Research on Premarital Sex Essay

Premarital sex is sexual intercourse engaged in by persons who are unmarried. 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 (Wikipedia, 2009). Premarital Sex is so common nowadays because of the messages we receive from most TV shows and movies that tells us â€Å"everyone is doing it†. So, is it okay to engage in premarital sex? That is the common question among teens and engaged couples but then again, there are a lot of factors to consider – Is it moral? Is it safe physically and emotionally? What are the causes and effects of premarital sex? What are the teachings of the Church regarding the issue? Is it moral? Morality is such a big factor to consider when deciding whether or not to have premarital sex. The Bible refers to premarital sex as fornication. Fornication is sexual intercourse between people who are not married to each other (Premarital Sex, 2009). According to the Bible there is a distinction between premarital sex and adultery. â€Å"Adultery involves married persons while premarital sex involves those who are unmarried. Premarital Sex is just as much as sin as adultery and all other forms of sexual immortality. They all involve having sexual relations with someone you are not married to† (Premarital Sex, 2009). Is it physically and emotionally safe? Read more:  Essay on Causes of Premarital Sex People don’t usually consider the physical and emotional effects of premarital sex. Safety is one thing that should be given a careful thought. Condoms could not totally reduce the risk of getting AIDS caused by the HIV virus and other sexually transmitted diseases. â€Å"Sex is an emotional experience and it affects our lives in ways we don’t understand.† (Premarital Sex, 2009) After giving favorable attention or interest to premarital sex, people usually develop feelings of guilt, disturbance, doubt, resentment, lack of respect, tension, low self-esteem, and other unnecessary emotional pain. What are the causes and effects of premarital sex? 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. They have conditioned themselves to run, instead of working out the problems that arises within marriages. â€Å"Divorce statistics are higher when the couple engaged in premarital sex or lived together before deciding to marry.† (Sex beforemarriage, 2009) What are the teachings of the Church regarding the issue? According to the Bible, abstinence is God’s only policy when it comes to premarital sex. â€Å"Abstinence saves lives, protects babies, gives sexual relations to proper value, and most importantly abstinence honors God† (Premarital Sex, 2009).As mentioned above, The Bible refers to premarital sex as fornication. The Bible explains, â€Å"†¦The body is not meant for sexual immortality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body† (1 Corinthians 6:13). Galatians 5:19 talks about the same thing, â€Å"The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Ephesians 5:3 says â€Å"But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.† These verses show that the Bible encourages complete and total abstinence from premarital sex. According to Vogt J. & S., (2009), â€Å"The Church calls single people to chastity because human sexual expression carries with it the power of intimate union and of creating new life. It’s not to be taken lightly. If a man and woman aren’t committed to each other for the long haul, the bond created by their sexual union isn’t a total gift of self and is thus conditional.† In context, Hansen H.R. says that sex should be a sacred expression of love between a husband and wife and that both men and women should abstain from sexual activity until their marriage. It teaches that sex before marriage is an expression of lust, not love, and admonishes its members not to participate in it or in any other kinds of activities that excite sexual desires. Pope John Paul II spoke extensively about the holiness of our bodies and the meaning of sexual intimacy in his â€Å"Theology of the Body† lectures. Theologian Mary Shivanadansums up his thinking: â€Å"The b ody constitutes an expression of the entire person and thus calls us to responsibility† ( The Living Light , Spring 2001). This is a sexual responsibility for married couples as well as for single men and women. Premarital Sex is often seen as a recreation. People look at it in a shallow way that they only see sex as something that gives pleasure. Sex was designed for married couples to enjoy the pleasure and excitement of sexual relations (Premarital Sex, 2009). â€Å"The primary purpose of sex is not recreation but rather for reproduction. Sex is meant to be a spiritual experience that extends past the marriage bed into the everyday life of a married couple. It locks the couple together in the purpose that God has set before them which is to procreate† (Sex before marriage, 2009).5 I have conducted interviews regarding my topic, Premarital Sex. I asked people what is their own definition of premarital sex, and the causes and effects of it. â€Å"Premarital Sex is the contact of a man and woman without the blessing of the Church. Teenagers engage in such because they want to forget their problems. Also, they are not guided by their parents. Early marriage and early pregnancy are the effects of premarital sex.† Alona Sace, 30. â€Å"Sex prior to marriage. It is caused by extensive curiosity, and natural instincts. The effects include sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted child birth.† ,Liezel Solas, 22. â€Å"The engagement to pre-marital sex is completely immoral because it’s not blessed by the church, it would disrespect and disobey the law of the church which takes hold to the sanctity of marriage. Premarital sex, is the engagement of two human beings without putting God in the center, it was done out of lust and dirt. It takes away the freedom of each individual. Causes of premarital sex are the lack of the right education on the consequences of premarital union. People engaging themselves were innocent on the outcome and danger that may happen, rebellion to the parents is also a cause and in every cause of a mistake there is an effect that follows. An accident pregnancy or the pregnancy which was not even planned a mistake. An early marriage will also happen wherein both parties ar en’t ready.† Rev. Fr. Jojie Mangui. â€Å"Nowadays, premarital sex is just a trend that is already acceptable. It’s quite normal for people to actually do it no matter what age, or what state in life you have. For me, why give your virginity after marriage, if it will result to break up. Sex is sex, satisfaction guaranteed. If you do it and your partner gets pregnant, there would always be ways. As long as you want to live, you’ll always have reasons to live. â€Å"pavirgin† is not IN nowadays. The common causes why people engage in premarital sex are lack of confidence, women allow themselves to engage with different men because they feel accepted, an, they simply want to try it, feel it, and taste it. In effect, they become immoral, unaccepted by the society and this would also affect the growth of population. And what’s worse is that premarital sex may also lead to death. Not all people who engage in premarital sex are ready to have a baby, so they tend to abort it and completely destroy their lives. † Bethjoven Arenas, 22. â€Å"Premarital Sex for me is okay. Sexual preferences and compatibilities are considered when you are looking for a lifetime partner. It differs from person to person. If you and your partner have different sexual needs and preference, do you think you would create a lifetime of sexual happiness? Or would you live happily ever after? I guess not. I think it is okay to make sure rather than to regret it afterwards.† Criselda Guevarra,31. Summary Premarital Sex is not just about being immoral, but it certainly has risks involved. It is not physically and emotionally safe, plus it has long-term effects that could turn people’s lives upside down. The Church is also against it because it destroys the sanctity of marriage. Staying clean until marriage is the right thing to do if people wish to find a good person as a lifetime partner. The Bible has a word to describe ‘SAFE’ sex: it’s called marriage. Conclusion 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. Bibliography http://www.allaboutworldview.org/premarital-sex-2.htm http://www.allaboutworldview.org/premarital-sex.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premarital_sex