“Abstinence vs. Fornication” The choice to choose between abstinence and fornication is a debate that has caused much discussion amongst parents, and educators. Some believe in what the Bible says; which is not to have premarital sex, and to save it for marriage. For many years that belief was a general understanding for majority of people. As times have change that same standard of waiting is no longer the majority of society. When choosing either option there are several factors to consider, such as; age, religion, society influence and risks. So how does a teen come to the decision to remain abstinent or to fornicate? “With age comes wisdom”, is a saying everyone has heard but when it comes to intercourse those few words speak volumes. Age is important; when it comes to having sex. When is the right age to decide that you as a teen are ready to engage in sexual intercourse? The Ohio Revised Code says that; “No person who is eighteen years of age or older shall engage in sexual conduct with another, who is not the spouse of the offender, when the offender knows the other person is thirteen years of age or older but less than sixteen years of age, or the offender is reckless in that regard”. After reading that law some may conclude that it is okay to have intercourse if your 13 years old and married, or at least sixteen and the partner is eighteen years of age. Our government reasoned that with certain qualifications, that it is very suitable for a teen to have intercourse. At that that age think of what is on your mind, do you make informed logical decisions, or are you like many teens and sometimes have the tendency to rush decisions and think of the consequences later. 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 states; “For this is the will of God, your sanctification that you will abstain from sexual immorality. That particular verse is what some advocates for abstinence use as proof that fornication is an immoral act against God, and yourself; and therefore wrong.
On the flip side many crusaders for fornication; argue that the Bible wasn’t written to deal with the problems teen face now; and therefore not a very good reference to use when teens are deciding the matters of today’s world. Another belief is that because people are no longer marrying, or staying married; why worry about abstaining from sex until marriage.
In 2012 Department of Education for Washington did a study, and concluded that Americans spend 1/3 of their time viewing television. In that same study it was extrapolated, that “two out of every three shows on television include sexual content”. So with so much “sex” in the media teens consume it can be difficult to be abstinent, or to believe that fornication is even wrong; when it’s all around in our everyday lives. Premarital sex has become the ‘New Normal”, and abstinence has become and uncommon practice. One of the most important factors to ponder on is what are the risks? The risks of remaining abstinent until marriage are non-existent. To