Why do Christian fundamentalists think that sex before marriage is a sin?

Question

The Bible does not say that it is a sin to have sex before marriage. In Exodus, chapter 20, we read the Ten Commandments, and are told that we should not commit adultery. Adultery however is not defined as simply having sex outside of marriage. It's defined as having sex with a married person. Nothing is said to prohibit sexual relations between two unmarried people. In fact, if we look in the book of Leviticus, we are given a list of every situation in which we should not have sex. We're not to have sex with married people, or with family members, or with animals. We are not, however, prohibited from having sex with an unmarried person who is not in our family.

Asuza obviously you did not read the details: "Adultery however is not defined as simply having sex outside of marriage. It's defined as having sex with a married person. Nothing is said to prohibit sexual relations between two unmarried people."

zoril yes Mark 7:21, does state that "fornication" is a sin. However, "fornication is not defined as "sex outside of marriage." The Greek translation identifies "fornication" as being any "illicit (illegal) sexual activity." However, as we saw above, God did not mention sex between two unmarried people as being illicit.

Answer 1

You misunderstand their motives. It's not about being true to Scripture. It's about control. In a "voluntary" association, the leaders have to have some hook, some rationale, something; to justify their "authority". In order for rational people to accept oppression, they have to get something back in return. The best way to do this is to take something of value; something innately desired, and make it wrong. Achieving it then creates guilt, and avoiding it creates a sense of "righteousness" (being better than others). Sex and wealth are the two biggest and easiest hooks (both of which the Church uses against its members). They make sex wrong, knowing people will desire it, or actually act on that desire. Those that do feel guilty, and must come to the Church to find absolution. Those that don't get to look down their noses at others and think how much better they are than them.
The Church instills the guilt, then provides relief from it; all the time letting its people feel great about themselves for living a repressive lifestyle.

Pretty nifty, huh? It's worked well for millenia. If there is a Judgment Day, they will have much to answer for.

Answer 2

well... actually it does, it implies, and it spells it out too... But when did you read the Bible??? Like from the beginning to the end??? when did u become such a scholar of Bible??? Anyone who read the Bible at least once would tell you you are misquoting it... so please don't make yourself look stupid, read before you get all philosophical about it.. Okay??? I'm not going to feed you the text... Read all of it, read what happened with the guys that had sex with a virgin... don't just pick a text out of context to support your idiosyncrasies! Put some elbow grease into it, or do you have a different agenda?
C'mon it's not like there's a shortage of Bibles in USA!!! And you're darn right, I know how it is to not be able to read the Bible. What are you going to say next?? Polygamy is ok? Well you can say whatever you want, but don't blame it on the Bible.

Answer 3

First of all, the temptation didn't get too much for them and they were helpless little beings in this event, they made a choice and were well aware of the possible consequences. As Christians there are several things which are fundamental to this situation. First, when a believer is tempted to sin the Bible teaches that what they are experiencing is not new. Others have been tempted to do the very same thing, so don't be surprised. Second, the Bible teaches that when we are tempted God doesn't allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear, that means that we can resist the temptation if we want to, we don't have to cave in to it. Third, the Bible teaches that when we are tempted God provides a way out so that we don't have to cave in. So let's make sure that these young people of faith remember what their faith teaches regarding temptation and place the blame squarely where it lies - in their ability to make choices about their behaviour. Sexuality is a gift from God, not something that we should be treating lightly, hence the sex only in marriage. Sexual activity is not about pleasure but about the uniting/bonding of two people together so that they become one. Engaging in it outside of marriage - male and female - we set ourselves up for all sorts of issues - pregnancy, STD's, AIDS, shame, guilt, lack of esteem and respect for ourselves, etc. I applaud the way their parents were trying to instill solid sexual values in their children. You suggest that sex education and "safe sex" preserve youth because the end result won't be pregnancy. First, lots of people get pregnant using birth control. It is 99% effective in people over the age of 35. In your teens/20's your at your most fertile, there is no such thing as safe sex - it's a lie and an illusion. Finally, having sex before marriage and adulthood even with using a condom or birth control means a loss of youth. Even now as parents they have choices - adoption is one, letting their parents raise the child, etc. Sex outside of marriage can only lead to disaster.

Answer 4

In the Bible it is a sin to commit fornication which is sin outside of marriage! If you do not believe me read it for yourself!
God has reserved sex for marriage! To do otherwise is pure sin and goes against a loving God!

Answer 5

If you look at all the biblical laws against various kinds of sexual relations, you'll see that any act of sexual intercourse which occurs outside of marriage receives some kind of punishment, ranging from a "shotgun wedding" to monetary fines to the death penalty. The only kind of sexual relations which suffers no penalty is that which happens inside of marriage.

But what is much simpler to look at is 1 Cor 7, which says that while "it is good for a man not to touch a woman" (i.e., living a life of chastity is a good thing), "to avoid fornication" (i.e., unlawful sexual relations), "let each man have his own wife, and let each wife have her own husband" (i.e., if people want to have sex, they need to get married).

Answer 6

Because it is a sin. The bible calls it fornication. To say otherwise is to lie. Catholics believe this, too. And by the way, I saw some answers earlier given by some non-Catholics that were claiming that the Catholic Church doesn't believe in Hell. This is completely untrue. The Catholic Church has always taught that Hell is real. If a priest or even a bishop or Catholic theologian ever teaches otherwise, they are a heretic because they are going against true Church teaching.

The worst sin is to deny that sin exists and to call evil good and to call good evil. Sin enslaves us and leads to ultimate death. That's why God doesn't want us to sin.

Answer 7

I think a lot of the 'no sex before marriage' things are spoken in the New Testament, try looking there. There's a lot about 'sexual immorality' and 'fornication' there. In case you don't know, fornication is sex before marriage. Try looking there, it'll be easiest to find things there.

Answer 8

Keep reading, buddy, it does say that the act of sex is to be reserved for making a family, which would mean wait til your married. I personally love sex outside of marriage, it was so much better.

Answer 9

1 Corinthians 6:18 - Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.

fornication - Sexual intercourse between partners who are not married to each other.

Answer 10

Because fundamentalist ANYTHINGS will not question or look critically at anything they are told through thehirarchy.
Now, one reason to avoid pre-marital sex is that questions of heredity and inheritance become involved if a child is conceived. I think that'swhere the initial prohibition came form. As my Grand mother used to say, you always know who the mother is...