[CA Conservative]

Second, if it were true that there were a correlation between celibacy and pederasty,

I was not claiming a correlation between celibacy and pederasty - I was merely commenting on the idea that Paul was never married, and also the idea that to remain celibate your entire life is not the "normal state".

As far as Scripture that states Pharisees were required to be married, no, you cannot find one. The criteria to be a Pharisee was based on Jewish tradition and the Torah. The Pharisees were a Jewish sect, as were the Sadducees.

[Mrs. Don-o]

There's no doubt, I think, that lifelong celibacy for adults is not exactly natural. It is, in the case of vowed or religiously consecrated celibates, supernatural. It is a special grace, one that does not derive from either one's drives and appetites nor from societal norms.

It's certainly not for everyone.

It did and does mean a lot to the Church, though, that celibacy was honored by both the precept and the example of Christ and St. Paul, without, of course, being made normative for all believers. The Shakers and, I think, the Albigensians tried to go in that direction, but it doesn't work out well.