Celibacy refers either to being unmarried or to sexual abstinence. Celibacy is sometimes used as a synonym for "abstinence" or "chastity." A vow of celibacy is a promise not to enter into marriage or engage in sexual intercourse. The term involuntary celibacy has recently appeared to describe a chronic, unwilling state of celibacy. Image File history File links Emblem-important. ... For other uses, see Love (disambiguation). ... Image File history File links Emblem-favorites. ... Court of Love in Provence in the 14th Century (after a manuscript in the Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris). ... Alcibiades and friend Victorian view of interaction between a Greek adolescent and an adult male Lawrence Alma-Tadema, Phidias Showing the Frieze of the Parthenon to his Friends (1868) Greek love is a relatively modern coinage (almost universally placed within quotation marks) intended as a euphemistic reference to male-to... This page contains religious views on topic oflove. ... Eroticism is an aesthetic focus on sexual desire, especially the feelings of anticipation of sexual activity. ... Platonic love in its modern popular sense is an affectionate relationship into which the sexual element does not enter, especially in cases where one might easily assume otherwise. ... In sociology, familial love is a type affinity or natural affection felt between members of a group bound by common ancestry or blood ties. ... For other uses, see Puppy love (disambiguation). ... This article primarily discusses philosophical ideologies in relation to the subject of romantic love. ... Unrequited love is love that is not reciprocated, even though reciprocation is usually deeply desired. ... In philosophy, the problem of love questions whether the desire to do good for another is based solely on the outward ability to love another person because the lover sees something (or someone) worth loving, or if a little self-interest is always present in the desire to do good... This article is about human sexual perceptions. ... It has been suggested that Duration of sexual intercourse be merged into this article or section. ... For other uses, see Valentines Day (disambiguation). ... Sexual abstinence is the practice of voluntarily refraining from some or all aspects of sexual activity. ... This article is about the practice of abstinence in general. ... Allegory of chastity by Hans Memling. ... An oath of clerical celibacy is the promise of a religious or clerical official to remain unmarried, or not to remarry. ... Matrimony redirects here. ... It has been suggested that Duration of sexual intercourse be merged into this article or section. ... Involuntary celibacy is the state of a person who has not established an intimate relationship or engaged in sexual intercourse for reasons other than voluntary celibacy or sexual abstinence. ...

Reasons for celibacy

• Religious beliefs (religious celibacy)
• In order to strengthen the body
• To avoid the risk and/or prevent the spread of venereal disease
• To focus energies on other matters, like one's career or social issues (sublimation)
• To avoid contributing to overpopulation
• To cultivate a relationship according to an ideal of chastity
• An inability to obtain a willing sexual partner (involuntary celibacy)
• An inability to find a sexual partner that one finds acceptable or tolerable
• A distaste or lack of appetite for sex (asexuality, antisexualism)
• A distaste or lack of desire for couple hood
• To avoid persecution (e.g. prosecution for gay relations under sodomy laws)
• Perceived benefit of alteration of physiological factors (hormonal changes)
• As an attempt to regain a sense of self and independence from others
• Medical limitations (medical celibacy)
• To enhance the production of the DMT-molecule in the Pineal Gland, and limit the production of Melatonin.^{[citation needed]}'Bold text'

Celibacy refers either to being unmarried or to sexual abstinence. ... Sexually-transmitted infections (STIs), also known as sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs), are diseases that are commonly transmitted between partners through some form of sexual activity, most commonly vaginal intercourse, oral sex, or anal sex. ... For other uses, see Sublimation. ... Map of countries by population density (See List of countries by population density. ... Involuntary celibacy is the state of a person who has not established an intimate relationship or engaged in sexual intercourse for reasons other than voluntary celibacy or sexual abstinence. ... This article is about the sexual orientation in humans. ... Antisexualism is a term that describes the views of someone who is antagonistic towards sexuality, or a movement against all forms of sexuality. ... A sodomy law is a law that defines certain sexual acts as sex crimes. ... DMT is a three-letter abbreviation (TLA) which may stand for Dimethyltryptamine, an endogenous and hallucinogenic tryptamine Digital Monetary Trust Discrete multitone modulation, also discrete multitone technique Desoxymethyltestosterone Discrete monitor timing (a VESA standard for computer displays) Divalent Metal Transporter gene (related to haemochromatosis) Data Miniaturization Technology Dark Medieval Times... The pineal gland (also called the pineal body or epiphysis) is a small endocrine gland in the brain. ... Melatonin, 5-methoxy-N-acetyltryptamine, is a hormone found in all living creatures from algae[1] to humans, at levels that vary in a diurnal cycle. ...

Religious celibacy

Church laws maintained by the Roman Catholic Church and also by the monastic orders of Hindu and Buddhist traditions mandate Clerical celibacy as a requirement for priests. Celibacy is also proclaimed by some religions as an ideal for laypeople, for the unmarried or for homosexuals. Catholic Church redirects here. ... Monasticism (from Greek: monachos—a solitary person) is the religious practice of renouncing all worldly pursuits in order to fully devote ones life to spiritual work. ... Hinduism is a religious tradition[1] that originated in the Indian subcontinent. ... A statue of the Sakyamuni Buddha in Tawang Gompa, India. ... Clerical celibacy is the practice of various religious traditions in which clergy, monastics and those in religious orders (female or male) adopt a celibate life, refraining from marriage and sexual relationships, including masturbation and impure thoughts (such as sexual visualisation and fantasies). ...

Christianity

The question of celibacy is handled differently by various Christian authorities. One religious argument for celibacy is given by the Apostle Paul in I Corinthians 7:7-8:32-35: "For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that. I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I."; "But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord: But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife. There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband. And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction."

Catholics understand celibacy to be a reflection of life in Heaven, and a source of detachment from the material world, which aids in one's relationship with God. Catholic priests are called to be espoused to the Church itself, and espoused to God, without overwhelming commitments interfering with the relationship. Catholics understand celibacy as the calling of some, but not of all.

Among Catholics and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), gays are expected to adhere to the same marriage laws as others, meaning they cannot marry those of the same sex. A Catholic organization promoting chaste celibacy for gays is Courage International. Those who identify as gay may not be able to become Catholic priests, however, even if they maintain celibacy. The LDS Church encourages its members not to feed any such tempted desire. For other uses, see The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (disambiguation). ... Courage International (or, more commonly, Courage) is an apostolate and Christian ministry of the Roman Catholic Church, which ministers to gay and bisexual Catholics who wish to abstain from acting on their sexual desires and to live chastely. ... This is an annotated list of men primarily known for their work as Catholic priests. ...

A few Christian sects even advocated celibacy as a better way of life for everyone. These groups included the following: The Shakers, The Harmony Society, and The Ephrata Cloister. Not surprisingly, these groups don't exist anymore because their membership grew old and eventually passed away. For other uses, see Christian (disambiguation). ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The Harmony Society was a Christian theosophy and alchemist society founded in Iptingen, Germany, in 1785 or 1786. ... The Ephrata Cloister or Ephrata Community was a religious community established in 1732 by Johann Conrad Beissel at Ephrata, in what is now Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. ...

Clerical celibacy

In the Orthodox Church ordinary parish priests are expected to be married men with families before ordination, and they need their family's approval to become a priest.

Clerical celibacy was an important point of disagreement during the Reformation. Reformers argued that requiring a vow of celibacy from a priest was contrary to biblical teaching (see 1 Tim 4:1-5 [1], Heb 13:4 [2] and 1 Cor 9:5 [3]), a degradation of marriage and a reason for the widespread sexual misconduct within the clergy at the time of the Reformation (e.g., discussed by Calvin in his Institutes of the Christian Religion IV,12,23-28 [4]). Clerical celibacy is the practice of various religious traditions in which clergy, monastics and those in religious orders (female or male) adopt a celibate life, refraining from marriage and sexual relationships, including masturbation and impure thoughts (such as sexual visualisation and fantasies). ... The Protestant Reformation was a movement which began in the 16th century as a series of attempts to reform the Roman Catholic Church, but ended in division and the establishment of new institutions, most importantly Lutheranism, Reformed churches, and Anabaptists. ... Calvin may refer to: Calvin (Calvin and Hobbes) Calvin College, a college in Grand Rapids, Michigan People with the surname Calvin: John Calvin, theologian Melvin Calvin, American chemist Susan Calvin, fictional robopsychologist People with the given name Calvin: Calvin Coolidge, American President Calvin Cheng, fashion mogul Calvin Klein, fashion designer... Institutes of the Christian Religion is John Calvins seminal work on Protestant theology. ...

The Roman Catholic Church did not change its position claiming to be based on Matthew 19:12. The arguments aof the following: the Church never condemned or forbade marriage but has only required celibacy of those who would enter the priesthood so they could devote themselves completely to the care of Christ's Flock (see Mathew 19:12) or who have otherwise taken vows to do so of their own free will (in response to 1 Tim 4:1-5); the Church has never dishonored marriage but has elevated its honor from its Old Testament and secular status while acknowledging Christ's elevation of celibacy for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven to an even more honorable status (in response to Heb 13:4); and the Church has not required celibacy of all ecclesiastics at all times in history (it was not required of the majority of ecclesiastics in the early Church, and in modern times certain converts are permitted to be married when receiving Holy Orders), although Christ's counsel is normally followed (in response to 1 Cor. 9:5, which lists certain ecclesiastics who had the right at the time, but apparently chose not to exercise this right for the sake of the Gospel). The Church also found that the clerics who engaged in sexual misconduct were not sincere, unreserved followers of Christ, but those who had either become ecclesiastics with the wrong intentions or had lost their fidelity to Christ. Catholic Church redirects here. ... Matrimony redirects here. ... A priesthood is a body of priests, shamans, or oracles who are thought to have special religious authority or function. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Catholic deacon...

The Catholic Church's practice of clerical celibacy among priests and bishops of the Latin Rite and bishops of all rites, Eastern and Western, was confirmed by the Second Vatican Council and reaffirmed by Pope Paul VI in his encyclical letter, Sacerdotalis Caelibatus, June 24, 1967. The Latin Rite is one of the 23 sui iuris particular Churches within the Catholic Church. ... The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, or Vatican II, was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church. ... This article cites very few or no references or sources. ... Sacerdotalis Caelibatus (Latin: Of the celibate priesthood) is the name of an encyclical written by Pope Paul VI. It defends the Catholic Churchs tradition of priestly celibacy in the West. ... is the 175th day of the year (176th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. ...

Recently, the issue of celibacy for Roman Catholic priests has again become a source of heated debate, partly in response to the decline in "vocations" (men applying to be priests), but also in the wake of discoveries of longstanding child sexual abuse by Catholic priests in the USA and elsewhere. Although a married priesthood is advocated by some to be a solution to these problems, the Church continues to stand firm in its longstanding celibacy rule. Church representatives maintain that mental illness and a loss of fidelity to Christ and the Church are responsible. They further point out that in the sectors of the Church where fidelity to the Church's teachings is valued, there are a higher number of new vocations and a lower incidence of sexual abuse cases. [5] Additionally, many point to the vast majority of priests not accused of sexual misconduct. However, child sexual abuse could be more due to an previous tendency towards it that drove some to become priests in order to get close to children, as others chose other professions such as pediatricians; and it seems senseless to assume that anyone deprived of sex will get a drive for children and that it is safer and easier to violate the vows in any other way. In support of this view there can be mentioned all the clergymen who keep their celibacy without becoming abusers and those who didn't but also never touched children, as well as the many clergyman of other beliefs who are not bound to celibacy and also commit abuses on a similar scale. One could say it is a fallacy motivated by those eager to end clergy celibacy or even simply an attack to the principles of the Church, sometimes coming from outside the community of faithful believers. The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... The Roman Catholic sex abuse cases are a series of accusations of child sexual abuse made against Roman Catholic priests and also concern accusations of related church cover-ups against said abuse. ... A priesthood is a body of priests, shamans, or oracles who are thought to have special religious authority or function. ... A vocation is an occupation, either professional or voluntary, that is seen to those who carry it out as offering more than simply financial reward. ...

Others, still, point to research indicating no direct connection between celibacy and clerical abuse, citing the fact that rates of abuse are significantly higher among non-celibate people of all professions than they are among celibate priests. Prof. Philip Jenkins, Professor of History and Religious Studies at Penn State University, published the book Pedophiles and Priests: Anatomy of a Contemporary Crisis in 1996. In it, he stated that between 0.2 and 1.7 percent of Catholic priests are pedophiles or child molesters. His 2002 article "The myth of the 'pedophile priest'"[10] expresses his views. In contrast to Louise Haggett's statement, Professor Jenkins states:

"My research of cases over the past 20 years indicates no evidence whatever that Catholic or other celibate clergy are any more likely to be involved in misconduct or abuse than clergy of any other denomination -- or indeed, than nonclergy. However, determined news media may be to see this affair as a crisis of celibacy, the charge is just unsupported."

Islam

In Islam, celibacy is strongly discouraged though not forbidden (haram). Islam places a heavy emphasis on marriage.It also teaches that once a Muslim is married, then that person has completed half of their deen.^{[citation needed]} During the period of being unmarried, Muslims are expected to practice strict chastity. Islam forbids fornication, all forms of sexual contact and relationships with anyone of the unrelated opposite sex before marriage. However, many argue that since pure chastity is required before marriage, then Muslims are automatically practising celibacy until they get married. It is strongly discouraged to delay getting married when one is able to do so. For people named Islam, see Islam (name). ... harām (Arabic: حرام Ḥarām, Turkish: Haram, Malay: Haram) is an Arabic word, used in Islam to refer to anything that is prohibited by the faith. ... Deen (دين) is an Arabic word usually explained as way of life or complete code of life. It is not exclusive to Islam, as it also used by Arab Christians. ... Fornication, or simple fornication, is a term which refers to consensual sexual intercourse between two persons not married to each other[1]. In contrast adultery is consensual sex where one or both of the partners are married to someone else. ...

Buddhism

In Buddhism, the main goal of living according to the celibate is to eliminate desire. Desire is seen as one of the main causes of suffering, both in the world as in the mind or heart. A commonly-used metaphor sees desire, especially sexual desire, to be like drinking salty water: the more one consumes, the greater the desire - and the worse one's (mental) state of health becomes. A statue of the Sakyamuni Buddha in Tawang Gompa, India. ... Taṇhā (Pāli: तण्हा) or Tṛṣṇā (Sanskrit: तृष्णा) means thirst, desire, craving, wanting, longing, yearning. Synonyms: 愛 Cn: ài; Jp: ai; Vi: ái Tibetan: The most basic of these meanings (the literal meaning) is thirst; however, in Buddhism it has a technical meaning that is much broader. ... This article or section seems not to be written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia entry. ...

Hinduism

In Hindu culture, celibacy is observed when the young child leads a student life Brahmacharya. The life was divided into 4 parts namely Brahmacharyashram (period of learning till age 25), Gruhasthashram (married life from age 25), vanaprasthashram, Sanyasthashram. A Hindu renunciate may take the vow of celibacy at any age when they have understood that living for material/sensual pleasures will never bring the perfect happiness that their soul desires. Thus their life becomes centered on surrender to Guru and God with the firm hope of God realization and the perfect Divine Happiness. This article discusses the adherents of Hinduism. ... Brahmacharya (pronounced /brʌmatʃərɪə/) is a Sanskrit word. ...

In Hinduism, there is a historical difference between monks and priests. Historically, monks take vows of poverty and celibacy and are exempt from most public ceremonies and focused instead on prayer and meditation, focusing on the contemplative side of the Hindu tradition. Priests on the other hand do not have to be celibate and are responsible for the public ceremonies in the Hindu faith. Over the last 100 years however, the public roles between monks and priests have started to change and now some monks function within the social structure in needy areas of society.

Notable celibates

People who have professed celibacy, or who are otherwise believed to be (or to have been) notably celibate:

• Samuel J. Tilden who was the Democratic Party's candidate for President of the United States in 1876 and Governor of New York confided to a friend that he had never had sex with a woman. He is believed to have died celibate in 1886.
• Sant Dnyaneshwar, a writer, poet and Yogi (one who is master in Yoga) from Pune was celibate throughout his short life of 21 years. His brothers Nivruttinath and Sopandev and his sister Muktai also observed celibacy.
• Jessica Simpson, took a vow of celibacy at age 12 and remained a virgin and celibate until her wedding to singer Nick Lachey ^[1]
• Kaká, a Brazilian footballer was celibate. He was proud he was a virgin when he married.
• Legendary filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock was celibate for the last thirty years of his life. [6]
• Mahatma Gandhi, considered the Father of India, took a vow of celibacy at the age of 37, and remained so for the rest of his life.
• Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, one of the all time great spiritual figures in Hinduism.
• Swami Vivekananda, the chief disciple of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and the founder of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, was one of the most famous spiritual teachers of the Vedanta philosophy in Hinduism.
• Atal Bihari Vajpayee, former Prime Minister of India, has remained celibate and a bachelor for life.
• Stephen Fry, the British actor, comedian, writer, critic, novelist and taxi driver, was the UK's most prominent and vocal celibate for several years, although he has since rediscovered the alleged joys of wanton carnality.
• Isaac Newton, the mathematician and scientist was a virgin all his life.
• Immanuel Kant, the Prussian philosopher, author of Critique of Pure Reason, died a virgin at age of 80.
• Cliff Richard, singer, is one of the most vocal celibates of modern times.
• Cosmopolitan agony aunt Irma Kurtz has been a celibate for years and years with no regrets.
• Simone Weil was one of the best known European political thinkers of the 20th Century and, as far as anybody knows, a lifelong celibate.
• Also rumoured to be a lifelong celibate was the Dutch philosopher and theologian Baruch Spinoza.
• Dr. Temple Grandin, the American academic whose empathy with animals has led to her being a highly successful designer of humane animal management systems, is a voluntary celibate.
• Stevie Smith, poet and novelist, was celibate all her adult life, after sampling and rejecting romance and sex in her youth. She was fiercely critical of those who thought that her life must be emotionally impoverished by not having sexual relationships any more, emphasizing the depth of her friendships, especially her bond with the aunt with whom she lived.
• Pitt the Younger, legendary British Prime Minister, is generally agreed by historians to have died a virgin.
• Nikola Tesla, who developed the system of alternating electrical current that is the standard nowadays worldwide, was a self-proclaimed celibate.
• Carol Channing, the Broadway musical star of "Hello Dolly" fame was celibate in her marriage to Charles Lowe for 41 years.
• Morrissey, the British singer and former member of the Smiths, was openly celibate for several years.
• Benjamin N. Cardozo, former Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals and later Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, is believed to have been celibate for most if not all of his life.
• G. H. Hardy, twentieth century English mathematician who made ample contributions in number theory and who co-authored the famous Hardy-Weinberg law of population genetics. He was also the mentor of legendary prodigy Srinivasa Ramanujan.
• Paul Erdos, one of the most prolific mathematicians in history, having participated in more than 20,000 papers. He was born in Hungary but never held a home or a job, relying instead on the hospitality of other mathematicians with whom he collaborated and on the money he received for conferences. See The Man Who Loved Only Numbers, by Paul Hoffman (Hyperion, 1998).
• Abdul Kalam, former President of India, also known as The Missile Man of India for his contributions to the Indian missile program, is a thorough celibate. He believes in constant improvement of the society and nation. His presidential term ended July, 2007.
• Antoni Gaudi, the Catalan architect most famous for the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, is said to never have had sex.
• Alan Christie Wilson of the blues-rock group Canned Heat was a voluntary celibate in the later part of his life, according to his authorised biographer Krisna Radha. The reasons seem to be a mix of medical, spiritual and issues from childhood.
• "Divorced novelist Beryl Bainbridge revealed that she gave up men because, when she was 56, she felt having a physical relationship with a man was 'no longer dignified', and anyway her life was far too full of other things like writing, children and friends." - quote from a Daily Mail article by Jenny Nisbet (approx.) 1 December 1998.
• Rufus Wainwright, who after being raped at 14 remained celibate for seven years.
• Rivers Cuomo, the American musician, took a vow of celibacy for several years while completing his studies at Harvard University. He began practicing Vipassana meditation around the same time. Cuomo discontinued his vow when he married Kyoko Ito on June 18, 2006.
• J.J. Ellers, from The Chronicle of the Annoying Quest machinima comedy series, is currently a celibate only to get chicks.[7]
• Pope John Paul II, head of the Roman Catholic Church from 1978 until his death in 2005, took a vow of celibacy upon his ordination as priest in November, 1946
• Mother Teresa, the founder of the Missionaries of Charity, remained celibate throughout her life as she ministered to the poor, sick, orphaned, and dying in Kolkata (Calcutta), India.
• Archbishop Óscar Romero of San Salvador remained celibate since his entrance into the seminary at age 13
• Egyptian author and Islamist, Sayyid Qutb became celibate because of his inability to find a woman of "sufficient moral purity and discretion".
• Nick Ferrar, distant cousin of Ted Hughes, became celibate after traumatic marriage.
• Theodore Kaczynski, the Unabomber did not have a sex life, and at the age of 54 was still a virgin when he was arrested.[8]
• River Phoenix, whose parents were members of Children of God, took an oath of celibacy from age 10 to 14.
• Max McLaren - Celibate from age 20 to present day due to lack of balls.

Samuel Jones Tilden (February 9, 1814 - August 4, 1886) was the Democratic candidate for the US presidency in the disputed election of 1876, the most controversial American election of the 19th century. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  Politics Portal      Further information: Politics of the United States#Organization of American political parties The Democratic... This is a list of the Governors of New York. ... This article needs cleanup. ... Sant Dnyāneshwar / Sant Jñāneshwar (1275-1296) (ज्ञानेश्वर in Marathi) (also known as Jñanadeva - ज्ञानदेव ) was a 13th century saint-poet born in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra state, west India. ... A sculpture of a Hindu yogi in the Birla Mandir, Delhi A yogi (Sanskrit feminine: yogini) is a term for a male who practices various forms of the path of Yoga, maintaining a steadfast mind, the process of transcending the lower self. ... , Pune (IPA: , Marathi: पुणे) is a city located in the western Indian state of Maharashtra. ... Jessica Ann Simpson (born July 10, 1980) is an American pop singer and actress who rose to fame in the late 1990s. ... This article is about the Brazilian footballer. ... Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock KBE (August 13, 1899 â€“ April 29, 1980) was an iconic and highly influential British-born film director and producer who pioneered many techniques in the suspense and thriller genres. ... “Gandhi” redirects here. ... Sri Thakur Gadadhar Chattopadhyaya Ramakrishna Paramahamsa (Bangla: শ্রীরামকৄষ্ঞ পরমহংস) (February 18, 1836 - August 16, 1886) was a Bengali saint. ... Hinduism is a religious tradition[1] that originated in the Indian subcontinent. ... Swami Vivekananda (Sanskrit: , Svāmi Vivekānanda) (January 12, 1863 – July 4, 1902), whose pre-monastic name was Narendranath Dutta (Bengali: , Nôrendrônath Dôt-tô), was one of the most famous and influential spiritual leaders of the philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga. ... Sri Thakur Gadadhar Chattopadhyaya Ramakrishna Paramahamsa (Bangla: শ্রীরামকৄষ্ঞ পরমহংস) (February 18, 1836 - August 16, 1886) was a Bengali saint. ... Monastic Order for Men Ramakrishna Math consists of monks (Sannyasins and Brahmacharins) belonging to a monastic order for men. ... The Ramakrishna Mission Emblem The Ramakrishna Mission (Bengali: ) is an association founded by Sri Ramakrishnas chief disciple and religious leader, Swami Vivekananda on May 1, 1897. ... For other uses, see Vedanta (disambiguation). ... Hinduism is a religious tradition[1] that originated in the Indian subcontinent. ... Atal Bihari Vajpayee (Hindi: , IPA: ) (born December 25, 1924) was the Prime Minister of India, briefly in 1996, and again from March 19, 1998 until May 19, 2004. ... Stephen John Fry (born 24 August 1957) is an English comedian, writer, actor, humourist, novelist, columnist, filmmaker and television personality. ... Sir Isaac Newton FRS (4 January 1643 – 31 March 1727) [ OS: 25 December 1642 – 20 March 1727][1] was an English physicist, mathematician, astronomer, natural philosopher, and alchemist. ... Kant redirects here. ... For other uses, see Prussia (disambiguation). ... Title page of the 1781 edition. ... Sir Cliff Richard OBE (born Harry Rodger Webb on 14 October 1940) is an English singer, actor and businessman. ... June 1936 issue Cosmopolitan is a magazine for women, sometimes referred to as Cosmo, which has been published for more than a century. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Baruch de Spinoza (‎, Portuguese: , Basque: , Latin: ) (November 24, 1632 – February 21, 1677) was a Dutch philosopher of Portuguese Jewish origin. ... Dr. Temple Grandin, one of the more successful adults with autism. ... Stevie Smith was a British poet and radio personality (September 20, 1902 - March 7, 1971). ... William Pitt the Younger (28 May 1759–23 January 1806) was a British politician during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. ... Nikola Tesla (1856-1943)[1] was a world-renowned Serbian inventor, physicist, mechanical engineer and electrical engineer. ... Carol Elaine Channing (born on January 31, 1921 in Seattle, Washington) is an American singer and actress. ... Hello, Dolly! is a Broadway musical with a book by Michael Stewart and a score by Jerry Herman. ... For other uses, see Morrissey (disambiguation). ... Benjamin Nathan Cardozo (May 24, 1870–July 9, 1938) is a well-known American jurist and a justice on the United States Supreme Court from 1932 until his death. ... The Court of Appeals is New Yorks highest appellate court, created in 1847, replacing the Court for the Trial of Impeachments and the Correction of Errors. ... The Supreme Court of the United States (sometimes colloquially referred to by the acronym SCOTUS[1]) is the highest judicial body in the United States and leads the federal judiciary. ... Godfrey Harold Hardy FRS (February 7, 1877 Cranleigh, Surrey, England [1] – December 1, 1947 Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England [2]) was a prominent English mathematician, known for his achievements in number theory and mathematical analysis. ... Ramanujan redirects here. ... Paul Erdos Paul ErdÅ‘s (March 26, 1913 – September 20, 1996) was an immensely prolific and famously eccentric mathematician who, with hundreds of collaborators, worked on problems in combinatorics, graph theory, number theory, classical analysis, approximation theory, set theory and probability theory. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam (Tamil: ) (Hindi: ) born October 15, 1931, Tamil Nadu, India, usually referred as Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam^ , was the eleventh President of India, serving from 2002 to 2007. ... The President of India (Hindi: Rashtrapati) is the head of state and first citizen of India and the Supreme Commander of the Indian armed forces. ... The Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (IGMDP) is an Indian program for the development of a comprehensive range of missiles, including: the intermediate range Agni missile (Surface to Surface), and short range missiles such as the Prithvi ballistic missile (Surface to Surface), Akash missile (Surface to Air), Trishul missile (Surface... Antoni Gaud i Cornet (more widely known in the English speaking world under the Spanish version of his first name, as Antonio Gaud , or, just simply, Gaudi), (25 June 1852–10 June 1926) was a Catalan architect famous for his unique designs expressing sculptural and individualistic qualities. ... Location Coordinates : Time Zone : CET (GMT +1) - summer: CEST (GMT +2) General information Native name Barcelona (Catalan) Spanish name Barcelona Nickname Ciutat Comtal (City of Counts) Postal code 08001–08080 Area code 34 (Spain) + 93 (Barcelona) Website http://www. ... 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See also

• Brahmacharya
• Clerical celibacy
• 40 Days and 40 Nights
• The 40-Year-Old Virgin
• Virgin
• God: Sole Satisfier

Brahmacharya (pronounced /brʌmatʃərɪə/) is a Sanskrit word. ... Clerical celibacy is the practice of various religious traditions in which clergy, monastics and those in religious orders (female or male) adopt a celibate life, refraining from marriage and sexual relationships, including masturbation and impure thoughts (such as sexual visualisation and fantasies). ... 40 Days and 40 Nights is a comedy film that was directed by Michael Lehmann and written by Rob Perez in 2002. ... The 40-Year-Old Virgin is a 2005 comedy film starring Steve Carell and directed by Judd Apatow. ... In Roman times, Vestal Virgins were strictly celibate or they were punished by death. ...

References

Max McLaren - Celibate from age 20 to present day due to lack of balls.

External links

• Compendium of celibacy quotes and reference material
• The Biblical foundation of priestly celibacy
• The Reformation view of Celibacy
• HBO documentary film "Celibacy"