Final answer:
The statement refers to asceticism, the practice of self-denial for spiritual goals, often associated with monasticism in Christian culture and exemplified by Saint Antony's lifestyle of divine contemplation and abstinence from material and bodily pleasures. The correct option is d.
Step-by-step explanation:
The phrase 'No conjugal relations but we will retain our gender' suggests a lifestyle in which individuals refrain from sexual activities while still acknowledging their gender.
This way of life aligns most closely with the concept of asceticism, which involves self-denial, including abstinence from bodily pleasures such as sexual activity, in the pursuit of spiritual goals.
The origin of many ascetic practices can be traced to the rise of monasticism in Christian culture, particularly the movement started by Saint Antony, who embraced a life devoid of material goods and dedicated to divine contemplation in the Egyptian desert.
While monastic life and celibacy also involve abstaining from conjugal relations, asceticism addresses a broader spectrum of self-denial that includes, but is not limited to, celibacy, and is therefore the most comprehensive term that encompasses the described lifestyle. The correct option is d.