The History of Chastity in Christianity

The notion that religious figures should practice celibacy began in ancient times and long before the birth of Christianity. Ancient Celtic Druid priests are known to have been chaste and Aztec temple priests as well were expected to be sexually abstinent. Many other pre-Christian sects required that the people chosen for the sacrificial offerings have to be pure, which means that they had never engaged in sex. But let’s focus on chastity in Christianity.

Origins of chastity in Christianity

Jesus has lived a life of chastity and never married and even at one point in the Bible is described as a eunuch by Matthew, though this reference was intended metaphorically. The implication of that phrase was that Jesus lived a celibate life and was chaste. Many of his disciples also practiced abstinence and were chaste and celibate. Christian tradition also recommended celibacy for women from its earliest times. Paul, for example, in his first letter to the Corinthians wrote that it is well for all the unmarried and the widows, to remain single as he did, but if they could not exercise self-control, they should have married, as it was better to marry than to be ablaze with passion. But the early Christian church, in fact, had no hard and clear rule against marrying and having children for clergy, and Peter, whom the Catholic Church deems the first Pope, was actually married. Some Popes in the early times of Christianity were the sons of Popes.

The chastity becomes mandated

The first time a written mandate obliged priests to be chaste came only in AD 304. It was called a Canon 33 issued by the Council of Elvira and stated that all bishops, priests, deacons, and all other clerics were from now on to abstain completely from their wives and could not have children. And a short time later, in 325, the Council of Nicea, which was gathered by emperor Constantine, rejected a prohibition on priest’s marriages requested by Spanish clerics.

The tradition of priestly celibacy began its expanse in the Western Church closer to the early Middle Ages. At the beginning of the 11th century, Pope Benedict VIII declared a rule forbidding the children of priests from inheriting their property as a response to the decline in priestly morality, and several decades later Pope Gregory VII released his decree against clerical marriages.

The final consolidation in favor of chastity

The Church had definitively taken a stand in favor of abstinence when it was over a thousand years old. It was in the 12th century at the Second Lateran Council, which was held in 1139, and a rule prohibiting priests to marry was approved. Four centuries later, in 1563, the Council of Trent finally reaffirmed the tradition of celibacy, and chastity became an essential part of Christianity.

The modern Roman Catholic Church’s position is still derived from that Council of Trent. Celibacy keeps being considered an important part of the clergy, and a sign of a priest’s commitment to God and to their service. Although, there are some exceptions to the rule of chaste clergy nowadays. For example, Anglican ministers who were married by the time they joined the Catholic Church are permitted to keep being married even after they join the priesthood.

What does the Bible say about chastity?

The Bible offers a lot of wisdom about chastity, both sexual and otherwise, that might be a bit different from its modern definition. The biblical teaching on chastity is pretty clear. Any kind of sexual activity outside a one-man-one-woman marriage is considered to be a sin. But chastity is not merely an abstention from sex, and in the Christian tradition, it begins in the heart. All evil comes from the heart, according to Matthew, while Jesus taught that any sexual lust, even when it’s private, is unchaste and sinful. Watching porn, wearing immodest clothing, and making out between dating couples are all in violation of the Bible’s principle of chastity. Chaste people are required to set personal boundaries to prevent their hearts from being led into temptation.

Living a life of chastity in modern times can be difficult for everyone, but it’s single men and women who struggle with it the most. According to contemporary Christian teachings, they may find abstinence easier if they limit the exposure to sexually explicit images and situations. Married people are supposed to practice chastity by remaining loyal to their spouses and honoring God with both their bodies and minds. If it is still too hard to keep your abstinence, you might consider trying out some extra means to remain chaste.

How a chastity cage can help with abstinence in a modern-day society

Some people are capable of keeping abstinence on their own without any additional help, but that is not always the case. A chastity cage can assist you greatly since by wearing it, all the temptation will be removed, and it will be much easier to stick to your pledge of abstinence. These devices are not only useful to the physical side of things, but they will also serve as a constant reminder of your duty to God, which can be reassuring if you begin to slip.

The benefits of a chastity cage

The obvious benefit of a chastity cage is its physical prevention of masturbation and ability to have sex. However conscious you might be about your duty to God, the sudden desire might be too powerful not to succumb without any external help, and a strong chastity cage can help you to keep abstinence. By relinquishing control over your urges, your inner disruption will cease, and the chastity cage will help you defy the temptation to masturbate in case the willpower alone is not enough. A chastity cage will allow you to relax knowing that you can not do anything about your desire besides leaving it alone until it goes away. This device will strengthen the willpower that most people lack, and will also serve as subtle but constant encouragement to keep doing the right thing.

What are the Steps of CPR?

CPR, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, is an important medical procedure that can dramatically improve the survival rate of cardiac arrest victims. Additionally, CPR can be used on victims of smoke inhalation, near-drowning events, electrocution, or choking. As such a versatile and relatively straightforward procedure, it’s no wonder so many people are earning their CPR certification. By learning how to safely and effectively perform CPR, you can gain the knowledge and confidence to save a life. 

But what exactly does CPR involve? Most of us are familiar with the chest compressions and rescue breaths, but there are actually more steps involved to ensure you perform this procedure as effectively as possible. Here, we take a closer look at this important life-saving procedure and walk through the primary steps involved in performing CPR. We also discuss how you can now earn your CPR certification or CPR recertification through 100 percent online courses. Learning CPR has truly never been more accessible. 

WHY IS CPR IMPORTANT?

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is a medical procedure that combines chest compressions and rescue breaths to stabilize a victim of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). While designed as a temporary measure that should be performed until medical personnel arrives, CPR is incredibly important and can drastically improve the victim’s survival rate. CPR is so important because hundreds of thousands of cardiac arrest episodes occur outside of a hospital and far from professional medical help.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation

When a bystander performs CPR, this keeps the blood and oxygen circulating throughout the body. If the brain and other organs go even just a few minutes without oxygen, serious and irreparable damage can be inflicted. According to data, over 475,000 American lives are lost to cardiac arrest every year with millions more across the globe. If more bystanders were trained and certified in CPR, this number could be reduced and lives could be saved. 

WHAT ARE THE STEPS OF CPR?

In addition to chest compressions and rescue breaths, there are some additional steps of CPR that ensure you perform this procedure safely and effectively. Here’s a brief review of the important steps involved in performing CPR:

1. Call 911.

Before beginning CPR, you should always immediately call 911 for professional medical assistance. While CPR can save someone’s life, it’s intended as a temporary measure to keep blood and oxygen circulating throughout the body. Since CPR isn’t intended to completely treat a cardiac arrest victim, you’ll want to be sure that paramedics are on the way to the scene.

2. Assess the emergency.

After you’ve called 911, assess the emergency to ensure that you don’t put yourself or others in danger. Once you’ve determined it’s safe, you can quickly assess the victim to determine whether or not CPR is needed. If the victim is unconscious, unresponsive, or unable to breathe normally, begin the steps of CPR immediately. 

3. Open the airway.

First, you’ll need to position the victim so you can effectively perform CPR. Make sure the victim is flat on their back, but be careful about turning them over if you think there is a head or neck injury. With the victim on their back,

4. Check for breathing.

After opening the airway, you need to check the victim’s breathing. Place your ear just over their mouth and listen for about ten seconds. If you cannot detect a breath (or they’re only occasionally gasping for air), begin CPR. If the victim is unresponsive but breathing regularly, you do not need to perform CPR. However, you should check their breathing regularly until paramedics arrive. 

5. Chest compressions.

To begin chest compressions, place one hand over the other and interlock your fingers. Place your hands on the center of their chest, just below the breastbone, and straighten your arms. Press firmly at least two inches deep at a compression rate of 100 times per minute. Allow the chest to rise between compressions.

6. Rescue breaths.

Following chest compressions, you should provide two rescue breaths to the victim. Ensure the airway is still open by tilting the head back and slightly lifting their chin. Then, pinch their nose shut and place your mouth completely over the victim’s mouth. Watch their chest to make sure it’s rising following a rescue breath. If not, you may need to reposition the airway.

7. Repeat the cycle.

Continue the cycle of chest compressions and rescue breaths until medical personnel arrives on the scene. If someone else is also trained in CPR, you can take turns to ensure you don’t become exhausted. 

HOW TO BECOME CPR CERTIFIED ONLINE

In our day and age, there’s no limit to what you can do and learn online. Now, this even includes learning CPR. Through online CPR certification courses, you can become fully trained and officially certified in CPR and other life-saving procedures. Even better, you can do this all without ever leaving the comfort of your home. What more could you ask for?

Compared to the traditional, in-person model of learning CPR, there are many benefits to earning your CPR certification or recertification online. With online classes, you can earn your certification faster and often at a more affordable rate. These classes are also designed with you, the student, in mind, which means you can learn at your own pace by starting or stopping a lesson at any time. This means that online CPR classes are ideal for those already working full time or anyone with an already hectic schedule. 

CONCLUSION – WHAT ARE THE STEPS OF CPR?

Cardiac arrest continues to be one of the leading causes of death in the United States. By learning CPR and earning your CPR certification, you can help combat this public health crisis by arming yourself with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to make a difference in the event of a medical emergency. 

Enrolling in CPR classes online is one of the most effective (and affordable) ways to learn this important life-saving skill. Online CPR classes make learning CPR more accessible by bringing the classroom and lessons to you. Without having to worry about scheduling classes and showing up to a rec center, an online CPR course works for anyone’s schedule. There’s simply never been a better (and more important) time to become CPR certified.