Dozens gather to take vow of abstinence before marriage

"to be told how to live your life by reading stories from a book written 1,000 years ago, you are in a sad state. here's an experiment for you...
take 2 people with no job, no home, no money and place them side by side. tell 1 he needs to pull himself up, get a job, and make something of himself. tell the other one "the lord will provide".....see which one stays broke longer"
That was so sad to even ask that..the person who had no job, no home, no money and has no faith in God much less him or herself will fail.

I'm a little confused about, this please clarify.

To me the person that believes in God and understands how he works would be more successful. When believing in God you don't just sit there you do what he asks and some things here on earth we may not receive, because it might not be good in his eyes. I believe this is mainly on how we live and what we ask for and what we do with what he gives us, negative or positive. Hey we might receive some stuff in heaven or even hell. The person who receives a lot might be getting stuff that he or she doesn't really want. Hint: there own will, not Gods' will. Some people just don't understand how God works. Good job for commi

Many people on this blog page are asking what is truth? Is truth relative or absolute? God's moral law still remians. It is like the law of gravity. What goes up must come down. God's law says to flee from sexual immorality. His law protects us from making mistakes. How may people may have a baby out wedlock or sexual disease. God is like a father. He cares for us. As Pilate asked Jesus at the trail before His death on the cross, some you may be asking the same question about what is truth? Jesus stated that He is the way, the truth, and the life. Jesus did come to do away with God's law. He came to fulfill it. You are asking if you can live life your own way i.e sleeping around. The real answer is can you pay for the conquences of your decisions.

For me, it was mainly a symbolic demonstration of a decision that I already made in my heart to stay pure until marriage. It's not so much that I needed to do this for purity, but I wanted to make my pledge known. It's sort of like baptism; the ceremony itself only represents the change that God has already done in the heart. But it definately wasn't a waste of time. Seeing so many people, some of whom are my close friends, make a stand made me proud, like we're actually gonna make a difference. Even if it's only a few of us, the fact that we're standing up for God's standard of righteousness in the midst of a godless culture is glorious to Him. It's a shame that so many people see this as a waste of time and useless when, in fact, it's an honor and a privilege.

I think most of the comments on this post are hmmm, shall I say, interesting. It's interesting to me that when someone chooses a path that is not the norm, they get bad comments. Did you notice that many of the people vowing celibacy until marriage are older? Seems to me that they have tried the "sexually free" way and it has left them broken, empty, and unfulfilled, and many are single parents now. For those of you who are not Christians, I know it is hard to understand why someone would devote their life to Jesus or "the chance of an after life." But to those of us who do believe, WE KNOW. We do not need any convincing. We know Jesus is real and we want to please him by the way we live because of our love for him in response to the love he has shown for us. I think abstinence IS the answer to so many of society's problems. People are empty and looking for love in all the wrong places. Sex, like fire, is beautiful and hot, that's what I believe. But like fire, if used outside of its boundaries, it's ugly, dangerous, and kills (emotionally, spirtiually, and yes, physically.) Something to think about...

Why does it take some promise of "after life" or a "higher purpose" for one to exist? Why cant one exist for what is here on earth? We live, and we die, and its up to us to make the best of it, period. Being the best person I can be gets me up every morning, not 50 virgins or St. Peter.

Yes, I do agree its admirable, however, I do not believe that there should be some forced link to religion. This seems to say that it takes "finding Jesus" or "marrying Jesus" to lead a moral life. That is complete balderdash. Whenever something like this is reported, there is always some religious turn on it. Im sure a similiar group with no ties to religion wouldnt receive any press.

Good luck.

Ever hear the one about the preachers daughter?

Hey, whatever works for you. I personally think it is not realisitc to abstain from sex before marriage. If that's what these people want to do, let them. The sad thing is they're doing it in the name of religion...Ugh! Don't get me started on that. Disease & unplanned pregnancy were enough to keep me waiting for "The One", even if we didn't wait until our wedding night.

Coolguy81, aside from your personal view of religion, when these people make a personal stand based on their personal moral compass, you have to admit that it is an admirable thing. I welcome news stories like this. It is refreshing that among all the bad and corrupt things that the media reports on, there are still altogether good things that are happening. We lament the plight of the poor and indigent. But what does not get reported are the hundreds acts of compassion and kindness that everyday people show to these. Acts that give people a hope that is uncommon in today’s society.
You are correct regarding pop culture and how our children are bombarded with images and messages of promiscuity. But, there still is a message of hope out there that people can believe in. There are people who will help and encourage them to rise above pop culture. People are not perfect. We just try to live right.

I think it is awesome that the lord has touched these souls to make this decision. God is great.

Note: There would be no term atheist without GOD. To say you are atheist means that he is real and alive. I am living proof as we all are.

For those opposing "sex education" in schools on some ignorant moral high ground, look around you, sex has completely infiltrated pop culture, and unless you brick yourself and your child in a bomb shelter, they ARE going to be exposed to it, and will likely experiment. The best method is to educate them about the consequences and the biology, and let them make their own decisions. Its very simple. Every one of these classes Ive ever been in teaches that abstinence is the best and only method in preventing pregnancy and STDs, and also teaches about the consequences of pregnancy and AIDS and they never once "encouraged" sexual behavior.

The "they are going to do it anyway" remarks make me sick. Underage sex is illegal...and should not be condoned by anyone. In fact, giving these kids the knowledge of and tools to do so (condoms, etc...) should be illegal as well. The "they are going to do it anyway" plain of thought is crap. People are going to rob banks anyway...does not mean we should give them the know how or the tools (kevlar vest) to be safe while they do it. Point is...the actions for which you are supplying aide, are ILLEGAL. To those who do provide these things for your child, do you also provide a nice safe place to do it as well? Well, why not?? They are going to do it anyway...why not make them as safe as can be?

I am so happy about all the young people at my church, Calvary Revival Church of Chesapeake, that are making a stand for purity and righteous. It definitly hard in this culture. I can proudly say that I waited until marriage. It is possible! I did not have a ceremony. I am also proud of my niece and nephew who are making a commitment to remain pure. They are featured in this article It is Christ who keeps you! B.I.G. KEN

I understand your comments on abstinence and you are correct; no sex equals no nasty side effects. However, it's been irrefutably proven that abstinence programs don't work. This clever spin is exactly that, another spin that is doomed to fail.

And please don't paint scientists with such a broad brush. Most excel in their areas of expertise. It's the 1% the media glorifies over global warming that put many in a bad light...

This was a church service. In other words, not paid for with public funds. In other words, even if it doesn't work, why criticize them for trying? They didn't ask us to pay for renting the convention center.
I truly wonder about the comfort some of you derive from not believing in anything you can't see. So, the soul doesn't exist and there is no afterlife? And it really is the totally evil world of the new Batman movie? If you believe like that, pls tell me what would be the point of continuing this theater-of-the-absurd existence? What would comfort you enough to get you out of bed each morning?
So these kids believe in God and are going to try to serve Him? What if they do fail? What if they only make it 364 more days without making a baby? What if some of them *do* keep encouraging each other and make it all the way to marriage? Then we will *still* say they must have had sex and they just didn't get caught, right? Utter cynicism. Cheers, MGM

These people in this report are doing a very admirable thing. No matter what happens next year or 10 years from now, the point is that they are making a stand. They have made a choice to go against today's societal norms. This is a great thing they are all doing. I wish so many more would see this as a benifit and a reasonable commitment.
What really agrivates me is that among the good and wonderful things that these people are doing there are those who post on here and provide nothing possitive or that would encourage this great act of commitment. All they want to do is spew junk science studies that really have nothing to do with the pledge that these people are making.
For those critical posters out there, why don't you either refrain from posting on something like this, or at least have the courage to say something to the effect of "congratulations. I really hope that this is something that will work out for you."

Tsk, tsk. Typical liberal response. They can’t think or read for themselves. Mr. Baskins, today’s “scientist” are not of the same caliber of scientist as Galileo, Copernicus, Newton, and all the great minds who understood the need to pursue knowledge. Today’s scientists predominately take knowledge already derived and twist and skew it in an attempt to pursue their own credibility. Hence the name “junk scientists”. So don’t even attempt to put today’s junk scientists in the same category as the greats I have mentioned.
You either agree or disagree with what I presented.
No sex = No disease and no pregnancy
True or false?
Are you saying that common sense has no place in this world or society anymore?

After reading this positive artical I was shocked when I started to read the posted comments. I am the father of 2 teen age daughters. Both partisipated in a simular ceremony. One has maintained her vow and is a Senior, the other did not. Was it a waist of time to encourage my daughters to do this? I am proud of both of my daughters. We live in a country where people love to express their freedom. But as soon as God or Jesus is mentioned in a public forum the same people that cried out for freedom of speach want Christians to be silent. It goes both ways!

To the woman featured in this story, I look forward to you proving the critics wrong!

I am with you, man. I never bought into that phony stuff Copernicus spouted; it was just common sense that you could see the Sun revolving around the Earth, but how are you going to deal with such closed minded individuals? Besides, common sense tells you that teenagers will do exactly what you tell them to do, right? You tell the teenagers not to have sex, and common sense tells you that they will not have sex, regardless of all those raging hormones inside telling them to, right? WOW, you have solved this whole situation; all we have to do is tell them not to have sex!!! You are a genius!!!

So, 60willy, I suppose we should just discard all other forms of responsible and moral activities just because they don’t fit in your ”scientific” box. I always thought that science was to be more open minded to many possibilities and that no one theory or study was absolute? Even scientists can skew their studies and research to fit their ideological paradigm so as to give them the look and feel of being accurate studies.
Scientists are no longer credible sources. They have all be bought and corrupted by sociological and political ideologues. I use the rule of common sense. If you don’t have sex – you don’t get any diseases – you do not get pregnant. Period.
I’ll take common sense over today’s junk science any day of the week.