problems with teens having sex before marriage, more than half believe it is not at all wrong, or wrong only sometimes, for adults to have premarital sex. Yet when it comes to the negative social consequences of premarital sex between people, there is a very serious lack of a strong religious/ moral backbone. Throughout the centuries, the Lord has declared very clearly that sexual relations outside of marriage are sin (cf. Ex. 20:14; Deut. 5:18; 22:13-30; 2 Sam. 13:12; Matt. 5:27-30; 19:18; Acts 15:20; 21:25; 1 Cor. 5:1; 6:18-20; Alma 39:3-6; D&C 42:22-26). Recognizing that the "new morality," which advocates that consenting partners may do whatever their appetites urge them to do, is nothing more than the "old immorality," many religions reject the popular view that sex before marriage is not sinful and is justifiable as "normal and natural." Rather, they teach 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. They teach that sex before marriage is an expression of lust, not love, and discourage people not to participate in it or in any other kinds of activities that excite sexual desires.Crucial moral battles are being fought in our culture. Nowhere is this seen more vividly than in the present sexual attitudes and behaviors of modern society. The fact that some standard must be chosen cannot be ignored. Sex is here to stay, and it remains a very basic force in our lives. We cannot ignore its presence any more than we can ignore other ordinary human drives. Each of us needs to think through the implications of sexual alternatives and choose a personal sexual ethic based on intellectual and moral factors, not merely biological, emotional, or social ones. Our society is starving for intimacy. And many of the lies we believe in our culture have to do with our hunger for relationship. We want acceptance, loving relationships and d...
