being tempted and seduced by ravishing and voluptious female demons called Succubi.

To cover up this mass scandal and to prevent it from bringing further disgrace to the already defamed reputation of church authorities many religious leaders of the like of Pope Innocent VIII, Pope Benedict XIV, St. Augustine and St. Thomas had to willingly (or unwillingly?) accept the existence of Succubi and Incubi. So subsequently the babies delivered by the nuns were buried outside the nunneries as a way of seriously dealing with this subject.

Furthermore, many modern researchers have come up to the conclusion that the so called demons and angels were figments of the culprits imagination due to prolonged deprivation of natural desires/urges and that the pregnancies was only the result of illicit relations between the nuns and priests.

It's a useless leftover. They are funny little fellows these Roman Catholics with their cheesy cardinalia. In the past, when they had to justify it, they often said that it was a prerequisite to be able to dedicate a lot more of their time to their people. LOL

The Catholic church does not encourage a lifetime of celibacy. It teaches celibacy until marriage and sex for the purpose of pro-creation. The celibacy practiced by the clergy is based on the premise that they have chosen an intimate relationship with God, as opposed to one with another individual.

Being close to God or rather in an intimate relationship with HIM does give any shepherd the authority to fleece their own flocks spiritually, morally, mentally and physically for their own personal desires. If ones natural urges are not fulfilled through natural union, sooner or later it would vent out unnatural situations detriment to the majority of the society.

[*Classic*Charm*]

Being close to God or rather in an intimate relationship with HIM does give any shepherd the authority to fleece their own flocks spiritually, morally, mentally and physically for their own personal desires. If ones natural urges are not fulfilled through natural union, sooner or later it would vent out unnatural situations detriment to the majority of the society.

If you're suggesting that I agree with the practice, you're making an assumption. I'm merely explaining the premise.

Furthermore, many modern researchers have come up to the conclusion that the so called demons and angels were figments of the culprits imagination due to prolonged deprivation of natural desires/urges

Bah haha. Show me in the scientific literature where it states that a lack of sexual activity leads to hallucinations. What a silly claim.

[OrphanPip]

The idea of massive amounts of sexual debauchery in the clergy arise largely out of post-reformation propaganda against Catholicism and there is little evidence of any widespread behavior of the kind. Of course, nuns, priest, and monks have done bad things or been hypocritical to their vows, but they're human beings. I have no problem believing that most clergy approach their vows with sincerity.

[Ecurb]

what is the difference? in essence shouldn't celibacy means abstinence?

.

Celibacy refers to the state of being unmarried, especially in accordance with religious vows. Abstinence refers to avoiding sex.