- Winston SillChristian friends Shawn and Nadine know how to toe the line.
SEAN, 18, ABSTAINING CHRISTIAN:
"Let's be honest. It's kind of hard still. Everybody knows this. The temptation is so great out there. Girls on a whole, yeah, they are attractive and attracted to us because Christian men are more stable.
"Me? Oh boy. There are good looking, healthy girls. It's kind of hard not to look and wonder if I could deal with one of them?
"On many occasions I am tempted. But, I occupy myself with so many other things. I am too busy to really focus on them.
"With my girlfriend, we try not to put ourselves into situations where that might come up. You do not set the mood (music) that will bring it on. We kiss, but nothing more. Both of us agree on a limit. And, trust me, it is just as hard for a woman, and even harder too. Just keep yourself occupied. The devil finds use for idle hands."
ZAMARONO, 36, ABSTAINING CHRISTIAN:
"I have taken no vows of celibacy, but I am certainly single and keeping to my Christian beliefs. Quite a number of females find me to be a pain in the neck and I guess I am like this because I am just not ready.
"I am supremely confident that I will get what I want, when I want it. No, I don't think I have an extra dose of grace. I have always wanted to take responsibility for my actions. I don't want ever to blame anyone for anything. I do not like a feeling of powerlessness.
"I also work at my spiritual life. You know that anything that is neglected will break down.
"The religion I hold also believes in character development. That aspect is what matters most."
ANGELA, 29, SEXUALLY ACTIVE FORMER CHRISTIAN
"I left the church because of what they did to a friend who became pregnant. They removed her from church and her friend from the choir and other church activities without even checking if he was the father of the child.
"He was not. They were friends, but there was no sexual relations.
"When I was there, I was involved in a lot of activities. That helped. Even though most of my friends were secular, I was the influential one. They even wanted to come to church with me, even though they teased me from time to time.
"I left the church because of the way they treated her. I only go back now for weddings, funerals and other rare visits. I think what they did was so unloving and hypocritical.
"It was seven years after I left that I first had sex. I was 25 then. Even now, if I am not in a relationship I do not have a problem with abstaining. Sex is precious to me. I will not offer it freely to just any and any one."
MARSHA, 30, ABSTAINING CHRISTIAN
"This year will be the fifth year since I decided to go back to the church and five years since I have had sex.
"Sometimes it is incredibly hard, because I tend not to have a lot of friends and have depended on boyfriends in the past to provide me with a social life.
"There are nights when I feel like throwing myself against a wall out of loneliness. Often, I want to be held. I want a child, a family. What makes it worse is that the probability of getting a partner in my church seems quite low.
"However, I believe in Christian principles. I also tell myself that sex is just an appetite like hunger for food. One would not take a burger off the ground and eat it. In the same way, sex outside of marriage is likely to cause pain and spiritual death."
MELVILLE, 27, NON-CHRISTIAN
"I think that the whole thinking about needing to be married to have sex is outdated. If it's a Biblical thing, then it dates back to a time when having several wives was acceptable.
"It makes more sense for me to sleep with someone I truly care about and have an open and honest relationship with. Marriage is a man-made institution sex is natural and universal. How could we possibly propose to contain it within our flawed morality?"
Names changed as requested/Opinions canvassed by Avia Ustanny.
