this is such a great thread...i don't even know what all to say!!!
I do find it kind of...odd, perhaps...that they would qualify sex between two people only okay if there is a man-made marriage license involved. As far as I recall, the only kind of "evidence" in bible days that two people were "married" is if the guy brought the chick home....or something lol
So why cannot sex between two people who are COMMITTED to one another emotionally, but simply not legally married, be ok? Obviosuly, from a biblically moral standpoint, one should not go out and have a bunch of one night stands, but who is to say that they cannot be in a certain level of a committed relationship and not have sex? I agreed with whoever said that it would certainly weed out bad marriage potential.
I've heard so many times over the years the phrase "why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free"...thus discouraging the concept of sex before marriage (aka without a marriage license). HOWEVER.....what if the cow doesn't produce milk at all!? What if the milk is gross? (for lack of other descriptive ideas lol) Who would want to buy the cow AT ALL, if they weren't happy with the milk?? It would be WAY WORSE to buy the cow, find out the milk is not acceptable and then be stuck with a useless cow!!
OMG...my whole analogy there is cracking me up HAHAHAHAHAHA
I know I don't want a useless cow for a mate!!!! LOLOLOL