Decidedly Celibate Singles

[Donny_B]

There are some who have such a gift of no physical desires. If you have such a gift, then you are very blessed because you will not have sins of that nature. When Jesus healed the blind man, he told the Pharisees that if they had been born blind, they would be without sin, but since they see, their sin remains (John 9:1-41).

I think Paul and many who choose celibacy still have physical desires, but they are able to keep them under control. It is also a gift.

I myself hope to be married some day, so I guess I don't have the gift, but nevertheless am still able to control myself until that day comes.

 

[OceanAngel]

Wish I didn't have it.

 

[OceanAngel]

Heck If I knew I was gonna be single, I would have actually contiuned with that Priest plan...............

 

[klewlis]

Heck If I knew I was gonna be single, I would have actually contiuned with that Priest plan...............

Then it's good that you didn't, since you'd be doing it for the wrong reasons.

Anyway, you're only 29. The average age for men these days to get married is 30.

 

[JPPT1974]

I have been celibrate ever since I was born in the crib and still am pushing thirty and still need to watch any and all circumstances and everything that is out there that is tempting but I just go my own business.

 

[seangoh]

thanks for the insight desper84unity and deg..that was what i needed to hear.

 

[OceanAngel]

Anyway, you're only 29. The average age for men these days to get married is 30.

I'm 30 in less than 6 days

 

[Praetor]

Well, if you don't want to go into missions or the priesthood, you all have other options to utilize your singleness. You can go into low paying occupations like education. Or you can also join the military. I thought about going back to the military as an enlisted person after 9-11 to fight in the war on terror. But I found no peace with that idea.

I opted to go into law enforcement instead. With a large urban police department in America, law enforcement is almost as dangerous as serving as an American GI in Iraq or A-Stan. Not to mention law enforcement involves alot of long irregular hours. I thought my singleness would be an advantage in this occupation.

Ironically, 99.9% of the people I work with, train with, are either married, in a relationship, or want a relationship. And they're always puzzled on why I'm not in a relationship or seeking a relationship. Interesting enough, I think the law enforcement culture actually encourages this because first, it promotes stability and second, the police want us to have a reason to fight to survive when were in a situation. Personally, I think we could use some more Christian singles in law enforcement IMHO

There is a portion of me that wants a relationship and wants to settle down and get married someday. Problem is, I wish that part of me wasn't there at times.

 

[oldrooster]

I would like to become a monk, not enough women there........

 

[Rising_Suns]

There is a difference between voluntary celibacy and forced celibacy. Voluntary celibacy is a gift (Matt 19:11-12, I Cor 7:7). But forced celibacy, or forbidding to marry, is a "doctrine of devils of the latter times" (I Timothy 4:1-3). Here is what Paul had to say on forced celibacy, or forbidding to marry:

"1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. I Timothy 4:1-3

Of course, until marriage, we are commanded to avoid fornication and to not commit adultery during marriage.

Yes. I would also like to add that celibacy in the priesthood or the monastic life is not forced; it's a choice that one makes in in pursuit of their calling. It's a great sacrifice for many; yet we should always remember the words of Christ; that there is no greater sacrifice than to lay down our life for another; whom Jesus has done for us.

We must always keep in mind that this life is so fragile and no one knows the day or hour of their death. we may die tomorrow, or the next day; this life is fleeting, so why do we still grasp to things that are transient? Why are we still consumed with the desire to be loved from another person while neglecting our Lord? Why do we find it so difficult to give ourselves completely to the one who made us? I fall victim of this just like we all do; of losing the mind of Christ, who neither gave Himself to marriage nor the pleasures of this world. In heaven, their are no marriages; marriage simply does not exist, and to those who can further imitate Christ also imitate life in heaven, whom the Saints have also made the choice to do.

Anyway, I am rambling now, lol. I would just like to say that I deeply commend anyone who gives up their desires for another in order to devote themselves more profoundly to the desire of our Lord through His son Jesus Christ.

 

[Psalms101]

WOW!!!!! I made a commitment for celibacy two years ago(I'm still young, so I wasn'treally faced with marriage yet) and only one of my really close friends is being supportive, and I started feeling like I was the only one outside of Catholic positions. This is so reassuring!!!
Psalma101

 

[RabidYeti]

Something for you decidedly celibate singles to think about:

1 Timothy 4:1-5

Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from what we believe; they will follow lying spirits and teachings that come from demons. These teachers are hypocrites and liars. They pretend to be religious, but their consciences are dead.
They will say it is wrong to be married and wrong to eat certain foods. But God created those foods to be eaten with thanksgiving by people who know and believe the truth. Since everything God created is good, we should not reject any of it. We may receive it gladly, with thankful hearts. 5 For we know it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.

 

[Rising_Suns]

Something for you decidedly celibate singles to think about:

Thank you for the passage, but I do not see how it applys here. Nobody is saying it is wrong to marry at all. This is a choice that we make out of our free will (likewise with fasting); to be ready and able to subdue our bodies and make the sacrifices we must in order to dedicate our lives more wholly to God. Just to even be able to give our desires for marriage up to the Lord is a huge blessing and leap of faith in itself; and if it is God's desire for us to marry, atleat we have come to a point where it would be totally god's choice and not our own. The first step is in putting our fleshly desires for love aside and fully embracing the possiblity of life of celibacy, if God so requires of us...which is an extremely difficult thing to do; not many are capable and called to it, which is most likely why not many understand the vocation.



I should like you to be free of anxieties. An unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord. But a married man is anxious about the things of this world; how he may please his wife, and he is divided...."--1 cor 7:32


"..so then, the one who marries his virgin does well; the one who does not marry her will do better"--1 cor 7:38

 

[caitlincares]

I have stated my situation in other threads and thought I would add it to the official celibacy sticky.

I made a decision to stay celibate until I marry.
I turn 40 this year and am still a virgin.

Since it has always been a part of my life (celibacy) I do not think much about it.
One guy I went to church with in college (eons ago) was amazed at my single mindedness at church.
I guess others would have wanted to just sit with him and hold hands but not me.
I was at church so I did not truly care that he was sitting next to me.
I was worshipping: singing the songs, reading along in the Bible and listening to the sermon. To me that was normal.

Part of my make up is I do not care what others think as long as I believe I am doing right.
That has probably helped in my ability to stay celibate.

 

[Tuffguy]

I dont' know how you men can decide to be single for the rest of your lives. I love women (not saying you don't) and need at the very least a gf to hang out with. I just don't see how any guy could totally wright off women altogether.

 

[Susan]

LOL, to be honest, I'm just not interested in men. So I don't know whether my celibacy is a high calling of holiness or just that I don't care. ^^

 

[desper84unity]

okay, the emphasis most people stress is that celebacy is a gift. Okay, but I believe celibacy involves a choice to obey God. For those of us who read the words of Jesus Christ carefully, celibacy is a scriptural choice that avoids the sin of adultery after divorce. I have been divorced, and my decision to obey what I see CHRIST revealed as the way to go has been the most blessed thing I ever did. For a divorced person like me, going celibate puts everything in Kingdom order. My focus is on Christ now.

 

[Rising_Suns]

Has God called more people to celibacy than those who have accepted this calling?

Lets examine this.

About 1/2 of 1% of all Catholics have made vows of celibacy either through ordination to the priesthood or the religious life as a brother or nun. That's about 1 in 200 Catholics, and that is the reality.


It is said by some Saints that God has called a much higher percentage than this, but most people simply ignore the calling because they are so consumed by the desire to be loved by another person. One Saint (i forget who it was) estimated that about 1/3 of Catholics are called to celibacy, yet in reality we see less than 1% following this calling.

To those of you who are ready to give up everything to follow God, I deeply commend you for your faith. I would hope more people would listen to the whispering in their hearts.

Praying for humility,
-Davide

 

[~WildRoseCowgirl~]

I have a purity ring that is a promise to my parents and God that I will try my hardest to remain a virgin until my wedding day.

 

[FaithfulServant]

How could anyone estimate 1/3 of all catholics are called to celibacy? That sounds ridiculous, no one can decide how many but God, and no one knows God's plan! It is IMPOSSIBLE to estimate.