The whole history of mankind and its great cultures has been coloured by this longing, this demand almost, to be free from the instinctive pattern of heterosexual behaviour. This longing for freedom from sexual activity in life is mainly of religious origin, which complicates matters even more: for as such it has a duty to respect man's natural and intentive way of life, in its moral form, and yet at the same time, to deny it on a higher plane, desired for us by God. Celibacy and virginity too are not just ideals within the christian faith, or within the church for that matter. They are both phenomena of the history and evolution of religion. We must first establish this point.