Isahama Hope, Contributor

Sex is sacred, marriage is sacred. Over the years various social and economic factors have caused the significance of both to dwindle in the minds of the younger generations.

The institution of marriage does not carry as much weight as it used to. Unfortunate but true. Most people cannot afford to get married, and use this as an excuse, and yet they can afford to have a whole brood of children.

Marriage is seen as a means of securing certain things. For a woman, it provides an idea of assured comfort, financially and emotionally. Her husband supplements her earnings, provides for her, and for her children. He is a companion, her friend, confidant, protector and lover-- a life-long partner. This is the ideal image of what a husband is to a woman.

A wife for a man, is someone who is respectful to him and his friends, a good show piece for public events, a good cook, a good housekeeper (with or without a domestic assistant), a good mother to his children, someone who is dependent on him alone for sexual gratification, and the icing on the cake, a woman who has her own income.

The reality of the situation is much different. In today's society, even the "rich" are finding it difficult to stay afloat, and maintain their lifestyle. Liberated women no longer want to be totally dependent on any man. Over-dependent women want the men to go out and make the money and support them without having to fulfil his requirements in a partner. Women who are overindulgent are not satisfied with one man, because he has to work to support his and her lifestyle, and may not have as much time as she wants, or he may not be able to find a good enough job to make enough money, so she goes out and finds someone else.

Men are faced with women who are only interested in them for the sizes of their pay cheques; their libido, and their sexual prowess. They have to deal with the frustrations of everyday life, finding and keeping a "good" job. A man who wants his woman to be his friend, confidant, and partner is considered to be abnormal, because his wife is supposed to be his property and he should be able to control her.

All of these factors, including uncontrollable hormones, affect people in different ways, and when passion takes you away in the heat of the moment, anything can happen. A woman doesn't want an inexperienced man and a man can't get experience unless he finds a woman to get experience with. A man doesn't want a woman who has had multiple partners, but most men prefer to have a woman who has had some experience in bed.

The Bible says that if you perform an act and you feel guilty about it, by your own conscience, or those around you, then you have committed a sin. If your belief system causes you to feel guilty if you have had sex with someone with whom you are not married, then do not do it. Sin is a terrible thing to have to live with. Sex is an act of love. It is seen as the ultimate expression of this emotion, next to giving your life for the object of your affection. If you know you will not feel guilty, remember the consequences and act responsibly.

Mujaahid Muhammad, Contributor

For all major religions of the world, premarital sex/fornication is condemned in no uncertain terms. In fact this is a sin and as such attracts a penalty. Under Islamic law ,the one found guilty of this is liable to 100 stripes, once four trustworthy persons bear witness that they actually saw the act being committed (Quraan Ch. 24 vs.2-3). For Christianity this act attracts the death penalty for a virgin, who is betrothed to a husband and, if she's not betrothed then the man who had sex with her has to pay fifty shekels of silver to the girl's father then later she must marry to him whether she approves of him or not.( Deut. 22 vs.20-29). The position of Judaism on this issue will be similar to that of Christianity.

If we were to examine all the ill effects of premarital sex then we would appreciate that the intent of the laws of Allah (God) are to bring the wrongdoers to account for the crime they committed against society and to deter them and others from engaging in such activities. Thus deviation from the laws of Allah ( God), can only make a society self- destruct summarised as follows.

1. Destruction ­ Illegitimate and unwanted children being born daily. And as the Jamaican experience teaches us, the fathers of these children do not assume the responsibilities of fatherhood. The mother has dual responsibility of maintaining the home as well as fulfilling the role of motherhood. The time she spends with her child/ children will be minimum and manners, school performance and emotional development will be greatly affected.

On the financial side, sacrifices will have to be made. This will result in poor diet and poor educational opportunities.

2. Destruction ­ Under the Education Regulations Act-1980, a student who becomes pregnant will be excluded from attending the institution during pregnancy. Many young who girls are ashamed are forced to terminate their education. The partner can be charged with statutory rape if the girl is under the age of 16.

Isolated in their world, they face financial strain, a restricted social life, lose parental support, and encounter much complications associated with the pregnancy such as high blood pressure, anaemia and possibly, death. The advocates of premarital sex will defensively argue that with the various forms of contraceptives coupled with educational programmes, such pregnancies can now be avoided and as such, premarital sex should be seen as a normal way of life for those who approach it in a responsible manner. But is this the whole truth? Aren't developed countries spending millions on ways to approach safe sex and birth control, though we are still confronted with it.

These programmes and contraceptives are a "modern" and "civilised" way of disguising sin and at the same time legitimising fornication. To accept premarital sex as a norm would not be a solution to society's woes and confusion!

Donald Oliver, Contributor

For some time now, sex before marriage has been a controversial issue. There are some people who say that they don't want to marry any "puss in bag". There are others who have sworn that they will not entertain premarital sex. However, there are some in the latter group who have broken their oath and have used various reasons to prove that it was beyond their control. With the exception of a rape victim, this would not be true.

In a world where right seems wrong and wrong seems right, it is hard for many persons to know what is wrong or right. For one to know the difference, one needs to give oneself to the omniscient one.

Sex in itself is not wrong. In fact, it's a wonderful thing created by God for a special group of people. Man and his wife. When done outside of holy matrimony, it doesn't seem so sacred. Marriage, however, is not a licence for sex.

Premarital sex has been marketed by the manufacturers of condoms and birth control pills. I think it is ridiculous, because it is down-playing the significance of God's intention towards sexual intercourse for men. It is because of this marketing that it seems that the man is wrong when he gets the girl pregnant ,or the girl is wrong when she gets pregnant. The wrong, however, is not in the pregnancy, but it is the act of sex outside of marriage which leads to pregnancy.

The word love has been misused. Some teens say, (and they are serious), that they have "fallen in love". I don't know what some of them fell into, but it definitely was not love. Love is the commitment of the heart.

God is amazing. He doesn't necessarily look at what you have done. He looks at the motive of what you did and the spirit in which you did it. Let's not trivialise sexual intercourse. Let it have a new meaning in your life. If this is so special to you, wait until you find the right person and express your love through marriage. In the meantime, abstinence is the best thing.

Stacey-Ann Kameka, Contributor

Surveys have proven that more and more individuals are engaging in premarital sex (intercourse before marriage).

Religions of the world, especially Christianity and Islam, forcibly condemn it as fornication. At some point in the history of Jews, sex was only done between married couples and strictly for reproduction. Could this mean it is due time for a wake-up call for religious minds, as young persons question "why should anyone be forced to buy 'puss in a bag'?"

Despite the many cases of denial, most marriages take a nose-dive due to discontentment and dissatisfaction in the sexual arena.

Jerome, a 40 year-old divorcee, profoundly declares "Premarital sex is a practice that has become a rule and most of the populace has conformed to such a rule."

The most common remarks by both males and females are on the necessity to "sample" the merchandise before they actually "buy."

One 17-year-old declares, "mi nuh want no puss in a bag, and my man haffi satisfy all my sexual needs. I can't just married to a man just because him look good; he has to also satisfy me in bed."

By the large numbers of children being born out of wedlock, it appears that many unions began as premarital sexual relations. Today many persons are unwilling to knowingly enter into a marriage when one partner is unable to bear children. This often leads to out-of-wedlock children whose parents may eventually marry. Sex also becomes an accepted tool to maturity. Nineteen-year-old Kereen says she is not going to enter into a marriage without first "getting a taste" sexually of what her potential mate has to offer. "He has to give me vibe and total satisfaction in bed."

Religious persons would appreciate if more and more persons would abstain from sex before marriage. When achieved, this is highly commendable, but the plain truth is that no one is going to accept a "puss in a bag".

Can you imagine two persons in love marrying innocently, only to be divorced or separated when one cannot bear children? There have been cases of persons who marry based on "God's will" and are divorced as soon as the honeymoon is over. In a few such cases the marriage could not or was never consummated. Those who obey God a little longer are subjected to much "sexual tension".