Premarital Sex: Good or Bad

Issue Analysis
Caley Leask
The University Of Texas At El Paso
Premarital Sex: Good or Bad

Throughout the history of the Catholic Church and community, there has been a few topics

that have been hot. Examples of such topics would be if birth control should be allowed, if

marriage between anyone other than a man and woman is acceptable, and the one that will be

discussed here, premarital sex. This topic is considered to be a problem as many different people,

and groups have different opinions on the matter. The Bible, Catechism of the Catholic Church,

priest, teachers, parents, and sometimes an individuals community inform an individual that such

act is a moral sin. On the other hand, society, friends, family, and social media give contradicting

information regarding this topic, thus creating even more conflict and confusion creating this issue.

In order to understand how important, the topic of premarital sex is, the community of the Catholic

Church must go under a self-evaluation to determine what can be done to correct behaviors and

attitudes. Part of this self-evaluation includes a look at facts, the nature of the issue, the seriousness

of it, and what policy should be implemented in order for corrections to be made, which will be

discussed throughout this paper.

As time went on, societies view on the human body is constantly changing, and people are

forming opinions about what they should and should not be doing. The topic of sex is always

coming up, and many people are adopting the attitude of its my body, I should be allowed to do

whatever I want with it, which is very unhealthy and goes against the Catholic Faith. This issue

has of premarital sex has always been around and is often disputed between younger and older
Premarital Sex: Good or Bad

generations as they were brought up differently, with different external factors. This topic keeps

coming up as more and more young people begin to get active in their faith as well as active

elsewhere and are exposed to new ideologies. According to Father William Saunders of the

Catholic News Agency, the Catholic Church teaches that sex should be reserved for a man and

woman once they have been married (Saunders, 1997). Engaging in fornication is breaking one of

the 10 Commandments God made to keep an individuals souls safe, and by doing so, they are

subject to being a sinner.

To understand what exactly the issue of premarital sex is, it must first be defined as that

sex should not be allowed outside the confines of marriage between a man and woman. Many

people who are the elders in the community say that there is no place for sex outside of marriage

while younger people in the community think that it should be allowed, only if their intent is pure

and they will marry that individual. Another way of defining how premarital sex, or fornication,

is an issue, it can be seen as breaking one of the 10 commandments if done with malicious intent,

but it is not breaking a commandment if they are to be wed to that person and are in love. Breaking

anyone of the 10 commandments automatically results in moral sin, however this commandment

ties into other ones as well. It can relate to the commandment about murder, for example if the two

individuals end up conceiving a child and decide to not keep it, they are killing an innocent life,

which is murder in the Catholic Church, which also breaks another commandment. As stated by

the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Among the sins gravely contrary to chastity are

masturbation, fornication, pornography, and homosexual practices, meaning that performing or

being involved with any of the items that have been previously stated, is a seen as a sin in the eyes

of the faith.
Premarital Sex: Good or Bad

This is a very serious issue in the Catholic Community as it has been around for many years

because there are very many different points of view on whether it should be allowed or not.

Premarital sex is related to the laws of the Catholic Community, the common good of the Church,

and of the individual. The laws of the Church are the 10 Commandments, and it violates multiple

of them. It also involves issues of care as it is about and individuals body and soul. When violating

Gods rules, love and trust, there are always costs associated with it and some are losing their

virtue outside of marriage and being taken advantage of, and becoming lost in the eyes of God.

However, a benefit, although still not allowed, could be seen as a declaration of love for an

individual with the intention of marrying them. The alternative to premarital sex would be to not

do it and wait until marriage, which is viewed as an old school method, though it is the right way.

According to the Bible, Let marriage be honored in every way and the marriage bed be kept

undefiled, for God will judge fornicators and adulterers, (Premarital Sex Is A Moral Sin: Msgr.

Charles Pope, 2014). This allows the seriousness of this act to be demonstrated and how people

should keep this act as sacred and holy.

To correct or remedy this conflict of ideas on fornication, there are a few ways that it

could be dealt with that would be affective. This issue should be dealt with in smaller groups in

church, schools, etc, rather than on a global scale by the pope to address it. Teachers would have

the duty to inform their students about the consequences of engaging in sex outside of marriage

and what it could to do their body and soul in the eyes of God. Teachers would also have to

prepare them for what may happen if they do disregard the previous messages. An example

would be to explain to them the dangers of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs). The quote

How could God be a loving Father and permit free-love if it causes his children disease? (Why

Not Catholicism, Paul Kelly, 2004) explains how God is trying to protect ourselves from any
Premarital Sex: Good or Bad

harm that may come our way, which is why The Commandments are in place. Everyone should

have an understanding of the benefits and problems that can come from premarital sex and

everyone should be free to make their own choice, but have all the knowledge.

Premarital sex goes against everything it means to be Catholic and part of the faith which

is why this issue needs to be addressed and corrected. Fornication goes against multiple of Gods

laws, The Ten Commandments, which are put into place so everyone may live a safe and pure

life, and when they are broken, that individual has sinned and requires forgiveness. This issue

has been around for ages, and will continue to be an issue so long as no one tries to teach

younger generations what the Catholic faith teaches about it and how it is morally wrong and

inappropriate. Sex should be saved for marriage and is an expression of love between a man and

a woman, in which they are trying to bring a new life into the world. By not engaging in sex, the

individual keeps their body, mind and spirit clean of any sin, so long as they obey all of Gods

other laws.
Premarital Sex: Good or Bad

References:

Pre-marital Sex: Lessons from Reason, Scripture. (n.d.). Retrieved December 14, 2017, from

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/resources/life-and-family/marriage/pre-marital-sex-

lessons-from-reason-scripture

(n.d.). Retrieved December 14, 2017, from

http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a6.htm

Premarital Sex is a Mortal Sin. (2014, September 17). Retrieved December 14, 2017, from

https://catholicismpure.wordpress.com/2014/09/17/premarital-sex-is-a-mortal-sin/

Why No Sex Before Marriage? (n.d.). Retrieved December 14, 2017, from

http://whynotcatholicism.net/view/why-no-sex-before-marriage