Celabacy - Repression or Growth (celibacy, grace, translation, grace)

[Trinity]

Do you feel that celibacy is a repression of natural instincts or a sacrifice for a higher good?

[Jaymes]

What good is accomplished by suppressing desire? Unless the desires being suppressed are the desires or rape or pedophilia, I don't see many ways this could benefit people.

[Sunstone]

I think the theory is that the celibate person gives up the option of loving just one person for the option of loving all people. That is to say that in the absence of his love being given to just one person, he is freed to love everyone.

[Engyo]

Bad old joke:

The monks were all working on translations. There was a dispute over some of the wording from some of the old texts, and the abbot was brought in to make the judgement call. He couldn't decide either, and so he determined to go down into the vaults to examine the oldest texts stored there for safe keeping.

The other monks eagerly awaited his return. After several hours, they saw the candle flame flickering in the stairwell, as the abbot slowly climbed the last few steps. As he entered the cloister, all of the monks noticed that his face was tear-streaked.

"What was the answer, your Grace? What's wrong?" all of the monks clamored.

The abbot answered, crying, "It says Celeb*R*ate!"

[The Voice of Reason]

I don't see how celibacy could ever be anything but repression of a natural desire. I understand the argument that Sunstone makes about loving all people, and I also see the thought of denying your love for another human so that you can more fully love God, but I just don't see the value in this. I'm certainly not saying it is wrong - that is a value judgement that each individual must make, but I'm saying that I can't imagine making that sacrifice in life needlessly. Then again, I am sure that some people feel a need to serve their God, and that they see this as an avenue to that end.

Thanks,
TVOR

[robtex]

when u say celebancy what time frame are you referring to?

as far as it being repression of natural instincts or a sacrifice for a higher good...i don't see it as mutually exclusive.

for instance maybe a couple is engaged married together..whatever and the one is shipped to war ...so the other is celebant...the celebant one is (did u mean suppressing?) repressing an instinct..but it is for a higher social good of the couple if the at home partner is celebant.

i guess i am confused at the nature of the question. cause i don't see them as an either or senerio?

[maggie2]

Personally I don't see the point of celibacy. I don't see how celibacy serves God in any way. I do respect a person's right to choose this route, however. If someone is lead to follow this type of life who am I to question that? However, if celibacy is forced upon a person then I think it is useless and wrong.

[Trinity]

My question is do you think it is repression or growth?

[maggie2]

Repression.

[Trinity]

Would anyone like to hear the Catholic understanding of celabacy, and then we can debate the positives and negatives? or just let it die?