Sex outside marriage
Sex outside marriage was not as common in the past because of three fears:
- Detection - getting caught
- Infection - getting ill
- Conception - getting pregnant.
Sex outside marriage is now more common because:
- Virginity is not considered to be so important;
- cheap, reliable contraception has made casual sex much easier;
- education about sex and contraception is better;
- abortions are easier;
- casual sex seems to be encouraged, e.g. by the media;
- fewer people follow religion;
- adultery is no longer illegal.
However, the results have been very serious:
- Physical, emotional and mental harm;
- Ds are increasing, e.g. AIDS;
- a massive rise in single-parent families and more children being born outside marriage;
- young people becoming sexually active at a younger age;
- divorce rates have risen, resulting broken families;
- 80% of the UK’s annual 200,000 abortions are for single women
Purity rings
Many Christians take a pledge not to have sex before they get married. In 1993, the Southern Baptist Convention started 'True Love Waits', a program encouraging abstinence and sexual purity. An example of the pledge that 3 million people have now made is:
"Believing that true love waits, I make a commitment to God, myself, my family, those I date, and my future mate to be sexually pure until the day I enter marriage."
Silver Ring Thing runs a program for young people that includes:
- Week 1 - Temptation
- Week 2 - How far can I go?
- Week 3 - Consequences
- Week 4 - How can God help me?
