Author's Note: I might state some of my religious beliefs in this article. Please do not be offended, I think that purity is for everyone, not just Christians. I would also advise younger children to talk to their parents before reading this article. Since I am not very keen on boys' purity, I will not write from a boy's perspective. But the helpful rules might help, and feel free to comment in the BBS.
Pretend that you are on a date with your boyfriend. You are at the movies, and he starts to put his arm around you. He scoots closer and closer. You know what's coming, and you are either dreading or looking forward to it. He starts to (for lack of a better word) make-out with you. You either feel really uncomfortable right now, or you like having everyone look at you.
Think about it. What are you actually doing right now? Is it going to make you any cooler by kissing him? Maybe, maybe not. The point is, you are giving away a part of yourself. No, it's not as bad as having sex before marriage, but you are still being physically active in your relationship. You aren't doing yourself any good.
The reason why I am telling you all of this is because I want you to realize that you aren't going to be just right for the man you marry. Think of yourself as a present. You don't want the tape not to stick, or the wrapping to be torn. If you truly loved your spouse, wouldn't you want that present to be just perfect? And, what if someone fully opened the box and took everything out of it (having an "intimate" relationship)?
Now, I'm not saying that you can't kiss at all, but just try to save it for special times. And, having an intimate relationship with someone, as a teenager, is going too far. What if something happened. It could damage your life for a while, it would be incredibly hard to support the baby. What if the father left you? Sure, your parent's will probably help you, but what about when you are in college and the baby won't get to see you very often? Sex is not worth it.
Here are some rules some people have to help them that may help you make your decision on how far you want to go in dating:
I've heard of guys (and girls) who don't kiss a person until the altar on their wedding day.
Some people don't date at all! They know that there is only one person out there for them, and they know that God will tell them who to marry when the time comes.
Well, a lot of people don't want to carry around too much emotional baggage, so they try not to get into to many relationships. They also want the person they marry to feel the same way.
I'm not sure about non-Christian families, but, often, when a person turns 16 years-old, someone in the family gives them a purity ring. Sometimes people put that on their wedding-ring finger, or other times they'll put it on another one.
I hope I've gotten my point across in this article, and that is to celebrate purity. Never give in to pressure to do something you don't want to do. You'll find that you'll feel a whole lot better about yourself.
This is book67, signing off.
Editor's Note: This article is book67's opinion. We are all entitled to our opinions on this important subject matter. As stated above, I encourage you to speak to your parents or a counselor about relationships. Remember to stay respectful in your comments in the BBS.
