CNN.com - Young People Who Rock

I think that anyone who loves another person is worth the wait. However, it is not about how fast you have intercourse, or how much time you spend waiting on it, but it is about showing your ultimate love through marriage. Also, it is about being on the accurate time of God. There is a such thing as moving to fast. However, there is also a thing called moving to slow. To conquer this delima, trust and wait on God, then you will always be on time.

I want to congratulate your efforts in not just promoting abstinence but also to supply and support fun and enriching activities that will lead to meaningful personal and relationship development. Without knowing about your organization or shirt I pursued this path and am now happily married and grateful to those that introduced this idea to me when I was younger.
A question I had about your organization is if you promote full abstinence of any sexual interaction before marriage or if your focus is only on a somewhat newly evolving understanding of abstinence to apply to vaginal intercourse only.

From my own personal history in high school, even the kids cliaming they were virgins weren't virgins. Do you honestly think that even your own members are going to wait for marriage?

Why is it marriage you're waiting for and not just adulthood when you can make better decisions?

Since gay marriage isn't legal, do you think that gay youth should just not ever have sex?

Do you think that your approach is to blame for the rise in STDs among youths?

I think it's GREAT to see young people focusing on something other than what the world wants them to see & hear. We often get so caught up in what the worlds wants that we lose our own identity! I'm only 25 years old & I wish that I knew then what I know now! But it's never too late for a second chance. I pray that you all keep doing what you're doing & continue to wait.....it will be worth it!!! We need to get your group here in NC!!!!!

Awesome! We need more groups like this.

Now that's KOOOOL! I am a 30 yr old single parent of 2 that had stopped watching and reading the news because it is sooo depressing. All the sex scandals from pedophiles to murder and it was just plain depressing. But to finally hear some Good news, young people who know their worth is inspiring. I wish I had a group like this when I was your age, it took me a lot longer to realize my worth. Keep up the Good work. God has something great in store for you all! God's peace and God's love to you all!

This is GREAT!!! I will be telling my step daughter about this group and their encouraging message!

i love that people are discovering that this organization is about more than sex. deciding to wait for marriage before becoming intimate doesn't mean you put your life on hold. if anything, these youth are passionate about their beliefs and convictions whether religious, family-based or health-conscious. they make great activist and community organizers. they also make great role models in their communities.

Only in one out of 50 states, gays and lesbians are entitled to the privilege of marriage. How do gay and lesbian young adults then engage in a sexual relationship if their right to marriage is widely banned? What solution does your group have for this dilemma regarding young gays and lesbians focused on abstinence?

I commend your work trying to help teens, but isn't "abstinence only" sex education becoming a thing of the past? Rather than tell teens not to have sex, we should be telling them how to do it safely because we're not going to stop them from having sex. I'm 20 years old and luckily I was taught proper prevention and have not gotten a girl pregnant or gotten an STD.

Why do groups like this always promote "abstinence until marriage." Can't they promote saving sex for love? I can't imagine marrying someone without ever having known them intimately.

And even so, to have sex or to not have sex is a personal decision and not one that an advocacy group should make for an individual.

why have you decided to wait untill marrage?

These kids aren't preaching and they're not judging people whose choices don't match theirs. They're embracing people who choose to wait until marriage. The gay issue has almost nothing to do with this; if gay teens want to have sex, they probably wouldn't be interested in joining this group. They have as much right to make that decision as the members of this group do to decide to abstain from sex. I'm shocked that anyone would look down on someone else's morals.

As a young person in today's society, what can you do to discourage the use of vulgarity in music and television. The sexual promiscuity is promoted in these two arenas with little voice for change. What message are sending to the owners and promoters of this concept.

F. Jones

I married a woman like this -- and she was.

Don't you naysayers get it. This generation has had it with the fallout of selfish sexual indulgence. Careful and measured consideration gave way to anything goes. We are drenched with pornography, sexual predators, and everyday lives ruined so we can please ourselves. How lame can we continue to be. Reminding young people they are precious and need to be treated as such ---WAY TO Go!!!!!!!

This is great. Many adults who did not have the confidence in themselves as young people to believe in themselves truly regret it. Those who had the confidence to believe that they were worth the wait do not have regrets and often go on to lead productive lives. That is what we should want for all of our youth in this country- a bright future without the baggage brought on by failed sexual relationships, STD's, abortion, children in unstable homes. People rush to say that those who preach wisdom, waiting etc. are "judgemental"- actually, they are usually peaceful and wise!!

I happen to be a Senior in high school, and someone who has been in a relationship for 4 years and i can honestly say i have never had sex. i am not religious, it was my personal choice because i believe the act of intercourse is so special. you can create life, why would someone want to just throw that away. I've got my whole life to have sex, why start now. The reason i chose marriage is because i don't know when someone becomes an adult. it is not like someone is goign to tap me on the shoulder some day and say..."welcome to adulthood".

I think it's pretty unrealistic to expect kids to wait till marriage. In fact, i don't believe half the kids in your own group are waiting till marriage. Don't get me wrong, it sounds good, but it's just not gonna happen. It's a nice positive message and all, but ima preach protection to my kids not some fantacy world of abstinance. Anyway, who say's that you have to be married anyway? You just have to be a responsible adult that can take care of whatever may come of that sexual experience.

Does this group go out to the schools and speak on the matter? or where are they mking their presence known? im a graduate student who is doing work on the matter and I am very interested in the efforts you may be making, but would love for it to be all over the place!

Congratulations on a wonderful program! The world is full of fun, people, travel, nature, boating, hiking, etc. There is plenty for folks (young and old) to do.

For me the things that have kept my marriage together has been a sense of belonging, partnering and wonder of the world.

You all are young, fun and have a lot to share with folks in America and across the world. Go for it and live your best life!

I am so proud of you guys and what you are standing on and for. Continue on in God's purpose and plan for your lives and in this organization.

First and foremost I would like to commend this group for standing for something that the rest of the nation/world takes so lightly. Abstinence before marriage is considered a joke by many and is severely downplayed and discouraged in much of our media and entertainment today. The other day I was sitting in class and one of my fellow peers was giving an oral presentation on STD's and how to avoid them. Sadly, the idea of total abstinence didn't even enter this persons mind. There's only one sure way to stay clean. And I give thanks to these young adults for promoting it!

“An intellectual is a person who has discovered something more interesting than sex.”
- Aldous Huxley (English Novelist and Critic, 1894-1963)

This is great. Teaching our youth that there's more to life than sex will open new doors. Just imagine what can be accomplished by using this new found "freetime" for bigger, better and more important goals!

Afterall, sex is, most often, inevitable. it will happen someday and hopefully when the time is right. Whereas, dreams and aspirations need rigorous attention and effort to occur.

Although... demanding to wait until marriage is a bit too much. Why not ask to wait until some amazing goals have been accomplished which, in turn, proves to some extent a new level of maturity?

Just a thought.

Other people have already asked about the gay youth/adults question, so I'll skip that one, and instead ask about the growing trend of committed heterosexual couples who are together for years but decide not to legally get married for various reasons. Would you deem it appropriate for someone in that sort of situation to engage in sexual behaviour?

Abstinance is a Biblical belief, and homosexuality is clearly not biblical. Therefore, it would be impossible to find a solution for the gay and lesbian "dilema", as joseph stated earlier. There is no dilema.

People who proport abstinance are coming from a Christian point of view. A homosexual lifestyle goes against Christian values, so why would gays and lesbians care to wait until they are married to have sex when their lifestyle is one of blatant disregard for Biblical principles?

I was pregnant at the age of 15 simply because no one told me that I was worth the wait. Too many adults think that teens are just a younger version of adults and "they are gonna do what they are gonna do anyway" but the truth is they do not know what their options are unless you tell them. They do not fully understand the consequences of their actions unless you put it right there in front of them, just as this organization has done. Even if these kids are not waiting for marriage, IAWTW is giving them the understanding that they are valuable for more than sex and they are learning to honor and respect themselves. Bravo!

Abstinence 'till marriage is so NOT a thing of the past! My husband and I waited for each other, and it's great! Many of our single (20-30 something) friends are still waiting. I don't think we should act like it's impossible for young people to wait on sex. Let's set the bar high. It can be done, and it's so worth it!

I've never met a married adult who's said "gosh, I wish I had slept with more people before my spouse." It's just extra baggage in your life. Sex is an intimate relationship meant to be shared with the person to whom you give your heart and your life. I applaud this group!

I cannot believe how many people serious still feel that relgion, God and the "sanctity" of marriage is the only way to live. It's depressing and so close-minded.

If we can ask young people to say no to drugs and alcohol, why do so many say it's unrealistic to ask them to say no to sex before marriage? Don't sell our younger generations short. Give them some credit for having integrity and wanting something better than what the media portrays. It's definitely worth the wait!

What's great about this organization is that in addition to promoting abstinence, it's also encouraging men and women young and old to have a high self-esteem. A lot of people have sex left and right because they're looking for love. However sex is not the same as love.

For all those who say that people should be able to have sex just because they love one another, well if they really love one another why can't they wait until marriage? They're "so in love" and act like it's a MUST to have sex... well then since you're so "in love" why not take it to marriage? Sounds to me like they're just looking to get some.

I am excited about what Worth the Wait is doing !!!! Keep it up...it's about time some people raised the standards of sexuality and stood up for God's way of doing things ! WAY TO GO....

Come on people, it's just sex.
It is what it is... two people, two parts, and some interaction.
There's nothing to be afraid of as long as both parties are honest and open.
It's a natural, primal instinct and who are is anyone to tell people sex is to only be had after marriage. If you think sex really involves love and intimacy and all that jazz, I'm not gonna rock your boat. However, I don't think sex is something people need to be making such a big deal of.
Come on people, get out there and have some good old casual (but safe!) sex. It's good for you.

I think it is important to have a group like this that raises the topic of sex and abstinence. Please point out verses in the bible that says sex is a sin.

It isn't premarital sex if you don't plan on getting married;)

I think this group is great because it is bringing back the importance of not having sex until marriage. Our society has lately focused on just teaching about safe sex which is taking away the sanctity of marriage and sex. God creates sex for all of us but like with everything good, it has it limits. Sex is made for a man and a woman in marriage. The problem with today’s society is that they seem to forget this and now we have problems with gay and lesbian relationships and also a high rate of STD's and women becoming pregnant outside of marriage. This group is doing a great job with making abstinence cool and showing young adults that despite what today's society is saying, it is not impossible to wait.

I HAVE NEVER UNDERSTOOD THE SAYING'"WAIT TO HAVE SEX WHEN YOU BECOME AN ADULT." ADULT? IF YOUR REFERING TO AN AGE GOD HELP YOU! WHEN I WAS 12 I WAS MORE MATURE THEN MOST "ADULTS" I KNEW. WHERE IS THE LINE THAT TAKES YOU FROM NON ADULT TO ADULT? I COULD GO ON AND ON! THE TRUTH IS PEOPLE WILL MAKE ANY EXCUSE TO GET WHAT THEY WANT! I AM WORTH THE WAIT IS A GREAT IDEA! IF EVERYONE HAD A THOUGHT PROCESS OF NOT ONLY AM I WORTH THE WAIT BUT YOU ARE TOO, PEOPLES LIVES WOULD BE DRAMATICALLY CHANGED!!!

So, this group is discouraging kids from talking openly about sex? That's EXACTLY what we need! Denial! Then again, that's always been the conservative religious way, hasn't it?

Personally, I'm proud to have had sex before marriage. It was a great learning experience--timed perfectly and biologically to when kids SHOULD be learning about sex. You guys put WAY too much stress on marriage, and are WAY too scared about sex. Marriage 1) doesn't mean that you're an adult, and 2) doesn't mean you're ready to have kids (emotionally, financially, etc.) And sex 1) doesn't have to result in pregnancy or an STD, and 2) gets better with experience and variety.

Being a smart and moral person doesn't mean you have to wait to have sex. Be responsible, care for the other person, and have fun. 'Nough said.

Remember, a lot of us said we'd wait until marriage, but most of us did not. Human nature and hormones are a powerful thing. I think the important thing here is to support them and their decision, but remember, abstinence is not the only choice for young people and if we push it down their throat, there is going to be a backlash. I wait until I was an adult before I had sex, and I'm glad. Not because some guy in the sky or my peers told me it was right, but because I was mature, I could make my decisions, I knew the consequences, and I could be as safe as possible.
So, good for you for being responsible young people, but remember, your view is not the only view.

Ok, So...Lets see here... Anyone who watches a good HOUR of T.V. can see that sex is used to sell everything from water to toothpaste to Doritos! C'mon, Seriously... There's got to be more out there!

I'm 23 years old, getting my Masters Degree, ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL, and get this....I'M A VIRGIN! (I know.. I'M A CATCH!) and here's the beauty of it all.. My HUSBAND will be the only one to know me intimately! Do I want to have sex?... (THAT'S A DUMB QUESTION) WHO DOESN'T! BUT I also want fulfillment..and for me, that means waiting until the Honeymoon...My My My!

This is a wonderful organization for people from all walks of life. I would suggest that you actually visit the site and one of the events prior to casting stones. This is a religious organization that promotes abstinence. They are very well educated adults that love each other and the Lord. It is about time that we have something positive for our children instead of teaching them it is ok to have sex as long as you protect yourself. What happened to the days when we taught our children that their bodies are their temples and they should treat it as such ? The problem is we need organizations such as I am worth the wait world wide to help our teens. This organization is available to come to your state to speak to your children, church, and any other organization that needs its help. Visit the website it is right there. I have had the pleasure of hearing Dr.Marsh and others from her organization speak and it was a pure blessing. This is a blessed organization and just to be in their presence for the short period of time I was there you could just see the love and desire to help young people. Sure parents are concerned because we can talk until we are blue in the face and our children are going to do what they want to do. However, if we keep positive influences in their lives 24/7 then at least we have a fighting chance.

I commend you on your stand to wait until marriage, but a few questions come to mind. Do you feel waiting until marriage to have sex will cause couples to get married too soon? Do you only date a person who is a virgin or abstinent? If not, do you think this causes issues while you are dating and trying to build a relationship? Do you discourage all forms of sexual activity or just intercourse? How will you handle sexual incompatibility after marriage?

I think that this group is wonderful! It is not a matter of sexuality or religion. These people are making a MATURE decision to wait. Very few people are able to just go through the act of sex and be completely unscathed by it. I too have made the decision to wait until I am married. I am closer to 30 than I am 20. It has been difficult, but I do not want some guy to think that he can get with me without having any investment in me. I AM WORTH MORE than that and so is the man I will marry. I want the man I marry to know that I have waited for him. As far as sexual incompatibility that I read about, if you've never had it then you have nothing to compare it to right. Plus for people in love sex is more than two people hookin up.

Sex is the physical and final consumation of a relationship where both partners involved experience intense pleasures that elevates them at its peak to the borderlines of the subconscious. This should only be experienced with somebody that our lives can be trusted with. And if anybody wants to prove that my life is safe with him/her, waiting for a duration of a couple of months/years is not an impssible sacrifice to make. If he/she can't wait for you, he/she is not worth your time. Weldone guys. We need to start something like this in the UK.

Cheers

Thanks for your comment. This is GREAT!!! I will be telling my step daughter about this group and their encouraging message!

Sex isn't the problem. It's the attitude people take towards it that causes indiference to how many partners one has or the possibility of who-knows-what the other person might have. What about..."I'm worth the wait for our sti test results"?

How refreshing to hear legitimate arguments that support abstinance. I have experienced firsthand the disrespect between young adults - most of whom are in physical relationships.

Anonymous commented that the sanctity of marriage is closed minded and depressing. Surely, they have never experienced a committed, loving marital relationship.

I just wanted to commend you on this wonderful group. I am a healthcare provider and I see many young people who have engaged in intercourse before they know what they are doing. I have seen many sexually transmitted diseases, unplanned pregnancies, and abuse. There need to be more groups like you out there to help the young people of today.
I wish there had been more of them around when I was younger. I however am still on the younger side of most practitioners and am able to talk to my patients about the cons of early intercouse.

As a baby boomer who has watched two generations spiral out of control with drugs, money, sex-talk and sex, I have always said to my peers "I'll bet there is going to come a future generation that takes a look at this present generation and take a stand by saying we're going to do things different than they did." And they'll make both boomer and gen-X look so foolish. And now I think it's coming through. I think us boomers had really failed the following generation when the child support and alimony laws came in. And people just said If I'm going to have to pay anyway, might as well just have the kid and don't marry her. and now what do we have? 43% married in just about every demographic zone.

Worth The Wait!! Its refreshing to see beautiful women and handsome men representing such a delicate subject as sexual purity/abstinence. Sexual purity and abstinence is a choice. It's high time someone made this 'choice' look just as glamarous, intelligent and sophisticated as, so-called 'safe' sex. These young people aren't afraid to talk about 'sex', in fact they are pretty candid about discussuing sex. How can you get mad at a group that strives to empower/educate people on a 'choice' that will prevent STD's, Unwanted Pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, abortion, emotional/psychological ties and the like. "www.iamworththewait.com" YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ROCK!!!

Though I am abstinent myself, I have a hard time with the "wait until marriage" message for the same reasons many previous posters have. What are we supposed to tell homosexuals? Abstinence for life? I applaud the overall message, but the focus on marriage is a little short-sighted IMO.

This group is made of awesome! I commend all of you for your mature, wise, responsible decision. You will be blessed for it.

I'm sorry for the person in high school who's friends lied about being virgins. Most of my friends and I really did wait until marriage to have sex.

My husband and I have great sex, a lot of it, and aren't bored. Our commitment not to have sex before marriage also helped us trust each other now that we are married. If he wouldn't have sex with me, who he dated for a long time and really liked, before marriage, I can be much more assured that he won't just have sex with other people just because "he feels like it."

Isaiah 55:8-9 says that God's ways are better than man's. A lot of people may not accept this message because they're too proud or foolish to accept that their ways may not be the best. Don't get discouraged. Keep sending the message. Some people will listen, and it encourages the rest of us.

Love and blessings.

WOW!!! Keep doing what you're doing and know that you are indeed making a difference!

This gives me restored hope for our future!! What an awesome group of young people redefining what "cool" is. I commend you all! Thank you for being such positive examples for the future generations!!

I think this group is great, and that they will succeed in staying abstinent until marriage. The main reason they will succeed is that they are actively forming the types of friendships that turn into good marriages. Based on that, the wait probably won't be very long.

The reason most people don't think it's realistic to wait until marriage is because they don't plan to get married any time soon. If you believe in marriage rather than a bunch of serial relationships, then marriage is a realistic goal. The other hard thing is trying to find someone who shares your conviction to wait. These kids are surrounded by others who share their beliefs. Since they have the same values and they are getting to know each other by having fun and forming frienships, a lot of them will find their spouses right there in the group.

I think it's beautiful.

To one of the commentor who said I have not gotten anyone pregnant or caught an STD YET because I practice safe sex....Sweetie there is an STD that can be transferred even with a condom. Some researchers say it is tranferred even faster with the use of a condom. HPV look it up. So the keyword there is YET and protected sex is not safe only SAFE"R"

I want to commend Worth the Wait for their boldness. I hope that people will soon understand that the reason for waiting until marriage to have sex isn't to prevent us from getting STD's or getting a person pregnant. We are not waiting until 'adulthood' or until we find the 'right one' either.
The purpose of waiting until marriage is to glorify GOD. The Bible tells us not to fornicate and if we our followers of Christ then we should obey His Word, plain and simple.

I completely agree with the message that this group is sending. As a matter of fact, I am not a virgin and can't say that I regret what has happened in the past, because it has made me who I am, but now I realize how I diminished the incredible plan that God has for us to be with one person. I believe that it remains sacred and special to share this with one person and I diminished the act by being with other people. I don't know about most of you, but when I have cared about people and think of them with other people it really bothers me. I believe that all those past sexual relationships can get in the way of the one between you and you're spouse.

Also,on a practical note, to address all these comments about safe sex. The truth is that abstinence is the only 100% guarantee for not getting an STD. Diseases such as HPV (there are different strains, some which show no symptoms in a male) can be caught even with a condom. HPV is a seriosu disease that can sometimes lead to cervical cancer in women.

I have had sex and truly enjoy it, but now I am ready to wait. I am worth the wait. I am hoping that God will heal me from my past and help me to remain faithful to this pledge. --Ronnie

I have a friend who works for Catholic Charities and she tells me that most of the time, these kind of groups completely fail...because kids don't even know how to define sex properly. They think it's only "intercourse" and they think that doing otuer things doesn't count. 88% of kids who pledge abstinence until marriage don't actually carry out that pledge at all.

Personally, I'm glad I didn't wait. And I'm more than a little tired of a certain segment of society trying to push the idea of sexual freedom and enjoyment under the rug. (On the other hand, I confess to being weary of the adolescent leering that passes for conversation on sex in America as well. Why does it have to be one polar extreme or the other>)

Look, it's these kids' business if they want to wait, but I see no reason to award them some sort of merit badge. The staunch avoidance of physical intimacy can be just as immature as the reckless rush for it. Except, I suppose, the former has the virtue of allowing oneself to pat oneself on the back for playing the rules of a giant invisible friend in the sky.

I think this group of young people are to be commended for standing up for principles they believe in against a world of strong sexual messages from the media and entertainment.

Everyone is worth the wait. Problem is that due to various insecurities, etc. etc., they don't realize it. Girls get duped the easiest and hit by early sex the hardest. There are LOTS of negative side effects of early sex that those school-infiltrating organizations don't want them to know. It's refreshing to see that there really are some younger Americans who can see through the lies.

I was raised Catholic, so I've had this irritating concept shoved down my throat for many, many years.

Waiting until marriage certainly looks good on paper, but if you look a little deeper, you'll find it's not such a great idea.

One of the cornerstones of a lasting relationship is the sexual dynamic between the couple.

Certain sexual incompatibilities can be worked around, but some are dealbreakers.

You're in for either an agonizingly long life or a saddeningly short marriage when you wait until you've walked down the aisle and declared "til death do us part" to find out that you're sexually incompatible.

I applaud their effort to make a positive impact, but can't we come up with something a little more reasonable like...say...

...saving yourself for engagement?

To be honest, I'm glad I didn't wait. I'm glad I had sex before I was in a serious relationship and I think if I DID wait, I'd always wonder what I had missed. I think this whole idea that everyone is going to get married is rather out-dated and I think that people's attachment to their virginity is kinda silly.

Now that I'm 15 years married, sex is great but it's not what makes our relationship. Our relationship is about love and respect. Something that you can get with or without your virginity.

I'd never have married my wife if she was a virgin before we met. Someone like that just has too many hangups and too much baggage, thanks.

I hope my kids wait until they're ready. But I also hope they dont' live in fear of intimacy into their adult lives and I REALLY hope they don't think of sex as some sort of prize they get for waiting. Sex should be a way to express love.. not a ends in itself.

I see right wingers using valuable comment space to stamp their religious affiliation (and some even quoting scripture!) on this group's agenda and it makes me sick.

This is not about pleasing some invisible deity. The purpose of this group is to prevent unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted disease, and other social ills that arise from promiscuity.

This is great. I bought into the idea that I had to have sex before marriage or I never would have a guy interested in me. I couldn't have been more wrong. I am now divorced and glad I listen to God in this area, no matter what the world says. Sex is a beautiful thing, immature for TV shows to joke about it all the time and stupid to see Britney shaking her butt in a video. Raunchy is not sexy.

It's about time a group of this kind consisting of young people come out and say, "let's talk about something OTHER than sex!" I applaude you young people! spread the word and spread the word some more. We need more of this message getting out there to young people all over north America! Great work, keep it up!

Awesome and excellent! Great idea, but please also push birth control and safe sex. Let's not be naive about teenagers and hormones...let's be practical. Support all kids not just the ones that agree to wait.

Sex is a natural part of human life. Yeah, our society puts too much emphasis on it, but when you come down to it, that's sort of 'what we're here to do'.

In any case, I don't see why people need to wait until marriage to have sex. You should wait until you're with someone you trust, particularly since there's a tiny chance a pregnancy could result (assuming you're being responsible), but that doesn't mean you have to be married. Marriage is a religious and societal institution, and whether it's got anything to do with sex and when you have it should be a personal choice.

Waiting is great for some people and not for others. If you respect yourself and others and live responsibly, sex will become a part of your life when the time is right.

It is good to see positive things being reported in the news. Keep it up!

Way to go Worth the Wait!!!

I was a virgin when I got married at age 21. My husband, seven and a half years my senior, was also a virgin. As a matter of fact, the first time we shared a kiss was on our wedding day in December, 2002.

I am so grateful that prior to our marriage, my husband's first goal was to protect and honor me as a woman and to honor my father, as the protector of his daughter, at the same time. We had dated with the intention of marrying right from the start of our relationship, but, had things not worked out, we could have parted ways knowing that the best of ourselves, that part that the world doesn't get to see, was safe, reserved for our future spouse.

Be encouraged!! There are men (and women) out there who's goal is to serve and protect the other physically, emotionally, and sexually. And as someone who was so blessed with a strong man of God, I'm so happy to say that neither my husband nor I settled for used goods. We got the absolute best from each other.

From what I have read so far, I think this is an absolutely wonderful group. Waiting for sex until marriage is one of the best decisions I ever made. I know that it is possible. I know many many wonderful, talented, attractive, "worth-the-wait" young people who have waited and who are the happier for it. I even know an amazing woman who was in the Miss America pageant, who had a career in television, and who was a still a virgin when she got married in her 40s. She is happier than ever. Waiting for sex does not limit you, it gives you freedom and peace of mind. My question for the group is "How can I become involved and help support your cause?" You definitely are young people who ROCK!

Why do you push the abstinence until married agenda? Do you realize most people don't get married until late 20's? Are they supposed to wait?

How about a program to "make informed decisions" instead?

I think it's great that there's a group of young people focusing on doing something positive with their lives and improving the world. However, why not try to be more inclusive for young people who have had sex (a number that is far greater than those who haven't). I think focusing on how your decisions affect other people and making smart decisions for yourself is more powerful than the old-fashioned abstinence only mentality.
Young peope who have had sex before marriage want to improve the world too, and groups like this just make them more resistant to close-minded religious groups.

Firstly, could this program increase the chances of people getting married just to have sex? I see problems in people getting married not because of their conviction that they will be together forever, but judgments just clouded by sexual arousal.

And secondly, one commenter said, "If we can ask young people to say no to drugs and alcohol, why do so many say it's unrealistic to ask them to say no to sex before marriage?" I think it's fine to *ask* them to say "no" to sex. But just like many kids out there who *don't* say "no" to drugs and alcohol, kids won't say "no" to sex either. So telling them isn't unrealistic, expecting them to follow the advice *is*.

All of you who actually expect young adults to wait until marriage to have sex are living in a fantasy world. Teens and 20-somethings have sex and even enjoy themselves without the the fear of going to Hell. We're all animals in the end and it's not some moral failing to have sex (nor is it heroic to wait until marriage). Get over yourselves.

I love that you guys are putting this perspective out there for people to see. There are so many different philosophies in this country about sex, and of course people are entitled to their beliefs and opinions, but I think it is really refreshing that you guys have made this option available to people who are interested. And for the dissenters, feel free to NOT join with this group. But why bother trying to discredit them with pointless cynicism by saying they are outdated? Obviously there are plenty of people who feel otherwise.

All I can say is "WOW" what a refreshing and inspiring group of young people. I pray their message continues to grow because God knows this world is desperately in need of it.

I commend I Am Worth The Wait for their boldness and encouraging true principles. I don't get how so many people are not "celebrating" their "choice" or being "tolerant" of the "differences" of these great youth. I am a 30 year old virgin, and I am so excited to be getting married in 2 months. I am so happy that I have waited for the wonderful, loving man I am marrying. I think focusing on preparing for marriage and encouraging wholesome, fun activities for young people is great. What is so wrong with this? I don't regret one minute that I didn't have sex with any of my ex-boyfriends. Focusing on marriage and being prepared for marriage and developing good friendships is far from being short-sighted. It is focusing on the long-term future for these youth. Focusing on having sex now or when you feel like it is, in reality, being very short-sighted.

Islam teaches us to wait till marriage.So this is nothing new for us. But i am glad that other people from other religion are realizing what all these MTV shows are doing to the western society. Keep up the good work. If you could do something about the programs that one sees on TV that would be great. Some of the shows are disgusting.

In the past, waiting for sex until marriage made more sense because people got married in their teens. However, more people are waiting until their late 20's, 30's, and even 40's to get married. Now, I think it is very unreasonable for people to wait until marriage to have sex.
In addition, abstinence movements set people up to have no knowledge or experience of expressing themselves sexually with a partner. Learning how to do this does not happen overnight and there is no guarantee that people will be sexually compatible even if they really love each other. Doesn't this just set the stage for sexually unsatisfying marriage and divorce?

You guys are totally AWESOME! How refreshing to see a group focus on this positive way of life for young people. I know several teenagers and young adults who have the same beliefs, but unfortunately, society does not recognize nor encourage them.

Do not let anyone tell you are out of step with reality.You are RIGHT ON!!

Wonderful! About time.
So how about more cocerage for this and other groups that want something besides what Hollywood is selling.
The focus on marriage is the right thing for our society.

It's really encouraging to see young people taking a stand. God will reward you someday for following his word. Reading all the comments, it amazed me that all the negative ones were signed anonymous. I have compfort when I pray for them that God knows there name. What an awesome God!!
Jimmie Grieshaber

Thank God for these young people who are conciensous enough to want to be involved in life and good, clean living. Sex in the proper context is wonderful! But everywhere one turns, there is sex in everything! In the middle of the afternoon on regular TV programs, there is sex. It seems that there is no more FAMILY shows anymore.

Kudos to this group!

When God created man and woman, he designed sex for marriage to create intimacy with your ONE partner, as well as in order to populate the earth. Sex outside of marriage was never God's design.

Society has created it's own definition of sex, relationships, etc. that were never part of God's original design. This is called SIN. When will we as a society ever realize that God loves us and He gave us instructions for living in the BIBLE?! These guidelines were not designed to limit us; rather they were designed to set us free!!

Any time we as people violate one of God's guidelines, there are consequences. Forget all of the sexually transmitted diseases that are possible - what about the mental and emotional issues involved with premarital/extramarital sex? That's why God gave us guidelines for living...so that we would have the best life possible.

Aaron is right; the Bible tells us not to fornicate. Others who have addressed gay/lesbian relationships as outside of God's will are correct in calling it SIN, just as God does.

The good news is that all have sinned and fallen short of God's glory (Romans 3:23). The even better news is that God sent His one and only Son to die and rise again for that sin.

I just want to say to the organizers of "I am Worth the Wait", THANK YOU! Thank you for taking a stand against the bombardment of sex that our young kids have to deal with. My children are in elementary school, and I have already had to talk to them a lot about things they have heard at school or seen on TV, even commercials! It is harder to take a stand for what is right than just to "go with the flow", so thank you for taking a stand for what is right! What you are doing is just what our society needs to get us headed back in the right direction.

This is indeed excellatn work! Yes, its true this whole world has become full fo "sex" and one day I am afraid, it will ruin us completely. There are so many better things to do in life! and if all thre religions say the same thing about sex, that is waiting till marraige, then there must be a logic to it, and its not must be, there is. See the problems we have these days. I shall help in promotion of ur organization!

You know, I'm tired of all the naysayers here who feel the need to shoot down these young people for what they believe in. Regardless or not whether God/religion/faith/etc. comes into play or not, they are doing what they feel is the right thing. They are making a statement and they have every right to do so.

Your own mileage may vary on it, but don't dismiss them just because their thoughts happen to diverge from yours. They're taking a position, something that's hard enough to do when you're a teenager and even harder in this day and age.

I like the groups emphasis on waiting for sex, but dislike the marriage component. I think the most important thing is to avoid meaningless sexual activity and try to be close to someone you love, and if the time is right, also be intimate with them. For some people, marriage will never be right, for some people, marriage isn't even allowed. The sad problem I have with groups like this one is their reliance on an institution that honestly doesn't have a lot of meaning anymore. Why wait until marriage when 50% of marriages end in divorce? Marriage doesn't equate love today, unfortunately. I feel that it's good to have some sexual experience (whether it's with one person, or more) before entering into a contract like marriage, for many women and men, sexual dissatisfaction is a sad but true fact. Knowing who you are sexually is an important (but not all-important) part of growing up.

I am a 21-year-old college girl, and I have decided to wait until marriage. I'm also not religious -- I've made this decision to serve myself, not a higher force. Anyway, the current stereotype surrounding abstinence is that only straight-laced religious fundamentalists follow it. Being on a college campus, MANY people, even some of my close friends, express the idea that abstinence is only for "losers" who can't get laid, or for religious people who have somehow been "forced" into it by God. Few seem to understand me when I say I'm waiting for someone truly right to come along. "But why? You don't believe in God..." Can a girl not make personal decisions for herself here???

I don't think Worth The Wait is trying to flaunt moral superiority, and to show how wait-until-marriage people are "better" than others. I don't think my non-virgin friends are worse or more corrupt. But I also don't want to feel like there's something wrong with ME, and with my own beliefs... which is unfortunately what I often feel given my surroundings.

The fact that Worth The Wait exists and is aiming to be a visible presence makes me feel less alone. I'm sure there are many other abstinent young adults out there in the world, but our current culture tends to glorify sex, so abstinent people remain under the radar as this weird fringe group. So I'm glad people are speaking up.

Why not talk about sex? People have sex for many positive reasons, including love. I also think that love should be unconditional and to think of someone sharing all the intimate parts of their heart, soul and mind but applying the condition and saying, 'we have to be married for me to share my body' simply doesn't make sense.

I don't see why we view sex as the ultimate intimacy when sharing our deepest thoughts and fears is acceptable?

If they're willing and able to hold out until their wedding night, more power to 'em. 50% of their marriages will still end in divorce.

I think it's wonderful that there are young people in today's society that can think for themselves and not cave into what "everyone else is doing." It's great that you have a character strength that most of society doesn't have or even recognize. This will be an asset to you in the future even beyond physical relationships. I wish you the best and I am very impressed that you guys have the courage to take a stand for something that may not be popular. KUDOS!!!!!

First, I would like to express my praise to God for this group. There needs to be more groups like this around the world to reach out to some who feel and believe that sex before marriage is "no big deal" and others who feel that they are worthless because they choose to keep their virginity.

Second, I feel sorry for those that can not see and/or refuse to see the negative effects of premarital sex. Many people believe that they should "test the waters" before making a commitment; however, once such waters have been tested, those same individuals come away unfulfilled and empty.

Finally, this year, I will be 31 and yes, I am still a virgin. I am very proud of that. There are not many women in the world that can say that. I've been rejected several times, because I refused to engage or even discuss premarital sex. My prayer is that this group will proclaim this message around the world...that true happiness comes when living God's way, because God's way is the right way.

This is such a relief. I pray that there will be even more groups like this future. My daughter is two, and I'm already stressing about when she becomes a teenager. Raising kids is difficult these days. It's nice to have some support.

America was founded on Christian values. Thank God this group is focused on the same values as shown in the Bible. God Bless America, and God Bless this young group!!!

It's offensive that the idea of not waiting for marriage to have sex somehow makes a person worth less than their sexually repressed counterparts. It's just another tithe-giving generation controlled and molded by people who think they know how others' genitalia should be used.

I am truly puzzled by those who say abstinence before marriage is not possible or feasible. I am a