149
Q.
Why is it considered immoral?
not mean moving away or being separated from our roots. It was not the start
of mobility. It was more like an extension of a preexisting family.
Perhaps if extended families remained together, young people could
more easily afford to get married early. The necessity of a college education
also prolongs the gap between puberty and marriage. In the Hmong com-
munity, it is not unusual for thirteen-year-olds to get married (and continue
living at home). While this may put a strong strain on the parents (and the
newlyweds living under their roof), it solves sexual frustration in surprisingly
traditional ways.
Scriptural References
Acts 15:20; 1 Corinthians 5:1; 7:2; 12:21; Galatians 5:19; Ephesians 5:3;
Colossians 3:5; 1 Thessalonians 4:3; Hebrews 13:4; Jude 7
Suggested Additional Sources for Reading
- Age of Consent: http://www.ageofconsent.us.
- Avert: http://www.avert.org (International HIV/AIDS charity; offers
great information on the age of consent in different countries). - Paul K. Jewett, Man as Male and Female: A Study in Sexual Relationships
from a Theological Point of View (Eerdmans, 1990).
Suggested Questions for Further Discussion/Thought
- Recent years have seen an increase in efforts to repeal age-of-consent laws
or lower the age of consent in the United States. Some people involved
in these efforts cite the Bible’s silence on the age of consent as a basis for
their beliefs. What do you think some of the results would be if these
efforts were successful? - What do you think the age of consent should be? Why? How about the
“marriageable age”? - What are the possible risks that people face in getting married or
engaging in sexual intimacy at younger ages? What, if any, risks are there
in waiting until later in life?