Marriage later as a virgin?

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Please pray for the strength and courage to remain chaste. There are good, Catholic guys out there who want chastity as much as you do, even if the modern culture doesn’t want you to believe that.
Thank you for the encouragement.

I’m not trying to lessen the struggle for women, but I couldn’t imagine the pressure on Catholic men to remain chaste. So much of society’s contrived definitions of masculinity seem to be built upon sex and frequency of sex.
 
Thank you for the encouragement.

I’m not trying to lessen the struggle for women, but I couldn’t imagine the pressure on Catholic men to remain chaste. So much of society’s contrived definitions of masculinity seem to be built upon sex and frequency of sex.
It was hard. Every single time I discussed it with someone they were shocked that I was still a virign. They couldn’t believe we weren’t living together. I think it is such a viscious cycle. Men think they need more sex so they pressure women into having more sex and everyone is taken down by that cycle. Please know that sex does not define a relationship or a marriage. We have been married for only a little while but we have abstained for certain periods because of NFP. It doesn’t make me love her any less because I value her as more than a sex toy.

Know that you are worth the best and don’t settle for less than a chaste relationship.
 
Hmmm. That last sentence from Jeffrey Tantowi says exactly the truth: might not want to remain pure in marriage - . Those who are following the culture, will continue to follow the culture once they are married - which means - a so-called ‘open marriage’ is a given, though the participants won’t think so at the outset.
I can’t believe this quote!!! I’ve been married 17 years. Neither of us were virgins. Neither of us have cheated, open marriage or whatever other nonsense the quote said. “open marriage” a “given”??? hahaha It’s stuff like that that make religious people look out of touch.

WE lived together before marriage, and guess what? It did not harm our marriage in the least.

Now, there are plenty of other reasons to remain abstinent, but fear of open marriage isn’t one of them.
 
I can’t believe this quote!!! I’ve been married 17 years. Neither of us were virgins. Neither of us have cheated, open marriage or whatever other nonsense the quote said. “open marriage” a “given”??? hahaha It’s stuff like that that make religious people look out of touch.

WE lived together before marriage, and guess what? It did not harm our marriage in the least.

Now, there are plenty of other reasons to remain abstinent, but fear of open marriage isn’t one of them.
Sadly that’s a pretty common view on this site, and its things like that that make people tune out abstinence lectures.
 
Sadly that’s a pretty common view on this site, and its things like that that make people tune out abstinence lectures.
It’s very common.

Cohabitation virtually guarantees divorce

Sex before marriage guarantees adultery and “open marriage”

Marrying a non-Catholic guarantees an impossibly difficult marriage and eventual divorce

I could keep going.

I wasn’t a virgin when I got married. Neither was my husband. We were living together. We had a 2 month old when we got married…:eek:

I’m sure all the holier than thou folks are looking for their smelling salts and a near by couch.

It’s one thing to give assurances to others about virginity and chastity and advise against all that I’ve listed above.

It’s a totally different thing to throw out judgements and supposed “statistics” about the end results of not “doing everything right” in accordance with the Church.
It’s insulting and will not help because it only results in arguments that get very personal as others defend their current lives despite what happened in the past.
 
I would say instead of being offended, listen charitably. It’s a pretty common phenomenon that marriages fail when people engage in pre-marital sex. I don’t think anyone implied those marriages are any less valid or doomed per se, but if we are honest with ourselves, we will admit that waiting until marriage is the best way to go about it. The stats DO bear this out. I would say those who say “I did it my way and I still came out okay” are probably the exception and not the norm.

So thank God for *grace *instead of being indignant.
 
It’s very common.

Cohabitation virtually guarantees divorce

Sex before marriage guarantees adultery and “open marriage”

Marrying a non-Catholic guarantees an impossibly difficult marriage and eventual divorce

I could keep going.

I wasn’t a virgin when I got married. Neither was my husband. We were living together. We had a 2 month old when we got married…:eek:

I’m sure all the holier than thou folks are looking for their smelling salts and a near by couch.

It’s one thing to give assurances to others about virginity and chastity and advise against all that I’ve listed above.

It’s a totally different thing to throw out judgements and supposed “statistics” about the end results of not “doing everything right” in accordance with the Church.
It’s insulting and will not help because it only results in arguments that get very personal as others defend their current lives despite what happened in the past.
What’s interesting is that the most recent statistics suggest that living together no longer increases the chance of divorce if the couple is engaged when they move in together, and that most people who live together do end up getting married. If a couple isn’t engaged when they move in their chance of divorce does go up, but not by as much as you would think. Actually education level has a higher effect on the chance of divorce than living together does.

I don’t mind that some people are against premarital sex and living together. It’s not the choice I would make for myself and it isn’t one that I will recommend to my children, but I don’t have a problem with it. But I do wish that people who advocated it did it on honest grounds. Instead of “Your relationship is doomed and an open marriage is in your future” I wish that they would just say “Hey, because god says XYZ premarital sex is immoral, and although it may not seem like it hurts you, it will hurt him”.
 
I would say instead of being offended, listen charitably. It’s a pretty common phenomenon that marriages fail when people engage in pre-marital sex. I don’t think anyone implied those marriages are any less valid or doomed per se, but if we are honest with ourselves, we will admit that waiting until marriage is the best way to go about it. The stats DO bear this out. I would say those who say “I did it my way and I still came out okay” are probably the exception and not the norm.

So thank God for *grace *instead of being indignant.
Um…I’m very honest with myself and I don’t think that waiting is the best choice. But I respect that others do. Just because I see things differently than you do doesn’t mean that I’m lying to myself and that deep down I really agree with you. That’s just not the case.
 
It’s very common.

Cohabitation virtually guarantees divorce

Sex before marriage guarantees adultery and “open marriage”

Marrying a non-Catholic guarantees an impossibly difficult marriage and eventual divorce

I could keep going.

I wasn’t a virgin when I got married. Neither was my husband. We were living together. We had a 2 month old when we got married…:eek:

I’m sure all the holier than thou folks are looking for their smelling salts and a near by couch.

It’s one thing to give assurances to others about virginity and chastity and advise against all that I’ve listed above.

It’s a totally different thing to throw out judgements and supposed “statistics” about the end results of not “doing everything right” in accordance with the Church.
It’s insulting and will not help because it only results in arguments that get very personal as others defend their current lives despite what happened in the past.
Thank you for your honesty. Not that I have any sort of reputable knowledge on marriage statistics, but those who engaging premarital sex and cohabitation seem to be more common in modern times.

On the flipside of how others attack someone’s past, I have found my attempt to uphold chastity make me feel like a “judgmental” person at times. The older I became, I went from confident to confused.

My ex revealed to me that he lost his virginity at 16 or possibly 15. I was shocked to hear this and found it kind of repulsive (not the most mature response on my part.)

He told me he wasn’t ashamed of it at all. I didn’t really know what to say. When we broke apart, I found out this loss of virginity early on is very, very common. Not everyone is doomed to divorce and destruction, but I wonder why I feel dejected and lonesome instead?
 
My husband and I were both virgins when we married at 27 and 33 but I want to give you this point. Pray for your future husband. Grow in your own faith. Find and hang around holy young people–they are out there! Seek them out! Hold fast to your purity and always make sure that God is entering the equation in your relationship. Pray together. Holy, marital sex is good…wait for it! 🙂
 
Um…I’m very honest with myself and I don’t think that waiting is the best choice. But I respect that others do. Just because I see things differently than you do doesn’t mean that I’m lying to myself and that deep down I really agree with you. That’s just not the case.
I was really speaking to those who have a professed belief in the Catholic Faith but willfully choose to ignore what the Church teaches on chastity, contraception,etc.
 
Nothing, absolutely nothing would replace giving yourself totally and completely to your husband and no one else. It is hard but is not impossible. It may look like there are no options “available” but it only means you have a quick way of getting rid of the ones who do not understand (and are not worthy) your gift.

Do not give up. These temptations are common. You say you are in your 20’s. Believe me. You won’t ever regret doing things right.
Well said. 👍
 
Thank you for your honesty. Not that I have any sort of reputable knowledge on marriage statistics, but those who engaging premarital sex and cohabitation seem to be more common in modern times.

On the flipside of how others attack someone’s past, I have found my attempt to uphold chastity make me feel like a “judgmental” person at times. The older I became, I went from confident to confused.

My ex revealed to me that he lost his virginity at 16 or possibly 15. I was shocked to hear this and found it kind of repulsive (not the most mature response on my part.)

He told me he wasn’t ashamed of it at all. I didn’t really know what to say. When we broke apart, I found out this loss of virginity early on is very, very common. Not everyone is doomed to divorce and destruction, but I wonder why I feel dejected and lonesome instead?
I changed because I’ve accepted Christ in my life and my marriage. I believe that, despite my past (and whatever everyone else thinks of my past), my marriage will be just as strong and “fireproof” as any other Christian marriage between a couple who never cohabited or had pre-marital sex.
That my daughter will be just as secure with herself, her faith and with us then any other child that was born to two parents who were married…despite the fact that we weren’t quite married yet when we had her.
I have to believe this. If I don’t then I’ll have doubts that my marriage won’t survive because of past mistakes my husband and I have made.
I’ll start seeing problems that aren’t there and I won’t be putting Christ first in my marriage.

I was confused too. I lost my virginity very late…according to the modern sense of the world. I was 21 when I finally “gave in” to outward pressure and started looking to lose it. Frankly, I was tired of being the only virgin. I was tired of being teased about being the only virgin.
It was the worst mistake I could have made. I realized that later on…when I changed and began to take my faith very seriously.

You have something very special and very precious that I didn’t have. You have knowledge. More importantly, you have knowledge of Christ and His love.

I didn’t have this knowledge…but if I did…I would have felt far more secure with myself and would have waited. I would have gladly waited.
I would have waited without question.
The only reason why I don’t regret my past actions is because my beautiful baby girl would not exist. She is an absolute treasure and I would never go back in time to “fix” my mistakes.

As for your ex. One thing that jumped out at me instantly is not the fact that he lost his virginity at the age of 15/16…it’s the fact that he said he didn’t regret it. That is the red flag right there.
That is red flag that will point out the obvious to you. He is not worth your time or effort.

However, if you meet someone who did lose his virginity to someone else but regrets it and is willing to stay Chaste for you until you are married…then you need to make a choice. Do I want to marry only another virgin? Or can I look past this particular sin and get to know this person more?
You need to spend a lot of time thinking and even more time praying about this.

No one here can give you advice on this. This is a decision you need to make…maybe with the help of a good Priest you know. That kind of advice will be all over the map here.

The world is absolutely crazy now. There is no doubt about it. People make mistakes. What counts is what they think and feel now. Do they regret the decision? Have they confessed their sins and want to be right with the Lord? That is what counts.
 
I changed because I’ve accepted Christ in my life and my marriage. I believe that, despite my past (and whatever everyone else thinks of my past), my marriage will be just as strong and “fireproof” as any other Christian marriage between a couple who never cohabited or had pre-marital sex.
That my daughter will be just as secure with herself, her faith and with us then any other child that was born to two parents who were married…despite the fact that we weren’t quite married yet when we had her.
I have to believe this. If I don’t then I’ll have doubts that my marriage won’t survive because of past mistakes my husband and I have made.
I’ll start seeing problems that aren’t there and I won’t be putting Christ first in my marriage.

I was confused too. I lost my virginity very late…according to the modern sense of the world. I was 21 when I finally “gave in” to outward pressure and started looking to lose it. Frankly, I was tired of being the only virgin. I was tired of being teased about being the only virgin.
It was the worst mistake I could have made. I realized that later on…when I changed and began to take my faith very seriously.

You have something very special and very precious that I didn’t have. You have knowledge. More importantly, you have knowledge of Christ and His love.

I didn’t have this knowledge…but if I did…I would have felt far more secure with myself and would have waited. I would have gladly waited.
I would have waited without question.
The only reason why I don’t regret my past actions is because my beautiful baby girl would not exist. She is an absolute treasure and I would never go back in time to “fix” my mistakes.

As for your ex. One thing that jumped out at me instantly is not the fact that he lost his virginity at the age of 15/16…it’s the fact that he said he didn’t regret it. That is the red flag right there.
That is red flag that will point out the obvious to you. He is not worth your time or effort.

However, if you meet someone who did lose his virginity to someone else but regrets it and is willing to stay Chaste for you until you are married…then you need to make a choice. Do I want to marry only another virgin? Or can I look past this particular sin and get to know this person more?
You need to spend a lot of time thinking and even more time praying about this.

No one here can give you advice on this. This is a decision you need to make…maybe with the help of a good Priest you know. That kind of advice will be all over the map here.

The world is absolutely crazy now. There is no doubt about it. People make mistakes. What counts is what they think and feel now. Do they regret the decision? Have they confessed their sins and want to be right with the Lord? That is what counts.
I really like most of what you said here. My only complaint was that you say that you don’t regret your past mistakes but other people need to regret theirs.

Even if they don’t have children as a result of their mistakes there may be many reasons why they don’t regret them. They may have learned from them, or dealing with the fallout of their mistakes may have helped shape who they are in a significant way, or maybe they met someone that they wouldn’t have otherwise, or maybe it led them to make a positive choice in their life like moving or switching jobs and without that they wouldn’t be where they are now, etc.
 
I really like most of what you said here. My only complaint was that you say that you don’t regret your past mistakes but other people need to regret theirs.

Even if they don’t have children as a result of their mistakes there may be many reasons why they don’t regret them. They may have learned from them, or dealing with the fallout of their mistakes may have helped shape who they are in a significant way, or maybe they met someone that they wouldn’t have otherwise, or maybe it led them to make a positive choice in their life like moving or switching jobs and without that they wouldn’t be where they are now, etc.
BlueEyedLady,

I’m not here to make judgement calls on anything. I think all of us can at least agree we take the subject of sex seriously.

I just want to ask:
Even if I willfully lose my virginity before marriage- and it’s someone in my later life whom I am deeply committed to- can I still remain a faithful Christian without resolve for repentance and change?
 
Of course it can happen. We got married last year, both virgins - he was 27 and I was 30.

We were lucky, in that we both had the same background (which is, of course, rarer and rarer that older you get.) But, I was prepared to marry someone who wasn’t a virgin, provided that they had a proper understanding of sex now, and that they regretted their past actions.

🤷
 
Hmmm. That last sentence from Jeffrey Tantowi says exactly the truth: might not want to remain pure in marriage - . Those who are following the culture, will continue to follow the culture once they are married - which means - a so-called ‘open marriage’ is a given, though the participants won’t think so at the outset.
I think you got my words wrong. I mean remain pure in marriage is the couples do not do any sex! that means they only get married, live as a husband and wife but they do not do any sex and remain virgins just like the family of nazareth! open marriage is obviously adultery and as a Christian, that is a no.

While it is not necessary for everyone to live as a virgin even in their marriage, I think it is a good idea. For me, I want to live as a virgin even in my marriage, but I do not need to worried about my morals. I can control it and sometimes answer can appear when the trouble come. But since I do not have any kind of relationship right now, I do not want to worried about it as long as I keep my virginity until the time has come. and I might look and tell the girl I will chose whether she can do it or not.
 
I really like most of what you said here. My only complaint was that you say that you don’t regret your past mistakes but other people need to regret theirs.

Even if they don’t have children as a result of their mistakes there may be many reasons why they don’t regret them. They may have learned from them, or dealing with the fallout of their mistakes may have helped shape who they are in a significant way, or maybe they met someone that they wouldn’t have otherwise, or maybe it led them to make a positive choice in their life like moving or switching jobs and without that they wouldn’t be where they are now, etc.
I think I was reading too far into her post about her ex regretting his decision to have lose his virginity.
I read it as an unwillingness to change.
That was my mistake.

I revise my statement and will say that if a guy you are with is not willing to stay chaste for you…that is a red flag.
 
Many of my peers claim that being a virgin will leave me inexperienced and possibly “sexually incompatible” with my husband.
There really is no logic in their way of thinking. Being inexperienced does not make someone “incompatible.” Sounds like people trying to justify what they did.
 
EstherTherese;10797934:
Many of my peers claim that being a virgin will leave me inexperienced and possibly “sexually incompatible” with my husband.
There really is no logic in their way of thinking. Being inexperienced does not make someone “incompatible.” Sounds like people trying to justify what they did.
Exactly. That’s just worldly thinking to say 2 virgins will be incompatible. I’m sure it will be plenty awkward at first but nothing that can’t be learned over time, especially if the foundation if true love and friendship. Why do humans insist that sex is the most important aspect of life and no one could go without it for long? 🤷

We as Christians should know that if the world is endorsing a course of action, we should run far far away.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD." Is 55:8
 
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