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from the beginning: prostitution, infidelity, rape, incest, fetishes, pornography and sexual addictions.
Even though sex is an intimate act between two adults, it greatly affects culture and the family.
Woodstock was the first liberation for Americans to break away from their parent's traditions such as man and woman marriages, sex only within marriage, one partner for life.
These were all confronted and challenged in order to free one's sexually which they believed religion and marriage placed rules upon.
If one is to look in history, they will see that this event had a negative effect not only on the family, but on the whole nation. A nation that was built upon the Puritan faith and laws written based upon the Bible by men who proclaimed God as their Creator.
We are slowly declining as a powerful nation, not by outside forces, but by forces within the four walls of individual homes.
The loosening of morals did not bring our country freedom, but brought on enslavement to selfish desires, far from America's unselfish religious beliefs.
Self-Destructive World
Humanity developed corrupt ways of loving through the first family which passed it on to the tribe, society and world levels.
Therefore, civilizations have not correctly learned or understand true love is the dominant way of life.
In the Genesis story of Adam and Eve, the two brothers try to subjugate one another. Instead of gaining power, prestige or property naturally with love, these therefore became prizes to be conquered by those who sacrificed others for themselves.
Self-centered love spawned a self-destructive world. This is the essence of hell.
Our world went from God's ideal of Heaven on Earth to one of anguish and suffering.
The misuse of love in the first family is the basis for all sexual abuse: prostitution, infidelity, rape, incest, fetishes, porn and sexual addictions.
Great nations have been brought down by the illusive power of romantic love and lust and is the basis for the tensions that break families apart. This spreads to the community level and relentlessly works against any harmony in society.
Promiscuous sex leaves one lonely, disconnected, depletes their spirit and afflicts the heart and mind.
Establishing a New Tradition
The misuse of sexual love at the origin of human civilization has disconnected the true relationship between the mind and body, man and woman and God and humanity.
God brought about religion in order to teach His children to stop this destructive behavior through the power of His divine Wor; through teaching about sexual morality.
God's commandment to not eat the fruit was given to the first man. This original word has been given time and again over history through diverse religions.
When men and women uphold and preserve chastity, they are safeguarding the universe.”
Rev. Sun Myung Moon
These toxic patterns of love today must be turned around.
To redeem sexuality and true love as an object of purity, God must reside with joy in each family and marriage bed.
This is the core reason Rev. Moon focuses on the blessing of marriage as a way to bring society back to true love and the lineage of God.
Some elements to practice to reverse the Fall, human nature one must dedicate their union to their Heavenly Parent, practice chastity, promise to live for family and humanity.
In the case of young people, they should consult their godly parents when selecting a mate.
The mythical story of Pandora related the last entity to come out of Pandora's box was Hope, which represented the womb.
This implies that through love between spouses it would bring the ultimate answer.
Christianity has a similar message of a promise of a Redeemer to be born from a pure, faithful woman who is the reverse of the first mother who misused her womb.
To restore God's original way of entering into marriage, we can educate the next generation with the matters of love, sex and how to prepare for marriage.
Even in this modern day of technology, God's eternal Word is still relevant to save His children who make up this world.
Purity and Preparation for Marriage
Traditionally, parents on the whole guided their children along a clear, defined path to meet a mate and get married.
Centuries ago in the West, parents arranged marriages while their children were still teenagers.
Not long ago people started dating in order to select their own mate for marriage. In either case, singles were expected to wait for sex until after they married. These traditions have been lost by the modern world.
People no longer date in order to find a mate to marry, but simply to have fun and find temporary companionship in a lonely world.
There are no clear-cut correct guidelines or rules that help steer couples directly to the altar.
Sex has become a casual expression that is no longer connected to marriage. Adolescents indulge in sex at an earlier and earlier age.
Parenthood is no longer tied to marriage and the widespread use of birth control and abortions have severed sex from the ideal of parenthood as well.
The West has become a 'divorce culture' where young people are less confident to marry. Adults now advocate that they have to get through their first marriage and anticipate a second one from the onset.
There is no longer a stigma attached to having sex outside of marriage. Couples live together in place of marriage.
There are many powerful forces that conspire against young people preserving their virginity. Media, societal pressures to date and live together make it hard for young people to believe that they can give their bodies and souls to one person for life.
No matter how humanity tries to change the dynamics of marriage, one person for life is imprinted in the heart and conscience by the Creator.
People may rationalize that they need to have sex freely with many people, not just one partner for life.
Still, those with a sexual past will feel the pangs of guilt or heartbreak after each encounter, or they numb these innate feelings with excess in alcohol or other activities.
Reverend Moon asked an audience what is the purpose of marriage? “It is in order to realize the purpose of (human) creation.”
In the modern, fast-paced world, people think that marriage is just a piece of paper or unnecessary because the divorce rate is so high.
Nothing in the world will satisfy one's yearning to live with honor and significance, to be loved unconditionally and give their children a secure union with their spouse even if they try to live otherwise.
Even the most liberal person still may find they are hurt when their teenage daughter comes home pregnant, or their child who can't overcome the heartbreak of their parent's divorce and so on. Because God made society to be a certain way, we suffer when we go far from His original ideal world.
Desirable and Attainable?
To return to God's Will, youth and single people need to believe again in the value of purity and marriage.
They need to be sold on the beauty of reserving sex for marriage and why it is necessary. They also need to see that they are capable of being successful in each enterprise and that they can follow the strict practices against the social norms.
One young woman sums up her sense of this when she writes, “It is sexuality dedicated to hope, to the future, to marital love, to children, and to God.”
When a young person can view matrimony as desirable, then saving sex for only marriage has meaning.
They must see it as an attainable goal that they can reach even in society of second and third marriages are celebrated.
Many adults do not leave a good impression of marriage to the next generation: “I want to be married, but most people I know have divorced or given up on it. I don’t know how I could do better.”
Therefore, they give up their virginity and dreams of a lasting marriage in exchange for a live-in lover as the closest commitment they think they can achieve for a long time.
Young and single people need to be taught how to be responsible regarding their strong sexual desires and how achieve the life purpose of marriage.
Lessons can be gleaned from family relationships to consider when and how to meet a godly mate, basic relationship insights and skills to inner qualities.
Education for Character, Abstinence and Marriage Preparation
When young people are ignorant about the realities of love and marriage, they are more susceptible to believe the myths about chastity and their capability to have a successful marriage.
Also, when one lacks social skills, it makes lasting love that much more an unattainable goal and makes sexual temptation that more difficult to resist.
Parents, teachers and pastors need to learn the right techniques to pass on to the single people they care for and also to enhance their own marriages and relationships.
To guide young people toward marriage and teach to guard their chastity is a multi-faceted endeavor which needs contributions from the family and community.
Young people do not have any help where traditional values in developed countries left them feeling a profound void in the love department. There has been a rise in education for character, sexual abstinence and recently marriage and relationship education.
Character education has been a rising trend in many societies.
Elementary schools and universities, religious and non-religious settings alike, focus on moral growth of students and nurture emotional and social skills.
Some methods include ethics in the classroom teaching, creating a more caring school community, learning projects and using cooperative learning techniques.
Many see character education as a influence on society which promotes better relationships, including between the sexes.
Formal education about sexuality has been a growing trend worldwide.
The focus is moreso on the physical consequences of sexual relations; the primary purpose is not in support of purity.
Abstinence education has emerged to respond to the need to promote traditional values. The emphasis is on reserving physical intimacy for marriage only.
Over the last 40 years, science learned what makes marriages succeed and fail.
These have evolved into programs which impart knowledge and skills that are complementary to the guidance which is offered in faith and family settings.
There are judges and clergy in certain cities that will only marry a couple who have received premarital education and counseling.
In the United States, several states and cities have mandated marriage education for all high school students.
Such courses concern personal enrichment are increasingly common on campuses as well. Better communication skills and training one how to deal with conflict is the hallmark of such programs.
Return for Tomorrow's Post: How Bad Relationships Affect Children
This post was rewritten and derived from the religious textbook, "Educating for True Love" written by a team of writers explaining Reverend Sun Myung Moon's philosophy on sex and marriage.
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