My newest addition to tmcyouth.com, “Is chastity possible.”
…”In an age when surveys claim large numbers of young people are engaging in some type of sexual activity long before they’re ready for marriage, it can be tough for a teen to come out from the crowd and say, “I’m waiting for the right person…” Click here to read on…
The problem for me in regard to sex is the imposition of others’ values. IMO it is as wrong to argue that chastity is the way to go as it is to argue that sex is the way to go. If we could learn to develop respect for individual choice in these matters it would be much healthier all round.
When it comes to teens, IMO it is best to have legal sanctions in place so that we give the teens their choice in the matter within the legal limit, the legal age for sex being being at a time when the community believes the young person is competent to make this decision for themselves.
Chastity is very important.
Mrs. Eddy says
“Chastity is the cement of civilization and progress.
Without it there is no stability in society, and without it
one cannot attain the Science of Life.”
Scripture says to offer our bodies a living sacrifice to God. We need to bring glory to God in all that we do. Purity elevates mankind. We should all strive to be pure in thought, word and deed.
To anon:
There are practical spiritual reasons to avoid sexual immorality — which is why both the Bible and Mrs. Eddy are so very, very clear about this issue.
If you’re reaching for a higher spiritual ideal, and you’re trying to rid yourself of the belief of pain or pleasure in matter, then you need to make sure all your actions support those efforts. You’ll only undermine those efforts if you throw morals to the wind and indulge in something as mired in material sensation as sex (particularly that of the premarital, low-commitment variety) tends to be.
Not saying there isn’t a material component to sex within marriage, too, but in its proper context, sex becomes less about physical sensation and more about expressing and affirming the ideals outlined in the marriage covenant (love, intimacy, joy, exclusivity, etc.)
Understand that the issue here is not the physical act itself, but the quality of thought behind it. If thought is pure, the body will naturally follow. Any physical error, be it sin, sickness, or injury, is just a red flag alerting you to an error in thought. Your job, as a spiritual seeker, is to track down that error and cast it out.
I find one question very helpful in identifying and casting out error:
Why?
Ask yourself: “Why am I unwilling to wait until marriage to have sex?” (Not saying you personally, but anyone struggling with this issue.)
Think about that question carefully. Your answers will reveal areas of your thought that need prayerful attention. You can ask the same question about any other temptation you might face — drugs, alcohol, smoking, dishonesty, anger, greed, or whatever else your personal bugaboo happens to be.
I didn’t bother to wait for marriage. Looking back, I see a whole string of foolish reasons that motivated that decision: impatience, fear, materialism, distrust, rebellion, pride, and spiritual laziness all come to mind.
All of those reasons are mortal mind’s way of pulling us off-course and distracting us from higher (spiritual) pursuits. If I’d known then what I know now, I am sure I would have made a different decision. I’m not beating myself up because I didn’t … but I could have saved myself a lot of hassles and made much faster spiritual progress if I’d adhered more closely to Principle.
The healthiest relationships are those which are based on the unshakable foundation of Principle. You wouldn’t knowingly construct a house over a swamp; to do so would be to compromise the structural integrity of the building and doom it to eventual collapse. Similarly, when you allow your morals to be too fluid, you end up building relationships on a squishy foundation, and it compromises the integrity of the relationship and dooms it to eventual collapse.
Thank you Emily. Very well said!