Is premarital sex immoral?

[°Leprechaun]

Regardless of our theological affiliations, I would hope that’s we could agree the unimpeded transfer of reproductive agents without any intention to deal with the result is immoral.

I would hope that we could all agree that war is the greatest evil, but I don't see that happening any time soon.

[°Leprechaun]

There is no circumstance in which it is acceptable for people to have sex outside of the confines of a Biblical marriage.  The "religious right" is right to condemn homosexual sex as wrong, but it is not strong enough about condemning all heterosexual sex between unmarried men and women

[etc etc]

Why has nobody challenged this (highlighted words). Is this ok, simply because so called Christians do this? The idea that it is ok to condemn others is not Biblical in the first place (cf Matthew 7) To say that much evil is done in the name of religion (female circumcision, sanctimonious judgements, war and terrorism), is not to imply that all of religion is evil, and certainly not to imply that religious people are evil, but am I the only one troubled when so called religious people use their religion to judge and condemn or even worse to do evil deeds?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_views_on_female_genital_mutilation

[°Leprechaun]

"It's between consenting adults" works well as a legal argument, and I'm pleasantly surprised to see at least some posters restraining themselves to using it as one, but as a moral argument it's too presuppositional of a generally libertarian and individualistic moral framework to convince anybody who doesn't share those presuppositions.

I'm far from a libertarian, whether from a political or from a moral standpoint, but when it comes to the issue of premarital sex I still have trouble finding it immoral for this reason.

Immoral is a strong word. For someone who is not a Christian (or Muslim, or Orthodox and Orthoprax Jew - but I think Jews would overall be less likely to emphasize the immoral aspect of it-), consent just seems the most logical basis on which you can judge the morality of it.

Yeah, I mean, coming from a totally non-religious perspective, I don't understand how something could possibly be immoral if it has absolutely no negative impact on anyone or thing - as far as I am concerned, something is moral or not depending on the impact that it has; things aren't inherently moral or not by themselves.

If two people consent to pre-marital sex, even if it totally devoid of any emotional connection, it doesn't actually have any impact on anyone outside the couple, so I don't see what rationale there could be for it being immoral.

More than anything, the more partners you accumulate in your life (no double standards here, it's valid for both sexes), the harder it becomes to form the type of bond and committment that is needed in order to make a marriage work, and I really think that's one of the big reasons relationships (including marriage) generally don't survive long term these days.

I've had over 80 sexual partners, a 5 year relationship then a 7 year marriage. If anything it makes for a stronger bond because it's based on experience.

That isn't a lot. (more than I) Solomon had about 1000.