I've had humorous discussions before with my
sisters and mother about starting a nunnery after the lack of quality
guys in my area (which, I admit, never came to fruition after both my
sisters got engaged/married)---but in all serious, I have thought over
the concept of women and men dedicating their lives wholly to God.
I am not a Catholic, so it would be impossible theologically for me
to accept all of the views of Catholicism if I ever even considered the
process of becoming a nun, but I'm curious as to what your position
about nuns and monks is.
As some of you will reiterate, I'm sure, the apostle Paul understood
that God called most of us to marry (those with the physical desire to
do so) in order to avoid immorality, while he called others to celibacy.
("Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to
stay unmarried, as I do. But if they cannot control themselves, they
should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion."1
Cor. 7:8-9). This echoes Christ's statement in Matthew 19: 12 as he
discusses marriage with the Pharisees, where he states, "...there are
eunuchs who were born that way, and there are eunuchs who have been made
eunuchs by others—and there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven."
Paul's passage in accordance with Christ's words seem to indicate to
me that chosen lifetime singleness should only be a step made when a
man or woman is able to completely cut themselves off from physical
(passionate) desire for a spouse. All other men and women, it would
seem, who cannot entirely suppress such a desire entirely (which seems
to be the majority of the population, since God created us with that
innately) are not 'called to be eunuchs'.
There are certainly some very admirable Catholic monks and nuns
(Mother Theresa and Brother Lawrence, as some of many numerous examples)
who have built legacies and saved thousands through their dedication to
God as single people. However, although some of these felt that
personally their ministry would be more effective through singleness,
and perhaps considered themselves 'eunuchs', there is also the
controversial Scripture in 1 Timothy which disagrees with the Catholic
church's institutionalism of singles in ministry (nuns and monks).
1 Timothy 4:1-5 states, "The Spirit clearly says that in later times
some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things
taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose
consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. They forbid people to marry
and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be
received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth.
For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it
is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of
God and prayer."
In some sense, the Catholic church appears to be doing just that:
forbidding men and women to marry in order to serve God in supposedly
more righteousness and purity. However, as I mentioned earlier, I think
only certain men and women are called to a life of singleness, while
others would serve God more appropriately (and in more holiness) by
being married. To pin such a burden of singleness on hundreds of men and
women whose deepest desire is to serve God---but who must give up a
natural desire they were not meant to simply because they believe they
would serve God better--appears inaccurate to me.
So,
Do you consider monks and nuns as correct biblical interpretations of singleness?
If so, what Scripture or knowledge do you consider coincides with your view?
