The Muhlenberg Weekly

Issue date: 11/18/04 Section: Focus

Our bodies are beautiful, aren't they? The greatest thing about this is the fact that we have absolute control. That's a lot of power. Remember in that ode to skipping school, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, when Ferris and his two friends were driving that sweet Ferrari through the streets of Chicago? They seemed to be enjoying the ride, but down the road their fun came to an end. Perhaps the saddest moment in all of motion picture history was when that little red hushpuppy sailed out the back of Daddy's garage. Dang. Doesn't it hurt to see such beauty lose so much value in the blink of an eye? This is what we do to our bodies, however, when we choose to have sex before marriage.

For the Ferris' out there, it's really never too late to "visit the dealer" (the one I know repairs everything for free, by the way); in other words, it's not too late to promise to wait to have sex. I'll tell you that I've taken the keys out quite a few times in the past (I've had my share of forged physical "intimacy"), but the number of times I've wrecked my car has led me to leave those keys alone. The decision to wait was one of the greatest of my life -- my relationships have grown deeper, my confidence has grown stronger and my love has grown wider. I'll tell you, the test drive is just not worth it.

When driven properly, Ferraris last forever. When the wrong driver is behind the wheel (your mind being the driver of your body), however, it loses value fast. When one is married, that person not only gets a nice ring, reception and a heck of a lot of food--that person also gets a "license to drive." When I was 15, my family had a '92 Nissan waiting for me in the driveway. It was mine, but I wasn't allowed to drive it because I hadn't earned my license yet. There's a car on everybody's driveway; there's somebody out there waiting for everyone. This, however, is the kind of car that you either drive for the rest of your life or not at all. You see, driving a car before you receive your license is not the way to go -- neither is having sex before marriage.

Are you having premarital sex because you love him? Love is forever, and marriage is proof. Are you doing it just because it feels good? That's selfishness at its worst. Are you having sex before marriage because you simply don't care? I hope she knows that. I really don't want to sound cruel. I'm just trying to help you think about things in a powerfully different way.

Were you aware that condoms have a 15 percent failure rate in preventing pregnancy? Even birth control isn't perfect. Before you decide to drive without a license, ask yourself if you can really afford to face the consequences. As it stands, the pleasure of sex is short, but the ramifications are longterm, and it's important to remember that fact before going through with such a significant decision--otherwise, you may make a mistake.

So, why did you want to take that Ferrari out, again? Please, put those keys back in the drawer and wait until you're old enough to drive. Why did you want to have sex before marriage, again? Please, put those thoughts back in your head and wait until you're married.

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