What's the difference in being celibate and being abstinent?
408356
Some use the terms interchangeably. Some differentiate, celibacy meaning no sex with a partner and abstinence meaning no sex at all. Celibacy sounds like a better deal.
369418
None - the best is abstinence
1042100
There is a difference between an act and a lifestyle.  \n\nIt's the lifestyle that is condemned on all counts (liars, thieves, drunkards, etc.).  \n\nYou could be homosexual and be sexually pure by abstaining, like Christian heterosexual singles do (should do according to the scriptures), and be fine.  \n\nYou have two opposing thoughts posted, so it's hard to tell whether you're for or against it.  God's grace covers sins we turn from.  One cannot commit to a lifestyle and simultaneously turn from it.  Everyone has some sin or temptation they struggle with and must turn to God to deliver them from. No one is singled out.
212997
Look at what I found on http://forums.catholic.com \n\n" Homosexual persons are not necessarily called to celibacy but rather to chastity as are we all. The Church recognizes that homosexuality is a disorder (see CCC 2357) and, while the desires are not in themselves sinful, acting out on them is clearly offensive to God (see Romans 1:26-27, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10). \n\nIt is appropriate to judge acting out on homosexual desires as wrong. But far from being "exclusionary”, the Church teaches that homosexual persons “must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God's will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord's Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.” (CCC 2358)\n__________________\nJim Blackburn\nCatholic Answers Apologist "\n\nThe "CCC" stands for Catechism of the Catholic Church and the numbers behind them are paragraph numbers.  You can read the catechism online here:  http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm  Check it out to learn about the Church's teaching on homosexuality.
886259
The difference between the two is more like Dolphins and Porpoises not Lions and Bats.\n\nThe reason one is legal and the other is not, is because the law says one is legal and the other is not. The actual difference between the two acts are hard to see. It is not legal to have sex with someone for money, but is totally legal to have sex with someone free. It is not legal to have sex with someone for money, but it is totally legal to have film two other people having for money if you sell that film commercially. A rational, logical human being would never be able to understand this, which is why it is something only lawyers and politicians could come up with.\n\nThe bottom line is they could make prostitution legal, they chose not to, they could make porn illegal they chose not to. It is one of those cases where the difference is only what the court says is the difference. Great question.
49312
the "basic" difference is a penis. Women don't have it. There are many other differences though.
309180
If you have to choose the lesser evil, than go for masturbation. God's purpose for sex is for procreation between a husband and a wife. Obviously, to have premarital sex sins against the procreation part, and the the being unwed part. Plus, you're involving someone else with your sin. If you're masturbating, you are alone...and you're actually not preventing procreation because there is no woman. \n\nGod understands that people have freewill and are generally 'weak'. God wants people to live according to his wishes, but he also understands that it is difficult.
791208
celibates as in they don't have sex? How would that make a difference?
630099
(hollow laugh) If Christians could be celibate then there wouldn't be nearly so many of 'em.\n\nThe one thing that all religious laws / commandments have in common is:  They're impossible to keep.
742844
I am all for abstinence.\n\n\nThis is how I feel about it ...\n\nYou should stay a virgin till you're married.\nGod intended it to be that way.\nBut many, MANY people abuse that.\nAnd God looks down on those people.\n\nYou don't just give your virginity to just anybody.\nIt is the best present you can give your future husband.\nIt is you... it is all of you.\n\nIf you become pregnant, you can handle it better when you're married.\nYou'll have that person beside you who promised to always be by your side.\nIt won't be some random guy or some guy who you THOUGHT loved you.\n\nSex makes many things complicated in an unmarried relationship.\nIt takes two very mature people.\nYou do not want to get yourself lost in everything that comes with sex.\nMost people nowadays tend to just BASE their relationship on sex.\n\nI am a virgin myself. I have a boyfriend of more than 9 months that I am completely in love with. We talk about marriage and how I want to wait till our wedding day to have sex. He truly does love me... he respects me. That's when you KNOW you have a great guy. That's when you KNOW he's in love with you... when he has absolutely no problem in waiting. Actions speak louder than words...
671924
i would love to know what everybody else has to say so that i can know if there is a difference.  My last boyfriend i had i never paid it any attention until he told me he wasn't circumcised. any way i've had both. he was the best in bed,but that's it.
236132
If you had sex, you are not a virgin.\n\nIf you never had sex, you are a virgin.
65504
they look at paul as their role model, who was celibate, and also try to be, though he said that theyre better off being married if they're going to want sex, than to want it while swearing it off, and being tempted all the time.  celibacy is not for everyone, only very few, and priests really should not have to remain in that condition unless they feel that they actually can, and it should be a personal choice
737032
i don't want to masturbate in "heaven" or "hell", sex is a primal instinct, without the body there are no primal instinct to reproduce. Masturbation is just a way to trick your body into thinking it's going to reproduce. \n\nOh and Heaven ain't all it's cracked up to be.
1062069
the difference between dating and marriage is that \n1. Marriage is a committment for life.\n2. Marriage is all in papers like it or not.\n3. And if you get a dirvorce, you have to go to court, and if you have a kid you have to get some kind of paper to have your kid with you.\n4. Dating is also a committment, BUT is to yourself, NOT for life.\n5. Dating if you break/broke up you can just talk to each other and decide NO PAPERS INVOLVE!!!.\n     LAST IS THAT BOTH " IF YOU CHEAT, YOU WILL BE SORRY!!!.
534050
Where to begin...the Roman Catholic Church teaches that the Patriarch of Rome has universal authority while the Orthodox Church teaches that no bishop has authority outside his diocese.\nThe Roman Catholic Church teaches that the Holy Spirit proceeds in essence from both the Father and the Son and illegitimately changed the creed, while the Orthodox Church teaches that God the Father is the essential source of both the Son and the Holy Spirit.\nThe Roman Catholic Church teaches that we bear the actual guilt for the disobedience of Adam and Ever whereas the Orthodox Church teaches that we suffer the consequences of their disobedience but are ourselves not culpable for it.\nBecause of the RC's teachings on original sin they have made up the doctrine of the immaculate conception, which is not the same thing as the virgin birth, whereby she was born free of the guilt of original sin, or is somehow different than other humans to explain how Mary could be able to give birth to God. Of course they wouldn't need to make the Virgin Mary free of the consequences of Adam and Eve's disobedience if they hadn't construed it the way they had in the first place.\nThe Roman Catholic Church requires preistly celibacy whereas the Orthodox Church allows married priests, only bishops and monks are required to be celibate.\nThe differences go  on and on, these are just some of the essential ones.\nBy the way the difference between the Roman Catholic Church and the Ukrainian Catholic Church is that the Ukrainian Catholic Church uses the liturgy of the Orthodox Church and has married priests while still being in communion with the Roman Catholic Church and accepting the authority of the Pope. It is an Eastern Rite, or Uniate, church.\nIf you have more questions feel free to ask me. I am Orthodox.
463072
If you give away something special then your virginity is lost. Virginity is more than penetration.