Kapalong College of Agriculture, Sciences and Technology

UNEARTHING THE PERCEPTIONS OF PRE-MARITAL SEXUAL BEHAVIOR

AMONG TEENAGERS

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

of the course

Ethics

Nicolas C. Aranda, Jr.

Instructor

Leader: Sheena Joyce P. Semblante

Members: Joy S. Baradillo
Kyan Michael M. Basinillo
Chelina C. Caparos
Lalaine A. Lacsi
Donnalyn O. Manuel
Albert P. Siladan
Marie Grace T. Varquez

July 2021
 INTRODUCTION

Pre-marital sex is a practice of having sexual intercourse before marriage. Pre-

marital sex or voluntary sexual intercourse between unmarried people is on the rise
around the world, while traditional norms, religious teachings and laws in certain nations
still mandate abstinence until marriage, fast societal developments in all regions over
the last half-century have led to an increase in the prevalence and acceptance of pre-
maritality.

“Young people” is used variably to consult an extensive variety of ages, usually

older youngsters and/or younger adults. Youths are in the state of rapid physical and
psychological change. They have curiosity and urge to experience new phenomena.
Nevertheless, youths are exposed to different circumstances like fears, worries and
different desires, they feel shame to get advice and guidance from their parents and
elders. Most youths have involved in pre-marital sex which defined as voluntary sexual
intercourse between unmarried persons. 1

A few years ago, a global survey comprising 40 countries and three-quarters of

the world’s population concluded that sex between unmarried people was ethically
undesirable to a minority, 46 percent. However, perceptions toward the acceptability of
premarital sex differed significantly between developed and developing countries.
Minorities in affluent countries believed unmarried adult sex to be ethically undesirable.
Less than 10% of people in France, Germany, and Spain for example believe that sex
between unmarried adults is unacceptable. In Japan, Russia and the United States, less
than a third of people believe that premarital sex is ethically wrong. 2

Majority in the Philippines is 18, a woman under the age of 17 is expected to be

unmarried. This is the age at which people can legally engage into a contract in the
Philippines. As a result, it will be assumed that a woman who has a kid at his age is not
married and has engaged in premarital sex.

1
Lewis J. (2007). The Physiological and Psychological Development of the Adolescent. Retrieved on June 11, 2021
from http://teachersinstitute.yale.edu/curriculum /unitsn /1991/5/91.05.07.x.html.
2
Chamie, J. (2018). Premarital Sex: Increasing Worldwide. Retrieved on June 11, 2021 from
http://www.ipsnews.net/2018/04/premarital-sex-increasing-worldwide/
 In local settings, specifically in Kapalong, the number of teenagers engaging
in pre-marital sex is rapidly increasing. According to Mr. Marco M. Adona, RN,
teenagers who are involved in pre-marital sex starts at 12 years old and above, which
he added that the primary reason that they got engaged in this sexual activity is the
influence from their peers and other social factors.

BODY

Pre-marital Sex as an Unethical and Immoral Practice

Sex before marriage is likewise explicitly forbidden in the New Testament.

Jesus lists a number of sins in Mark 7:21. 'Sexual immorality' and ‘adultery' are two
examples. So there is a difference between sexual immorality and adultery. Sex before
marriage is one example of sexual immorality. “Because of the temptation to sexual
immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband,”
Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 7:2. If you want to have sex, the only way to avoid sexual
immorality is to have your own husband or wife.3

Although having sex after marriage is beneficial, having sex prior to marriage
with mutual consent and appropriate protection is not a problem. The health
consequences of premarital sexual engagement among adolescents include unwanted
pregnancy, teenage pregnancy abortion, regrets, guilt, loss of family support, and so
on.4

Kant argues that treating others as entire people is essential to being moral, but
that this is precisely what is lacking in sexual impulses such as premarital sex for him.
That is, in sex, we see others as objects rather than entire individuals, and as a result,
we are acting immorally.5

Sexual interactions before marriage are illegal and taboo in Iran, as they are in
most Islamic nations, and are considered a severe sin. Pre-marital sexual relations are
also prohibited in Islam, and individuals who commit the act of fornication will be
3
Biblword (2015). What does the Bible Say About Sex Before Marriage?
4
Shrestha, R. (2019). Premarital Sexual Behavior and its Impact on Health among Adolescents.
5
Dimmock, A (2019). Sexual Ethics.
punished. Unwanted pregnancies, the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases,
family and marriage disruption (in cases of adultery), and emotional and psychological
difficulties resulting from a lack of loyalty and commitment to relationships outside of
marriage are some of the negative consequences of sex outside of marriage. 6

Indeed, with the statements above, pre-marital sex is considered as an unethical

and immoral in the religious perspective and cultural perspective. Consequently, this will
lead in acquiring different illnesses and diseases that we could get through having
sexual intercourse. This will also go against the beliefs of some religious sector and
practices of other people.

Pre-marital Sex as an Ethical and Moral Practice

More so, even numbers of people believed and perceived pre-marital sex as
unethical and immoral, some people claimed that individuals have a right to engage in
sexual relation as long as the individuals involved consent, whether or not they are
married. They believed that pre-marital sex is not wrong if the people involved have
consent, it is not forced because the individuals involved want it; the people who do not
wish to be involved in pre-marital sex do not need to have it and those people who
wanted it can freely do whatever they want and it is not necessarily bad. Pre-marital sex
is a private affair that is up to the couple involved, no one else should judge them. 7

In addition to the claim, every human being should have the right to as much (or
as little), as varied (or as monotonous), as intense (or as mild), as enduring (or as brief)
sex pleasures as he desires- as long as he does not unnecessarily, violently, or
inhumanely obtain these preferred satisfactions. 8

Premarital sex is frowned upon in many Christian traditions. According to a

recent Pew Research Center survey, while Christians in the United States have less
permissive attitudes on dating and sex than religiously unaffiliated Americans, the

6
Mohammadi et. al. (2006). Reproductive Knowledge, Attitudes and Behavior among Adolescent Males in Tehran,
Iran.
7
Flamman, P. (1999). Pre-marital Sex and Love: In the Light of Human Experience and Following Jesus.
8
Ellis, A. (1976). Sex Without Guilt (New York: Lyle Stuart). 189-90.
majority believe it is appropriate in some circumstances for consenting individuals to
have sex outside of marriage.9

Casual sex – defined as sex between consenting individuals who are not in a
committed romantic relationship in the poll–is sometimes or always acceptable to half of
Christians. Six in ten Catholics (62%) believes this, as do 56 percent of historically
Black Protestants, 54 percent of mainstream Protestants, and 36 percent of evangelical
Protestants. Meanwhile, the vast majority of religiously unaffiliated people (84 percent)
believe that casual sex is sometimes or always permissible, including nearly nine out of
10 atheists (94 percent) and agnostics (95 percent). The religiously unaffiliated,
commonly known as “nones” are people who identify as atheists, agnostics, or “nothing
in particular” religiously.10

Moreover, when pre-marital sex was frowned upon, many couples had at least
one compelling reason to marry. This may have been the case in 1969, when Gallup
showed that two-thirds of Americans disapproved of premarital sex, while only 21%
thought it was acceptable. By the early 1970s that critical opinion had reduced to 47%
and by 1985, Gallup found a majority of Americans on the other side, with 52 percent
thinking premarital sex was ethically acceptable. According to a Gallup poll conducted
May10-14, only 38% of American adults believe it is wrong for a man and a woman to
have sexual intercourse before marriage, while 60% disagree. 11

Further, pre-marital sex is morally acceptable. It was acceptable in many

cultures, especially in western countries. The Natural Law Theorist (NLT) uses the idea
of function and goal to ground a “conservative” view of sex. It was stated in NLT a thing
is good and acceptable if that thing fulfills its function. 12

In connection to that, there are so many countries specifically in Asia where pre-
marital sex is still a taboo, such as India, Indonesia, and Iran, the cases of pre-marital is
increasing. The trend towards later marriage in many countries is another factor that
has contributed to the rise in the prevalence of premarital sex. The gaps between ages
9
Heimlich, R. (2007). Say Premarital Sex is Wrong.
10
Diamant, J. (2020). Half of U.S. Christians say Casual Sex Between Consenting Adults.
11
Saad, Lydia (2001). Majority Considers Sex Before Marriage Morally Okay.
12
Aquinas, S. (2009). An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation.
at first sexual intercourse and first marriage have become substantial, especially for
men.

Moreover, modern urban life styles, including more years of schooling, career
development, independent living, tolerance of diversity and greater degree of
anonymity, have also contributed to the rise in premarital sex. The migration to urban
centers has rapidly transformed many historically rural developing countries, such as
China, Indonesia, Iran and Turkey, to predominantly urban societies.

CONCLUSION

Every individual has its own different standpoints regarding pre-marital sex.
Some sees it as acceptable, ethically and morally as long as it is with permission in both
parties and not forced; as long as it performs its function. Contrary to what others
believed, some perceive it as ethically and morally wrong in the standpoint of religion
and other cultures. They still believe in the abstinence and they believed that engaging
in this kind of activity will harm the body of the teenagers acquiring diseases such as
sexually transmitted diseases and some may result to unwanted pregnancies. Despite
of the given reasons and stand about how ethical and unethical, morally and morally
wrong pre-marital sex is, we firmly believed that pre-marital sex is an unethical and
morally wrong issue.

Living in the Philippines wherein we uphold the values of conservativeness

as Maria Clara and followed our religious beliefs that we should not engaged in any
sexual intercourse if we are not yet married, clearly set as the standards that we follow
until now. It is the set of rules that we followed since we were young because doing
sexual activity is against to our culture and a great sin to God—as what we believed.
Even though, some people widen their perspectives regarding the matter, as an evident
is the free contraceptives given by the government and the sex education, we clearly
see this as unethical in any ways. This did not meet the ethical standards that we set
since we were young.
 Moreover, it is viewed as wrong in moral standpoint because it taints the
sacrament of marriage where individuals must only engage in such activities if and only
if they already have received the sacrament of marriage. Additionally, it is considered as
immoral because children will be brought into the world outside the safe confines of
marriage. A lot may also categorize this as a sin and is considered as immoral for it
violates certain culture and even in religious aspects.

In our beliefs in religious aspect, it is considered as morally wrong because in

the bible, in Corinthians 6:28, it says that, “Flee from sexual immorality.” Every other sin
a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral wherein the person sin
against his own body. This kind of sin is one of the biggest sins you must commit,
because us Christians believe that purity is a nice gift to our love ones and it is part of
our culture and tradition. As we believed that our body is the temple of God and doing
pre-marital sex will greatly disrespect our Creator.
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Aquinas, S. (2009) ΄An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation’, in

Utilitarianism and Other Essays, ed. by Alan Ryan (London: Penguin Books,
2009). DOI: 10.1093/actrade/9780198205166.book.1

Bblword (2015). What Does the Bible say about Sex Before Marriage?
https://www.biblword.net/sex-before marriage /?gclid=CjwKCAjwieuGBhAs
EwA1Ly_nSNm6J_9RsmDL2b5X7GmMpFQWYV8kjJoX1DBXQIUe2QEN5b
ADOfTBoCGSYQAvD_BwE

Chamie, J. (2018). Premarital Sex: Increasing Worldwide. Retrieved on June 11, 2021
from http://www.ipsnews.net/2018/04/premarital-sex-increasing-worldwide/
Diamant, J. (2020). Half of U.S. Christians say Casual Sex Between Consenting Adults
is Sometimes Or Always Acceptable. Retrieved on June 11, 2021 from
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.pewresearch.org/facttank/2020/08/31/
half-of-u-s-christians-say-casual-sex-between-consenting-adults-is-
sometimes-or-always-acceptable/%3famp=1

Dimmock, A. (2019). Sexual Ethics. Retrieved on June 11, 2021 from

https://books.openedition.org/obp/4430?lang=en

Ellis, A. (1976). Sex Without Guilt (New York: Lyle Stuart, 1958). 189-90. Cf. Lester
Kirkendall, “A New Bill of Sexual Rights and Responsibilities”, The Humanist,
Jan./Feb. 1976.

Heimlich, R. (2007). Say Premarital Sex is Wrong. Retrieved on June 11, 2021 from
http://www.google.com/amp/s/www.pewresearch.org/facttank/2007/08/13/
say-pre-marital-sex-is-wrong/%3famp=1

Flamman, P. (1999). Pre-marital Sex and Love: In the Light of Human Experience and
Following Jesus, St. Joseph’s College, University of Alberta, Edmonton,
Canada T6G 0B3.

Lewis J. (2007). The Physiological and Psychological Development of the Adolescent.

Retrieved on June 11, 2021 from http://teach ersin stitute.yale.edu/curriculum
/unitsn /1991/5/91.05.07.x.html.

Mohammadi, MR., Mohammad, K., Farahani, FK., Alikhani, S., Zare, M., Tehrani, FR.
(2006). Reproductive Knowledge, Attitudes and Behavior among adolescent
males in Tehran, Iran. Int Fam Plan Perspect.

Saad, L. (2001). Majority Considers Sex Before Marriage Morally Okay.

https://news.gallup.cm/poll/3163/majority-considers-sex-before-marriage-
morally-okay.aspx
Shrestha, R. (2019). Premarital Sexual Behavior and its Impact on Health among
Adolescents. Retrieved on June 11, 2021 from
https://www.utm.edu/staff/jfieser/class/160/2-sex.htm

Wong, LP., Chin, CK., Low, WY., Jaafar, N. (2008). HIV/AIDS-Related Knowledge
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