[GunRunner]

Chastity at certain points in one’s life is understandable and often commendable. But indeed, lifelong chastity commitments made early in one’s life are quire hard (impossible in fact) for me and many others to understand.

[TomOnTheRun]

Chastity at certain points in one’s life is understandable and often commendable. But indeed, lifelong chastity commitments made early in one’s life are quire hard (impossible in fact) for me and many others to understand.

What you say is very true and very understandable. I'm just not sure it should be as mysterious as it is to some people.

It's like this - When I'm at parties and people ask about what it was like to be a monk the FIRST question they ask is usually "How could you cope without sex?!" This is quickly followed by "It must be great to get some now!" They aren't ready for me to say "I not yet. No ring on my finger." - they are totally non-plussed and slowly stop talking to me. It's not that they they dislike me - it's that they think they have nothing in common with me. Chastity is apparently less easy to understand and more alienating than if I spent all my weekends at a gay bathhouse.

[Straight Vermonter]

Jesus knew how difficult this was:

He answered, "Not all can accept [this] word, but only those to whom that is granted. Some are incapable of marriage because they were born so; some, because they were made so by others; some, because they have renounced marriage for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Whoever can accept this ought to accept it." Matt 19:11-12