If the USA decided to make fornication illegal how would that affect society?

Question

How would that affect people in the States? Would it be a good idea or bad?
State reasons.

ok fornication is sex before marriage.

If the USA made this illegal where you can't have sex until marriage...that's what I'm talking about.

Answer 1

That is an interesting question, and actually one of the more thought provoking questions I have encountered on Yahoo Answers. Let’s excuse the impossibility of enforcing that law, and lets say, for argument sake, that the US could in fact tell whether someone did fornicate or not. Lets also assume that the penalty for being caught violating this law was severe enough that it would deter most individuals from having sex outside the confines of marriage. What then would be the affect?

First, there would be a reduction in STDs, abortions and unwanted pregnancies. The decline in unwanted births would naturally result in lessening the burden on our welfare system, which currently is being taxed heavily by mothers who cannot support themselves and their children. It would greatly curb criminal behavior in this country, since much of the delinquency and antisocial behavior stems from individuals who were born to people who had them by “accident” and never intended to be mothers or fathers. Just read the statistics relating to what percentage of those incarcerated come from broken homes, with no father, and you will see that our burgeoning prison population is the direct result of those kids who were born to parents who did not want them to begin with.

Secondly, there we would a great economic and academic benefit from this prohibition on premarital sex in that it would allow the nation’s youth to focus on other things outside of satisfying their carnal compulsions. Haven’t you ever noticed in countries like India, Japan, or in the Middle East, where fortification, especially among the youth, is taboo, you generally have a population whose middle class is more highly educated than that of the average American middle class citizen. By sending a broad message to the nation’s youth that premarital sex is wrong and punishable, you have a population of youngsters who would be more focused on their intellectual, academic, emotional, and spiritual development, than on whether they can get into someone else’s pants.

It’s interesting to note the correlation of our acceptance of sexual freedom apart from the confines of marriage and the success of this country. Our country only became a formidable superpower after the 1950’s. Notice that in that time period topics of sexuality and the notion of having sex prior to marriage was considered sinful. Now, that premarital sex is the norm, you notice this country is declining in its educational standards and in its economic standing in comparison to the rest of the world. Even countries that were, or are considered, third world, such as India and China, are ascending the economic ladder of prosperity because of the emergence of a large pool of highly educated and disciplined people; and their education and discipline are the direct result of societies that instilled in them the value of hard work and traditional morality over that of physical gratification.

Thirdly, I think a successful and enforceable ban on fortification would result in the better mental and physical health of our population. Think about it. Women and young girls in this country have the worst body image, directly as a result of a culture that is preoccupied with sex. After all, a culture that is accepting of fornication only sees sex as a puerile endeavor that elicits enjoyment, and therefore the sex act itself will be mired only in what is superficial instead of being associated with an act of love and commitment. A boy’s dignity is similarly reduced by a culture of sexual license in that his manhood is no longer defined by the traditional litmus tests of responsibility, bravery, intelligence, wisdom, and respectfulness, but is instead measured by how many girls he can deflower.

Finally, and most importantly, I think a society that shuns premarital sex would engender the stability and longevity of marriage. After all, I think it is no coincidence that the marked increase in the divorce rate in this country and the greater acceptance of sex outside of marriage happened at the same time. For individuals who have multiple partners before marriage; the monogamous restriction imposed by marriage can be seen as a big let down. It’s the equivalent, to use a bad analogy, of having a man who, having eaten at sumptuous buffets all his life, all of a sudden being forced to eat one item of food for the rest of his life. The human palate, once it gets used to a certain indulgence, has a hard time doing without that pleasure. The same goes for sexual appetite. A mindset enamored with sex without attachment, commitment, and reproduction, characteristics that the institution of marriage imparts to the sex act, will result in a mentality that is adverse to the singular beautiful commitment that is required of married couples.

I would like to say, in closing, that I don’t believe that the government has any right to legislate what one does in the bedroom. However, I think a society that works to demonize premarital sex in the collective consciousness of its people will do much to better the outlook their future. One does not need the force of law to do this, for premarital sex was taboo in this country before the 1960s without the need for legal enforcement. I believe we can foster this mentality again, albeit slowly.

Answer 2

If the USA decided to make fornication illegal, the impact it would have on society would depend on the punishment associated with it. Millions of people would be found guilty of this crime because millions of unmarried people have sex every day. History has also proven that creating new laws has little effect on changing people's behavior. (See also: Seatbelt Laws and Cannabis) If the punishments associated with such a law were severe, I would foresee an increase in illegal abortion (because an unmarried woman would be found guilty of fornication if she scheduled an abortion at a clinic). Hospitals would probably be required to gather and submit paternal information of newborn babies to authorities for legal verification. Refusal of the mother to submit this information would be punishable by fines or imprisonment. It would be pretty scary.
Other than that, I am unsure how this law could be enforced. I think it would be similar to sodomy laws, which I believe are still in effect somewhere - though few people know about it because we never hear of any convictions. If people want to do it, they're going to do it, and unless police are allowed to wander into people's homes at will without warrant, there no feasible methods for enforcement of such laws.
This would be a bad idea, a waste of taxpayer money, and unconstitutional.

Answer 3

Then the government will soon have more $hit on their hands they ever thought possible. Though I'm sure that if that were ever to be put in effect, level headed doctors would give their patients prescriptions for sex. Since doctors are already legal dope dealers, why not become legal pimps as well. You will then recognize the level headed doctors by the amounts of bling bling they wear during their off hours. Or they'd just be loud. Some things simply connect in certain ways.

At any rate it would be a very bad idea if only for the possibility I exemplfied here. The reason for the State would of course be, having yet more control over the lives of its citizens. Because to enforce such a law it would require to have cameras everywhere - Big Brother is watching you!

Good question, thanks for making me think.

Answer 4

It would never happen, but supposing it did, it would be the worst thing since the square wheel, and the most disobeyed law in the history of mankind! Many of the population would be law breakers! And the everyone else a wanna be!

It couldn't be enforced unless our neighborhood watch got Big Brother's permission to spy. May they could put little ankle bracelets on everyone and if they 'fornicated' an alarm would go of in the Frig*ing, I mean Fornication Security Stations. Red Alert f*******ing taken place at 1500 Elm St. dispatch fr**ging Police immediately. Yellow alert might just get a warning!

Really bad idea, our country has more rules and laws than any in the world. It makes it look like elected officials are earning their salaries! lol

Answer 5

You mean, assuming Lawrence v. Texas was overturned.

About 15 years ago, in the days of Bowers, I was at the World Science Fiction convention in Atlanta, Georgia. At the time, Georgia had a non-fornication statute, and an missionary-position-only statute.

Some 10,000 science fiction and fantasy fans got together and informed the Atlanta police that they were engaging in fornication, and gave the police what hotels they were staying at.

The police wisely decided not to pursue the matter. I expect a national law would be similarly non-enforceable.

Though, (and please note I'm completely opposed to the concept), it might be a good way to try and promote abstinence among teenagers.

Answer 6

The definition for those who didn't understand the question is; voluntary sexual intercourse between persons not married to each other among religious liberals is restricted to actual sexual intercourse!
Easily it won't, the military still has laws that punish fornicators even punishable by death or time in Fort Leavenworth but you know the military has a bunch of cheaters in it! I know from being in the Army and seeing it happen openly! All I can say is if families were a little more firm and a bit more grounded in our principle values of culture that it's self would eliminate half of those issues as well.

Answer 7

It would have the same effect as making pot illegal. No effect whatsoever. First of all it would be impossible to regulate, secondly where do you think babies come from? Like all things that are common usage and are legislated out, the use just goes underground, and the enforcement costs escalate. What would be the penalty? A fine? Then that would just make it a form of prostitution...

Answer 8

I believe it would cause another change in the law, allowing it to be legal in most situations. that or it would be overlooked. simply because people wont stop having sex. I mean its illegal for an18 year old to have sex with a 15 year old but it still happens.

Answer 9

For the sake of humanity, it sounds like a good idea to me. With so much free time, I'm willing to bet we'd have a cure for AIDS and cancer within the year.

Answer 10

Such a law would be both unconstitutional and unenforceable. You would simply divert resources from things like rape and murder to arresting college kids with their girlfriends. Isn't there enough real crime around?

Answer 11

That idea fits in with the ideas like Utopias, just not gonna happen, never could.