Is the concept of purity idealistic not realistic?

I have a big problem with an argument that puts people on a pedistol who believe in something that is contrary to the evidence that exists in reality. Namely the idea that a nun's way of living is somehow valuable when they have made a conscious decision to ignore science and its empirical evidence. 

Innocence is really just an excuse to maintain a humans ignorance of the realities of human affairs in all their messiness and at times ugliness. Yet with the messiness comes beauty also. Sex is not something to shy away from its something to be enjoyed. It is not serious it is one of the central aspects of developing as a human being. The solution is not to hide sex but to be absolutely transparent about the pro's and con's of such acts. So that a young person can make an informed decision. What is lacking is not purity but well thought out dissemination of adequate information about relationships and sex for young people based upon detailed sexual statistics and research on all aspects of the subject, including an exploration of the history and examination of sexuality and eroticism. 

Your solution to the realities of modern knowledge and understanding is to retreat into the past and its ignorance, my solution is to work with reality and its epistemological findings and face the context of our times head on. I know which argument makes more sense, but perhaps like your nun you wish to choose ignorance and call it purity.

aljay31,

I am a reliable witness and a liberal one at that too.  It disturbs me that your solution has already been tried and tested and it fails everytime.  More and more single parent families, more and more underage sex.  If this goes on any longer, we'll return to one digit centuries when 60 year old men had it off with a minor and no-one butted an eyelid because we've got used to sex so much.

Purity is not ignorance if envisioned with a new philosophy to existence.  Our present philosophy to life is from an age-old philosphy to life.  And without monks and nuns to change things, nothing will change.

You are looking at Purity from this same paradigm of thought you are in now instead of the future.  Whatever we know now will seem old fashioned in years to come.  I agree sex is good.  But, It can develop a person? You mean, make them spread sexually-transmitted diseases and Aids in countries like Africa? And then people in Europe can't be bothered to give their monies to help those people with Aids starving and dying because they'd rather spend their monies on their next sex fix? Yea.  I understand you perfectly.

It is sexuality which develops a person, really.  If you think it is sex, that is the reason why sex has got out of hand.  When a person fills in a form, they don't fill in how many people they slept with and 'was it good... for you?' No.  YOu get sexuality as an option because that is what develops you as a person.

Once you bring nuns and monks into society again, to put onto a kind of pedestal - although there will still be other things not so pure still on the pedestal, you will ultimately change monks and nuns.  They won't be having sex day and night but they will change to accomodate the change that society has bestowed onto them.  It's called socialisation.

As a comeback...I am though, very liberal minded inspite of my love of purity.  Purity is only ignorance if you let it be.  I guess, what I am trying to persuade you of is, Purity as a virtue should be 'involved' in the teaching process as was Aristotle and Socrates times.  We've lost Philosophy as a way of properly teaching our children. And part of Philosophy is Virtues of which Purity is one.

Your solution is partly my solution without the monks and nuns.  But if you were Prime minister of this country, there would simply be too much freedom as there is now so nothing would change.  Freedom that is, to express yourself sexually no matter how old you are and with whoever you so wish.  I feel my solution is better. Original, not tired.  Would reach a desired solution and is more dynamic.  Exit.