Sexual continence
Sexual continence
Sexual continence is a lifestyle in which one refrains from all sexual contact. In the Early Christian Church sexual continence was required of deacons, priests and bishops. Sexual continence is a form of the virtue of chastity (to refrain from sexual contact outside of marriage but is not necessarily the same as celibacy (which is the unmarried state.
There are two types of continent individuals - those who choose to be continent, and those who simply happen to be continent. Those who choose to be continent are a diverse group. Latin Rite Catholic priests and consecrated religious, for example, take a promise of chaste celibacy, meaning they do not marry and are chaste, meaning they refrain from all sexual contact. Buddhist monks also choose to live a continent lifestyle. Orthodox monks and bishops also choose to be continent. There are a plethora of others who choose to be continent, including gays who believe that they are sinning if they engage in sex, people who suffer from a fear of the sexual act, and those who are scarred from childhood sexual abuse.
Sexual continence includes refraining from all sexual contact including masturbation. However, many philosophers and theologians disagree. Many say that masturbation is a natural act, that has medical benefits, so it should be permissable. Many say that it is an involuntary act (i.e. wet dreams). Many go as far as saying that refraining from masturbation has severe psychological side effects which leads to sexual repression, which leads inevitably to a problem.
Pope John Paul II, in his book Theology of the Body, talks at length about chastity, continence, the conjugal act, lust of the heart, and the nuptial act.
Other Uses of the Phrase
Sexual continence is also a term used for having sex without ejaculating, both in the case of men and women. In this case, the intercourse can be lengthened substantially. Using sexual continence, both partners can have orgasms, but they will not lose energy by ejaculating.
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CORRECTION
WHAT IS SEXUAL CONTINENCE?
Sexual continence is a term that denotes the continuous retention of sperm in the case of men and non-explosive orgasms and decreased period secretions in the case of women during and after love-making. While the concept of sexual continence has been well-known in the East for millennia, the value of the retention of the fundamental human life force is only beginning to emerge in Western societies. There exists a growing body of scientific evidence that substantiates the intimate connection between the (extensive) loss of sexual energy and a decrease in vitality, memory, creativity, physical strength and an early arrival of the andro- respectively the menopause. Far from being harmful, long-term seminal retention leads to biological transmutation of the sperm and allows the resulting energy to be sublimated to the superior levels of the human being. This happens particularly if the retention is accompanied by adequate techniques for raising the energy to the superior levels of the person such as intense intellectual or physical effort, yoga exercises or other methods. Therefore sperm retention becomes a great energy through transmutation, rather than leading to somatic disturbances. The ability to procreate is by no means affected by the practice of sexual continence, to the contrary, scientific evidence suggests that couples who practice continence have healthier and more vigorous offspring.