Did I mention monks?
Submitted by Forgiven on March 29 2002 17:17:13
In reply to Re: Argument from silence is always risky submitted by sally on March 27 2002 17:47:42
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The monastic calling is a subset of the celibate, and is based on a particular set of principles (and yes there were, and are coed monasteries - a small minority, the Gilbertine order in England before the Reformation and a recent foundation in England today!) However... I'm still trying to overcome my shock at your support for the monastic tradition; I was expecting you to take the normal negative Protestant view of the cloister as being an unscriptural escape from the world. However there is a wider tradition of celibacy for ministry, which is more what I am looking at - and this is of course the pattern that the New Testament will be looking at since there is no monastic tradition there. And in that context appropriate relationships are of course possible, and in my mind desirable.... Why on earth do they have to lay boundaries? Hasn't God laid boundaries? because my YFs - although from a church background have largely turned their back on it, so it is not clear as to what boundaries they are operating under. What if they had not lain boundaries? There's the risk that they would want to experiment with a sexual relationship with me.... Not that I REALLY want that - but the offer of such a tempting prospect is not trivial. That nothing like that has happened is part of the evidence that they are God's way for me, not just a random accident. Maybe a teenager, could be your friend, in a small way, but even a mature teen is not equipped to be a friend to an adult. We just have way more experience that they and they are not able to relate to our struggles or offer us support in them. Unfortunately one of my YFs had a fairly rotten childhood, the family being abandoned by his father when he was about 7. As a result he does have a certain maturity that has been some support. And in recent years (he's now 21) there's been much greater depth of support and relationship. It may be inappropriate still to describe him as my YF - that may give the wrong idea.... This is not how it should be if you are truly called to celibacy. The celibate is called to be taken up completely with God. He is to be devoted to God and precisely we are told that he is able to be devoted to God because has not the emotional, physical, intimate entanglement that the wife requires of a husband. I've cast doubt on your definition and understanding of celibacy on my other post below; I don't believe that your view really is substantiated by the biblical pattern. 'I long night and day to see you that I may be filled with joy (2 Tim 1 v4b) is not an unemotional relationship! And what was going on with John at the last supper ''One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was lying close to the breast of Jesus'. Jn 13 v23. I'm not suggesting anything inappropriate - but I really don't think it is an unemotional relationship. We need to find right ways for singles to relate - so that we don't end up relating wrongly; in one sense this is an issue for all unmarried Christians, and not just those struggling with the gay / BL issue... |
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