Lately, the church has been mired in controversy over accusations that the celibate priests are indulging in sexual activities, extending from affairs to rape to paedophilia, and the church, rather than reprimanding them, seems to be sheltering them.

When the church began, 2,000 years ago, there was no privileging of celibacy. The church was a gathering of people who followed the words of Jesus Christ. Among these followers, most were householders, some noblemen, some slaves. Women, too, played a critical role. However, as Christianity became a powerful force in the Roman Empire, we find the church insisting that Christian priests and missionaries become celibate. It was a tool used to ensure the priests were more loyal to the church than to their private households, much like the eunuch culture thrived in China to ensure they were loyal to the emperor and no one else.