Virginity

[levi501]

It is the ONLY way God can see the Church.

It's that important.

no I talked to god and she said you were wrong.
now go and sin no more.

 

[cantata]

It is the ONLY way God can see the Church.

It's that important.

God can only see the Church if no one's having sex?

So much for omnipotence.

 

[Verv]

Something to note...

Christianity does not encourage men to be hypocritical in their morals; rather, men because they have traditionally been so dominant have acted like fools and we created these ridiculous double standards.

If anything, in more liberal societies a woman has even less power when it comes to the realm of the way she is viewed -- as meat, as conquest, objectified to scary points.

Of course this began hapening with the rise of the bourgeoisie.

 

[cantata]

If anything, in more liberal societies a woman has even less power when it comes to the realm of the way she is viewed -- as meat, as conquest, objectified to scary points.

Better than being property.

Better than having one's worth judged on the basis of one's marriage.

 

[Verv]

Better than being property.

Better than having one's worth judged on the basis of one's marriage.

You are right that that happened and we tend to hear about that more often than the other form...

Which was essentially the peasant class; very impoverished people trying to make it through.

I doubt they really could view anything as property when they lived as serfs.

 

[HighwayMan]

Sexuality is overrated. I mean, it's an important aspect of species survival of course, but mankind is so obsessed with it, it's unreal. Whether trying to sanctify it and keep it holy, or exploiting it to the max as most of western society does, they're making it into an idol that has taken over their lives. Even more so than money.


*waits for the obligatory "you're just saying that cause you're not getting any" response.

 

[wanderingone]

No matter what anyone says about men and women staying virgins before marriage the focus is generally on women, and the view is ownership.

Individual choices regarding sex should certainly be respected, I would hope that people get honest information about their bodies and sexuality that allow them to make the decision without feeling they are somehow less than whole if they choose not to stay virgins. I have met young people who are well educated about their bodies, sexuality, pregnancy and STD risks who don't appreciate the distasteful examples used by some purity campaigns (showing how someone who has sex is dirty by passing around some object and showing how it becomes tattered and dirty) and are choosing to remain virgins because of their faith without attaching some social meaning to it, without having their fathers put a ring on their finger in some absurd and freaky purity ritual.

Is it "overrated"? I don't know I guess it depends on what claims are being made about being a virgin. It's over rated if one thinks that there is some magical innocence and purity attached to virginity. When you look at cultures where women's virginity and sexual faithfulness is responsible for the honor of a family then it's not only "overrated" it's oppressive and control of sexual behavior becomes a national past time that is an excuse for all sorts of repression, sexual, emotional and physical abuse.

 

[Polycarp_fan]

no I talked to god and she said you were wrong.
now go and sin no more.

Mock, mock.

 

[Polycarp_fan]

God can only see the Church if no one's having sex?

So much for omnipotence.

Mocking from you?

Another bubble burst.

 

[sidnee]

I think in the fundamentalist circles it is WAY overrated. I lost my virginity fairly young and it was a known fact that I had and every person I was in contact with somehow felt they were better and "more holy" because of it. Its like some sort of silly little purity badge, and its seriously silly.

 

[Polycarp_fan]

I think in the fundamentalist circles it is WAY overrated. I love my virginity fairly young and it was a known fact that I had and every person I was in contact with somehow felt they were better and "more holy" because of it. Its like some sort of silly little purity badge, and its seriously silly.

Does that mean something? That second sentence is rather alarming. Ceratinly in Christian culture and doctrine, virginity and holiness go hand in hand.

 

[sidnee]

Does that mean something? That second sentence is rather alarming. Ceratinly in Christian culture and doctrine, virginity and holiness go hand in hand.

well for starters love=lost, i edited my post. That'll teach me to read it before
I hit "post" But yes apparently christian culture and doctrine and purity/holiness do go hand in hand..which I honestly wont comment on eithier way. What I dislike is the judgemental attitude that a lot of Christians appear to have. And I think its silly to say or think that a persons virginity defines their worth, to god or man.

 

[levi501]

Sexuality is overrated. I mean, it's an important aspect of species survival of course, but mankind is so obsessed with it, it's unreal. Whether trying to sanctify it and keep it holy, or exploiting it to the max as most of western society does, they're making it into an idol that has taken over their lives. Even more so than money.


*waits for the obligatory "you're just saying that cause you're not getting any" response.

It's either that or you're doing it wrong.

 

[cantata]

Mocking from you?

Another bubble burst.

Because you've never mocked me, have you?

Oh, I forgot. It's okay to mock non-Christians, right?

Perhaps if you don't like people having a giggle at your expense, you shouldn't say incredibly ambiguous and/or meaningless things.

 

[eeventuality]

I'd have to agree with Highway Man that sex/sexuality in general is overrated. And to preempt any "you're just saying that cause you're not getting any" responses, let me add that I'm asexual, so it doesn't matter. That being said, I find the concept of virginity as some mystical force that keeps you pure and innocent to be a lot of malarkey. I'm a virgin myself. I'm somewhat innocent in my thoughts, but that's something I only discovered this past summer when I was around extremely not-innocent folks. However, I'm not pure in thought. I'm quick to make a lascivious or "that's what she said" quip for the comedic value.

Anyway, I didn't have any special idea about keeping my virginity for marriage. I've just never been interested in sex, so it's not a big issue. I know plenty of folks who are "saving themselves for marriage" and more power to 'em. I know just as many who don't care about keeping virginity and more power to 'em so long as they're happy to deal with the possible issues accompanying physical intercourse. It'd be nice if we could have less emphasis on sex in general when it comes to relationships. Emotional intimacy seems far more potent and lasting.

 

[Maren]

I disagree. There is more encouragement to engage in sex before marriage. There is no more initiative to let kids know that it's okay to remain a virgin till they're married. If a parent teaches their kid they should remain a virigin, and you scold that parent for teaching their kid that, the kid is gonna see that being a virgin is on the outer fringes of society.

I can't say that I've ever seen a parent scolded for teaching their child to remain a virgin. Even in comprehensive sex education, it is still taught that being a virgin is a good thing. Granted, peer pressure, movies, and television will often be seen to provide opposite messages but that isn't scolding the parent for teaching their child abstinence.

I'll also say that much of the problem is the mixed messages we give our children -- either as parents or, at a minimum, from the media. I've seen many fathers that comment on women sexually (nice ass, nice rack, etc.) in front of their children. And we see all type of sexual innuendo even in advertisements on television -- use this product because you'll get the good looking guy/girl. But when it comes to actually talking about sex, and not sexual innuendo, most people (including parents) become quite puritanical and want to pretend sex doesn't exist.

 

[PantsMcFist]

I was a virgin until I was twenty one, and I wasn't married when I lost it. It doesn't bother me any that I lost it prior to marriage, but I regret who I lost it too. My wife didn't mind, when I told her, and she was a virgin when we got married. That was important to her, so I value her decision.

 

[Funny Fundie]

Overrated or not?

Don't bother asking the question; you know the perverts and miserable will claim "way overrated!" and everyone else will say "keep it for marriage if you can."

 

[cantata]

Don't bother asking the question; you know the perverts and miserable will claim "way overrated!" and everyone else will say "keep it for marriage if you can."

Right, because people who enjoy premarital sex must be either perverts or miserable.

 

[ReadingForOrders]

Obviously the answer to the question at least for the individual depends upon whether one believes extramarital sex is a sin or not, and if one is concerned about sin.