Nuns

[Aimster]

What is the role of a Nun? Why are they important in Christianity? How come they dress the way they do? Why do they never have sex? How come they never get married?

 

[Moonbeam]

I hear the priests are now allowed to kiss the nuns as long as they don't get in the habit.

 

[Riprorin]

Originally posted by: Aimster
What is the role of a Nun? Why are they important in Christianity? How come they dress the way they do? Why do they never have sex? How come they never get married?

Nuns are important in Catholicism. They're the only Christian denomination that has them, as far as I know.

 

[sierrita]

Originally posted by: Aimster
What is the role of a Nun? Why are they important in Christianity? How come they dress the way they do? Why do they never have sex? How come they never get married?

😉

 

[stratman]

Originally posted by: Aimster
What is the role of a Nun? Why are they important in Christianity? How come they dress the way they do? Why do they never have sex? How come they never get married?

AKAIK, there are nuns for the same reasons there are monks. Becoming a nun is a way of devoting your life to the Church/God.

They never have sex because in Christianity, it is a sin to have sex outside of marriage, and they don't marry so that they can more fully devote themselves to God. The apostle Paul encourages a life without mariage for this reason somewhere in the Bible (I'm a bad Christian so I don't know where off the top of my head 🙂 )

I wouldn't say that they exist because they are important to Christianity (although their charitable and evangelical work is appreciated -- Mother Theresa was a nun), but that they exist because Christianity is extremely important to them.


Edit: Oh, and Moonbeam, that was a horrible joke 😛

 

[stratman]

Hit the quote button instead of the edit button, double post, sorry.

 

[b0mbrman]

Originally posted by: Aimster
What is the role of a Nun? Why are they important in Christianity? How come they dress the way they do? Why do they never have sex? How come they never get married?

Ok, I will try to steer you in the right direction but as I'm not very religious, take this with a grain of salt. Or don't take it at all; I won't be offended 😉

Nuns have no official role as laid out in the bible nor are they part of the Holy Orders mentioned in the Seven Holy Sacraments (The Holy Orders are limited to deacons, priests, bishops, and popes). Their practical importance is probably mostly as a good example because besides being very religious, they also do community service.

One becomes a nun (or the male near equivalent, monk) because of their own beliefs. The church doesn't need nuns to complete any specific duties. If you're familiar with economics, think push rather than pull 🙂

They live as simple a life as possible to remove distractions so they can think about God. The way they dress is part of this simplicity but the small differences between each habit tells you which order the nun belongs to.

Nuns don't have sex nor get married because they believe they are married to God.

 

[stratman]

Originally posted by: b0mbrman

Originally posted by: Aimster
What is the role of a Nun? Why are they important in Christianity? How come they dress the way they do? Why do they never have sex? How come they never get married?

Nuns don't have sex nor get married because they believe they are married to God.

Good post except that (AFAIK) they do not believe they are married to God.

I can see how that idea would come about, maybe someone using it as a analogy or metaphor to explain why nuns don't marry.

Like a wife to a husband, nuns devote themselves fully to God -- but priests and monks do not marry for this same reason, and no one says that they are married to God 😛

 

[b0mbrman]

Originally posted by: stratman

Originally posted by: b0mbrman

Originally posted by: Aimster
What is the role of a Nun? Why are they important in Christianity? How come they dress the way they do? Why do they never have sex? How come they never get married?

Nuns don't have sex nor get married because they believe they are married to God.

Good post except that (AFAIK) they do not believe they are married to God.

I can see how that idea would come about, maybe someone using it as a analogy or metaphor to explain why nuns don't marry.

Like a wife to a husband, nuns devote themselves fully to God -- but priests and monks do not marry for this same reason, and no one says that they are married to God 😛

Good point on the monks 🙂

I suppose the logic was off....they don't have sex or get married for other reasons, but I distinctly remember a nun telling me her primary duty was being a spouse of God ("Bride of Christ")

But of course this is anecdotal; It's definitely possible that not all nuns (or at least no majority of other nuns) feel this way.

 

[oneboy]

my god

 

[Mean MrMustard]

Originally posted by: Moonbeam
I hear the priests are now allowed to kiss the nuns as long as they don't get in the habit.

*hears drum beats

🙂

 

[myusername]

*hi-hat*