If Christ did not marry and poligimy is a sin then why are there nuns?

[leschornmom]

My understanding of nuns is that they believe that they are married to Christ. Is that true or am I completely off? If it is, why can these women (whom I am sure are very holy servants of Christ) ALL claim to be married to him?
please do not take my question as any thing more than that. I really just want to know.

 

[mercygate]

It is a mystical marriage. Monks are also “brides of Christ” in this sense – set apart exclusively to his love. Another marriage image is of Christ as Bridegroom of the Church. In the Song of Songs the marriage imagery is said to be of 1) God’s love for Israel, 2) Christ’s love for his Church and (of course) 3) the marital love between two very much flesh-and-blood people.

Every Christian is in some sense the bride of Christ – even men qualify!. The spirituality of this was most profoundly elaborated by the great Spanish mystics, Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross in the 16th Century, but there is a vast literature on it.

 

[leschornmom]

So even though nuns are “Brides of Christ” they do not really believe that they are married to Christ. Do I have it right?

After thought: Then why do they wear wedding bands?

 

[mercygate]

leschornmom:

So even though nuns are “Brides of Christ” they do not really believe that they are married to Christ. Do I have it right?

After thought: Then why do they wear wedding bands?

I’m not quite sure what you are asking when you say “do not really believe that they are married to Christ” – certainly not in a coital way (sorry if that’s a bit graphic). Can you clarify the question? The wedding band is a symbol of their promise to belong to Christ alone.

 

[jimmy]

leschornmom:

So even though nuns are “Brides of Christ” they do not really believe that they are married to Christ. Do I have it right?

After thought: Then why do they wear wedding bands?

The marriage comparison is just supposed to be an analogy kind of. It is not literally a marriage like what you would have with your husband here on earth. It is compared to marriage though because in a marriage you are devoted to your spouse. A nun is completely devoted to Christ, as is a monk. In a marriage there is sacrifice from the spouses. Christ sacrificed himself on the Christ for us and the nuns and the monks sacrifice themselves to Christ, by there vows, while here on earth.

Hope this helps.

 

[leschornmom]

It made things very clear. you could almost change the word married to committed or devoted.

 

[mercygate]

A young man about to be ordained to the Diaconate (the major order one receives prior to ordination to Priesthood) posted this to a group I moderate.

It seems to me that a vocation is a way of answering what is, at its root, a call to spousal love. The three vocations each express this spousal aspect in their own particular way.

Marriage is the best example, as the consent of the man and woman before God form a bond that is fruitful and oredred to thier good and the good of society.

The Ordained “marries” the bride of Christ * through his ontological “reconfiguration.” He pours himself out for her, sacrifices for her and loves her.

The Religious * expresses this “marriage” through consecration, which has been understood as a quasi-sacramental that is an intensification of the baptismal character. The “marriage” is one of intense participation in the very heart of the Church. The Solitary, to an even greater extent than the active but with equal dignity, may be blessed with a great sense of “romantic” love for the spouse.

These ideas seem to avoid the functionalism that we Americans are so prone to use when defining vocations.**

 

[mrS4ntA]

We’re talking about God here, so human limitation cannot be imposed on Him.

Just in the same mystical way that (each Communion) Christ is entirely and wholly united with me, the same reality happens with millions of other communicants.

 

[Exporter]

Marriage is one of the Sacraments. Marriage is between a man and a woman. Priests and Niuns do not take this sacrament!

The Sacrament of Marriage is NOT performed when a Nun takes her Final Vows. So you cannot say a Nun is Married in the usual sense of the word. But a Nun who has taken her Final Vows is most assuredly as married to the Church with Christ as it’s head, as lets say the Pope is “married” to his job. It is for life!

I think you knew this answer before you asked.

 

[The_Barrister]

Stir the pot… stir the pot… stir the pot…

Read Revelations. Answers to many legitimate questions there.

1000th Post!

 

[stumbler]

The Barrister:

Stir the pot… stir the pot… stir the pot…

Read Revelations. Answers to many legitimate questions there.

You crack me up!
leschornmom does have a lot of, uh, “interesting” questions!
The Barrister:

1000th Post!

Congrats!

 

[Tmaque]

Only a Mormon would ask a question like this. Because Mormons believe in heavenly marriage (which by the way is entirely unbiblical) they assume that nuns will be Jesus’ “brides” once they go to heaven. And I mean brides in the literal sense. Christians in general would never even have a thought like this. I can speak to this because I was an active practicing mormon for 25 years.

 

[mercygate]

Tmaque:

Only a Mormon would ask a question like this. Because Mormons believe in heavenly marriage (which by the way is entirely unbiblical) they assume that nuns will be Jesus’ “brides” once they go to heaven. And I mean brides in the literal sense. Christians in general would never even have a thought like this. I can speak to this because I was an active practicing mormon for 25 years.

Thank you for helping us gain some perspective on where leschorn mom is coming from. Whooda thunk? But if we can answer her questions in a meaningful way, then we’re one to the good.

I promise to be cautious in addressing Mormon beliefs because I know how often the Catholic faith is misunderstood! God forbid we should turn the tables.

 

[Katholikos]

leschommom,

You know that polygamy (the correct term is polygyny, meaning one husband with more than one wife) requires conjugal relations, right?
And that nuns, sisters, monks, brothers, priests or anyone else in a consecrated religious life within the Catholic Church is required to commit to a celibate life, right?

Then how does “polygamy” factor into your question?

Just wondering,

JMJ Jay

 

[Mathetes007]

Katholikos:

leschommom,

You know that polygamy (the correct term is polygyny, meaning one husband with more than one wife) requires conjugal relations, right?
And that nuns, sisters, monks, brothers, priests or anyone else in a consecrated religious life within the Catholic Church is required to commit to a celibate life, right?

Then how does “polygamy” factor into your question?

Just wondering,

JMJ Jay

I assume that the person who posed the question is thinking that because there have been thousands of nuns therefore Christ has had numerous wifes. This is not warranted however. The Church teaches, as do the Scriptures, that all believers (regardless of sex, time period or geographical location) simultaneously make up the one Bride of Christ. Hence Christ does not participate in polygamy.

 

[lewlo]

The Barrister:

Stir the pot… stir the pot… stir the pot…

Read Revelations. Answers to many legitimate questions there.

1000th Post!

Some posters remind me of myself when I was on drugs–paranoid. Take her questions for what they are. Truly she just wants to know. Someone on another thread basically called her a liar using the sanatized label “disingenuous.” She’s not “trolling,” “baiting,” or ‘stirring the pot.’

Maybe through her search she will come to see that the Mormon teachings are flawed, and, hopefully, that the Catholic Church is the one true church.

 

[boppysbud]

There have been quite a few Mormons to visit this site, but in my experience they never stay very long. Just like BJ Colbert on another thread once they find out that Catholics have definite beliefs and do not beleive in anything goes relativism they tend to dissapear quickly.

 

[gatorbaby2000]

WHAT DREW ME TO THIS SITE WAS THE RESPECT THAT YOUR SITE SHOWED MY FAITH BY SAYING

{I promise to be cautious in addressing Mormon beliefs because I know how often the Catholic faith is misunderstood! God forbid we should turn the tables.}

I THINK THAT PEOPLE NEED TO WORRY MORE ABOUT GETTING CLOSER TO GOD THAN WORRY ABOUT ANOTHERS FAITH. I AM LDS MORMON BUT WE DO NOT BELIEVE IN POLYGAMY AND WE DO BELIEVE IN THE VIRGIN BIRTH. WE DO NOT BELIEVE WE WILL BE GODS AND RULE OUR OWN PLANETS LOL OR HAVE MORE THAN ONE WIFE IN THE AFTER LIFE. IF SO IT IS NOT THE ONE I AM CONNECTED TO AND MUST BE THE POLYGAMY MORMONS. I WILL HAVE A SISTER IN MY FAITH TO ALSO JOIN THIS SITE.

I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT ONLY MORMONS WILL GO TO HEAVEN I BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE OF ALL FAITH WILL ENTER THE GATES OF HEAVEN THAT RELIGION IS JUST THAT. IT IS HOW WE CHOOSE TO WORSHIP OUR HEAVENLY FATHER, BUT THAT THE TRUE CHURCH IS WITHIN US. IT IS OUR CONDUCT AND DEEDS THAT WILL GET US INTO HEAVEN NOT A RELIGION OR BRICK BUILDING. IT IS WHAT IS IN OUR HEARTS.

I AM GLAD TO KNOW THAT I ALSO HAVE CHATHOLIC BROTHERS AND SISTERS, I ALSO HAVE BAPTIST BROTHERS AND SISTERS TOO. WE ALL FALL SHORT OF HIS GLORY BUT BY GRACE WE ARE SAVED AND IF PEOPLE LOOK DOWN ON US THEY ARE JUDGEING US WHEN THEY SHOULD BE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR OWN SALVATION.

THANK YOU FOR POSTING WHAT YOU DID. I FOUND IT ON ASK.COM. I LOOKED FOR THINGS AFTER MY MORMON SISTER FOUND SOMETHING ABOUT HOW OUR FAITH WAS AN OCCULT. SHE WAS DISTURBED ABOUT IT. THE SAME ACCUSERS USED THE SAME BIBLE WE USE, {THE KING JAME VERSION} AND THEY DO NOT UNDERSTAND THAT THE BOOK OF MORMON IS OUR GUIDLINES FOR OUR PEOPLE TO GO BY.

DEBRA aka gatorbaby2000

 

[PJM]

[QUOT]E=leschornmom;269076]My understanding of nuns is that they believe that they are married to Christ. Is that true or am I completely off? If it is, why can these women (whom I am sure are very holy servants of Christ) ALL claim to be married to him?
please do not take my question as any thing more than that. I really just want to know.

The marrige is Mystical! Not civil. NOT THE SAME THING.

It ivolves a voluentary commitment to be “Christ Alones.” Therfore it is similar to a personal Covenent. It is NOT a MARRIAGE in the term and understanding of secular society.

God’s continued Blessings,
Pat

 

[Todd520]

Only a Mormon would ask a question like this. Because Mormons believe in heavenly marriage (which by the way is entirely unbiblical) they assume that nuns will be Jesus’ “brides” once they go to heaven. And I mean brides in the literal sense. Christians in general would never even have a thought like this. I can speak to this because I was an active practicing mormon for 25 years.

That’s not true,

• Asking about “its” significance is a valid question to anyone who had not heard the phrase before (great responses BTW)
• Inserting polygomy into the thread reflects somehone who wanted to “whack a Catholic” and I would bet an EV fan of CHICK.COM more than an LDS.