Editing Celibacy (section)

{{short description|State of voluntary sexual abstinence}}
{{About-distinguish|voluntary sexual abstinence|Asexuality}}
{{Redirect|Sworn virgins|the Balkan gender category|Albanian sworn virgins}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}

'''Celibacy''' (from [[Latin]] ''caelibatus'') is the state of voluntarily being [[unmarried]], [[sexually abstinent]],<!--NOTE: Sources differ on the and/or matter -- whether celibacy is both unmarried and sexually abstinent, or one or the other; this line follows the sources with WP:Due weight, and the WP:ANDOR guideline. --> or both. It is often in association with the role of a religious official or devotee.<ref name="O'Brien">{{cite book|last=O'Brien|first=Jodi|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_nyHS4WyUKEC&pg=PT150|title=Encyclopedia of Gender and Society, Volume 1|publisher=[[SAGE Publications|SAGE]]|year=2009|isbn=978-1412909167|pages=118–119}}</ref> In its narrow sense, the term ''celibacy'' is applied only to those for whom the unmarried state is the result of a sacred [[vow]], act of [[renunciation]], or religious conviction.<ref name="O'Brien" /><ref name="Garner2009">{{cite book |author=Bryan Garner|title=Garner's Modern American Usage|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FwmQpyibKkAC&pg=PA145|date=28 July 2009|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-988877-1|page=145}}</ref> In a wider sense, it is commonly understood to only mean abstinence from [[Human sexual activity|sexual activity]].<ref name="O'Brien" /><ref name="Garner2009" /><ref name="Celibate">{{cite web|title=Celibate|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|access-date=11 January 2014|url=http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/celibate|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130302180840/http://oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/celibate|url-status=dead|archive-date=2 March 2013}}</ref><ref name="Celibacy">{{cite encyclopedia|title=Celibacy|dictionary=[[The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language]]|access-date=11 January 2014|url=http://www.ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q=Celibacy}}</ref><ref name="Celibacy2">{{cite web|title=Celibacy|publisher=[[Reference.com]]|access-date=11 January 2014|url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/celibacy}}</ref>

Celibacy has existed in one form or another throughout history, in virtually all the major religions of the world, and views on it have varied. Classical [[Hindu]] culture encouraged asceticism and celibacy in the later stages of life, after one has met one's societal obligations. [[Jainism]], on the other hand, preached complete celibacy even for young monks and considered celibacy to be an essential behavior to attain [[Moksha (Jainism)|moksha]]. [[Buddhism]] is similar to Jainism in this respect. There were, however, significant cultural differences in the various areas where Buddhism spread, which affected the local attitudes toward celibacy. A somewhat similar situation existed in Japan, where the [[Shinto]] tradition also opposed celibacy. In most native African and Native American religious traditions, celibacy has been viewed negatively as well, although there were exceptions like periodic celibacy practiced by some Mesoamerican warriors.<ref name="Olson2007">{{cite book|author=Carl Olson|title=Celibacy and Religious Traditions|year=2007|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-804181-8|pages=10–19}}</ref>

The [[Ancient Rome|Romans]] viewed celibacy as an aberration and legislated fiscal penalties against it, with the exception of the [[Vestal Virgin]]s, who took a 30-year vow of [[chastity]] in order to devote themselves to the study and correct observance of state rituals. In [[Christianity]], celibacy means the promise to live either virginal or celibate in the future. Such a [[vow of celibacy]] has been normal for some centuries for [[Catholic Church|Catholic]] priests, Catholic and [[Eastern Orthodox]] monks, and nuns. In addition, a promise or vow of celibacy may be made in the [[Anglican Communion]] and some [[Protestant churches]] or communities, such as the [[Shakers]]; for members of [[religious order]]s and [[religious congregation]]s; and for [[hermit]]s, [[consecrated virgin]]s, and [[deaconess]]es. [[Judaism]] and [[Islam]] have denounced celibacy, as both religions emphasize marriage and family life;<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|title=Encyclopedia of Gender and Society|editor=Jodi O'Brien|entry=Celibacy|page=118|author=Kristin Aune|publisher=[[SAGE Publishing]]}}</ref><ref>''Berachot'' 10a; ''Kiddushin'' 29b; Maimonides, ''Ishut'' 15:2; ''Shulchan Aruch, Even Hae'ezer'' 1:3</ref> however, the priests of the [[Essenes]], a Jewish sect during the [[Second Temple period]], practised celibacy. Several [[hadith]]s indicate that the Islamic prophet [[Muhammad]] denounced celibacy.