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What Is A Life Without Sex Like?
BBCNews ^ | April 26, 2010 | Finlo Rohrer

Posted on 04/26/2010 10:59:47 AM PDT by Steelfish

What Is A Life Without Sex Like?

Finlo Rohrer BBC News Magazine

The recent scandal over the handling of child abuse in the Catholic church has again focused attention on celibacy. But away from the arguments, what is it actually like to lead a life without having sex?

This is, we are told, a highly sexualised society.

HISTORY OF CELIBACY "The roots of celibacy are in all major religions except Judaism and Islam, and even these religions insist on pre-marital virginity, at least for women," says Elizabeth Abbott

For the Catholic Church, celibacy grew up for three reasons In interpretations of the Scriptures, celibacy was more perfect and desirable in God's eyes

Celibacy allowed priests/nuns and other devotees to consecrate their lives and thoughts to God Celibate priests were not a financial drain on the church

(snip)

In the 21st Century UK, indeed in almost all of the West, sexual imagery can be found in many places, and many young people expect to have a number of sexual partners before eventually settling down.

This perhaps may explain why the idea of a celibate lifestyle, as practised by the clergy of the Catholic Church, as well as adherents of other religions, causes a great deal of puzzlement among non-believers.

"In our sex-dominated society, people tend to view celibacy as a form of sexual anorexia - a sad and lonely state at best, unnatural at worst," says Elizabeth Abbott.

Jimmy O'Brien was a priest for the best part of a decade before deciding he had to leave his vocation. He has now been married for 20 years to a woman he met while still a priest, and he has two children.

[Pic in URL] Entering a life of celibacy - ordination of new priests at St Peter's Basilica, Vatican

(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Religion; Society
KEYWORDS: sexlife
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To: Steelfish

“What Is A Life Without Sex Like?”

I would rather not know.


21 posted on 04/26/2010 11:18:35 AM PDT by Grunthor (Over YOUR dead body!)
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To: Jonah Hex
Sex is a lot like air.

It really doesn't matter much unless you're not getting any.

22 posted on 04/26/2010 11:20:03 AM PDT by Lazamataz ("We beat the Soviet Union. Then we became them." -- Lazamataz, 2005)
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To: Tijeras_Slim; wastedyears
It’s no big deal. I just don’t plan on having sex without the L-word attached. Lazamataz?

LOL

"If there is an act of sexual intercourse ANYWHERE on the planet, just know, my child... I am there too." -- Lazamataz, "Behind The World's Light (c) 1986"

23 posted on 04/26/2010 11:22:28 AM PDT by Lazamataz ("We beat the Soviet Union. Then we became them." -- Lazamataz, 2005)
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To: dfwgator

Good point/addition.


24 posted on 04/26/2010 11:23:09 AM PDT by techcor (I hope Obama succeeds... in becoming a one term president.)
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To: Steelfish

This perhaps may explain why the idea of a celibate lifestyle, as practised by the clergy of the Catholic Church, as well as adherents of other religions, causes a great deal of puzzlement among non-believers.


It also causes a great deal of puzzlement among believers who not catholic.


25 posted on 04/26/2010 11:27:54 AM PDT by Grunthor (Over YOUR dead body!)
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To: Lazamataz

26 posted on 04/26/2010 11:28:09 AM PDT by Jonah Hex ("Never underestimate the hungover side of the Force.")
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To: Steelfish

Until recently, I could have given you and answer to that question.


27 posted on 04/26/2010 11:29:26 AM PDT by Islander7 (If you want to anger conservatives, lie to them. If you want to anger liberals, tell them the truth.)
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To: Gamecock

That long excerpt from Song of Solomon is a celebration of sex between man and wife, not man and hookup.

The Bible is very sex positive, but only for a man and woman married to one another.


28 posted on 04/26/2010 11:30:07 AM PDT by Persevero (Ask yourself: "What does the Left want me to do?" Then go do the opposite.)
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To: Gamecock

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuGKDLleNiY


29 posted on 04/26/2010 11:30:12 AM PDT by Grunthor (Over YOUR dead body!)
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To: wastedyears

“I just don’t plan on having sex without the L-word attached.”

Leash? Leather? Lava Lamp?

;o)


30 posted on 04/26/2010 11:31:07 AM PDT by Grunthor (Over YOUR dead body!)
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To: Persevero
That long excerpt from Song of Solomon is a celebration of sex between man and wife, not man and hookup.

LOL, you gotta be BULLSHAGGIN me!!!

Song of SOLOMON, the dude who had -- according to Kings I -- 700 wives and 300 concubines!!!

Yeah. Solomon was OBLIVIOUS to the concept of the 'hookup'..... LOL!

31 posted on 04/26/2010 11:32:58 AM PDT by Lazamataz ("We beat the Soviet Union. Then we became them." -- Lazamataz, 2005)
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To: Grunthor
Lawn dart?
32 posted on 04/26/2010 11:34:57 AM PDT by Jonah Hex ("Never underestimate the hungover side of the Force.")
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To: roaddog727
Gee,Perhaps the author should ask Keith Olberman.

No,he gets plenty from the fellas over at that Central Park men's room.

33 posted on 04/26/2010 11:35:52 AM PDT by Gay State Conservative (Host The Beer Summit-->Win The Nobel Peace Prize!)
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To: Lazamataz

I know Solomon was adulterous.

But the poem is about a man and his wife, referred to as his “bride.”


34 posted on 04/26/2010 11:37:20 AM PDT by Persevero (If man evolved from monkeys and apes, why do we still have monkeys and apes?)
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To: Persevero

I believe that was Gamecock’s exact point.


35 posted on 04/26/2010 11:37:50 AM PDT by SeaHawkFan
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To: little jeremiah

What rock have you been living under? Hardly any Christian theologian or pastor believes that any more.


36 posted on 04/26/2010 11:42:06 AM PDT by SeaHawkFan
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To: Steelfish

Short periods of voluntary celibacy for adults is no problem.In fact,when connected to religious worship it’s actually good and admirable.But lifelong?.....nope,sorry...not normal.Not at ALL normal.And yet the Catholic Church wonders why so many pervs are attracted to the priesthood (yes,I know,the pervs represent a small percentage of priests).If priests were to be allowed to marry a smaller percentage of those drawn to the priesthood would be *homosexual* pervs.There’d probably be a percentage that would be *hetero* pervs,just as a percentage of the population at large is,but...


37 posted on 04/26/2010 11:42:33 AM PDT by Gay State Conservative (Host The Beer Summit-->Win The Nobel Peace Prize!)
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To: Steelfish

The idea this a new problem is ridiculous. There has been promiscuity, adultery and breaking of all kinds of vows by humans for thousands of years. Read the Bible.

The problem of priests violating their vows is not new either. When part of my family came here from Europe in the 1880s, they were Catholic. My great-grandmother saw the priests in the US violating their vows and left the Catholic Church and joined the Lutherans. She was a terror, according to those who knew her.


38 posted on 04/26/2010 11:43:27 AM PDT by RogerQ
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To: Gay State Conservative
In fact,when connected to religious worship it’s actually good and admirable.But lifelong?.....nope,sorry...not normal.Not at ALL normal.

Since when does "normal" have anything to do with what is possible or with what is right?
39 posted on 04/26/2010 11:44:24 AM PDT by aruanan
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To: techcor

ROFLOL!!


40 posted on 04/26/2010 11:45:44 AM PDT by Osage Orange (Si vis pacem, para bellum)
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