Monasticism

[GaryAnderson]

What do you all think about monks and nuns?
I find their lifestyle and dedication to be simply amazing. Their goal in life is salvation and to attain freedom from the material world.
Have you all visited any monasteries in your life?
I have. In one monastery they spend 12 hours a day praying, they eat food only twice a day, sleep like 3-4 hours and perform any duties on site such as gardening, cleaning etc.
It’s a very humbling experience.

 

[Enoch111]

What do you all think about monks and nuns?

While their lifestyles may be admirable, they are all enmeshed in the false doctrines of the Catholic church. And that is unfortunate.

 

[Pearl]

What do you all think about monks and nuns?
I find their lifestyle and dedication to be simply amazing. Their goal in life is salvation and to attain freedom from the material world.
Have you all visited any monasteries in your life?
I have. In one monastery they spend 12 hours a day praying, they eat food only twice a day, sleep like 3-4 hours and perform any duties on site such as gardening, cleaning etc.
It’s a very humbling experience.

If it is a true calling from God then I agree that their lifestyle and dedication is simply amazing. But you hear of all sorts of horror stories about the brothers and the sisters who damaged countless young lives and they are not to be admired but despised for their hypocrisy.

 

[Curtis]

What do you all think about monks and nuns?
I find their lifestyle and dedication to be simply amazing. Their goal in life is salvation and to attain freedom from the material world.
Have you all visited any monasteries in your life?
I have. In one monastery they spend 12 hours a day praying, they eat food only twice a day, sleep like 3-4 hours and perform any duties on site such as gardening, cleaning etc.
It’s a very humbling experience.

They are actually in error by hiding from the world instead of being a light in the world, and are hiding their light under a bushel, by cutting themselves off from the world to that extent.

12 hours of prayer shut off from the world won’t make disciples of all men.

That’s the mistake the Amish also make, by avoiding contact as much as possible and staying to themselves to the extent they do.

Vows of celibacy are also wrong, per the apostle Paul, it’s better to marry than burn with lust, which leads to sins such as molestation, and even rape.

I read years ago that besides hiding the fact of priests molesting boys, they are hiding the problem of nuns being harassed sexually and even raped by priests, especially in other countries.

 

[GaryAnderson]

Looks like you don’t have a high opinion on monks eh? Never mind visiting a monastery.
To me they seemed extremely devoted to Jesus and extremely humble in how they view themselves because they constantly pray “Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me a sinner”.

 

[Abaxvahl]

What do you all think about monks and nuns?
I find their lifestyle and dedication to be simply amazing. Their goal in life is salvation and to attain freedom from the material world.
Have you all visited any monasteries in your life?
I have. In one monastery they spend 12 hours a day praying, they eat food only twice a day, sleep like 3-4 hours and perform any duties on site such as gardening, cleaning etc.
It’s a very humbling experience.

They are extremely holy and live beautiful lives. I admire them and perhaps will one day, if the Lord wills the same, become one of them. They live out the Gospel to perfection (at least aim to do so when they fail) and serve the Lord closely to His Person, not divided by the world. Their prayers help uphold our society from completely falling apart, for as God said in Scripture "I will spare the city if even this amount of righteous persons are there," and so also He spares the world. "The Kingdom of Heaven is taken by violence," and by violence against the fallen nature they obtain it. Glory be to God!

Not only all this, they help provide a proof of the Gospel, for St. Paul says the Holy Spirit is the pledge of the coming inheritance, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit show His presence. Behold people who have these gifts in abundance, even miracles.

Some cool short films on them:

And a two songs:

 

[Aunty Jane]

Looks like you don’t have a high opinion on monks eh? Never mind visiting a monastery.
To me they seemed extremely devoted to Jesus and extremely humble in how they view themselves because they constantly pray “Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me a sinner”.

What does their lifestyle accomplish for others? If it is simply devoted to themselves and their own salvation, isn’t that just selfishness disguised as piety? Who do their sacrifices benefit? And how is obedience to Christ’s teachings demonstrated in vows of silence? Did Jesus ever tell his disciples to be silent? I find just the opposite. Never did the first Christians cloister themselves away from others. Jesus was sent to preach and he taught his disciples to do the same.....how can you do that if you never go out into the world and preach? (2 Timothy 4:1-5)

Where will I find monasticism promoted in the Bible.....where will I find an earthly priesthood or nuns in original Christianity?....the one taught by Christ and not the Catholic church?

 

[Abaxvahl]

Looks like you don’t have a high opinion on monks eh? Never mind visiting a monastery.
To me they seemed extremely devoted to Jesus and extremely humble in how they view themselves because they constantly pray “Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me a sinner”.

That's the prayer of the heart, it is good for all to practice. Read the works of the desert fathers to learn more and St. Mark the Ascetic, St. Hesychios the Priest, St. Isaiah the Solitary and St. Nikiphoros the Monk for more information. Also St. John Cassian's Conferences and St. John Climacus' Ladder of Divine Ascent. All works good for lay people as well as monks.

 

[Enoch111]

To me they seemed extremely devoted to Jesus and extremely humble in how they view themselves because they constantly pray “Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me a sinner”.

Well here's the thing. According to Scripture praying this prayer just once sincerely is sufficient for a sinner to be saved. After that he or she is a saint, and need not pray this prayer. But when you are enmeshed in false doctrine, you do not know or understand that God justifies the ungodly just once.

And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. (Lk 18:13,14)

Did you notice what Jesus said? That man went home justified. So if these monks and nuns believed Jesus, they would have gone home rejoicing that they had been justified by grace through faith. But their church does not teach them this plain Bible truth. Which is sad.

 

[Abaxvahl]

Did you notice what Jesus said? That man went home justified. So if these monks and nuns believed Jesus, they would have gone home rejoicing that they had been justified by grace through faith. But their church does not teach them this plain Bible truth. Which is sad.

The point of the Jesus Prayer isn't to just be justified, they do not deny justification through faith. Moreover the Eastern Orthodox Church (the main monks who say this prayer are not Roman Catholic but Eastern Orthodox, which is entirely different) has a theology around it you can read here.

 

[amadeus]

Looks like you don’t have a high opinion on monks eh? Never mind visiting a monastery.
To me they seemed extremely devoted to Jesus and extremely humble in how they view themselves because they constantly pray “Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me a sinner”.

In spite of some of the evil spoken of there are as you have said a lot of good to be found among them. When I was an altar boy we used to periodically visit a Catholic Retreat maintained by some Catholic brothers who did some very good work. We also had 4 local Catholic nuns who never gave me any reason to believe they did not love God. Quite the contrary! They taught my first lessons about God strengthening my basic belief/faith until I graduated from high school. I did see the good which impressed me to move even closer to God.

God had a plan for me outside of that Church so I have not even been a formal Catholic for many decades. However, I have nothing but good memories of all of the Catholic priests, nuns and brothers of my own acquaintance.

Yes, God brought me out of there, but it had nothing to do with any blatantly evil or carnal practices. I never saw any of that. Praise God for the blessings I received during those importance formative years even though He had something else in mind for me.

Give God the glory!

 

[FHII]

I know very little, if anything about what their role is today. However, they served a significant role in medieval times. They preserved and copied ancient documents, and before the printing press was invented, they produced nearly every Bible book that was around. They did a significant amount of charity in education and feeding the poor as well. They hosted travellers and offered refuge in turbulent times.

In short, they did a lot of good. I am not ignoring some negative aspects they may have had though. I have heard of abuse and that should not be excused if true. Furthermore, while monks and nuns may have lived a life of poverty, many monasteries were actually quite rich and powerful. Is that good or bad? I don't know....i can see it both ways.

While I do admit to not knowing much about them, I suspect there is a lot of ignorance and false information being spread about them. Kind of like the ignorance spread about the Amish... Them I do know as there are such in my county and surround counties.

 

[Truman]

What do you all think about monks and nuns?
I find their lifestyle and dedication to be simply amazing. Their goal in life is salvation and to attain freedom from the material world.
Have you all visited any monasteries in your life?
I have. In one monastery they spend 12 hours a day praying, they eat food only twice a day, sleep like 3-4 hours and perform any duties on site such as gardening, cleaning etc.
It’s a very humbling experience.

My problem is I live in Canada, where weed is legal. I don't like it...one bit. Everyone has gone weed-happy! I look outside and I see towering Sativa and bushy Indica. All my neighbors are growing it! I sure hope monks don't grow it! If I thought I could get away from weed, I might join a monastery! How much weed do I use? Nun!
As it is, I spend 99% of my time in my room! I talk to God. I read my bible. I pick up my guitar and I sing to God. I spend most of my time online typing about God or reading what someone else types about God.
My last thought before I go to sleep is about God. My first thought when I wake up is about God. Well, sometimes, it's about pain or whether I'm going to throw up...but once I get past that, it's about God...and coffee!
I thank God for coffee. I don't thank God for weed, though I'm sure many others do!
Hippies! You gotta love 'em...God says so! Lol

 

[Curtis]

Looks like you don’t have a high opinion on monks eh? Never mind visiting a monastery.
To me they seemed extremely devoted to Jesus and extremely humble in how they view themselves because they constantly pray “Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me a sinner”.

Jesus: you don’t light a candle and hide it under a basket.

The monastery is the basket.

Maranatha

 

[Rita]

I think for many it is a calling and many nuns serve and minister to others. However there use to be a local Catholic school where I live, my mum use to work in the kitchens. We heard that the nuns were very cruel at times, what I would call over disciplining. This is a common complaint as I have heard from others over the years. I don’t really know much about monks. If they are praying for the world and people then they have a ministry, if they are merely being reclusive for themselves then I do wonder what it’s all about.
I think I understand both if they are dedicating their lives to God and through that dedicate to serve others …..

 

[Mungo]

Broadly there are two types; those that are enclosed and contemplative and those that have a ministry in the world, for example running schools & clinics, particularly in poor countries.
Those that are contemplative are not just praying for themselves but for the world (1Tim 2:1).

 

[Pearl]

I think for many it is a calling and many nuns serve and minister to others. However there use to be a local Catholic school where I love, my mum use to work on the kitchens. We heard that the nuns were very cruel at times, what I would call over disciplining. This is a common complaint as I have heard from others over the years. I don’t really know much about monks. If they are praying for the world and people then they have a ministry, if they are merely being reclusive for themselves then I do wonder what it’s all about.
I think I understand both if they are dedications their lives to God and through that dedicate to serve others …..

I read a book a few years ago called the Magdalene Sisters (and also the film Philomena) which portrayed the cruelty of women supposed to be serving God. That's why I called them hypocrites.

 

[Mungo]

I read a book a few years ago called the Magdalene Sisters (and also the film Philomena) which portrayed the cruelty of women supposed to be serving God. That's why I called them hypocrites.

The film was "based" on a book but it was not a documentary. I understand some bits were exaggerated or were added for effect.

I'm not sure what you mean by Magdalene Sisters. Do you mean the Magdalene Laundries run by two different orders of nuns?

 

[Nancy]

They are actually in error by hiding from the world instead of being a light in the world, and are hiding their light under a bushel, by cutting themselves off from the world to that extent.

12 hours of prayer shut off from the world won’t make disciples of all men.

That’s the mistake the Amish also make, by avoiding contact as much as possible and staying to themselves to the extent they do.

Vows of celibacy are also wrong, per the apostle Paul, it’s better to marry than burn with lust, which leads to sins such as molestation, and even rape.

I read years ago that besides hiding the fact of priests molesting boys, they are hiding the problem of nuns being harassed sexually and even raped by priests, especially in other countries.

Good reply,
How can they be furthering the great commission that The Lord has given us, they may be admirable in there dedication of prayer and such but, yes...they are hiding their light under a bushel. How can they know WHO to pray for if they do not shine the light of Christ into the lost? How can they show His love to the lost when they segregate themselves?
They are dedicated for sure but, miss the whole idea of the Great Commission.
Jesus NEVER hid Himself as He was always giving The Word to the lost. And never did He hide His light as, it was not meant to be hidden.

 

[Curtis]

Broadly there are two types; those that are enclosed and contemplative and those that have a ministry in the world, for example running schools & clinics, particularly in poor countries.
Those that are contemplative are not just praying for themselves but for the world (1Tim 2:1).

What I see Paul and Jesus saying is the opposite of hiding from the world in a monastery or closed Amish communities. Praying for souls is good, but per Romans 10, they can’t believe until they hear and can’t hear until someone tells them.