INTRODUCTION

Pre-marital Sex: Sexual intimacy outside of marriage among teenagers

Sex is a basic human need. Every person has the desire to enjoy a physical
relationship with someone they care about. And in the context of marriage, those moments
of intimacy can bring pure joy and pleasure to your life. But when it's used in the wrong way,
sex can cause guilt, anxiety, depression, disease and low self-esteem. Nowadays, we can
see there are a lot of moral issues among teenagers. As we know, moral issues always
been related to negative behavior of someone that gives bad effects to themselves and also
people around them. The most common issue happened in teenagers across the globe is
being involved in Premarital sex. Premarital sex is term which refers to any sexual activity
between consenting unmarried partners. It is a voluntary sexual intercourse between
persons not married to each other. It is generally used in reference to individuals who are
presumed not yet of marriageable age or between adults who will presumably marry
eventually, but who are engaging in sexual activity prior to marriage. Sex is pleasurable, but
in God's view, the primary purpose of sex is re-creation. In other words, sex is for
reproduction. God does not limit sex to married couples to rob pleasure from those who are
unmarried. Rather, God commands against premarital sex in order to protect unmarried
people from unwanted pregnancies, from children born to parents who do not want them,
and to protect children from parents who are not prepared for them. For a moment
a world without Premarital sex, there would be no sexually transmitted diseases,
there would be no unwanted mothers, there would
be no unwanted pregnancies, there would be no abortions, etc.

According to the Bible, abstinence is God's only policy when it

comes to premarital sex. Abstinence saves lives, protects babies, gives sexual relations the
proper value, and most importantly abstinence honors God. Thus, as defined in the
dictionary, an urge or shall we say, thoughts
of manifesting them, is sex. (The Bible calls this lust). To have physical intercourse is sex.
Whether it is two unmarried partners or one married and one not - it is sex. Participating "up
to a point" of actual physical intercourse, such as having oral sex, is sex. Societal trends
don't change the definitions. Frankly, there is no line to draw; it is strictly a decision to
engage in sexual activity or not. There are many factors to consider in this choice. Teens
who engage in pre-marital sex are more likely to suffer negatively from long-term physical,
emotional, social, and moral effects, than teens that choose to wait. The Bible contains
many verses dealing with sexual issues. One of the Ten Commandments
says we should not commit adultery. However, it says about consensual sex between non-
married individuals. God designed us to be sexual creatures and says sex is to be enjoyed
between a husband and wife within their marriage.
As societies, we must set legal and behavioral boundaries in order to function properly. God
has set boundaries so that we might properly function according to His supreme design.
Scripture is laid out to show us God's way, which is in our best interest. God designed
the path so that we might have an abundant life experiencing His love and the sacred love
of a marital spouse. His word describes the perfect union of husband and wife that is meant
to be exclusive. He subsequently frowns on acts of rebellion against his purpose and
design.
 History Background

In the English-speaking part of Christendom, sex before marriage became taboo

from the implementation of the Hardwicke Marriage Act in 1753. This was in spite of
there being nothing said about premarital sex in the New Testament.
The fact that this is not mentioned may seem strange in light of the fact that passages in
the New Testament dealing with sexuality in general are quite extensive. Subjects
include: the Apostolic Decree (Acts 15), sexual immorality, divine
love (1 Corinthians 13), mutual self-giving (1 Corinthians 7), bodily membership
between Christ and between husband and wife (1 Corinthians 6:15-20) and honor
versus dishonor of adultery.(Hebrews 13:4) Even with the large number of Bible
passages that address issues of sexuality, interpretation of these verses can vary. The
issue of premarital sex is a good example of how the same verse can be viewed in
different ways. In modern English, fornication typically refers to voluntary sexual
intercourse between persons not married to each other. However, in the New
Testament, fornication is the word used to translate the Koine Greek word porneia into
English. In Ancient Greek, the word porneiameant illicit sex or illegal sex. Early
Christians interpreted this word to encompass activities such as incest and bestiality.
Modern-day fundamentalists tend to prefer the definition of premarital sex, or will even
choose to broaden the term to also include activities such
as masturbation and pornography, while progressive and mainstream Christians tend to
limit the interpretation of the word to illegal sexual activities such as incest, bestiality
and pedophilia.
After World War II, divergence in Christian teaching on sexuality accelerated.
Today, most mainstream and progressive Christians around the world affirm that the
teachings against premarital sex arose erroneously due to a man-made law (the
Hardwicke Act), or that they applied only in some cultural contexts. By
contrast, Christian fundamentalist groups, most of which originate from the United
States, hold onto the idea that premarital sex is sinful.

In colonial America, courtship was limited, privacy for unmarried couples was
generally looked upon as an evil temptation to be avoided, and pre-marital sex was
strictly forbidden. Yet people deviated, even then. Records of the Groton, Connecticut,
Church show that of 200 baptized Puritans, between 1760 and 1775, 66 (a third)
confessed to having sex before marriage (Bell,1967). Futhermore, some couples who
were about to be betrothed would be allowed to prctice bunding whereby they would
be allowed to share the same bed -albeit fully clothed - in order toget to know each
other better. Neverthless, for much of American history, pre-marital sex was taboo.
Some scholars trace an increase in premarital sex in the U.S. to the first World War
(1916-1918). Prior to that time, as best we know, only about 7% of women engaged in
sex before marriage (packard, 1970), but a study done using the National Health and
Social Life Survey asked people to provide their age and their sexual history and shed
some light on a topic previously not discussed (Laumann and Gagnon, 1994) This
survey showed that 50% of men who had graduated high school between 1925 and
1930 had intercourse by the time they graduated high school: this percentage rose to
78% for those who graduated high school in 1991. The changes for women were even
more starling. Only 8% of women who graduated in high school between 1925-1930
had intercourse by the time they graduated, whereas by 1991 this number increased to
67% (Laumman and Gagnon,1994).

The real changes in premarital sex took place, especially among women, in the
1960s (the decade of the Pill.) In 1958, most believed that a girl had to be engaged
before sexual intercourse took place. By 1968, 23% to 28% of the dating or steady
college females had engaged in sex, compared with only 10% and 15% in 1958.
(Scanzoni and Scanzoni,1976). A similar 10-year follow-up study by Christensen and
Gregg showed that pre-marital sex had more than tripled, Not only that, but the age at
which people experienced it was decreasing (Scanzoni and Scanzoni,1976).

Darling, Kallen, and VanDusen (1992) argue that Americans attitudes about
sexuality have progressed through three stages. The first is the era of the double
standard which lasted from the 1990s to the 1950s. During this time, premarital sex
was acceptable for men (but not widely discussed in wider special circles), but not for
women. Men who engaged in premarital sex were sowing their wild oats while women
were sluts. The high percentage of men in high school between 1925-1930 who
admitted to having intercourse relative to the percentage of women indirectly supports
this notion. The second era, dubbed the era of permissiveness with affections was
the brief period between 1960 and 1970 where the proportion of women having
premarital sex began to catch up to the men. During this era, collaboration, which we
will discuss in a moment, increased as did divorce rates. The last era (begginning in the
1980s) according to Darling, Kallen, and VanDusen is the era of permissiveness
where premarital sex is now the expectation for men and women and that sex without
love (e.g for fun between friends) is more tolerated. Other researches have noticed this
increased focus on the actual act of intercourse between young people. Schwartz and
Rutter (1998) allude to the lost art of petting - meaning the kissing, fondling and
touching - that for much of the 20 th century was the taple of teen romance. They argue
that this more innocent form of sexual expressions has essentially been lost as young
people quickly move from light touching in a given encounter straight to intercourse.
 SOURCES

The 2 anonymous participants are guided with the following questions:

1.)Do you believe pre-marital sex is morally wrong?

2.)Have you had pre-marital sex?
3.)What is your religion?
4.)If you had pre-marital sex, did you have it while you were religious?

Fundie
Yes, it's morally wrong. Yes, I had premarital sex, when I was still an atheist. I was
wrong to do so. I was damn lucky I didn't get pregnant. The last time I had premarital sex was 3
months before my wedding, and I got pregnant, but we were going to get married anyway and
we both knew we wanted kids. However, if I had just not done it my own way, and did it God's
way, who knows, things could have turned out much better than they did. God could have
brought me a much better man to marry, and I could have had children with that guy instead. I'll
never know how my life could have turned out better if I had only waited. BTW, one of the times
I had premarital sex gave me a lovely case of Herpes. (Thank God it's very infrequent.)

Parfait
It relies upon in case you desire a non secular answer or no longer. I mean, interior the
eyes of God and whatnot, that is undesirable and hell and stuff. yet interior the sought after
worldwide, that is popularly conventional and extremely anybody has pre-marital intercourse in
recent times, specially because of the fact of greater effectual start administration and secure
practices. endure in concepts, pre-marital intercourse is only considered as incorrect in case
you get pregnant/knock somebody up.

Link: What are your opinions on pre-marital sex? | Yahoo Answers .com
 CATHOLIC TEACHING OF THE CHURCH

The Catholic Church continues to teach that sexual love between a man and a
woman is reserved to marriage. We find this teaching in the creation account of Genesis
Book 1, Chapter 1 of Sacred Scripture: First, God creates man in His own image and
likeness, making them male and female (Genesis 1:27). In the next verse, the Bible
reads, "God blessed them, saying, 'Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it'"
(Genesis 1:28). Before the man and woman come together as husband and wife, and
before they express their love as husband and wife, they are first blessed by God.

Only in marriage do we find God's blessing upon the act of sexual love, or what is
better termed, marital love. This physical expression of love in marriage is a sacred sign
of a husband and wife's covenant of love and love that they share in union with God.
This marital love signifies the vows freely exchanged between each other and thereby
reflects the faithful, permanent, exclusive, and self-giving love they have promised to
each other and to God. This understanding is evident in Jesus response to the
Pharisees' question regarding divorce: "Have you not read that at the beginning the
Creator made them male and female and declared, 'For this reason a man shall leave
his father and mother and cling to his wife, and the two shall become as one'? Thus
they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore, let no man separate what God has
joined" (Matthew 19:4-6). Thorough the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony, God blesses the
couple joined in this sacred bond and generously bestows grace so that they may
assume the duties of marriage in mutual and lasting fidelity.

Moreover, the marital love of husband and wife which unites them as "one flesh"
may overflow and participate in God's creative love: a child may be born from their love.
Here again, God gives abundant graces so that the husband and wife can fulfill their
duties as father and mother. Therefore, in accord with God's design, sexual love is
reserved to marriage.
Think though of this issue from the perspective of the child, who may be conceived by
an act of sexual love. A child has the inviolable right to life from the moment of
conception until death. He has the right to be born. He has the right to two loving
parents who are husband and wife, who have pledged their total love to each other, and
who have the means to provide for raising a child. He has the right to be considered as
a gift from God, not as an "unplanned pregnancy," an "accident," or a "burden." In
essence, a child has the right to the best family possiblea family filled with love.
(Confer Donum vitae, II, 8.) we can conclude that sexual love ought to be reserved to
marriage.

Taking sexual love outside the context of marriage is contrary to the dignity of
each person and of marriage. Our Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, lamented the decline
in respect for marital love in his encyclical The Gospel of Life: "Sexuality too is
depersonalized and exploited, from being the sign, place and language of love, that is,
of the gift of self and acceptance of another, in all the other's richness as a person, it
increasingly becomes the occasion and instrument for self-assertion and the selfish
satisfaction of personal desires and instincts" (#23).
Given this teaching, little wonder the Bible has grave condemnations against both
fornication, "carnal union between an unmarried man and an unmarried woman"
(Catechism, #2353), and adultery, "when two partners, of whom at least one is married
to another party, have sexual relations even transient ones . . . " (Catechism, #2381).
Jesus said, "Wicked designs come from the deep recesses of the heart: acts of
fornication, theft, murder, adulterous conduct, greed, maliciousness, deceit, sensuality,
envy, blasphemy, arrogance, and obtuse spirit. All these evils come from within and
render a man impure" (Mark 7:21-23; cf. also Matthew 15:19). St. Paul warned, "Can
you not realize that the unholy will not fall heir to the kingdom of God? Do not deceive
your selves: no fornicators, idolaters, or adulterers, no sexual perverts, thieves, misers
or drunkards, no slanderers, or robbers will inherit God's kingdom" (I Corinthians 6:9-
10). In the last judgment scene depicted in the Book of Revelation, God said, "As for the
cowards and traitors to the faith, the depraved and murderers, the fornicators and
sorcerers, the idol-worshipers and deceivers of every sort their lot is the fiery pool of
burning sulphur, the second death!" (Revelation 21:8). God's upholding of the
sacredness of marital love is clearly evidenced in the blatant condemnation of the sins
against it.

We see the tragedy that occurs when we deviate from God's plan. Many people
have thought they were in love with someone else, gave themselves to that person in
the most intimate expression of human love, then were later discarded. In response, the
Church calls people to live the virtue of chastity. Chastity respects the dignity of our
human sexuality and the sacredness of marital love. In chastity, a person strives for
mastery over feelings and passions, respects the sacredness of marital love, and takes
responsibility for his actions. This virtue, moreover, gives great freedom: freedom from
slavery to passions; freedom from any sexually transmitted disease, so easily
contracted in this age because of promiscuity; freedom from loss of a good reputation
and being known as "easy," "a slut" or "a womanizer;" freedom from painful memories or
regrets of past relationships; freedom from mortal sin and eternal punishment. St. Paul
challenges us to live in the freedom of God's children. Granted, the temptations of this
world are great. By the grace of God, we can live in such freedom, respecting the
sacredness of marital love.

Church teaching tells us that sex is a sign of a total commitment made between
two persons, and made to their whole persons, not a temporary one made to their
bodies alone (read what Pope Bl. John Paul IIs Theology of the Body says
about premarital sex). Even though societal standards such as a persons average
age at the time of marriage may change, human nature does not.
 CONCLUSIONS

Gdynia Crave

I conclude that, Pre-marital sex is considered sinful activities by sexual intercourse

between a man and a woman in which it is to be reserved for their union upon marriage when
they become with God. The perception about pre-marital sexual intercourse among teenagers
varies widely. Generally, teenagers have a normative perception, still considering that sexual
intercourse may be committed by couples who share the same household. That is why, sexual
intercourse among teenagers need to be avoided because it violates social norms and religious
values. Reality or empiric perception judges, pre-marital sexual intercourse among teenagers
may be performed provided the acts are based on the feeling of liking each other, to prove love
or to heighten teenage image, life style of teenagers nowadays, becoming more mature, as a
practice before entering the stage of having a household, or even just to obtain happiness
(recreational) or just for fun. Premarital sex is based on selfishness, not on love. If one has
passionate feelings for someone, one may feel the need to have intercourse with that person.
Teenagers needs to open their eyes and see the harmful effects of premarital sex in which
possible in getting diseases and it profoundly scars you emotionally, by cutting off from God.

Johannah Kaye Paredes

People engage in premarital sex for different reasons. Teens usually do this
because of peer pressure. They wanted to belong and be accepted by their group.
Engaged couples on the other hand commits premarital sex because they are
hoping for pleasure and the fulfillment of their sexual desires while others do this
because of the hope that this might bring them intimacy. The horrible effects of
these short-lived reasons are sexually transmitted diseases, early marriage,
unwanted pregnancies, abortions, placing a child for adoption and unnecessary
feelings like emptiness and unfulfillment. Rarely does a premarital sexual
relationship stay together long enough to make it to marriage vows. People
engaging in this activity will experience the heart rending emotional upset that
comes with breaking up, and when people experience multiple break-ups it numbs
them.

Angel Kate Seniedo

Premarital sex is high in the Philippines and it is alarming in our country. It has grown in such a
fast rate and it is surprising that people involved in it are very young and possess little knowledge of the
risks they may face. There are various reasons of why people engage in premarital sex. Sex is said to be
fun. Obviously, sex before marriage is indeed used for pleasure. This perception has contributed to hasty
boost in the incidence of premarital sex in the Philippines. Most probably, this pleasure is the reason for
the peoples positive regards to premarital sex.
The reasons that individuals give for engaging in pre-marital sexual activities are usually relatively
similar. Some people believe that if they are not sexually active as an adolescent they will not "fit in," or
they will be ridiculed for their choice to abstain from sexual intercourse until marriage. Around school,
sex is usually a major topic of conversation; students are constantly talking about how great sex is and
how often they "do it". Those same students are usually the ones who do not worry about protection.
Teenagers find it to be some sort of competition nowadays to see who can have the most sex before they
graduate. Boys often find that they are being pushed to prove themselves by "scoring". None of them
think of the consequences.

Trisha Bola

Premarital sex between two consenting adults should be considered

morally acceptable due to it being a personal decision. With whom a person
chooses to engage in sexual relations with should be considered one of the
most basic personal liberties. Considering that sex is one of the most
intimate forms of contact between persons, it should therefore be subject to
no one else's opinions beyond those engaging in the act. Frankly, the
reasons so many people have moral issues against premarital sex relate to
religious or cultural bias; the institution of marriage itself being religious in
nature. In a modern world where we have respect for each other's race,
culture, religion, gender, and a host of other aspects of their person, we
should also have the utmost respect for their choice of when and with whom
they choose to share their physical bodies with. As long as people are of
legal age and perform their actions in privacy, what they do and when they
do it should be of no consequence to anyone other than themselves.
Divina Selim

Premarital sex is a huge problem in society today. It has caused

unwanted pregnancies, the spreading of diseases, a lot of guilt, and not to
mention, the decrease of teenage virginity. Premarital sex has no moral
grounds, it is against God, and it is unsafe physically and emotionally.
Although sex is pleasurable, it is designed by God to be enjoyed by two
married people.