Why choose abstinence

Sexually transmitted diseases are something Amanda Morgan, an August 2003 graduate, doesn’t worry about.

“It’s nice that I don’t have to stress that,” Morgan says. “Being a virgin gives me a great deal of power that way.”

Amanda Morgan displays the electronic valentine she received from her boyfriend, a man she met online. {larger}

Morgan, who has never kissed anyone, is proud of her choice and says it’s something that actually attracts the opposite sex.

“I will tell a guy straight out where I stand, and a lot of them want me because I’m a virgin,” Morgan says. “When it comes down to it, he wants a girl he can take home to mom.”

But some people don’t think it matters either way.

“I wouldn’t judge anyone just because they were or weren’t a virgin,” Howard says. “I think everyone is different, and everyone has the right to decide what they want to do without criticism.”

While being a virgin may not be a choice for all who carry the label, it is a sacred one for Carson, who is a chaplain of the Voices of Testimony Gospel Choir on campus.

“I know a marriage license is just a piece of paper, but it symbolizes a greater spiritual commitment.”

“Sex is a soul-tie,” Carson says. “It’s about a bond between a husband and a wife, and it’s not to be played with by people who aren’t married.”

Carson, who would not reveal the extent of her intimate experience, is not hesitant to pronounce her faith in Christianity as the foundation for her choice.

“I value what I have with the Lord,” Carson says. “I really love him, and I won’t do anything to jeopardize that.”

Demetria Carson credits religion and family as the main reasons she has decided to stay a virgin until marriage. {larger}

Carson, who had one serious boyfriend in high school, says maintaining friendships with other virgins and dating only those who share the same views on sex has given her strength.

“My dad was always saying, ‘Watch out for them boys!’’’ she says with a shy smile. “If a young man truly loves me, he will wait for me because he respects me and believes the way I do.”

Morgan, whose father is a pastor, also cites religion as her motivation for remaining chaste.

“It’s important to me what God thinks of me,” Morgan says. “I know a marriage license is just a piece of paper, but it symbolizes a greater spiritual commitment.”

Morgan is currently in a long-distance relationship with a Muslim man she met on the Internet. She says despite following different faiths, they share similar beliefs.

“He’s also a virgin, and he’s waiting for marriage, too,” Morgan says. “Sometimes I wonder if the anticipation of sex will turn out to be greater than actually having it.”

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