~~ MONASTICISM AND CELIBACY ~~

I have always tried to feel the passion of one who has the calling to be alone as a hermit or to live among fellow monks, away from society and fellow humans ~~ except for other fellow human monks whose path is identical. Day in and day out, ~~ non stop praying. There are monks  in most religious sectors.  For the most part,   there are a few common denominators  in their daily life. 

~~First and foremost,  they are Celibate. 

~~They live amongst Mother Nature. 

~~They are dedicated to the service of God, our creator. 

~~That such dedications elevates him and brings him closer to God. With each breath a prayer is said in God's honor. 

On the issue of celibacy: Read from the New Testament : 1 Corinthians ("The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife") In other words, the woman is considered a distraction to the male "workers" of the church. This is not a sexist statement as there are Convents where  women can be also dedicated to the word of God, the creator, and they too are celibate for the same reason. Men could be a distraction to their path of choice.

The church has created cannon law regarding priests and celibacy. This is one among many cannon laws which have nothing to do with spirituality and communication with our creator and yet Celibate priests are asked to give advice on marriages and sexual issues of which the priest may not have any experience and certainly not in the area of raising children. 

Another cannon law, In the Greek Orthodox church you may be married before getting ordained but if your wife dies while you are still young, you may not re-marry. Is this spirituality? Is the church cutting off it's head in spite of it's nose?

Once a believer dedicates his life to God, our creator, it would certainly make since that when he leaves society he places himself in Mother Nature. Every monastery  and convent I have visited was surrounded by incredible beauty by Mother Earth! If these places were available to the public they would all be 5 star resorts if they could tame the wildlife there which is exactly what the monks will never do and rightfully so. This tranquility and peaceful beauty inspires continuous prayer and meditation. 

Here are my emotional challenges on this topic:

When humanity in this world has reached all time lows I view monasticism along the lines of selfishness, and running from the problems instead of helping with their spirituality.  

I have visited Mount Athos in Greece over a dozen times over the years. No women are allowed on the Peninsula where Mount Athos exists. The only way to arrive at the Peninsula is by a boat, taken from a small Greek village called Ouranopoulos which literally means "The city of the sky." When I first went to the Peninsula it felt like a row boat. It was that small and the waves would throw us around like a rag doll. There is no electricity and there is only a telephone at the capital city of Mount Athos. I have posted on Mount Athos before under "Holy Places" some time ago. 

There is no doubt that the monks on Mount Athos have have developed the highest level of dedication. They have left their "old" life behind, never to return to society. Literally the monks abandon civilization. 

While there are 20 monasteries on the peninsula, ~~  there are also hermits who live in huts carved into the sides of the mountain. These humans do not even associate with the monks at the monasteries. Some have not seen another human for years. They feed off the vegetation of the mountain. 

I cannot take my faith down this path, as I feel the need to reach out to society and help the people who may be lost spiritually and work for world unity and peace.

Please see this amazing video on Mount Athos which is one of a two part show from 60 minutes here in the US. I then suggest you see the other videos about this incredible choice of life style and dedication to God.

You choose the depth of your dedication to God, our creator and I say reach out to all humans and living creatures on Earth. You may not  accomplish this in a hut on the side of a mountain or in a secluded monastery, except by prayer. I choose to put myself out there and write blogs, speak at seminars, etc. in my everyday activity.


Peace and Love to all!