Editing Shakers (section)

===Ethics===

Adam's sin was understood to be sex, which was considered to be an act of impurity. Therefore, marriage was abolished within the body of the Believers in the Second Appearance, which was patterned after the Kingdom of God, in which there would be no marriage or giving in marriage. The four highest Shaker virtues were [[virgin]] purity, [[intentional community|communalism]], [[Confession (religion)|confession]] of sin – without which one could not become a Believer – and separation from the world.

Ann Lee's doctrine was simple: confession of sins was the door to the spiritual regeneration, and absolute celibacy was the rule of life.<ref>Edward D. Andrews, ''The People Called Shakers''. Dover Publications, 2011, {{ISBN|0486210812}}, p. 12.</ref> Shakers were so chaste that men and women could not shake hands or pass one another on the stairs.<ref>Edward D. Andrews, ''The People Called Shakers''. Dover Publications, 2011, {{ISBN|0486210812}} pp. 244–245.</ref>