Young People are Getting Married Just to Have Sex

Sex versus intimacy. What is the difference? We spent almost the whole class period discussing this pertinent topic last week. Instead of bringing up all of my somewhat contradictory ideas on the subject in class, I decided an essay may be a better way to express my plethora of opinions.

About a week ago, my roommate and I were watching a new show on MTV called Engaged and Underage. The premise of the show is to follow a young couple about to get married, and shed light on the trials and tribulations of marriage for those truly not mature enough to handle it. This particular episode was about a boy and a girl (I say this because I certainly wouldn't consider them a man and a woman) who were each 21 years old. They met each other as freshmen at a Christian college and started dating soon after meeting. Almost the entire show, they talked about having sex on their honeymoon, because they made a promise to their religion and to themselves not to have sex before marriage. Unfortunately (because they were full-time students), they didn't have much money and reluctantly had to spend their wedding night in a bed and breakfast, where the owner specifically told them they weren't allowed to consummate their marriage, because the walls were too thin.

My roommate and I were in shock that these people seemed to be getting married only to have sex. They didn't even seem to like each other, much less love each other! I'm definitely not saying that waiting to have sex until marriage is a bad thing-that's your choice; I'm just saying that you shouldn't get married just to have sex. People should get married because they love each other and want to spend the rest of their lives together. I thought this was common knowledge.

I'm also not saying that sex before marriage is unfavorable. I think that it's a good way to get to know your partner in a completely different way, express your feelings fully, and test the waters to see if you and your partner are sexually compatible. On the flip side, sex shouldn't be what any relationship is all about. Couples need to be able to have conversations, go out and have fun, and generally enjoy each others' company.