I just thought i'd throw my two cents in here (just remember that this is all just imho):
Abstinence until marriage may have pros and cons, but the one thing I think is pretty obvious is what Gypsy was pointing out. It is completely artificial. Wether it was imposed to enslave women, and by whom, are also very interesting questions, but I think best saved for another thread. What is clear though is that this is not present anywhere else in nature, it is not common to ALL cultures, and it's not even common throughout a culture's entire history (in the case of cultures that do practice it).
I guess my main beef is not with whether a culture practices it or not, but the manner in which is does so. Imposing this standard on the unwilling is not cool, nor is applying it hypoctritically or selectively. What i'm referring to here is the double standard in some cultures, that all young brides MUST be virgins, but a young husband doesn't have to be (I mean is it just me? or do you wonder who these young men are having sex with, if all the young women are virgins? shudder).
I have no problems with those who chose to remain chaste until marriage...just as I have no problem with those who choose not to. It's a personal choice, and I respect it when it is freely chosen.
Of course your mileage may vary so to speak. Be safe all.
Perfection does not exist. The question therefore, is: what level of imperfection are we willing to settle for?
I just thought i'd throw my two cents in here (just remember that this is all just imho):
Abstinence until marriage may have pros and cons, but the one thing I think is pretty obvious is what Gypsy was pointing out. It is completely artificial. Wether it was imposed to enslave women, and by whom, are also very interesting questions, but I think best saved for another thread. What is clear though is that this is not present anywhere else in nature, it is not common to ALL cultures, and it's not even common throughout a culture's entire history (in the case of cultures that do practice it).
I guess my main beef is not with whether a culture practices it or not, but the manner in which is does so. Imposing this standard on the unwilling is not cool, nor is applying it hypoctritically or selectively. What i'm referring to here is the double standard in some cultures, that all young brides MUST be virgins, but a young husband doesn't have to be (I mean is it just me? or do you wonder who these young men are having sex with, if all the young women are virgins? shudder).
I have no problems with those who chose to remain chaste until marriage...just as I have no problem with those who choose not to. It's a personal choice, and I respect it when it is freely chosen.
Of course your mileage may vary so to speak. Be safe all.
Perfection does not exist. The question therefore, is: what level of imperfection are we willing to settle for?