Saving it for Marriage?

The now twice-married Mariah Carey and her new husband Nick Cannon are not shy about advertising the fact that they waited until their honeymoon to have “complete intimacy” (Mariah’s words).

Mariah has stated that she is not wishing to push chastity on others, simply that it was the right choice for her, and that she is glad she waited. (It may have helped that the couple had a relatively short engagement, marrying only two months after they met).

There are several groups promoting the practice of saving virginity until the wedding night. True Love Waits is one such group, which encourages young people to take pledges of virginity. But is anyone buying?

It appears so. Singer Jordan Sparks of American Idol fame has made a public vow to remain a virgin until the wedding night, as has professional dancer Julianne Hough of Dancing With The Stars. Other celebrities such as Jessica Simpson, who married Nick Lachey and allowed her first year of marriage to be made into a reality TV show, claimed to have waited. Celebrities may influence younger people to make the same choice.

An important distinction to make may be the difference between virginity and chastity, both of which are usually associated with Christian ideals but are also embraced by many non-Christians. The term virginity refers to not having had sexual intercourse, while the term chastity does not depend on being a virgin, but instead is a moral virtue.

One thing is clear: the subject of whether to save virginity for marriage is a hot topic guaranteed to provoke dialogue. The issue is an intensely personal one, and yet more and more stars seem to be making it their mission to use their star power for good, to potentially influence younger people who admire and look up to them.