A religious path should never be an excuse for avoiding that
which we fear, but sadly this is all too frequently the case.
And...yes! because of this, it is doomed to failure.

I don't think we all come to achieve enlightenment in this life.
We come to learn something that will take us closer to that but
not necessarily to the ultimate goal. What happens to the Monk who is
afraid of love and a sexual relationship with a woman and takes
refuge in a monastery?....If his life lesson was to learn the true
meaning of "human love" and he gives up that opportunity to dedicate
himself to a "spiritual" life, will he achieve enlightenment?...
I don't think so! I think only an "old soul" or a being who has
already lived through all life experiences can quietly sit in meditation
and give up this world of "fantasy" and delusion...because he's not running
away from anything! He experienced all that life has to offer and found
that behind every rainbow he followed there was never anything there!
His time has come..... and then a spiritual life and enlightenment are the
natural consequence of this.

Who got closer to enlightenment?....The man who came to learn the
meaning of love and realized it to it's fullest or the man who came
to learn the same lesson but avoided his spiritual commitment with
himself because of cowardice. You know, it's funny but we come here
because we "want to"...We want something! That's what brings our spirit
back in to the cycle of death and rebirth and then when we are here...we
discover Buddhism and say: "Oh I don't need or want anything!....It's all
a delusion!"... Sure it is! but unless we put our hand in the fire are we really
sure it doesn't burn? :-)

Thank so much Buddha for bringing this to our attention.
The importance of this can never be overlooked.
With Love & Metta
Silvia